Being Creative

Why Being Creative is Important?

People often link creativity with some form of art like painting, sculpture, music, film, fashion or design. These are some ways that creativity manifests itself but there are definitely different art forms that being creative takes.

Believe it or not creativity can be cultivated, with a healthy dose of emotional intelligence, in every area of life. In fact, fairly often, most people don’t realise they’re being creative until it’s pointed out to them.
Once you become aware that you have a spark of creativity it’s easy to ignite it! Life becomes more fun and satisfying. Creativity adds colour to life and is a boost to confidence levels too. 

So how would you describe creativity? It is the ability to develop and express ourselves using imagination and original ideas to create. At a Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) training we help individuals access their emotional self which is often hindered by negative past events.
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The wellspring of creativity once unleashed, is like a tap that generates ideas from an inner space within you. Often once the idea is out, the individual is unaware of its source. 

This is what we call bypassing the conscious filters, to access your unconscious mind directly. There is no thought associated. Just an idea that springs to mind and is labelled original thought.

Many senior leaders in organizations access this space when they are in problem solving mode, as often the solution lies out in the field of consciousness.

​The more we raise our consciousness, the higher chance of pulling the answers in. Operating in this fashion is also the fastest way to improve productivity. 

This is why NLP training in the workplace is fast gaining recognition. The promise of an engaged workforce results in higher revenue and the rest speaks for itself.
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Another huge plus when we’re being creative, is we use different parts of our brain which are usually left on the wayside, unless you have a job in the arts. 

If you’re a parent, you might have heard that creativity is good for a child’s brain development. That’s why there’s no shortage of music classes, art and creative workshops today, for children.

Musicians, in particular, have been shown to have better brain connectivity compared to those without any musical background. In music, the more analytical left hemisphere focuses on motor functions i.e. the action of playing a musical instrument, while the more subjective right hemisphere focuses on rhythm and melody.

Hence, music stimulates whole brain activity, which improves cognitive function in the long term. Applying this to other fields, any activity that combines physical coordination and mental focus is bound to be good for you.

At the organization level, you can improve productivity and become better at problem solving. Life will be more interesting and less of a struggle when you expand your abilities in such ways.
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Why not explore new activities, classes or even NLP training to gain new perspectives of what you’re capable of? Being creative with problem- solving can be tiring, not to mention boring. 

To be stuck in the same rut solving the same problems in the same way. That is routine that deadens the neural connections and makes people even more regimented. Doors shut rather than open.

​In this Covid-19 time we need to do just the opposite. As the NLP presupposition goes, “keep doing the same things and you’ll get the same results”. 

Why not explore other ways of solving problems? Apart from reading articles on problem solving techniques, you could discover new and efficient ways by attending an NLP training.

I have a friend with three children who simply opens up problems for discussion at “table time”. They gather at the dining table at an appointed time and commit to solving problems the children are facing.

Believe it or not, with every single problem, they somehow find a solution that works for everyone. Because it’s a group effort there’s buy-in for the solutions that arise.

It is comforting as a parent to know that her burden is lifted and the children begin the creative process within themselves.

What about the prospect of being creative to expand options? Rather than micro managing a situation, it’s better to get a big picture of what’s going on.

​This opens up more options and possibilities. It’s common to feel that you don’t have a choice. But that’s never the case. There’s always another way. 

Being creative is a simple matter of stepping out of the picture and seeing it from different angles. Recall a time when you had acted on information and later realised there were other factors that should have been taken into account. This is what I mean.

When you get too caught up in details, it is easy to lose sight of crucial aspects. This limits options and skews the decision-making process.
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A case in point - a friend went into a business where the partners kept harping on details. Certain factors were omitted, which if she had known at the time, would have made her decline the partnership. 

The trick here is to ask questions. Not just the What, Where, When, Why and How. Ask ‘what if’ questions. What would happen if I did this? What would happen if I didn’t do that?

Check in with your emotional intelligence to see if a proposed action, decision or path feels right for you and at that point, allow your intuition to steer you.

Another benefit of being creative is it heightens productivity. If you live on auto-pilot, you might as well be a robot. There’s no productivity here!

Being creative by its very definition, is about creating ideas, coming up with solutions, processes or products. All of these improve productivity as the individual provides value with innovation, new techniques and new methods.

This value-add to the team, family or community is generated by the creative force, not the one who tows the line. A client of mine, who heads a team, makes it a point to keep everyone on their toes.

It is this edgy disposition that has team members match expectations to come up with a new idea whenever new project is launched. He sets the frame by encouraging expression and exchange of ideas, no matter how crazy or impossible it sounds. 

It’s all about practising the state of being creative with the ultimate aim to improve productivity. In fact, he says sometimes the so-called ‘crazy’ ideas are the most successful.

As a last point, since being creative has no limitations, you’re only bound by your limiting beliefs and lack of imagination. Take for instance the rapidly changing business environment during this current pandemic.

Fleets of planes are grounded in airports around the world. Changi Airport has taken being creative to another level. It has launched glamping packages where people take a vacation in the airport terminal.  Another creative stroke was opening an A380 plane as a fine dining restaurant. They have made use of current resources to increase revenue in the current situation. Genius! 

The more you tap into your emotional intelligence, the more limitations fall away. This stands to improve cognitive function as we use different parts of the brain and make new neural connections.

In conclusion, whether you consider yourself as being creative or not, there’s a lot to be gained by discovering your inner creativity spark. You can improve productivity and become better at problem solving. Life will be more interesting and less of a struggle when you expand your abilities in such ways. 


Who wouldn’t want this? Why not explore new activities, classes or even NLP training to gain new perspectives of what you’re capable of? 

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