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Issue 00472 |
June 9 - 15, 2007 |
issn 0856 - 9135 |
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Breaking Barriers |
 Getting That One Creative Idea by George ‘GBENGA OLOWOYE
GEORGE, an
executive business Coach, author and speaker lives in Arusha. Make your next
conference, One great business idea can set you permanently on a path of success. Indeed, one idea can make you rich but getting that creative idea for an extra-ordinary life is the big issue for us all. In the BBC TV series "Dragons' Den", entrepreneurs were put on the spot in front of a panel of potential investors. Given only minutes to pitch their idea, the pressure was on - some simply frazzled in the fiery breath of the dragons, others sweated it out, made it through, and saw the money on the other side. Many of us dream of running our own business, but lack of experience and entrepreneurial skills often prevent people from making that first step. For those with the nose, confidence and, crucially, vision it should be easy - but a great idea doesn't mean investors will be queuing up at your door. It is the knack for creativity and strategic thinking that will guide you in the 21st Century through the hazardous process of finding your product, identifying your market, developing and maximising your business acumen, honing your presentation skills, and finding the right partner. Most critically, your creativity and competence will also close the deal when you do find it. In the competitive world of business and daily living you must learn the art of thinking through problems and developing strategies that will work for you when you face challenges. For both these reasons, it becomes imperative to discover when and how you get creative ideas especially those ones that will distinguish and make you win in the race of life and your business. You intuitively know that one creative idea that brings the genius out in each of us. One of the most important things about time and creativity is that you need some "down" time. When you give your conscious mind a rest, you have a chance to hear from your powerful and ever-active subconscious mind. To illustrate, many of us have had the experience of something being on the "tip of their tongue." For example, at lunch you might hear someone talking about a book you also read and you want to help her remember the author's name, but neither of you can come up with it. You might even pose the question out loud, "What is his name? Why can't I think of it?" The whole day could go by without remembering it, only to have it pop into your head when you least expect and when you cannot tell your friend (maybe at 3:00 a.m.). Your subconscious remembered the question your conscious mind posed and found the answer, but then had to wait for a time when your conscious mind was not "busy" to communicate the information. What this has to do with getting creative ideas is that many people have found that their most creative ideas occur to them when they are not striving to think. For example, many people report having creative insights in the shower, even as far back as Archimedes. He had been puzzling about volume for a while, just the way you might have wondered about an author's name. If he'd been focused on just getting into the tub rather than noticing how the water level rose, far fewer people would know the word "Eureka!" Other people have their insights upon waking in the morning, while out running, or while driving alone on a long road, or doing other routine activities they can perform fairly automatically. My challenge to you now is to focus your mind on generating a creative idea in the next 30 days. This all depends very much on how much you really want to succeed in whatever you’re engaged in. Become more active in seeking ideas from your subconscious. Dream about the answers; put your whole mind to work. You can also promote openness to new experience by doing a routine activity in a slightly different way. Try a new route to a frequent destination so that you will notice new things. Ask yourself new questions about routine chores. Lastly, creativity involves expressing your feelings in productive ways. Frederic Chopin wrote many moving piano pieces in the year after his favorite sister died. It seems to have been a useful way to express his grief. Psychologist Mihaly Czickszentmihalyi calls engagement in self-chosen activities that are challenging enough but not too difficult, "flow," and equates it with happiness. All these life’s experiences combine graciously to help us find our creative genius. Find your balance.
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