Creativity appears when you least expect it. And sometimes you can even count on it to use when you need it But every now and then things get blocked, no new ideas come up in your head.
Creativity is for the creation of connections between existing things to give them new meaning. It’s about not copying what has been done, but taking that what exists and doing it in a new way.
When I tell you to create an idea to start a new business that will make enough money for you to support yourself within 24 hours, you will probably will freeze up, and nothing happens.
So you need techniques to generate creativity.
Some techniques are unstructured, like brainstorming or a website where you hope a good idea will come from the stimuli from the group, or structured, where you start very methodically with an inventory of what you already have.
When having a block, i’d do a structured approach. Creating can be done by connecting existing pieces together in a new way, for example using a mindmap. Let’s say you’re going to start your one-man business. So what basic pieces do we have to start this business? Skills (competences) and resources.
What we do next is make a inventory of skills you have (what can you do? what knowledge and skills do you have?) and a list of resources posess(what do you have). Then cut up the list in one competence or resource per line, and mix them up.
Now grab some of them and see if together it makes sense. You are forcing creativity (and maybe luck :-)
You have 24 hours to pick your perfect combination!
An example is my million dollar idea, based on a computer, a cat, some tecnological developments and some financial recources. And it may even work!
The resource money is in this case like a wildcard, so if you can make great pizza’s but don’t have an oven, but do have the money, you could buy one.
Good luck creating!