5 Principles of Creativity | Greg Satell, The Creativity Post

Synopsis
Creative geniuses tend to be less the ones with the quickest answers and more the ones who keep working till they get it right.

That synopsis lead Satell's article, and it also concludes the article. In between, Satell writes:

The good news is that, while we can’t all be a Picasso or a Mozart, there are some simple principles we can follow that will enhance our ability originate ideas that are truly new and important.

And then he describes the five principles, with links to related information. Summarized, here are Satell's principles:

1. Define and Distill The Problem ...
It’s important to build in constraints that will frame a possible solution .... Creativity doesn’t happen in a vacuum, but is only valuable in service of some goal, whether that is a particular idea to be expressed in a painting or a poem, value created by a new business model or the brand to be promoted in a marketing campaign. ...
2. Learn The Rules Before You Set Out To Break Them ...
Successful creative people spend years learning their fields before they begin to change them. So if you want to create something truly new and different, your best bet is to start by learning your field extremely well.
3. Cross Domains ...
Just as familiarity breeds contempt, constant exposure to similar fact patterns produces lazy thinking. ... [B]reakthrough innovation happens when ideas are synthesized from more than one domain. ... 
4. Hedge Your Bets ...
5. Keep At It ...
Creativity is not something that comes easy, even to geniuses. ... A study of musicians found that the number of masterpieces produced is highly correlated to overall productivity. The more work you do, the better your work gets. ...

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Satell's blog is featured today, Feb. 11, in my daily online paper, Garbl's Creativity Connections, available at the Creativity tab above and by free email subscription.