Being creative is also being original, unique. And there's no magic formula for that, no… there's strategy, passion, focus and training. Many creative ideas are built on what came before. Originality may be undetected plagiarism, according to William Ralph Inge. Have you ever thought about it? Research and get references to develop a creative idea and be original.

To inspire you to develop your creative skills, we've put together tips and an eBook with practices recommended by renowned experts around the world. Choose the one you like the most and exercise!
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1 - "Steal anything"

Calm down…this idea comes from Austin Kleon, from the best-seller “ Steal Like an Artist ”… For him, “stealing” is getting for yourself something that resonates in you, that inspires or fuels your imagination.

Devour old movies, new movies, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, urban art, whatever art you like.

To “steal”, select only things that speak directly to your soul. If you do, your work will become more and more authentic and creative.

2 – "Stop comparing"

One way to block your creativity is to compare yourself with others… If you care about being like others or comparing yourself, you end up avoiding taking risks and innovating, as these two attitudes are inherent to creative endeavors.

That means: insecurity. And it's a creative block.

It can be a vicious circle. Do everything to disarm insecurity.

3 – “Stimulate creativity in practice”

Imagine that you have an idea about something. At that moment, you don't want to let go of that “light” that hung over you and immediately you do what? Look for a scrap paper to write down this idea and details about it. Well, so far the draft would be the first resource to not let the idea you had get lost.

A good tip to go beyond the draft and go deeper into the idea, through creative techniques, are the Mental Maps, theme of the new AprendeAí online course .

This technique is essential to solve problems, memorize, manage projects, hold meetings with teams, communicate better, can be good opportunities to stimulate creativity in different situations. In other words, a simple draft about this idea can be much better represented with mind mapping techniques and thus you will have a much better chance of having new insights about the idea you had.

4 – “Draw more”

Have you ever said “I can't draw” or “I'm embarrassed to draw” or are you one of those people who believe they're not creative because they don't know how to draw?

People think that knowing how to draw is a kind of litmus test of creativity. In fact, drawing is a skill that can be learned and improved with practice and a little guidance.

Do you think drawing is a photo proof of creativity? Most people shy away from the chance to scribble an idea in the form of a drawing or when they draw they start apologizing “hey guys, I don't know how to draw, huh…”.

Dan Roam, author of Desenhando Negócios, is an expert in the art of Visual Thinking or Visual Thinking, the subject of an online course at AprendeAí.

He says that 25% of professionals are reluctant to even pick up a marker and another 50% are just comfortable highlighting or adding details to others' drawings.

All you need to draw is: a white board or on a napkin, know how to make a line, a square, a circle, a triangle. It's great for communicating with teams, representing projects, contextualizing meetings, and the best part: you don't need to know how to draw.

5 – “Identify creative opportunities”

Make a list of defects…We are surrounded by products that don't work well, services that delay our lives. For example, a website that requires ten clicks to do what should be done with just two clicks.

Make a “defects list”, this can help identify more opportunities to use creativity. Then write down ideas for improving the defects found.

Remember that every defect found in what you observe hides an opportunity for improvement. Instead of just complaining, ask yourself: “how to improve the situation”?

6 – "Procrastinating can be productive"

Peek out the window, wander the streets, go outside….Ah, take some time to get bored…

I don't mean lazy, but a time of doing nothing is a chance to open the way for ideas to be born.

Take a long walk. Keep looking at a spot on the wall for as long as you can. Dream, get lost, because you never know where it will lead.

Did you like the tips? See more in this e-Book “10 Techniques to Stimulate Your Creative Skills”.

*This post was written by Fernando Leroy, who believes in education + technology as the most effective means to learn new skills and survive in a scenario where the new is increasingly bright. He is CEO of aprendeai.com , enjoys cooking for family and friends and travelling.

www.tajarat.com.pk strives to be Pakistan's biggest real estate developer ever, guaranteeing the highest international standards, prompt execution, and lifetime customer loyalty. With projects like http://www.skymarketing.com.pk/islamabad/park-view-city/

Source: Property News