Leadership and entrepreneurial breakthroughs depend on creativity. But we don\u2019t always feel very creative, do we? Thankfully, research suggests we all have access to the kind of creativity we need to get the results we want\u2014even if you don\u2019t feel especially creative.<\/p>\n\n
Last week I went fly fishing on Hesse Creek in East Tennessee. Nothing takes my mind off work like fishing<\/a>. Worries and challenges fade into the background, and I find myself fully immersed in the present moment.<\/p>\n But it\u2019s not about avoiding difficulties. When I\u2019m finished I often find I have the clarity I lacked when I started. There\u2019s something about the relaxation that actually sparks my best thinking.<\/p>\n I know fishing works for others too, and there\u2019s good research to explain why. But the great news is that breakthrough creativity doesn\u2019t require a quiet stream and a fly rod\u2014and that\u2019s a big plus because I need breakthroughs more often than I fish.<\/p>\n\n So what does it take? It\u2019s different for everyone, but here are ten research-backed ways to trigger the breakthrough you need. See which works best for you.<\/p>\n Play.<\/strong> When we need a breakthrough, it\u2019s about something serious. But don\u2019t dismiss play as trivial. \u201cPlay nurtures a supple mind, a willingness to think in new categories, and an ability to make unexpected associations,\u201d says Virginia Postrel<\/a> after reviewing the growing research on the importance of play. \u201cThe spirit of play not only encourages problem solving but, through novel analogies, fosters originality and clarity.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Take a step back.<\/strong> The more we work on a problem, the closer we get to it. But that can limit our perspective. When we stand back from a problem, we can see different angles and approaches. \u201c[A]bstract thinking makes it easier for people to form surprising connections between seemingly unrelated concepts,\u201d say Oren Shapira and Nira Liberman<\/a>. Sometimes the solution becomes obvious with a few steps back.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Stay positive.<\/strong> Researchers find people are better at solving problems when they\u2019re upbeat. \u201cThe basic idea is that a positive mood loosens the grip of attention, so that stimuli and ideas that used to get filtered out can now have a greater impact on [mental] processing,\u201d says cognitive neuroscientist Mark Beeman<\/a>. And it\u2019s self-perpetuating because the creative process also boosts our mood<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Team up.<\/strong> We sometimes think creative work is solo work. Not always. Outside opinions can spark outstanding work. The relationship of Paul McCartney and John Lennon<\/a> was sometimes competitive. Other times it was collaborative. But either way, they could not have accomplished what they did without each other. Study after study demonstrates<\/a> the creative power of a familiar team with diverse personalities and talents.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Set constraints.<\/strong> We don\u2019t like limitations, but the right constraints<\/a> can clear our heads and challenge us to work<\/a> with available resources. Think of budgetary limits, deadlines, and even totally arbitrary restrictions (e.g., paint an orchard with no green!<\/em>). Constraints can trigger breakthroughs by forcing the creative process.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Get some sleep.<\/strong> Our brains process information while we sleep<\/a>, helping us sort the significant from all the meaningless stuff we pick up. Even dreaming is critical<\/a> to this process. To really get the benefit, consider doing your most creative work first thing in the morning<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Be persistent.<\/strong> We don\u2019t get breakthroughs on demand. The best thinking usually comes with persistence. \u201cPeople consistently underestimate the value of persisting on creative tasks,\u201d say Northwestern University researchers Brian Lucas and Loran Nordgren<\/a>. Their research shows we usually do our best work later<\/em> in the creative process\u2014after many people have already dropped out.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Fake it till you make it.<\/strong> What if you still don\u2019t feel like you can trigger a breakthrough? Well, just imagining you\u2019re creative<\/a> might help. In two studies, researchers had students identify as an \u201ceccentric poet,\u201d \u201crigid librarian,\u201d or nothing in particular. Identifying with the stereotype had a direct effect on creative thinking. When students saw themselves as uncreative, they actually were uncreative. But students were measurably more creative<\/em> when they imagined they were.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\t\t\n