Everyone advises you to ‘think outside the box’ to develop innovative ideas, but no one teaches you the methodology to achieve it. Let me explain my three key pillars for creativity.
Having innovative and creative thinking is not a requirement exclusive to those in advertising, as this skill is useful in all kinds of jobs and even everyday life.
You’ve probably heard that you should ‘think outside the box’, stand out, or come up with something special to succeed; and while being unique in such a crowded market as today’s is important, nobody really explains how to cultivate a mindset that lets you see things from various angles..
Before I start telling you about the techniques I use to ‘think outside the box’, it’s necessary to make something clear: creativity, as fun as it may seem, must always have a methodology backing it up.
I’m pointing this out because it’s very common to see creativity understood as a sort of gray area where things happen randomly. Take Google offices, for instance; it might seem like all fun and games, but there are still schedules, meetings, research, and goals behind all the colorful decor and recreational spaces.
Indeed, having moments of enjoyment and liberty is crucial for fostering creative thinking. However, we shouldn’t ignore the method behind each idea. It’s important to have theoretical support and previous research that supports why we want to take a path to develop a project.
Now, keeping that in mind, reaching innovative thinking is a journey that demands discipline because to nurture creativity, you must work on it. I’ll explain three fundamental pillars that have allowed me to develop the ability to understand every situation from a new perspective.
To be unique, you have to be conventional
How can you expect to think differently from others if you don’t understand it first? To start thinking ‘outside the box’, you must have a deep understanding of the trends, styles, and insights that society provides.
Fighting against trends is impossible, and joining them doesn’t endanger your creativity either. It’s essential to stay informed and connect your project, brand, or business with them coherently; this way, you can discover how to apply that trend in a unique way. While not all trends fit your area, it’s important to stay updated and informed about each one.
Develop your neuroplasticity
Neuroplasticity occurs when our neurons form connections with each other upon receiving information or stimulation, allowing us to learn new skills or different ways of doing things.
The top method to enhance neuroplasticity is by gaining knowledge; studying, researching, experimenting are actions that stimulate our brains and help us create new perspectives from which we can increase our creativity.
Art and literature: your best friends
Discussing innovation doesn’t mean ignoring the contributions of past great thinkers or artists; by having knowledge and connection with art and literature from all epochs, we can have a broader understanding of the world.
Innovative thinking isn’t just about great inventions; it also involves discovering new ways to improve and adapt existing processes to better suit our needs.
In addition to these three pillars, it’s essential to understand that to develop innovative thinking and a creative mind, it’s necessary to be open to exploring new options and, most importantly, to respect and empathize with the ideas and processes of others because each person has a different methodology.
And that’s what makes innovation so appealing: two people can reach the same conclusion in different ways, and neither can be dismissed because each found their own path.
