Comments on: The Key to Jump Starting Your Creativity http://www.davidwmullen.com/2009/07/14/the-key-to-jump-starting-your-creativity/ David Mullen on PR, Integrated Communications and Social Media Wed, 07 Jul 2010 17:15:53 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Leo Bottary http://www.davidwmullen.com/2009/07/14/the-key-to-jump-starting-your-creativity/#comment-3659 Leo Bottary Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:05:57 +0000 http://www.davidwmullen.com/?p=1713#comment-3659 So true. Many years ago, I wrote an article suggesting that rather than go to an expensive presentation training class, just show up to your kid's school for show and tell and PAY ATTENTION! So true. Many years ago, I wrote an article suggesting that rather than go to an expensive presentation training class, just show up to your kid’s school for show and tell and PAY ATTENTION!

]]> By: Rachel Posey http://www.davidwmullen.com/2009/07/14/the-key-to-jump-starting-your-creativity/#comment-3658 Rachel Posey Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:56:46 +0000 http://www.davidwmullen.com/?p=1713#comment-3658 I'm reading Aha! 10 Ways to Free Your Creative Spirit and Find Great Ideas, and it has some great suggestions on how to get the creativity flowing as well as listing some other books that have different advice. It mentions music and change of scenery as definite ways to clear the block, but it also mentions making a creative space. Surrounding yourself with objects that make you think (like puzzles or design magazines) and things that inspire you (posters of faraway places; art). Then when you have a mental block, you can focus on what's around you and let your mind concentrate on something else (and subconsciously work out your problem). I write a lot in my free time and just making my space more pleasing to the eye and interesting has really helped me in those times of writers' block. Excellent post! I’m reading Aha! 10 Ways to Free Your Creative Spirit and Find Great Ideas, and it has some great suggestions on how to get the creativity flowing as well as listing some other books that have different advice. It mentions music and change of scenery as definite ways to clear the block, but it also mentions making a creative space.

Surrounding yourself with objects that make you think (like puzzles or design magazines) and things that inspire you (posters of faraway places; art). Then when you have a mental block, you can focus on what’s around you and let your mind concentrate on something else (and subconsciously work out your problem).

I write a lot in my free time and just making my space more pleasing to the eye and interesting has really helped me in those times of writers’ block.

Excellent post!

]]> By: Scott Gould http://www.davidwmullen.com/2009/07/14/the-key-to-jump-starting-your-creativity/#comment-3646 Scott Gould Thu, 16 Jul 2009 17:17:38 +0000 http://www.davidwmullen.com/?p=1713#comment-3646 I have a notebook in Evernote with ideas I've yet to act on. They inspire me. I have a notebook in Evernote with ideas I’ve yet to act on. They inspire me.

]]> By: Narciso Tovar, Big Noise Communications http://www.davidwmullen.com/2009/07/14/the-key-to-jump-starting-your-creativity/#comment-3644 Narciso Tovar, Big Noise Communications Thu, 16 Jul 2009 04:08:13 +0000 http://www.davidwmullen.com/?p=1713#comment-3644 I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE w/Arik! MUSIC is what gets me outta my 'norm' and into something a bit more open. Toddlers are wonderful like that b/c everything is SO NEW to em'...this is why some of the best laughs I get are from my neices and nephews...! They just....don't....care....how...random...or...silly...something may sound...if it makes a tone, expresses a feeling, get's a vibe...it's ALL GOOD! And for me, I get this with music...because (for me), the words are pretty secondary when it comes to a vibe in some music...halfway b/c of who the artist is and half b/c of the overall sonic-ness of the tunes. This is not to say that I DO NOT pay attention to words in music...NAY NAY! But sometimes, you just gotta shut up and dance...!...goofily at times and even off beat...why not?...if it gets your creativity opened up, it's all gravy!...ya' just gotta sop it up...! I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE w/Arik! MUSIC is what gets me outta my ‘norm’ and into something a bit more open. Toddlers are wonderful like that b/c everything is SO NEW to em’…this is why some of the best laughs I get are from my neices and nephews…!

They just….don’t….care….how…random…or…silly…something may sound…if it makes a tone, expresses a feeling, get’s a vibe…it’s ALL GOOD!

And for me, I get this with music…because (for me), the words are pretty secondary when it comes to a vibe in some music…halfway b/c of who the artist is and half b/c of the overall sonic-ness of the tunes.

This is not to say that I DO NOT pay attention to words in music…NAY NAY! But sometimes, you just gotta shut up and dance…!…goofily at times and even off beat…why not?…if it gets your creativity opened up, it’s all gravy!…ya’ just gotta sop it up…!

]]> By: Jackie Adkins http://www.davidwmullen.com/2009/07/14/the-key-to-jump-starting-your-creativity/#comment-3642 Jackie Adkins Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:43:19 +0000 http://www.davidwmullen.com/?p=1713#comment-3642 David, really enjoyed the post! I like thinking of really out there ideas that would never be possible, and then scaling them back to make them feasible. I also consult friends and family that aren't so involved in the project to get an outsider's perspective. Other than that, I find that looking at other examples of great ideas and seeing how they could be adapted for your purpose is helpful (whether it be advertisements, tv shows, reading, music, etc.) David, really enjoyed the post! I like thinking of really out there ideas that would never be possible, and then scaling them back to make them feasible. I also consult friends and family that aren’t so involved in the project to get an outsider’s perspective. Other than that, I find that looking at other examples of great ideas and seeing how they could be adapted for your purpose is helpful (whether it be advertisements, tv shows, reading, music, etc.)

]]> By: David http://www.davidwmullen.com/2009/07/14/the-key-to-jump-starting-your-creativity/#comment-3640 David Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:53:10 +0000 http://www.davidwmullen.com/?p=1713#comment-3640 That's *exactly* what I'm talking about. Kids don't restrict their thinking. We see a vacuum cleaner and think "cleans floors." We see a blanket and think "I'm not cold right now." We see an old hockey cross bar and think "my friends are out of town, so I'll leave that in the garage." A 4-year-old sees those three things and thinks "COOL! I can make a double-tank-triple-shooter!!!" Now that is creativity! That’s *exactly* what I’m talking about. Kids don’t restrict their thinking. We see a vacuum cleaner and think “cleans floors.” We see a blanket and think “I’m not cold right now.” We see an old hockey cross bar and think “my friends are out of town, so I’ll leave that in the garage.”

A 4-year-old sees those three things and thinks “COOL! I can make a double-tank-triple-shooter!!!”

Now that is creativity!

]]> By: David http://www.davidwmullen.com/2009/07/14/the-key-to-jump-starting-your-creativity/#comment-3639 David Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:51:04 +0000 http://www.davidwmullen.com/?p=1713#comment-3639 Not necessarily that you should "have" them. I wouldn't push that on anyone because I'm not going to come over at 3 a.m. when they're crying in the middle of the night. :) You should definitely hang out with some toddlers some time, though. Not necessarily that you should “have” them. I wouldn’t push that on anyone because I’m not going to come over at 3 a.m. when they’re crying in the middle of the night. :)

You should definitely hang out with some toddlers some time, though.

]]> By: David http://www.davidwmullen.com/2009/07/14/the-key-to-jump-starting-your-creativity/#comment-3638 David Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:49:50 +0000 http://www.davidwmullen.com/?p=1713#comment-3638 I agree with your third point so much, that I think we can now call ourselves friends. First round of creative inspiration is on me. :) I agree with your third point so much, that I think we can now call ourselves friends. First round of creative inspiration is on me. :)

]]> By: David http://www.davidwmullen.com/2009/07/14/the-key-to-jump-starting-your-creativity/#comment-3637 David Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:48:48 +0000 http://www.davidwmullen.com/?p=1713#comment-3637 Excellent point, Edward! School teaches us to color in the lines. That elephants are supposed to be gray when we sketch them. That formulas dictate things. I'm going to tell both my girls to fight the conformity and if their teachers have a problem with it, call Mr. Boches. Excellent point, Edward! School teaches us to color in the lines. That elephants are supposed to be gray when we sketch them. That formulas dictate things.

I’m going to tell both my girls to fight the conformity and if their teachers have a problem with it, call Mr. Boches.

]]> By: David http://www.davidwmullen.com/2009/07/14/the-key-to-jump-starting-your-creativity/#comment-3636 David Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:46:15 +0000 http://www.davidwmullen.com/?p=1713#comment-3636 Your office must be larger than my office. Or maybe I'm taller than you. :) Your office must be larger than my office. Or maybe I’m taller than you. :)

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