26 December 2009

Creativity Style?

Reger Van Oech shares half a dozen of his own discoveries about his own creativity tendencies. I recognised a couple (and realised a couple almost certainly didn't apply) The whole articlette is here: Creative Think: What's Your Creativity Style?. And here's a couple of the ones I recognised:
2. If I'm mentally blocked in trying to solve a problem, it's usually because I'm in love with a particular idea — so much so that it prevents me from looking for alternatives. Only when I force myself to become detached from it and 'kiss it goodbye' do I find new answers. Letting go of a previously cherished idea can be one of life's great pleasures.

And part of number one:
I get my ideas ... when I'm away from the problem altogether. I rarely get them when I'm doing routine tasks that require some attention.
In fact, I recognise that I tend to do my best thinking (and praying) when I'm out walking (having a dog is quite a boon from that perspective). I suspect it's something about rhythm, nature, freewheeling thought and random things-noticed. I've omitted the bit about being under time pressures. I'm afraid that tends to make me revert to 'reptilian brain' and I can't get past whatever idea has lodged there already.
I'm pondering what creativity styles there might be and how we'd recgonise them ... thoughts anyone?

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