{"id":5045,"date":"2024-05-24T14:51:13","date_gmt":"2024-05-24T21:51:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/patternbasedwriting.com\/elementary_writing_success\/?p=5045"},"modified":"2024-05-24T14:51:48","modified_gmt":"2024-05-24T21:51:48","slug":"creative-thinking-as-a-life-skill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/patternbasedwriting.com\/elementary_writing_success\/creative-thinking-as-a-life-skill\/","title":{"rendered":"Complete Explanation of Creative Thinking as a Life Skill"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.24.0″ width=”100%” max_width=”100%” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”4.24.0″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” width=”100%” max_width=”100%” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Intro” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

What is creative thinking? What is it good for? We could define creative thinking as using our imagination or daydreaming, but that\u2019s not what we discuss here. We are talking about creativity as a life skill. We are talking about the ability to use creative thinking to solve problems and create success in many different areas of life\u2014personal, professional, academic, and artistic.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s popular to say, \u201cCreativity is more important than intelligence.\u201d In Robert Sternberg\u2019s \u201cTriarchic Theory of Intelligence,\u201d creativity is a form of intelligence<\/a><\/strong>. I agree. And just as we can improve our emotional intelligence, we can also strengthen our creative intelligence.<\/p>\n

Here is a list of synonyms related to creative thinking:<\/p>\n

List of Synonyms for Creative Thinking:<\/span><\/strong> Creative problem solving, creative ideation, inspired thinking, innovative thinking, non-linear thinking, synthetic thinking, lateral thinking, divergent thinking, unconventional thinking, applied imagination, and thinking outside the box.<\/p>\n

Are you still confused about what we are talking about? Here are some terms I just invented that also capture our topic.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Strategic Creative Thinking<\/li>\n
  2. Purpose-Driven Creative Thinking<\/li>\n
  3. Skill-Based Creative Thinking<\/li>\n
  4. Goal-Oriented Creative Thinking<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    In short, creative thinking is a skill that you can learn and improve!<\/p>\n

    What Are Creative Thinking Techniques?<\/h2>\n

    These days, you don\u2019t need to be born with an innate ability to think creatively to become a creative thinker. Psychologists and other researchers have been studying creativity for many decades. As a result, many books on creative thinking exist<\/a><\/strong>\u2014and even more strategies and techniques.<\/p>\n

    Below is a list of relatively self-explanatory and somewhat familiar creative thinking techniques. Even if you are not an expert at deep creative thinking, I hope you can see how these techniques might open the door for creativity. Can you see it?<\/p>\n

    List of Creative Thinking Techniques:<\/span><\/strong> making novel connections, bisociation (combining unrelated things or ideas), analogy, metaphor, division and recombination, reverse thinking, considering the opposite, challenging assumptions, challenging dominant ideas, random word or stimulus techniques, mind mapping, brainstorming, role-playing, visualization, the 5 W\u2019s, multiple perspectives, provocative statements, visual representation, constraint removal, association chains, experimentation, SCAMPER (substitute, combine, adapt, modify, put to another use, eliminate, and reverse).<\/p>\n

    To be clear, this list of skills doesn\u2019t teach themselves. Creative thinking is a topic where you need to read books and do at least some exercises to benefit from improved creative thinking.<\/p>\n

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    The Purpose of Creative Thinking: It Expands Your World!<\/h2>\n

    As a rule, success in life requires clear, logical, organized, and rational thinking. In fact, I urge everyone to check out Academic Vocabulary for Critical Thinking, Logical Arguments, and Effective Communication<\/a><\/strong><\/span>. It improves your thinking and communication skills and creates a logical foundation for creative thinking.<\/p>\n

    But as Albert Einstein (1879\u20131931) famously said, \u201cWe can\u2019t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.\u201d In other words, there comes a point where we must start thinking differently or creatively\u2014that is, we must start thinking outside the box.<\/p>\n

    Creative thinking doesn\u2019t solve problems or create great art. Solving problems and great art comes from good judgment, skill, knowledge, and action. So, what\u2019s the point of creative thinking? The benefits of creative thinking come in three forms.<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Idea Generation<\/li>\n
    2. Seeing Possibilities<\/li>\n
    3. Making Connections<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      This is my own interpretation, but I think I\u2019m correct. I firmly believe in the value of knowledge, skill, taking action, and good judgment. Success and happiness are a puzzle composed of many life skills. Although creative thinking is a valuable puzzle piece, it is just one piece.<\/p>\n

      Myopic Thinking: The Near Opposite of Creative Thinking<\/h2>\n

      You will better understand creative thinking by understanding myopic thinking. Myopic thinking is the mortal enemy of creative thinking. Although it\u2019s not the exact opposite of creative thinking, it\u2019s close.<\/p>\n

      Myopic means nearsighted. Therefore, myopic thinking is short-sighted or narrow-minded thinking. This thinking focuses on immediate concerns and short-term outcomes while neglecting different perspectives and long-term consequences.<\/p>\n

      This thinking relates to the old saying, \u201cYou can\u2019t see the forest for the trees.\u201d This idiom describes a situation where someone is so focused on small details or immediate concerns (the trees) that they fail to see the larger picture or overall context (the forest). In other words, they become fixated on minor aspects and lose sight of the broader perspective.<\/p>\n

      By the way, saying that someone\u2019s thinking is myopic is not a compliment. It implies rigid, narrow, short-sighted, small-minded thinking. The true opposite of myopic thinking would be foresighted, farsighted, or open-minded thinking. Creative thinking is a big part of these positive types of thinking.<\/p>\n

      Creative Thinking vs. Good Judgment<\/h2>\n

      Creative thinking requires good judgment. Once again, creative thinking expands your world of (1) ideas, (2) possibilities, and (3) connections. Here is what creative thinking does not do. Creative thinking doesn\u2019t make the decisions or provide the answers.<\/p>\n

      Are you aware of Howard Gardner\u2019s model of Multiple Intelligences<\/a><\/strong>? In short, people are smart in different ways. We can be gifted in one area of life and a fool in another. We can view creative thinking as a form of intelligence. History is full of creative geniuses who had difficult lives. They were geniuses in some areas of life and foolish in others. I could provide a list, but it\u2019s just too sad.<\/p>\n

      Even Steve Jobs (1955\u20132011) and Bob Marley (1945\u20131981), who had good lives, made questionable decisions regarding their cancer treatments. They pursued alternative treatments and didn\u2019t exactly follow their doctor\u2019s advice. According to his biographer, Walter Isaacson, Jobs regretted his decisions that delayed the traditional treatments. Bob Marley made his decisions based on personal and spiritual reasons, but I do wonder if he wished he had done things differently.<\/p>\n

      The more of a creative thinker you are, the more you need to develop good judgment. Why so? Well, creative thinkers (1) have more ideas, (2) see more possibilities, and (3) make more connections. Creative thinkers see more bright and shiny things and bright and shiny things catch our attention.<\/p>\n

      What Is Good Judgement?<\/span><\/strong> In short, good judgment is wise decision-making. It\u2019s applied wisdom. The sources of good judgment are knowledge, skill, critical thinking, logical thinking, reflective thinking, experience, and intuition.<\/p>\n

      Being mindful of the concept of good judgment will make creative thinkers better decision-makers. Are you using good judgment in your creative thinking?<\/p>\n

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      What Does Thinking Outside the Box Mean?<\/h2>\n

      The first step in understanding all forms of creative thinking is to understand the term \u201cthinking outside the box.\u201d This picture from Wikipedia illustrates what thinking outside the box is. Your goal with this mental puzzle is to connect all nine dots with four lines without lifting your pencil. As the blue lines in the picture show, you can only do this by extending the lines beyond the perimeter of the nine dots.<\/p>\n

      \"This<\/p>\n

      So, that\u2019s where the term \u201cthinking outside the box\u201d comes from. The goal of solving problems is not to think outside the box. We think outside the box because the answer does not lie inside the box. We must develop an intuitive grasp of how much time and effort we should devote inside the box and outside the box.<\/p>\n

      By definition, if we have a problem, we don\u2019t know where the solution lies. There is usually little point in thinking outside the box automatically. We should start by logically understanding the problems and solutions that exist inside the box. But as the minutes pass, we must broaden our thinking.<\/p>\n

      Consider the puzzle with the nine dots. At what point should we start thinking outside the box? If it\u2019s presented as a mental brainteaser-type puzzle, we want to move outside the box quickly. Still, I would begin inside the box to see where it goes, as it will provide feedback.<\/p>\n

      Here are the first three questions that pop into my mind as I start to think outside the box:<\/p>\n

      \u00bb\u00bb\u00a0 What am I missing? What am I not seeing? Is there a different way of seeing things?<\/strong><\/p>\n

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      What Does Lateral Thinking Mean?<\/h2>\n

      Edward de Bono (1933\u20132021), a pioneer in the field of creative thinking and problem-solving, coined the term \u201clateral thinking\u201d in his book The Use of Lateral Thinking<\/em> (1967). In short, lateral thinking contrasts with linear thinking (which de Bono calls vertical thinking). Since then, de Bono has written many books on creative thinking.<\/p>\n

      Once again, many terms capture the essence of creative thinking. Lateral thinking is a confusing term for several reasons. First, how does the term lateral relate to creativity? We will get to that shortly. But first, here is another confusing aspect. De Bono contrasts lateral thinking with vertical thinking.<\/p>\n

      Which of these three terms do you think means about the same thing?<\/p>\n

      \u00bb \u00bb\u00a0 lateral thinking, vertical thinking, linear thinking<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

      Well, vertical thinking and linear thinking are synonyms. That\u2019s strange because lateral and linear seem more related. Regardless, it\u2019s like this:<\/p>\n

      \u00bb \u00bb\u00a0 lateral thinking VS. vertical\/linear thinking<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

      Let\u2019s first look at vertical\/linear thinking.<\/p>\n

      Vertical \/ Linear Thinking Defined<\/h3>\n

      Here is how vertical\/linear thinking is commonly described. Linear or vertical thinking refers to a structured, step-by-step approach. It is a sequential, logical progression from one point to another. It follows a structured approach to thinking and problem-solving, where one moves vertically or linearly through levels of understanding or analysis.<\/p>\n

      Now, let\u2019s look at de Bono\u2019s lateral thinking.<\/p>\n

      Lateral Thinking Defined<\/h3>\n

      1.<\/span><\/strong> Lateral thinking is the process of using information to bring about creativity and insight restructuring. The aim of lateral thinking is to look at things in different ways, to restructure patterns, to generate alternatives. In lateral thinking, one uses information not for its own sake but for its effect. Lateral thinking enhances the effectiveness of vertical thinking. \u2013 Lateral Thinking: Creativity Step by Step (1970) by Edward de Bono<\/em><\/p>\n

      2.<\/span><\/strong> Lateral thinking involves approaching problems indirectly and creatively, often by generating new ideas or connections that may not be immediately obvious. It\u2019s about breaking out of traditional thought patterns to find innovative solutions. Lateral thinking encourages the exploration of multiple possibilities and perspectives through various techniques. Instead of tackling a topic directly and logically, lateral thinking asks you to explore different angles, make unusual connections, and break away from traditional thought patterns.<\/p>\n

      3. Lateral Thinking Techniques:<\/span> <\/strong>Here are a few of de Bono\u2019s lateral thinking techniques: Generating alternatives, challenging assumptions, the reversal method, brainstorming, analogies, NO and PO (Provocative Operation), Fractionation, and Concepts, Divisions, Polarization\u2014and more.<\/p>\n

      You are probably familiar with at least a few of these techniques. However, others won\u2019t make any sense without reading the book. Here is a brief explanation of two of the terms listed above.<\/p>\n

      4. Technique: PO = Provocative Operation:<\/span><\/strong> These are deliberate actions or statements designed to provoke new ideas, break existing thought patterns, and encourage creative thinking. In short, use provocative (even shocking) actions or statements to engage the creative mind.<\/p>\n

      5. Technique: Fractionation:<\/span><\/strong> This amounts to breaking things into smaller, simpler parts or fractions\u2014but not strictly along logical lines. De Bono says, \u201cSince the purpose of fractionation is to break up the solid unity of a fixed pattern rather than to provide a descriptive analysis, it does not matter if the fractions do not cover the whole situation.\u201d In short, these fractions can be rearranged or formed to create different combinations. Basically, it\u2019s creative division and composition.<\/p>\n

      Lateral Thinking vs. Vertical \/ Linear Thinking<\/h3>\n

      The following eleven quotes are from Lateral Thinking: Creativity Step by Step<\/em> (1970) by Edward de Bono.<\/p>\n

      Grammar Note:<\/strong><\/em><\/span> De Bono uses many comma splices. Since the book is professionally edited, the author and publisher obviously view those comma splices as a creative stylistic choice that de Bono\u2019s readers will accept and appreciate. I added a few commas to set off prepositional phrases and a couple of semi-colons to improve clarity.<\/p>\n

      1.<\/span><\/strong> Like logical thinking, lateral thinking is a way of using the mind.<\/p>\n

      2.<\/span><\/strong> Vertical thinking is selective, lateral thinking is generative: Rightness is what matters in vertical thinking. Richness is what matters in lateral thinking. Vertical thinking selects a pathway by excluding other pathways. Lateral thinking does not select but seeks to open up other pathways. With vertical thinking, one selects the most promising approach to a problem, the best way of looking at a situation. With lateral thinking, one generates as many alternative approaches as one can.<\/p>\n

      3.<\/span><\/strong> With vertical thinking, one is trying to select the best approach, but with lateral thinking, one is generating different approaches for the sake of generating them.<\/p>\n

      4.<\/span><\/strong> Vertical thinking moves only if there is a direction in which to move, lateral thinking moves in order to generate a direction.<\/p>\n

      5.<\/span><\/strong> Vertical thinking is analytical, lateral thinking is provocative.<\/p>\n

      6.<\/span><\/strong> Vertical thinking is sequential, lateral thinking can make jumps.<\/p>\n

      7.<\/span><\/strong> With vertical thinking, one has to be correct at every step; with lateral thinking, one does not have to be.<\/p>\n

      8.<\/span><\/strong> With vertical thinking, one uses the negative in order to block off certain pathways. With lateral thinking, there is no negative.<\/p>\n

      9.<\/span><\/strong> With vertical thinking, categories, classifications, and labels are fixed; with lateral thinking, they are not.<\/p>\n

      10.<\/span><\/strong> Vertical thinking follows the most likely paths, lateral thinking explores the least likely.<\/p>\n

      11.<\/span><\/strong> Vertical thinking is a finite process, lateral thinking is a probabilistic one.<\/p>\n

      Lateral Thinking: Lateral at Stages or Steps<\/h2>\n

      Here is the point of this section in advance: Go lateral at stages or steps or even as a whole\u2014but avoid the multiverse.<\/p>\n

      We can use lateral thinking as we develop large-scale multi-step plans or projects. However, we don\u2019t want to do it in a chaotic way where we create endless multiverses of ideas. Do you know anyone who likes to think ten steps ahead but can\u2019t figure out how to take that first step? Everything is easy out in the future. The hard part is usually right in front of us. Many dreamers never deal with the first step\u2014or the next step.<\/p>\n

      Here\u2019s why de Bono calls it lateral thinking. Once again, this is my interpretation. The purpose of creative thinking is threefold: 1) Idea Generation, 2) Seeing Possibilities, and 3) Making Connections. These activities help us make wise decisions.<\/p>\n

      The reality is that each decision only takes us so far into the future before we must make another decision. Maybe that next decision will be easy. On the other hand, we may need more: 1) Idea Generation, 2) Seeing Possibilities, and 3) Making Connections.<\/p>\n

      We go lateral so that we don\u2019t get into a multiverse situation with endless (1) ideas, (2) possibilities, and (3) connections. Can you imagine an endless stream of (1) ideas, (2) possibilities, and (3) connections? That\u2019s not what creativity is about. That\u2019s chaos.<\/p>\n

      Remember, lateral thinking and vertical\/linear thinking work together. Here\u2019s how it works. We think vertically in stages or steps but also laterally at each stage or step.<\/p>\n