If the brain is a muscle, and it is possible to train it or even to stretch it. Here are some interesting ways to train the brain:
Strategy 1. Fail tremendously
No creative succeeds without first failing – as fails are part of the process of testing one’s assumptions. Each failure you encounter will actually supercharge your creativity by generating new information and remodeling the problem that needs to be solved.
Strategy 2. Define The Problem
Many people jump jump straight to solutions which result often in finding the wrong solution or a superficial one for the wrong problem. I call it the hierarchy pf problem. In most cases there’s a problem creating the problem, creating the problem.
The art of defining the problem is going to the root, removing the ‘trouble’ (=from from the French word troubler, meaning ‘cloudy’), that’s a creative process on its own and the solution will present itself in creativity.
Strategy 3. Challenge Your Creativity Assumptions
It’s natural and necessary to make assumptions about the reality of our everyday world. But the result might be that we see what we expect to see.
Challenging your assumptions is a catalyst for creativity. It allows to look beyond what is obvious or accepted. Truly creative people in all fields automatically tend to challenge both their own assumptions, and the commonly accepted ones.
Strategy 4. Alternative Perspective
We’re stuck in patterns and habits. A great way to kick start creativity is to look at a problem from the vantage point of another profession/person/entity. How would a mechanical engineer look at it, an architect, a product designer, a chef cook, your mother? This approach can lead to some remarkable creative insights and breakthroughs.
Strategy 5. Accept Ambiguity
In general people don’t like things that seem to be vague, or could have more than one meaning or application. As a result they tend to be rigid and highly predictable thinkers. Not creative.
People who can think ambiguously are fluid and flexible thinkers. The ability to think ambiguously can yield amazing creative insights. This is ability is experienced (and built) when you indulge in wordplay or humor.
Strategy 6. Read, listen, watch more
An excellent way to build your creative muscles is to read, listen, watch and explore outside your normal area of interest.
This can be especially useful when you are struggling to solve a creative problem. Read comics, Science Fiction or just magazines, listen to scientific, philosophical, stand-up comedy podcasts, stroll the Internet, walk through a mall, and keep the ‘problem’ in mind and find these creative solutions.
Strategy 7. Walk a mile in their shoes
We have the tendency to project things on ourselves and our own experiences. By changing your point of view in a literate way and putting yourself in the shoes of the other, creates a complete new perspective of things.
I often use my mother and try to look at the problem or solution from her perspective, but in general, just don’t think as yourself.
Strategy 8. Take a nap
Creative thinking best occurs when your brain is in certain states called alpha and theta, they are the source of inspiration and creativity. That’s why many people (Newton, Einstein, Picasso) have creative ah-ha experiences during a nap, a stroll, or some other mentally-relaxing activity.
Strategy 9. Meditate
Silence your thoughts.
It’s between the silences where crazy ideas are born. There are many ways to meditate and it easy. Just focus on breathing in and letting out slowly for example, or feel your heartbeat, listening to birds and sound of the wind, remove the ‘voice’. Or go running or biking and get into a flow.