Creativity in times of pandemic

Creativity is a subject that I was passionate about from an early age, when I was six years old I realized that being able to imagine certain ideas and carry them out represented for me a “kind of magic", especially when I didn't have the resources to generate “that" I wanted. Creating then not only meant a challenge, but an invitation to cross the limits of what was possible, something that I kept throughout my life to achieve all kinds of projects, from musical, literary, cinematographic or simply cook something different with the same ingredients.

But if I have to recall the origins of how this ¨creative¨ characteristic was developing in me, I must undoubtedly thank my maternal grandmother, someone key in my life and in this learning in particular, since in those times she perceived when I wanted a certain toy that my mother could not buy, She knew that my anguish grew as it would in any child in that situation, but far from explaining to me my family's economic situation or feeling sorry for me, she challenged me to “create" that toy with the things that were in a shed we had full of old and useless objects...

Entering that place after each ¨creative challenge¨ of Mrs. María, meant connecting me with a spring of chaotic ideas that were gaining a mysterious order as I selected the pieces that I would use in my “new invention" that would give rise to my “toy idea" that I had not even sketched. After a while I discovered that it was more practical to draw the initial idea on any paper and go ordering a clearer WHAT, so I could focus and direct my attention to each invention.

I still remember that initial sensation of how the anguish and frustration transformed into an enthusiasm of being able to create something new and unique! that my mind was already visualizing, then I understood that Magic was in action when I “created" that which did not exist in my universe.

Over the years I have come to outline a “method" that I developed by trial and error, applying these same principles in countless projects, many of them innovative, which allowed me to put into practice these “11 creative keys" that I present in this writing, which will also help you to discover new potentials and opportunities beyond the context. ;-).

That is my wish,

Many people believe that creativity is a gift that only some chosen people have, but nothing could be further from the truth. The truth is that we are all born with a creative potential that can be stimulated or nullified by different circumstances and that can also be “educated" when we begin to perceive the world from another perspective.

It is important to clarify that creativity is much more than having “good ideas" from time to time. In any case, we can understand these ideas as raw material of the creative process that must have a north, that is to say... it must give a manifest answer in something that we can shape, either to solve a problem or to create a work of art.

On the other hand, being “creative" does not mean creating something from nothing, it is more about combining and rearranging information that already exists and giving it a new, unimagined application, implying a challenge of learning to “connect the dots", not “inventing the wheel". ¨.

Creativity then is a different way to see reality from a new approach that allows us in principle to find possibilities and effective solutions that help us to transform and improve our environment, our quality of life, as well as approaching art as a subjective expression that opens new possibilities towards a new level of healing, existence and spirituality, since it is not about believing, but to ¨experienciar¨ or own experience and come to deeply understand a new information that you will get objectively and subjectively thus reaching a new certainty.

From this premise we can understand why the greatest inventors and artists in history did not have a formal or academic education, they were self-taught and developed a learning curve above the average, as they were based on discovery and trial and error experimentation. Ken Robinson demonstrates in his research that 90% of preschool children have high levels of creative thinking, and in the course of school training, these same children at age 14, only 20% manage to maintain those levels of divergent thinking. This clearly reveals that “school kills creativity" being fundamental to change the paradigm of education.

For this reason it is important to understand that the approach of creativity as a “creative experience", with which I have approached the focus of this book as something incremental that is to say that you can increase your ability to shape what you think, feel and want to be part of your universe as a co-creator.

Creativity as a path to uniqueness

Creative people do not seek immediate security or generate large incomes if it goes against their ways of seeing and understanding a lifestyle that promotes the “Singularity" of Being, an aspect that can occur in different ways, as we can recognize three types of people who are assumed to be creative. In the first place, the most valued by companies, is the “problem solver" who manages to find specific answers as “storm pilots" that make their way where others can not move forward. They not only see the half of the full glass, but they find new relationships in the data and opportunities, on the other hand they are the ones who are encouraged to develop new skills, when most decide to wait or justify themselves. This group of people are currently called by innovation groups as “hybridizers", which I will refer to in the last chapter of the book.

Secondly and no less important, there are the artists who create a new work with which they express what they carry in their soul, often to heal or transmit different emotions that they express through different performances or artistic areas. The truth is that they are not always valued in their right dimension if they have not been publicly consecrated.

Let's remember that a large part of today's society still understands the artist as a bohemian who does not deserve to earn money, but to “pass the cap", since creating a work is not considered a profitable job, fortunately it is a paradigm that is changing to the extent that “time as art" is understood and not as “time is money".

On the other hand we find a third level of people who adopt creativity as a lifestyle, that is to say; they take this challenge to their work, their home, their professions, when they cook, when they vacation since they do not do it to mimic the masses, but they seek to find an enriching experience in every situation. They are also conscious even in how they dress since they do not want to follow the same established patterns or fashions and take on the challenge of doing everyday life in a different way, thus breaking the established molds of what is expected of them. They have understood and experienced in their work and/or professional environments that individual creativity is generally stifled much more often than encouraged, no matter how much they seek benefits for the same sector.

The key to enter a new “creative universe" in any area is to be open to other possibilities, even if they are not noticed easily and immediately, this implies (as we will see in the course of the 11 keys) to develop new attitudes and skills, based on patience, observation, frustration, experimentation and association, to achieve the first “creative impulse" which will allow you to leave the copy-paste mode. For this reason, whoever assumes to be “creative", must also develop a degree of flexibility, motivation and imagination as well as the courage to go against the current, that which the status quo determines as “normal" or accepted, since to question or seek other options for answers is to put in check the norms accepted by the vast majority.

We can say then that creativity is an intuitive process of discovery and at the same time of self-discovery, since it requires making new connections of information, taking risks, challenging established limits, this requires something more than a mechanical process based on algorithmic patterns as implemented in the “artificial intelligence" that drives a trans-humanism devoid of soul and emotions. Perhaps for this reason we find ourselves in a time where people follow their lives as automatons governed by new technologies and consumption patterns that only fill existential voids and the fear of being different, as dictated by the mandates of the “hive mind", where undifferentiated con-fusion provides a certain degree of security and belonging to a comfort zone governed by the same patterns of beliefs that do not question anything.

Methodology for approaching the reading of this book

In this book you will find certain guidelines ordered as keys that will allow you to achieve a journey in scales, thus giving shape to your “creative ideas" which you can shape as an authentic Act of Magic and not as a product of “something magical" that you do not understand or participate. But to achieve this, you will need to establish a theoretical-practical training of creativity with these 11 keys, which consist of developing the ability to see things in a new perspective, through a process that articulate several stages, ranging from “thinking in draft" to achieve an initial idea where new ideas will be adding successive ... you will learn to define an objective that will form a series of objectives, thus forming a formal project that integrates the resources and actions necessary for that initial idea to see the light and not remain on the road only as a possibility, something we can summarize in this logic; idea + objectives + project = Creation. ;-)

Welcome to this journey of co-creators.

«Creativity is allowing yourself the luxury of being wrong »

Scott Adams

The current concept of creativity that we know and use habitually, began to be used in the 50's by the psychologist Joy P. Guilford to refer to the set of cognitive mechanisms, aptitudes and abilities with the objective of solving problems. Guilford to refer to the set of cognitive mechanisms, aptitudes and abilities with the objective of solving problems, but if we begin to unravel the deep meaning of the word creativity it will be possible to advance towards one of the keys that brings us closer to Magic, something that in the past was associated to this term that derives from the Latin “creare" which is related to "crecere", which means; "Therefore the sense that we give today to the word creativity was valued in all times and cultures as it shows us a process where we can “create from nothing" growing what we sow as an idea, an aspect that brings humans closer to God synthesized in the term “imago dei" (image of God) which includes much more than magical thinking.

If we go back to the past, in ancient mystical traditions, we find this reference to creativity as a feature of spirituality. Zen masters already knew how to disconcert the logical-rational discursive thinking of their disciples with certain types of questions called Kóan (not to be confused with riddles) in this way they managed to provoke a mental shock in their student, which mobilized him and induced an increase in his attention, achieving an awakening of consciousness beyond the veil of the apparent, reflecting an understanding in the answer when it was given by making new connections. Here it is key to understand that there was not only one valid answer, but from where the answer was formulated and sustained as an argument. We will see later tools that will allow you to achieve a creative impulse with this zen approach.

Other spiritual traditions have used similar tactics that triggered creative processes in their initiates based on antithesis, paradox and oxymoron, the latter understood as an expression that has been formed by combining two terms of opposite meaning that give a new rhetorical meaning, an example would be; “midnight sun".

But what does it mean to be creative?

To be creative is to learn to see things and situations a little differently when everyone else always sees the same thing. It involves relating information and discovering new possibilities in order to prepare the fertile soil that allows us to sow the seeds of our dreams. This requires time to observe and self-observe, to get out of the trap of conventionalism, where the already programmed defines the “normality" that we often accept as the only option to follow.

The creative capacity does not apply only to those who create new products and services or eye-catching packaging that promote sales, clearly I am not referring to advertisers, but to those who decide to challenge the limits that life sometimes presents us with and take new risks. It is to be the art and the artist, the master and the disciple... to go for a new learning where it does not always happen in a linear way and as we would like.

Today we understand that in order to manifest “the new" it is imperative to give place to curiosity as the master key that opens the doors of creativity (it is not a single way as you will discover ;-) because without curiosity there are no questions and without questions there are no new answers.

Then we are in conditions to establish a new logic to recognize a “creative"; it will be the one who goes for New Answers! that can be specific solutions, new ventures, works of art, develop and/or discover new skills, as well as recognize opportunities where no one else can recognize them, something we will see more in depth in one of the chapters of this book.

Creativity and Intelligence

It is often assumed that intelligent people tend to be more creative, but this has not always been proven. Different researchers have disagreed, but they have found that many creative people can be intelligent, and intelligent people are not always creative. This is due to two different thought processes known as divergent thinking and convergent thinking, which allow us to find different paths to answers depending on the approach we take to reasoning.

We can understand divergent thinking as a process by which creative ideas are generated by exploring many possible solutions. It was defined by the psychologist and creativity specialist Edward de Bono as “lateral thinking" that considers previous knowledge and experiences to solve problems, even from different areas.

Convergent thinking based on focus and attention, on the other hand, is that which finds a logical solution to problems of a scientific nature, it advocates that there is only one correct solution to each problem. And it is usually associated with what we know as intelligence. According to Paul Guilford, this type of thinking is produced in the left hemisphere of the brain, related to language, logic and abstract thinking.

The truth is that geniuses are those people who have managed to combine both aspects, thus balancing their artistic and scientific interests as did Da Vinci, Einstein, Tesla and many others, who managed to use objective and subjective processes and develop new skills that are also available to everyone, as we will see in each chapter.

Facing fear and frustration

It is important to be aware of the elements that interfere in this process of “creation". One of the biggest creative brakes is the fear of being wrong and being ridiculed in front of those we consider an authority or simply being taken for bohemian, naive or unrealistic.

Ideally, during the “gestation" of any creative process is not to tell anyone. Just like a recent pregnancy where the old midwives always advised to keep quiet during the first three months, our creative idea works in the same way, since the beginning of this “idea force" begins to brew and generate an enthusiasm in us and it is not a good idea that external interference, such as unstimulating comments or any devaluing manifestation slow down this momentum.

There will never lack the opinions of relatives, colleagues or highly critical friends who do not risk anything in their lives and prefer to live a reality conditioned and planned by others, such people will never miss an opportunity to mock or criticize the initiatives discussed and failed attempts to bring our ideas into action, something that had to face the creative and inventors of all times as was the case of the Wrigth brothers; we can not forget that those who invented the airplane, were two bikers who had the dream of flying and after hundreds of failed attempts and mockery, Wilbur and Orville succeeded. They knew how to sustain their desire and face all the frustrations and increase empirical learning, since they had no knowledge of aerodynamics or physics, implemented what we know as trial and error to achieve a “learning curve" sustained, achieving after a while to design and build the first prototype plane that really could fly. Fulfilling what Einstein said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge".

For this reason it is key that silence is part of the process. You must understand that the creative journey, especially in the initial phase, is something solitary and private that needs to be “guarded" from scathing comments or supposed constructive criticism from those who have never done anything creative with their lives and feel threatened when someone does not accept the rules of the game. That is, they feel some guilt that they haven't even tried and that generates frustration. Clearly, this is an unconscious mechanism that happens even to the people who esteem us most, so no need to explain or discuss, just move forward in our “idea force" until it has sufficient maturity and begins to manifest.

On the other hand, not commenting on a new idea is something that will avoid generating expectations in others of wanting to see progress or the complete process ahead of time, this type of pressure is not always positive, because many times due to anxiety or the desire to meet that expectation placed on us we do not go deep enough in the stages that the creative process demands, presenting our work ahead of time? when the truth is that people do not like drafts, sketches or pilot tests, that is for those who are immersed in some creative area and understand that an idea is taking shape but the process is not yet complete.

A third reason would be based on the fact that if you tell an idea or creative project to someone ahead of time who truly appreciates it and congratulates you in a flattering way, your mind already registers it as an achievement and you will postpone the start or continuation of the process, this is something that Psychological Science has discovered in a social experiment conducted in 2009 concluding that the anticipated recognition of something not achieved removes much of the motivation to continue generating different internal obstacles or excuses.

Going beyond an idea

While a good idea will always be the impetus of what will make up our creative project, it is not enough on its own. Since it will involve learning to manage the various stages that comprise this journey to see the light someday and materialize into something new in our universe. We will see later those ideas are not discarded altogether, but classified and sifted according to certain criteria that I will teach you later, so you can incorporate them into other projects.

You will see that going for new ideas (to develop them later) will require observing the “behind the scenes", something that Albert Einstein as well as Leonardo Da Vinci practiced by dedicating long hours in bird watching or contemplating nature in general, discovering patterns and taking notes, making drawings and "getting inspiration" for his works as well as his inventions.

Today it is known that learning occurs 83% through sight, 11% through hearing and 6% through the other senses, the data inputs that vision gives us allows us to incorporate new options that will be ¨macerating¨ in our creative alchemy, as we will see in one of the chapters of this book.

Another aspect will be to always ask ourselves if there is a new way of doing things, to go “hunting" for new ideas that motivate a new cycle of our creative process that will be refined.
That is why we always talk about “creative process" as a journey that involves taking that initial idea to action and thus see it embodied in a creation. For this it is necessary to learn to look and not just limit yourself to see, just as the musician learns to listen and not just hear, the creative finds something different in what he observes and thus achieve new insights of ideas while everyone sees the same or are limited to perceive what programmed the belief system on duty as the only option, creating a false sense of security. For this reason, the psycho-sciences emphasize leaving the mode of “programmed objects" that respond to external stimuli and becoming “subjects" that question, analyze, and find a sense of existence in their biological life. You will see in the chapter “A wellspring of ideas" some tools to begin to enhance this aspect.

Important aspects to consider

For this to happen is key to persevere in our decision and sustain us in that desire that motivates us to move towards something new, even if there are situations of discouragement, frustration or demotivation, it is essential to make that commitment to ourselves to “find a way to" materialize it .... and not only to look for possibilities, perhaps it seems only a semantic question, but it is not, since this change of focus prepares us in the way we go towards our “creative challenge" that for many people will be something that will paralyze them and give them insecurity in front of the unknown. This book will give you guidelines to know and develop the phases that comprise this journey that seems something exclusive to artists and geniuses.

Another aspect to consider before starting this journey through the eleven scales that we will make in your creative process, is to avoid taking the first idea or answer that comes to mind as the only option, keep in mind that the mind will always go for a known experience to give a quick and effective response, but the current context is so changing and dynamic that no longer serves this ability to respond immediately and without creativity, because now more than ever it is necessary to “open the game" and accept alternatives that you are not recognizing and need to discover, is to go for the “Golden Fish" as David Lynch said, something key that we will also deepen in your training to learn to dig or glimpse less obvious options that you have not even considered and that combined with other ideas gain new strength.

The seven stages of the creative process

Although this book is not a theoretical compendium but rather a practical one, it is important to know the “path" of what we define as “creativity" that we will see in an active way and with effective triggers that maintain the following logic:

1 - Questioning: Is the impulse based on intellectual restlessness, curiosity, often focused on solving a problem, the individual allows himself to reflect before accepting the frustration or impossibility of giving a new or different answer, has a capacity to see beyond the apparent and begins to ask new questions.

2 - Preparation: Once the questions have been sorted or filtered (as we will see later in the keys to follow), a survey of data and different references, whether direct or indirect, begins, which invite a new approach to different points of view that need to be reformulated. Some researchers call this stage “Cognition".

3 - Incubation: Many times this level occurs in parallel to the previous one and it is where the first ideas which were not subjected to evaluation are being developed. At this stage a deep cognitive movement is generated where relationships of all kinds are established in which new data, possibilities, existing ways and some possible solution strategies are outlined. Some authors call this level as “Combustion of ideas".

4 - Illumination: The Eureka moment! It is when you feel and recognize the answer, although you do not have the complete information, we know that that creative impulse took shape and is recognized both physically and psychically, something that is accompanied by a sudden enthusiasm that you will have to take care of like a candle in the wind. It is the moment that is recognized as the creative peak, also known as “conception" of that new thing that begins to take shape and we know how to put it into practice. It is what people recognize as “creativity", without realizing that it is part of a process that involves several previous stages.

5 - Elaboration: it is the instance of “hands to work" and can occur at any time. This impulse allows to give form, to order, to compose, to give shape to the new idea that has been conceived in several stages that need to be formulated.

6 - Verification: This phase is when what has been done is subjected to evaluation, either by comparing, validating with other canons or if it represents useful or beautiful, it is also when external opinions intervene. It is the instance that allows to confirm if the creative idea is really effective or if it was just a mental exercise.

7 - Communication: This is an extremely critical phase, since the “creation" must be announced and communicated in a timely manner to the ¨external world¨, since it makes no sense for the creative process to end up in a drawer, on a hard disc or in a folder.

This initial classification of the stages of this process is just a way of approaching the “kitchen of the creative" that we will be deepening in the 11 keys that we will go through together in this book.

Let's move forward in this exciting journey!

Khris

«We are all born originals but most of us die copies…»

Carl Jung

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«Creativity is allowing yourself the luxury of being wrong.»

Scott Adams

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«The non-creative mind can detect incorrect answers,
pero se necesita una mente muy creativa para detectar las preguntas equivocadas»

Antony Jay