What is creative thinking and what do we mean by creativity?

In fact, there are many definitions of creativity, so we will mention some definitions; one of the easiest of these definitions is the following definition: “The process that leads to the creation of new ideas, which are useful and socially acceptable when implemented.

“It is a combination of flexible scientific imagination to develop an old idea or to find a new idea, no matter how small the idea is, resulting in a distinct and unfamiliar product that can be applied and used.” I believe that this is the most comprehensive definition.

So creativity is the production of new ideas that are out of the ordinary, provided that they are useful ideas, and creativity may be in a field that brings destruction and damage, and this is not called creativity but sabotage, so if we say that an employee invented a new way to reduce costs or enhance production or a new product, this idea is considered creativity.

You can refer to the book “The Spark of Creativity” by Dr. Ali Al-Hammadi, where you will find a comprehensive definition of creativity and related concepts. This file is a very brief definition of creativity and creative thinking, and I don't want to prolong it.

Who is creative?

Some people think that a creative person is born creative, which is an incorrect concept, and to summarize, everyone can create and innovate except those who refuse!”

A businessman was standing in a long line at an airport. The man noticed that the ticket covers were blank white, so he thought of printing advertisements on these covers and distributing these covers for free to the airlines.

The airlines agreed to this offer, the businessman cooperated with the manager of a printing press, and this project was realized, and the result is millions of dollars in profits! The idea is creative and small, but it is new and no one has thought of it before, and this man has become a customer of major companies in the United States.

Individual creativity:

In this section, we review the characteristics of a creative person in the subject of creative thinking, the obstacles to creativity in individuals, ways and methods to become more creative, methods of generating ideas, and then some examples and areas in which the individual can be creative.

Qualities of creative people:

These are some of the qualities of creative people, which you can get used to and instill in yourself and try to get others used to as well.

- They look for alternative methods and solutions and are not satisfied with one solution or method.

- They are determined and strong-willed.

- They have clear goals they want to reach.

- They ignore the negative comments of others.

- They are not afraid of failure (Edison tried 1800 experiments before he invented the light bulb).

- They don't like routine.

- They take initiative.

- Positive and optimistic.

If you don't have these qualities, don't think you're not creative; you can acquire these qualities, and they can become ingrained habits.

Obstacles to creativity:

The obstacles to creativity are many, some of which are from the person himself and others from others. you have to be aware of these obstacles and avoid them as much as possible because they kill creativity and kill it.

- The feeling of inferiority is represented by what some people say: I'm weak, I'm not creative,.. etc.

- Lack of self-confidence.

- Failure to learn and continue to increase one's knowledge.

- Fear of other people's negative comments.

- Fear for livelihood.”

- Fear and shyness of superiors.

- Fear of failure.

- Satisfaction with reality.

- Inertia to plans, laws, and procedures.

- Pessimism.

- Dependence and dependence on others.

Ways to become more creative:

- Take an early morning walk and contemplate the nature around you.

- Set aside five minutes for visualization every morning and evening.

- Discuss an idea with someone else before you try it.

- Imagine yourself as the chairman of a board of directors for one day.

- Use drawings and illustrations instead of writing to present information.

- Before you decide anything, prepare your options.

- Try and test things and encourage experimentation.

- Exchange your work with another colleague for just one day.

- Draw pictures and humor while thinking.

- Think of a costly solution to a problem and then try to identify the advantages of that solution.

- Brainstorm ideas and come up with far-fetched solutions.

- Learn a new sport even if you don't play it.

- Subscribe to a magazine in a field you don't specialize in and have never read before.

- Change your route to and from work.

- Do the secretary's job yourself, and give him a mandatory vacation!

- Tidy up your room, wash, and iron your clothes on your own.

- Change the arrangement of furniture in your office or room.

- Always dream and visualize success.

- Take small steps in every action; don't just talk and wish.

- Ask more questions.

- Say, I don't know.

- If you don't do anything, think about doing something creative to fill your free time.

- Play a game of what if...?

- pay attention to small thoughts.

- Change what you're used to.

- Make sure that everything you do has some creativity in it.

- Learn and play intelligence and thinking games.

- Read stories and situations about creativity and creative people.

- Dedicate a notebook to write down creative ideas, no matter how small they are.

- Assume that anything is possible.”

How to generate ideas:

We have come to the practical application, how to generate and create new ideas and solutions; here are these methods:

- In creative thinking, set a clear goal for your creativity and thinking.

- Thinking upside down, i.e., flipping what you see in your life until you come up with a new idea, for example: Students go to school; when you reverse it, you say: The school comes to the students, and this is what has happened through online study, correspondence, etc.

- Combination, i.e. combining two or more elements to get a new creation, e.g., car + boat = amphibious vehicle, and this idea has been implemented!

- Deleting: remove one part or step from a device or administrative system, as it may be useless.

- Imagine becoming the director of the Ministry of Education, for example, what would you do? Or imagine that we live underwater; what would our lives be like?

- Random stimuli, visit a toy store, travel to a country you've never been to before, walk in a place you've never seen before, and don't forget to carry a notebook and pen with you to record any thought or idea that pops into your mind.

- Creativity on the move, that is, transforming and shifting a seemingly untrue or unreasonable idea into a new and reasonable one.

- Another point of view is to look at the issue, creativity, or question from a second or third party, and don't limit your vision to your own field of view.

- What if, say to yourself: What if such and such happened? The result would be...

- How could? Use this question to find many alternatives and answers.

- Can you come up with 20 other uses for the pen other than writing and drawing? Try this method, and you are sure to come up with useful ideas.

- Develop continuously; don't stop developing and tweaking anything.

Examples and applications:

1- Imagine that your organization decides to lay you off; what will you do? Will you look for a new job or start your own project, or will you do nothing at all, think and come up with a new creative idea, and apply it if possible? and do not forget that fear of livelihood is one of the obstacles to creativity.

2- Look at the waste and garbage at home; can you make use of it? On my table is a box to put pens in, this box was originally a food box! But it has been cleaned and decorated to make it beautiful and useful.

3- You would like to go on a creative trip with your family; what would that trip be like?

4- Your room is disorganized. how will you arrange it so that it saves a lot of space and is also practical?

5- Some of your friends will visit you at home, how will you welcome them in a creative way?

6- You want to energize your family members with a new creative activity. how will this activity be?

7- You have decided to plant ornamental plants in your garden, how will you plant them, and what will they look like?

8- You noticed that you have a lot of financial expenses in your home; how will you reduce these expenses?

9- You want to learn and increase your knowledge, come up with 10 ways to increase your knowledge.

10- If you depend on a maid for household chores, imagine that you abandon her for a week. How will you manage your household chores? Apply this exercise practically and get rid of the maid and the negatives of the servants.

Conclusion:

Be a creative person and do not pay attention to the negative and discouraging comments of others, and try to develop your creativity skills and know that it is a skill you can acquire, and creativity is necessary for an individual's life to break the routine and boredom, to develop his skills and knowledge, and to enrich his life with beautiful experiences and situations, so think about all your personal life and try to be creative even a little in every field.