UNLOCKING CREATIVE POTENTIAL
Creativity is about connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they often feel a bit guilty because they didn’t really create something entirely new—they just saw something that seemed obvious after a while. This is because they could connect their past experiences and synthesize something new. —Steve Jobs
Creativity is the lifeblood of innovation, whether you are a writer weaving intricate stories, an animator breathing life into characters, a musician composing soul-stirring melodies, or a corporate professional seeking to think outside the box. Various different types of creativity exist. But what happens when the blank page stares back, or the spark seems to have fizzled out? I believe that creativity isn’t just a talent—it’s a skill that can be nurtured and sustained through psychological practices, overcoming personal obstacles, deep relaxation, mindfulness, NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) emotional installation, and imagery work.
TYPES OF CREATIVITY
Innovative Creativity: This involves building on existing concepts or ideas to create something new. For example, when Apple developed the iPhone, they combined existing technologies like touchscreens and mobile phones but reimagined their integration, leading to a groundbreaking product. This type of creativity refines and advances existing ideas to create novel solutions or improvements.
Original Creativity: This type of creativity involves generating entirely new ideas from scratch, often without any existing framework or precedent. For example, when J.K. Rowling created the Harry Potter series, she developed a completely new world, with unique characters, rules, and mythology. Original creativity often requires imagining something entirely new and bringing it into existence without relying on prior models.
Before diving into creative endeavors, it’s essential to examine the factors that may be hindering both types of creativity. These factors can be emotional, psychological, or environmental. Creativity manifests uniquely in each individual, so what stifles one person’s creativity might inspire another. When you find yourself stuck, ask yourself: Why now?
OBSTACLES TO CREATIVITY
EMOTIOANAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS
Emotional and psychological barriers often need to be addressed when creativity feels out of reach. Overcoming these obstacles may require stepping away from your usual creative space and examining the block from a new perspective. Therapists, coaches, and counselors skilled in creativity building can help identify these obstacles and create a personalized plan to overcome them.
Emotional Overstimulation: Too much going on, with no ability to screen out what’s important.
Lack of Stimulation: Not having enough connections with people and the environment can cause creative stagnation.
Internal Chatterbox (negative self-talk): Common when people are anxious about their work or experience imposter syndrome. For example: “I’m not good enough. Everyone around me is better.”
Intrusive Thoughts: These can occur when experiencing anxiety, depression, or excessive stress. If unchecked, these thoughts can become negative beliefs, hindering the creative process.
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
Sometimes, the location itself can destroy creativity. The place might be too loud, too hot, too confining, too large, too cold, too busy, or even too dangerous.
TOXIC INDIVIDUALS
The people around you can have a significant impact on your creativity. Toxic individuals, with behaviors such as aggression, passive-aggression, poor understanding of the creative process, manipulation (lying, gaslighting, minimizing, history changing, verbally abusive behaviors, etc.), and controlling, can hinder creative thinking.
FEAR
Many talented people find themselves unable to fully utilize their creativity due to fear. When faced with fear, seeking help from a therapist, coach, or even loved ones may be necessary. Here are several types of fear that can stall or suppress creativity:
Fear of success
Fear of failure
Fear of being vulnerable
Fear of being seen or understood
Fear of abandonment
Feeling of doom if a project is not perfect
Fear of losing a sense of self
OTHER FACTORS INHIBITING CREATIVITY
Poor diet
Lack of sleep
Poor health
Financial issues
Relationship issues
Over-preoccupation with news
Distractibility (may require professional assistance)
Procrastination and fatigue
Try this: The Five Whys Technique
Origin: Toyota Production System (Adapted for Creativity)
How It Works:
Identify the specific aspect of your block (e.g., "I can't start my story").
Ask "Why?" five times, each time probing deeper into the underlying cause.
Write down each response, using the answer as a basis for the next "Why?" Psychological Basis:
This technique helps identify the root cause of your creative block, whether it’s fear, uncertainty, or something else. By addressing the underlying issue, you can tackle the block more effectively.
PSYCHOLOGY and CREATIVITY
Creativity often thrives when the mind is free, open, and unburdened. However, stress, anxiety, and the pressure to perform can inhibit our natural creative abilities. By incorporating psychological principles into your creative routine, you can learn to manage these obstacles and create a mental space where ideas flow effortlessly. Techniques such as Cognitive Reframing help view challenges as opportunities for innovation, while EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) can assist in overcoming creative blocks caused by processing and releasing emotional stressors or trauma.
It’s also important to recognize that many individuals struggle to fully express their creativity due to limiting beliefs, unconscious guilt, or anger at themselves. Emotional blockages can occur when people unconsciously believe they do not deserve complete happiness. Imposter syndrome, anxiety, life-stage issues, internal struggles, and unresolved pain can prevent the generation of new ideas. Sometimes, facing these blockages is necessary before any creative tool can work its magic.
Some questions to consider:
What worked in the past when I felt creative?
Is there a particular place or environment where I feel most creative?
Is there music that triggers my creativity?
Is there a film, piece of art, book, or quote that floods my mind with ideas or gives me pleasurable emotional flashbacks?
How can I recreate the creative environment that helped me in the past?
Note: Creative blockages may take time to overcome. Accurate assessment is the first step. From that point, creativity can be regained by incrementally working through a creative-plan. Finding at least 10 minutes per day to push toward a creative endeavor is crucial. Meeting goals is more important than the size of the goal. Remember, success leads to more success.
Try this: Timed Constraints (Pomodoro Technique)
How It Works:
Set a timer for 25 minutes (one "Pomodoro").
Work on your creative task until the timer goes off, then take a 5-minute break.
Repeat this cycle 3-4 times before taking a longer break. Psychological Basis:
Timed constraints create a sense of urgency and focus, reducing the tendency to overthink or procrastinate. By breaking work into manageable intervals, it encourages sustained attention and productivity.
DEEP RELAXATION AND MINDFULNESS
Creativity flourishes in a state of calm and focus. Deep relaxation techniques, such as Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR), Guided Imagery, Zen Meditation, Thought Replacement Techniques, Circulation Breathing, Qi Gong, and Auto Hypnosis, allow one to enter a state of mind where the subconscious can freely explore new ideas. Mindfulness—the practice of staying present and aware—further enhances this by helping you focus on the creative process without judgment. When you’re fully present, you’re more likely to tap into the Flow state, where creativity is at its peak.
The concept of "Flow State" was introduced by psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi in the 1970s. He described it as a mental state of complete immersion and focused engagement in an activity, where people experience deep satisfaction and lose track of time. Csíkszentmihályi's research, particularly in his book Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience (1990), highlighted how Flow occurs when there is a perfect balance between challenge and skill, leading to optimal performance and a sense of being "in the zone."
Try this: Focused Meditation
How It Works:
Sit in a comfortable position and close your eyes.
Focus on your breath, slowly inhaling and exhaling.
Once you feel centered, bring your creative project to mind, but without any judgment or pressure.
Allow thoughts to come and go, gently guiding your focus back to your breath if your mind starts to wander. Psychological Basis:
Focused meditation helps calm the mind and reduce anxiety, creating mental space for creativity to flourish. It allows you to approach your work with a clear, uncluttered mind.
NLP AND IMAGERY WORK
Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and imagery work are powerful tools for building creativity. NLP can help you break free from limiting beliefs that stifle creativity, allowing you to embrace new perspectives and possibilities. Most importantly, through NLP training, you can program creative responses and access them at will.
Imagery work uses the power of visualization to unlock the subconscious mind, where many creative ideas reside. By visualizing your creative goals, you can bring abstract ideas into sharper focus, making them easier to develop and refine.