Creativity can bring forth new products and procedures, remedy conflict and even create opportunity where none exists. Thus, creativity is and always be the most valuable asset. In general, every person is creative to a certain extent. However, everyone does not have the same ability to come up with better ideas provided by a more economical use of time.
It is fine to have the ability to count on our creative subconscious for an occasional idea or solution. But to develop spontaneous creativity, we need to do away with assumptions, boundaries and unspoken rules, which are taken for granted. Often, finding a creative solution to a problem requires a creative look at the definition of the problem in hand. Hence, we need to look and think of the problem in different ways and from different angles before we start preparing a list of the different ways of dealing with it.
However, it would not be easy to break out of the habitual manner in which we look at problems. It takes practice and a few tricks. That is. it requires changing your mind-set at the problem-redefinition stage itself. First, magnify and extend the parameters of the problem. Next, try minimizing the problem. Also, try to put together things in a way that have not been put together before. Put them in ways that have some pragmatic application.
Try applying analogies from a totally different subject to help rework the problem. It may be finding an analogy between your particular problem and a hobby or subject that you follow in your spare time.
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Another technique is to haul out a dictionary and let it fall open where it may and try to connect the first word you see to your problem. This technique can be practised by picking two words at random and trying to forge a connection between them. You will be amazed to find that a connection can be forged between any two words, however farfetched they may be.
Some people always end up giving their creative ideas to others who gain from them. It is because they do not work on their ideas before letting them known to others. They do not know what to do when they are struck with a brilliant idea. When visions of a brilliant idea start dancing in your head, the first thing to do is calm down, and tests your idea with functional reality. Take a critical look at your idea. Find out whether your approach is adaptive or innovative. An adaptive idea is one which works with the tried-and-true approach, but finds a better way of doing it.
On the other hand, an innovative approach throws out the old way of doing things and provides a totally unique solution or a completely different way of handling a particular task. If the problem has been a recurring one, then chances are dying adaptive idea might have been applied in the past, have worked for a while, and then failed. So, it might be time to apply an innovative idea.
Once you have decided to take your idea forward, try to criticize it from different angles, say, your idea is impractical or too expensive. You can also use illegal, immoral, inefficient, unworkable, disruptive, unaesthetic, radical, unappealing, prejudiced, etc. If you are unable to defend your idea against any one perspective, rework on that aspect of your idea before you take it forward.
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The first thing needed to let creativity freely blossom in a person is the domain knowledge, i.e. practical knowledge in that particular area. All creative ability is useless without the relevant domain knowledge. Next is to have the ability to take risks in thinking and to persevere in your line of thought. The ability to look from different and newer perspectives to a problem is essential for a creative solution to click. However, these two abilities would not be effective unless there is motivation, an internal spark or interest in solving the problem.
For developing that internal spark, a degree of autonomy or a feeling of ownership is necessary. It should be coupled with a detachment from any kind of competition. People who attempt a task for fun often come up with brilliant and better solutions than those who perform under immense competition. Competition may produce a flurry of quantity, but not necessarily of that refined quality.
It may get people to work harder, but not necessarily create a desired level of interest. While competition may yield a quick result which may be a little better than the rest, internal motivation may often result in the very best that a person has to offer.
To develop that little bit of creative spark in you, forget all rewards. Stop working for rewards. Instead, create self-interest in whatever you do and rewards will follow.