On Fri, 05 Sep 2008 08:30:15 -0600, with neither quill nor qualm, Lew
Hartswick quickly quoth:

Tom Gardner wrote:

On one of my recent posts, you kind people pointed out that there are many
ways of doing something. Simple observations are often the most profound.
I'm not a master at being able to see a problem from different angles and
visualize different solutions. It seems that some parts of one idea affect
another so the ideas are not independent, not "clean" and compartmentalized.
I met with my guys today and discussed if we could figure out how to think
about different ways of doing things we are developing. I want multiple
solutions presented and thinking out of the box. It seems there is always a
brute-force method of doing something yet the "other" idea, the one that
springs into existence at the odd hour, is often better, cheaper and more
elegant. How do you attract those "other" ideas?

Is there a method or exercises to develop creative thinking? Cutting metal
and drilling holes is the easy part, how do you completely forget an idea in
order to "see" a new idea? This may come easily for an intelligent person
but I struggle with my mental limitations.


I don't think that can be either taught or learned, it is one of those
things that some have and others don't.

I disagree to some extent, Lew. (Can you handle that capital in your
name, dude?

I think everyone is both psychic and creative, but most have simply
had this muffled, usually during their schooling, where "everyone has
to fit in." Peers who have had the same stifling upbringing are also
now born and bred quenchers of ideas, either by social code or by ego.
(If I'm not allowed to think it, you aren't, either!)

But most creative people can't do so under stresses like time limits
or strict performance requirements. True creativity is a fleeting
thing, and even a slight nudge or restriction can knock it out of
kilter. The subconscious mind continues working on problems while we
do other things. That's why so many ideas come to us after we have
given up on them and moved to other tasks.

Self-confidence works wonders on creativity, but it has to be earned
by the mind needing it, not given by someone else. Encouragement
helps, like Pete said (+ removing your ego from their project), but
it's the mind doing the work which needs to process things.

As to learning creativity, I think that's merely uncovering the
muffler society has put on us, then unraveling it to get to our own
kernel of truth and wonder.

--
Who is wise? He that learns from every One.
Who is powerful? He that governs his Passions.
Who is rich? He that is content.
Who is that? Nobody.
-- Benjamin Franklin