5 Practice serendipity (finding val

5 Practice serendipity (finding valuable and agreeable
things when not particularly seeking them) – having
a wide attention span and range of interests is
important.
When we’re involved in trying to solve a problem we tend
to have a narrow focus but we should always be open
and aware of the unexpected. What may seem irrelevant
at first could later become significant in creative thinking.
It may take a while, perhaps weeks, months or even years,
which is why the creative thinker should retain as
much information and as many experiences as possible.
It’s these experiences that may be the trigger to a creative
thought which might just solve a difficult problem.
6 ‘Transfer technology’ from one field to another.
Keep an open mind when faced with a problem and look
outside of your own situation. Often other departments,
organisations and industries can give you the inspiration
to develop ideas to solve your challenges. The most
successful creative thinkers have knowledge about more
than one field and often make their names appear in quite
a different sphere than they are normally associated with.
7 Be open and prepared to use chance or
unpredictable things and events to your
advantage.
Have a wide focus of attention and develop your powers
of observation to make use of the chance happenings you
come across in your life. Use your experience to interpret
these things as something useful without having
preconceptions. You may have to invest a lot of time
exposing yourself to chance experiences but they will give
you a good reference base for future creativity.
8 Explore thought processes and the key elements
of the mind at work in analysing, valuing and
synthesising.
Creative thinking cannot really be broken down into a
specific process or system. The very nature of creativity
can mean it is a disorderly process. However, we usually
begin by analysing the problem in hand and then playing
around with restructuring it (synthesising).
Next we set about using our imaginations and valuing the thoughts
we have in relation to a possible solution.
We should beaware of these thought processes and use them to our
advantage, not let them get in the way of being creative.
9 Use his/her ‘depth’ mind (the unconscious mind)
for example by sleeping on a problem to generate
creative solutions and ideas.
The value of ‘sleeping on a problem’ has been long known.
Apart from actually dreaming of a solution, the time in
bed before you sleep is very relaxing and allows ideas
to be generated. Dreams allow you mind a total freedom
to make connections you would not normally consider.
Although this may not give you the exact answer it could
be enough to direct your waking thoughts in the right
direction. You should note down your dream thoughts
as soon as you wake so they are not lost.
The brain is capable of analysing information that you
may not even realise you have absorbed. By switching
off your conscious thinking you allow your depth mind
to begin analysing, valuing and synthesising your inner
most knowledge. You cannot control this type of inspiration
but you should stay alert and expectant, so you are
aware when it shows itself.