Creativity Can be Learned | Ned Smith, BusinessNewsDaily.com

This article reports a question and answer interview with Tina Seelig, author of the new book, inGENIUS: A Crash Course on Creativity.

I like how Seelig says creativity is a renewable resource that we can tap into at any time. And yes, she says, creatvity can be taught.

Some excerpts from the interview:  

BusinessNewsDaily: How do you define creativity?
Tina Seelig: Creativity is easily defined — it is the process of generating new ideas. ... Generating fresh ideas is actually quite challenging because most people find it difficult to get beyond obvious, incremental solutions. True creativity requires the ability to break new ground, which requires significant effort.

BND: What are the tools and techniques of creative thinking?
TS: There is no one path to creative ideas, just as there isn't one way to get from San Francisco to São Paulo. ... At the core is the ability to look at problems from different angles, to connect and combine concepts, and the ability to challenge traditional assumptions. ...

BND: Is creativity a learned skill or an innate talent?
TS: We are all naturally creative and, like every other skill, some people have more natural talent than others. However, everyone can increase his or her creativity, just as everyone can increase his or her musical or athletic ability, with appropriate training and focused practice. We can all learn tools and techniques that enhance creativity, and build environments that foster innovation. ...

BND: Can anyone learn creativity?
TS: Our brains are built for creative problem solving, and it is easy to both uncover and enhance our natural inventiveness. ... Every sentence we craft is unique, each interaction we have is distinctive, and every decision we make is done with our own free will. That we have the ability to come up with an endless set of novel responses to the world around us is a constant reminder that we are naturally inventive. ...

For more information on this topic, check out Garbl's Creativity Resources Online. It's an annotated directory of websites that provide advice for increasing creativity and innovation in your writing, in your personal life, on the job, in school, in the arts and elsewhere.