Three Fundamental Rules for Creativity

The term (rules of creativity) may seem contradictory in its structure, but the first rule refutes this idea.

3 Fundamental Rules for Creativity

Here are Three Fundamental Rules for Creativity

1. Narrowing Down the Options and Focusing on Something Specific

A misconception about creativity exists, promoting the idea of exploring all ideas and possibilities. While this notion may appear enticing, its practical application is unfeasible. Even if such exploration were possible, the sheer volume of options would pose a significant challenge in making choices.

Focusing on something specific is at the heart of creativity and having strict guidelines for work. It is better to be precise in defining goals, such as 'writing a creative story' or 'presenting an innovative business model,' rather than setting a general goal like 'I want to be creative.' This may seem illogical, but in this way, you can draw inspiration from specific ideas that will help you achieve your desired goal.

A study was conducted on a group of equally skilled and efficient tailors, and the results showed that tailors with a limited number of threads created designs that were considered more beautiful, creative, and diverse from a neutral perspective. In contrast, similar designs that included a greater number of threads and colors appeared less aesthetically pleasing.

One of the prominent examples of creativity is Mark Hughes, the former Vice President of Marketing for the website 'Half.com.' He successfully garnered local media attention, and with his guidance, the company signed a one-year contract to name the city of Halfway, Oregon, after the website 'Half.com.' This endeavor achieved significant marketing success.

There is no specific way to discover a similar creative idea, but the following steps will be helpful:

• Presenting a creative marketing idea that a website needs.
• Something new that no one has executed before.
• Naming something of value after your company.

Focusing on something specific leads to more creative and innovative results. Before the final name was chosen, several city names containing the word 'Half' were nominated.

eBay, the e-commerce company, purchased 'Half.com' for $300 million six months after the story gained widespread attention and dominated local media headlines. Later, Hughes published a book in which he recounted the details of his success story.

The key takeaway from this example is that the more you reduce your options and focus on something specific, the greater your ability to be creative. Don't fear the idea of narrowing down your choices or available ideas, as you can always pivot and select an alternative path that suits you better.

Setting boundaries and commitments is essential for fostering creativity. The problem with most people is that they try to be creative through general ideas without the desire to explore a specific concept and delve deep into it. This scattered and expansive approach is what kills creativity.

2. Believing in Your Creativity

Creativity heavily relies on self-esteem. In a study conducted by psychologists to assess employees within a company and identify differences among them, the results showed that the only thing that sets creative employees apart from others is their belief and confidence in their ability to be creative.

Some people believe that creativity is a kind of mysterious magic or that it's an innate talent that you're born with, and without it, you can't be creative. However, the example of the previous company proves the opposite because most ordinary employees outperformed the creative ones. Creativity is a skill that can be acquired through practical training programs, and the fundamental step towards achieving remarkable success is believing in your ability to be creative and evolve.

3. Accepting Negative Thoughts

It is often better not to classify any idea as bad since it's just an idea, and it won't have a negative impact unless it transforms into action. Contrary to common belief, bad ideas can be the seeds of creativity. They can be modified or combined with other ideas to become good and feasible for execution.

For example, leaping from a towering mountain might appear to be a bad idea, but when carried out as part of the sport of bungee jumping, it evolves into an enjoyable and safe concept. Moreover, it opens up a lucrative opportunity in the adventure-loving community.

Bad ideas can transform into brilliant ones, but most people confine creativity to good ideas, reducing the creative competition for unconventional ideas. Here, you have a significant opportunity for creativity and selecting something unique. A prominent example is Ed Debevic's restaurants in Chicago, where the staff cheekily interacts with customers.

Despite the general rule that the customer is always right, the bizarre and humorous concept of the restaurant was the reason for its fame as a tourist destination, attracting people even though the food quality was average at best.