Many people think that the skill of creativity is reserved for artists, writers, musicians, and other talents working in the field of the arts. However, that’s where they’re wrong. Being able to have a certain pattern of thinking; the ability to see the bigger picture, connect the dots, create multiple solutions to a single problem are attributes of creative thinking. These skills are not just for artists and the like, they’re for everyone who is willing to practice and improve daily. Creative thinking abilities are held as important skills that everyone should try to develop. There are different types of creative thinking and they’re not only applicable in creating artworks or composing a written work. Today, many companies prefer to hire creative people, even in corporate jobs and that is why creative thinking is important. Having such a skill is not only important in fulfilling your career goals, it’s also essential in everyday life. So, in this article, let’s take a look at some of the reasons why you should practice and enhance the skill of creativity and why creative thinking is one of the keys to living a good life.
Everyone is born creative but not all have the will to improve that particular skill. Many people are used to the notion that creativity is exclusive in the field of arts which makes the skill impractical to apply in our everyday life. Is the notion true or false? Well, it is actually false! Accordingly, creativity is defined as the skill to generate unique ideas, multiple solutions, and possible alternatives that can help in solving a single problem, or improving communication with others for the betterment of circumstances. Thus, creative thinking helps you to think out of the box and brew innovative plans. See? The definitions alone prove the practical use of creativity in our daily routine.
Five Reasons Why Creative Thinking is Important
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It allows down to you to solve a single problem with multiple solutions:
The problem that most people face these days is their inability to solve even minor problems. Why? Because they tend to fixate themselves thinking about one “conventional” solution without switching to possible alternatives and trying to come up with unique solutions that can solve the problem in better ways.
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Creative abilities add value to your life and the life of others:
Almost every successful person these days is a very creative person. Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, and the list goes on! They share similarities in their personalities: they are creative people and their contributions benefit mankind, not just their lives. Thus, creative thinking comes with the gift of being perceptive and empathic towards other people. Being able to be perceptive, seeing the bigger picture, and being able to capture different scenarios are some of the skills that you should hone in order to add value to your life as well as others’. Furthermore, empathy is also necessary in order to understand that other people’s ideas are just as important as yours in order to make the world a better place.
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It is an important quality of a great leader:
Are you a leader or a follower? If you’re a leader, then you must know the importance of creative thinking as the one who leads the pack. A follower only replicates and imitates the work of others without thinking outside the box which do not really add value, especially when working as a team. However, a great leader with impeccable skills of creativity leads the group effectively in order to reach as many goals as possible. Remember, everyone can be a leader but not everyone can be a great leader. And how do you become a great leader? By being creative, of course! So, practice this skill daily, explore new thoughts and ideas, and immerse yourself in diverse activities that can enhance your creative skills.
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The skill of creativity enhances your analytical and problem-solving skills:
Being creative does not necessarily mean you’re only good at arts, it can also mean that you’re analytical and think critically when solving problems. The thing is, not all problems have a one size fits all answer, it all varies on the circumstances you’re in. Thus, you can’t just imitate the solutions of others just because it works for them. Why? Because what works for them may not work for you. Hence, practicing your creative skills gives you the opportunity to be analytical, especially when you need to examine problems in order to understand the underlying root behind them. Without creative thinking skills, you wouldn’t be able to process, analyze, and interpret the situations or problems you're in, making you linger in that situation which can also compromise your productivity.
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Being creative allows you to be open-minded:
Living free without judgment and biases is one of the reasons why creative thinking is important. The problem with most people these days is that they’re very biased. Though everyone is entitled to their opinions, some uphold the belief that their opinions are facts, and not just mere statements that represent their ideals and beliefs. Since creative thinking allows you to be perceptive and empathic towards other people, it also gives you the opportunity to grow as a person, which enables you to improve your mindset. As humans, it is quite inevitable that our minds create assumptions and biases. These two are the common mental barriers that you’ll face throughout your life. By improving your creative skills, you are breaking some of your biases and assumptions which gives you the open mind to listen to the opinions, ideas, and beliefs of others without judgment.
Conclusion
Now that you’ve learned the reasons why creative thinking is important, it’s now your chance to use these principles in order to be a better artist, thinker, and a better person in general. Creative thinking is not only meant for the painters; this skill is made for everyone including you. So practice daily, immerse in creative activities, and learn to think outside the box. Through this, you’re not only changing yourself, but you’re also changing the world for the better.
