Twenty Rules of Thumb for Creativity Twenty Rules of Thumb for Creativity 1. The best way to get great ideas is to get lots of ideas and throw the bad ones away. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. If you have some other rules of thumb for creativity, Send them to me e-mail Return to Tools Page here. Tackle Any Issue With a List of 100 The List of 100 is a powerful technique you can use to generate ideas, clarify your thoughts, uncover hidden problems or get solutions to any specific questions you’re interested in. The technique is very simple in principle: state your issue or question in the top of a blank sheet of paper and come up with a list of one hundred answers or solutions about it. “100 Ways to Generate Income”, “100 Ways to be More Creative” or “100 Ways to Improve my Relationships” are some examples. “One hundred entries? Isn’t that way too many?” Bear with me: it’s exactly this exaggeration that makes the technique powerful. When starting your list you may believe that there’s no way to get it done. Unlike the related Idea Quota tool — whose primary goal is to acquire the habit of coming up with ideas — the goal of a List of 100 is to take your mind by surprise. Ground Rules There are only two simple principles to keep in mind when making Lists of 100: 1. 2. The Dynamics of Making Lists of 100 1. 2. 3.
Where to find inspiration to be inspired I know I left it here somewhere. Excuse me, has anyone seen my award-winning idea? Know the feeling? Sometimes no matter how hard we try, coming up with ideas is the hardest job on earth. It’s like waiting for a bus. When all the buses have been cancelled. Find Inspiration is tricky and will never show its elusive face if you simply sit and wait for it to show up. Be inspired... Source: link In bed You’ll like this one. Source: link Online The brilliant TED Talks videos cover a huge range of discussion topics fronted by credible and fascinating speakers. Source: link In nature Get out of the office and go somewhere. Source: link In play To be creative you need to be feeling playful. Source: link In a bar Now we’re not suggesting you go out and get blind drunk. Source: link On a train People are brilliant. Source: link On paper Grab a pen and notebook and start to write. Source: link On the horizon Get up super early or go to bed very late, your call. Source: link In the car Source: link In the bathroom
Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative (9780761169253): Austin Kleon THE FEAR I hope you don’t think I know what I’m doing. I hope you don’t think I have it all together. My comic essays aren’t about truths I have mastered, but about truths I struggle to embody everyday. I’m currently in a season where I struggle with fear. My publisher has decided to wait and see how well my books sell before they offer me more work. It is a time of waiting and wondering and watching the money in the bank dwindle. Have you ever felt like the money you have in the bank is like a fuse on a bomb? So let’s talk about fear, everybody. Fear comes from believing your art will make you happy. I wrote an essay about this, I should know better, right? Someday I hope to start a family, but lately I’ve wondered if I’d be able to support a family by drawing comics. Fear also comes from the illusion of control. I’ve begun to draw a lot lately in an attempt to improve my skills. Do you feel my fear? The truth is, you are not in control, and that is a good thing. Announcements: