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Growing up my father had a fun way of convincing me into doing anything he thought I should do. Whether it was getting me to draw for 15 min. a day or read a particular book, he would say: “It’s not me, Balzac says you should.” – then alternating names depending on the need.
I have been exploring the world’s greatest minds’ thoughts on creativity and have been particularly interested if certain practical steps could be extracted from their quotes to get into the creative state of being and that’s where I “ran into” Albert Einstein. The iconic physicist, whose visionary mind reshaped our understanding of the universe, had a thing or two to say about creativity and its transformative impact on pushing the boundaries of human intellect. Let’s deep-dive into some of those and see what actionable steps we can take to actually get there.
“Creativity is intelligence having fun.”
Take this quote as an encouragement to embrace playfulness and allow yourself to explore new ideas, experiment, and take risks without worrying about the outcome. Set aside at least 5 minutes a day for playfulness and creativity – do something for no specific reason and no logical-expected outcome immediately attached to it. It could be anything from doodling, writing, drawing, playing an instrument, or just in any form of creative expression that you enjoy. Simply be in the flow of something that brings you utter joy for at least 5 minutes a day for no apparent reason.
“The important thing is not to stop questioning.”
The quote literally says – Be Curious and if you are – Stay Curious. Take this quote as an encouragement to continue seeking answers, challenging assumptions, exploring different perspectives, uncovering new insights and being in a continuous journey of learning and discovery. The best way to do it is to start a question you are trying to find an answer for with “what if”. “What if” question immediately challenges traditional-obvious perspectives and takes you to the other side of the spectrum to explore new possibilities and scenarios, get you to think outside the box stimulating your imagination. So, anytime you need to find novel approaches to complex challenges either on personal or professional life, give “what if” (or, sometimes, multiple “what it”s) a try and follow its lead until you get somewhere that makes sense to you and surprises-inspires you enough to explore.
“Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.”
To nurture imagination, create an environment that fosters curiosity and playfulness – the two of the points above. Brainstorm and ideate about anything and everything, come up with as many ideas as you possibly can. Access to various sources of inspiration: read fiction, explore new artworks, watch a film (preferably outside of the mainstream media), spend time in nature or just observe the birds in the sky for a couple of minutes from the office window. The point is – stimulate your senses, this is the only guaranteed way to fuel the imagination on a long term run. Imagination is beautiful, it’s like a never-ending adventure, constantly fueling your desire to discover something new in the realm of infinite possibilities.
As you step into your own creative journey, feel free to embrace the wisdom of the great minds and please remember: “It’s not me, Albert Einstein says you should” 🙂