What Is Creativity?

As described in the recent blog post I wrote about the various modes of thinking... Creative Thinking - is the process of analysis or examination that usually gives rise to a new and innovative idea. And so by analyzing a thing or collection of things whether those things be ideas, projects, business or other knowledge base we search our minds for what we call creative solutions.

And to paraphrase... the creative idea or solution is usually determined through a process of examination and reflection upon a given set of factors, ideas, systems, projects or indeed one or more businesses. Creative thinking is thinking beyond the known factors to give birth to new ideas and innovations.

Now I know that may sound like a purely logical analysis and a complete guessing game but in effect that is what creativity is, I'll explain as we go.

Right Brain hemisphere V's Left brain Hemisphere.

Is is generally thought that as the left brain deals with linear, logical analytical, numbers and logical processes the right brain hemisphere deals with artistic, non-linear, big picture, abstract and creative thinking processes.

Whether that is actually true is really unimportant. What is important is the fact that the division gives us a practical tool to become either logical or creative, step by step thinkers or big picture thinkers and yes left or right brain thinkers.

What is not commonly known is that each does not exist or operate as a single entity. Instead each hemisphere supports the other and vice versa. In that, one must subside before the other reigns over the other and vice versa. There is integratedness in the division simply because the division doesn't really exist at all. Division is just a way to better understand the working of the two processes. In reality, both sides should be exercised in order to improve that side as well as the other!

Cause And Effect Model

As mentioned in the previous paragraphs the two hemispheres support each other and work integrally for the good of either process, creativity or logic. It therefore makes perfect sense that because of the integral (and the subduing of one in order for the other to dominate) relationship of the two processes that one is an effect of the other.

For example...

• Subduing of the right brain hemisphere gives way for better logical or left brain thinking processes.
• Subduing of the left hemisphere gives way for better creative or right brain thinking processes.
  
  

But an important distinction should be made here and that is, that because creativity requires the logical mind to be subdues does not mean that the logical mind is not involved in the creative process.

As mentioned, without logic creativity could not exist or put another way; The science cannot exist without the art and the art cannot exist without the science. What we mean by that is that if you wanted to play a guitar for instance and you tried playing off the bat so to speak, or creatively... The result would be a complete mess. A noise.

And so without first learning the science involved in learning to play the guitar such as:

• Learning the guitar chords.
• Learning the musical scales.
• Learning arpeggios.
• Learning right hand plectrum or finger picking techniques.
• Learning left hand finger techniques

etc

...The artistic playing could not exist. And so we see that the science proceeds the art and therefore is the cause of the art. And again the art is supported by the science and vice versa. I say vice versa because the more (and this is a point of integration if you reflect on this)... the more the 5 points are practiced and the better they become or the more you master them, the better the creative result will be and the ability to be creative expands.

With that last statement we clearly see that science and art are really the same thing and just like hot water or cold water are both just really WATER. The science and art of playing the guitar (or any THING) is really just playing the guitar. Or is really just the thing. Science and art are therefore just states of a particular thing whether that thing is playing the guitar or drawing a picture or anything else for that matter.

In fact, on examination we see that science is a way of thinking. Linear thinking in fact. And art is non linear thinking or big picture thinking. At the same time art is integrated thinking and art is disintegrated thinking.

 

Just Do It!

And so to end, the best advice you can receive in order to become more creative is to just do it. Just keep practicing your art, or science. Just keep moving forward and mastering the most basic fundamentals of a thing and in the end you will realize that after all the effort your creations were real works of art. But that can only be truly realized if you Do Some Serious Thinking, Take Steps To Start Acting With Purpose and the result will follow that you create great thing in your life.

Including some extraordinary experiences.