7 Blocks to Creative Thinking And How To Solve Them

Each of us has the power to be creative. It's part of our natural make-up as human beings. The trouble is that we often block our innate creativity, create errors in thinking, and give ourselves more problems.

Here are seven ways to open up your natural creativity and keep the channels unblocked.

1. Don't Make Assumptions.

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Assumptions are examples of lazy thinking. We don't wait to get all the information we need to draw the correct conclusions. There is the story of the bank customer who returns after cashing a check and turning to leave, returns and says: "Excuse me, I think you made a mistake." The cashier responds, "I'm sorry, but I can do nothing. It would help if you counted it before you left the bank. Once you walk away, we are no longer responsible." After which, the customer replies: "Well, okay. Thanks for the extra $20."

Tip: When you feel the urge to draw conclusions and assume the worst, wait until you have all the information.

2. See Things From Other Points Of View.

A truly open mind is willing to accept that other people have just as valid points of view as theirs but that these different points of view may be more reasonable. For example, here is a story about the modernist painter Pablo Picasso traveling on a train across Spain when he got into conversation with a wealthy businessman who was dismissive of modern art. As evidence that contemporary art didn't properly represent reality, he took out a photo of his wife from his wallet. He said: "This is how my wife should look, not in some silly representation." Picasso took the photo, studied it for a few moments, and asked: "This is your wife?" The businessman proudly nodded. "She's petite," observed Picasso wryly.

Tip: Don't have a monopoly on how things are. Things aren't always what they seem. So be ready to consider other points of view.

3. Avoid Yo-Yo Thinking.

Some people tend to have mood swings from a highly positive mood one minute to a highly negative one the next, all because of what they see. It's like a yo-yo: up one minute, down the next. So it's far more healthy to stay neutral and not let emotions get the better of you.

Tip: Remember that things are rarely as good or bad as you think they are.

4. Get Rid Of Lazy Thinking Habits.

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Some habits can be a significant stumbling block to clear thinking and promotes laziness. Try this experiment. Write down the Scottish surnames Macdonald, Macpherson, and Macdougall and ask someone to pronounce them. Now follow these with the word Machinery and see what happens. Most people are likely to mispronounce it. They usually do not pronounce the word correctly because we tend to think traditional and don't like what doesn't fit.

Tip: Don't think that, just because things happened in a certain way, they will happen again in the same form.

5. Don't Think Like An Old Person, Think Like A Child.

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Research shows that the number of synapses, or connections, is more significant in a child of two than in an average adult. So while a child of two has no limiting worldview, our view as adults changes. It's like a sculptor who starts with a large block of clay, more than he needs, and then gradually removes it as he molds his sculpture. If we use our brain like a child, accepting everything without judgment, we can reverse the brain aging process.

Tip: Don't worry about the myth of age. With the right stimulus and a passion for learning, you can improve your brain's powers.

6. See The Detail In The Big Picture.

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You may know the poem by John Godfrey Saxe called "The Blind Men and the Elephant ."The story tells us how six blind men from Indonesia go to see an elephant, and each tries to work out what it is from touching it. One blind man touches the tusk, another the trunk, another the tail, etc. But, of course, not being able to see the whole elephant, they come to wildly different conclusions.

Tip: Try to keep the big picture in front of you while looking at details. It will help to put everything in its proper place and context.

7. Think For Yourself.

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Taking time to think is still frowned on in many organizations that prize activity over creativity. As a result, people working in creativity-constrained organizations are likely to feel the way they are supposed to, or as others think, or as it has always been the way to think. It's like the blinkered thinking that Hans Christian Anderson describes in "The Emperor's New Clothes" story. Everyone in the land refuses to see that the emperor is naked, and he tricks them into believing he is wearing a splendid costume for his coronation. Only a young boy who has been ill and not a victim of the cultural brainwashing can see the truth and cries out: "Look, everyone, the emperor is wearing no clothes!"

Tip: Don't let others tell you how to think. When others ask your opinion, tell it to them straight.

Once you make these seven techniques part of your habitual thinking patterns, you will amaze yourself with how easy it is to develop new, innovative, and creative solutions to all of life's problems.

Can you think of some ways you’ve overcome having your creativity blocked? Please feel free to list a few ways in the comments.

Peace and Love

Salasia. B

About the author :  Salasia is a freelance copywriter, blogger, and certified health and wellness coach.