DEVELOPING IDEAS
Is There a Process Common to All Creative Individuals?
by Mike Foley
Many of us marvel at the accomplishments of creative people, wondering where their ideas come from or, even more important, how they are able to develop the ideas into viable products and services. Creativity spans the whole of life, from inventors to artists and musicians, to teachers, scientists and those who operate small, medium and large businesses.
And that often leads us to a nagging question. Are there common traits or processes that are shared by all creative people?
The truth is--there's no easy answer.
While creative individuals continue to fascinate us, even they are hard pressed to explain how the creative process works. For example, concert pianist Rosalyn Tureck experienced a "total loss of self-awareness" while playing a Bach fugue around the age of 17. That state led to an entirely new awareness of Bach's work and its structure, which she utilized for much of her career.
On the other hand, many ideas occur after painstaking work, occurring to the individual in far less dramatic ways. It is, perhaps, that an opening occurs through regular work in a certain area, allowing the idea to "slip through" in a simple moment of insight.
In either case, the idea has been born into the world, where it will have an effect. But the process of developing the idea for the world is also part of the goal for all creative individuals. This two-part (idea and development) creative approach is born through certain traits that seemed to be shared by most creative people. These have been discussed many times in gatherings and symposiums focused on creativity.
So let's take a look at some of the traits these individuals share, the steps they often take to grasp new ideas and develop them.
1. Concern--Most creative individual have a deep concern for hidden truths, those things that have not yet been discovered. This even applies to things that might create a serious challenge to conventional thought, accepted wisdom or even common sense. Such concern provides a driving force for taking new explorations and finding new approaches in areas of the arts, sciences, invention, medicine or even athletics. That concern often keeps the creative person focused, even after numerous failures or setbacks.
2. Finding--Quite often, the "finding" of a problem is just as important as ultimately solving it. Many inventors, for example, grow profoundly excited upon discovering an everyday problem that begs for a solution. In a sense, that focus constantly creates new challenges, competition, and a sense of urgency. Quite often, these are the very things that fuel the creative life. Entrepreneur Joe Cossman spent a life continuously focused on new ideas, new solutions to problems, new needs in the marketplace. He called these the "lifeblood" of any business. How true.
3. Action--At some point, ideas must move out of the conceptual stage. In other words, you need to take action on them. Creative individuals will often move forward with a concept, even if they're nervous about it, even if they find it upsetting in some way. The drive to flesh out an idea is so strong, the individual can't resist "seeing what happens" with a particular concept. According to Cossman, one of the critical qualities of a successful person is "the ability to visualize a proposition, stay with it and make it develop."
In his classic book, How I Made a Million Dollars in Mail Order, Cossman writes, "What one man casually passes by may prove to be another man's treasure." And the difference lies in the ability to take action.
4. Objectivity--The ability to test ideas and remain objective about the results is also a necessary strength for inventors. If your idea is working, then fine--keep moving forward. But if, after much testing, the idea just isn't feasible, you must be able to admit that and move on. Inventors and entrepreneurs can lose valuable time and money by thinking with their hearts, rather than their heads. Look at your ideas objectively. Know when to move forward and when to stop.
5. Perseverance--Creative individuals also have the ability to persevere despite the unexpected complications that often arise in product development. The road is rarely smooth, as most successful people know. Cossman advised people to avoid the "spirit of the quitter," in their product ventures. You must find the motivation inside you and press forward. "You are your own boss," Cossman said. "It is up to you and no one else."
Although there are no courses that teach creativity and the development of ideas, humans continue to create, finding ways to solve problems and improve the lives of people worldwide. In pursuing your own ideas, keep the above in mind. By adopting the qualities of successful individuals, you can watch your own work blossoming in new and exciting ways.
Mike Foley has been editor of the Dream Merchant since 1990. For information about his services for writers, visit his website at: http://www.writers-review.com
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