Sensationally Creative - 17 Principles of Creativity and Innovation

Sensationally Creative
The Joy of Thinking Big

17 Principles of Creativity and Innovation

By Ernie J. Zelinski from the Book The Joy of Thinking Big

Creativity and Innovation Book Cover

David Ogilvy was once of the most creative individuals in advertising and widely regarded as a genius – so much so that he wondered it if were true.

After all, he reported, he had flunked out of Oxford. He decided to find out exactly how smart he was, expecting to have an IQ around 145. He scored 96 (Business Strategy Review, 2005).

This is just one example of why creativity does not depend on intelligence. Creativity depends on following a number of principles that contribute to individuals being creative and innovative.

Following are seventeen principles (more or less) of creativity and innovation that I consider basic for being creative at work and play. This means these principles can be applied to personal matters as well as career success and business innovation.

There is no claim here that these are the only available principles for enhancing your creativity. Other principles and techniques exist.

The objective is to enhance your ability to see and generate more options by using as many techniques as possible.

17 Principles of Creativity and Innovation

Choose to be creative
Look for many solutions
Write your ideas down
Fully analyze your ideas
Define your goal
See problems as opportunities
Look for the obvious
Take risks
Dare to be different
Be unreasonable
Have fun and be foolish
Be spontaneous
Be in the now
Practice divergent thinking
Challenge rules and assumptions
Delay your decision
Be persistent

Note: The above has been adapted from my book The Joy of Thinking Big.

Ernie J. Zelinski, Author of The World's Best Retirement Book