Boost your creativity
A guest post by Cheryl Craigie of The Manageable Life
It seemed so easy at first, didn’t it?
Your blog posts came fast and furious. You were excited and inspired. The words came easily.
Then one day you went to your creative well and it was dry—not damp, mind you, but Sahara Desert dry.
As a survivor of the “dry well syndrome,” I can tell you that that this happens to all of us at some point. But it’s not you, it’s your brain.
First, the bad news: Evolution is working against you.
Your brain evolved to be an efficient machine—it looks for easy, familiar answers based on past experience. This works well most of the time, but because of that very success it is hard for the brain to break out of old thinking patterns and generate new ideas on command.
So sitting at your desk and commanding your brain to fill the well without doing anything to prime the pump is probably not the best strategy.
Now the good news: The brain can learn new ways of thinking and create new neural connections.
Neuroscientists used to believe that your brain was fully formed by early adulthood and nothing you did could change it. But that conventional wisdom has been overturned in recent years.
Studies show that the brain is actually “neuroplastic,” which simply means that it is continually shaped and molded by experience–even well into old age. So you can improve your brain’s ability to think creatively by simply providing the proper stimulation.
4 ways to keep those ideas flowing
1. Use your brain’s reticular activating system (RAS)
The RAS is the part of the brain that acts as a filtering system, regulating what information reaches your conscious perception. You probably experienced it when you bought a new car and then suddenly noticed all the other cars like yours on the road. You never saw them before because they simply weren’t on your radar screen.
Deploy your RAS when you have a vague idea of a blog topic, but don’t know how to develop it. Making a mental suggestion, like “ways to achieve happiness” is enough to get your RAS working. Then, while you are going about the rest of your day, your RAS is on the job.
It constantly scans your environment ready to bring to your attention interesting twists on material you’ve read, experiences you’ve had, and memories you’ve forgotten. All of this happens without you having to pay conscious attention.
Remember to write the good stuff down when the RAS brings it to your attention.
Some may call the ideas that surface serendipity, coincidence or synchronicity, but most likely it’s just your RAS doing its job.
2. Think in high definition video
Because the brain seeks efficiency first, it provides only the minimum information needed to perform the task at hand. When asked to imagine a beach scene, the brain will conjure up an image that looks like a postcard.
The key to improving your creativity and problem-solving ability, however, is training your brain to engage its full perceptual range. You need to be thinking in high definition video, evoking the sights, sounds, smells and emotions associated with a beach experience.
Visualizing in high def allows you to fully enter the scene and search for new information.
3. Embrace new experiences and learning opportunities
Going about your normal routine does nothing to shake the brain loose from it evolutionary limitations.
Challenge your brain so it can build new neural connections.
Provide it with new experiences and learning opportunities–it’s also a much more interesting way to live.
For example, the initial frustration that occurs when undertaking a new sport, along with the unbearably slow pace of improvement can be used in a post about the emotions you’ll face and patience you’ll need to make changes in your life.
You can also expand your brain power by doing simply exercises that force your brain to search for new insight.
Building Connections Exercise: Pick three random words—if you can’t think of any, just open a magazine or book, close your eyes, and point—then imagine (in high def video, of course) how you could turn them into a blog post.
4. Use creative visualization
Athletes use creative visualization all the time. They visualize in meticulous, high def detail how they will prepare for, start and win the race. They do this not because it’s a fun exercise, but because it works.
The same areas of your brain light up whether you are actually doing the work or just thinking about it.
So go ahead.
Imagine yourself encountering a dry spell.
See yourself employing some of the techniques discussed. Your brain is learning what success looks like and it will work hard to create the right connections so you can succeed.
Becoming an idea-generating machine is well within your reach. All it takes is some trust in the process and a little practice priming the pump.
Then get out of the way and let those ideas flow.
Have you used any of these techniques or do you have other suggestions about how to move past creative blocks?
If so, please share so we can learn from your experience–and grow some new neural connections, too!
Cheryl Craigie is a former broadcaster and foundation executive turned blogger who is fascinated with the power of the brain. She shares her insights about how to choose a better, more satisfying life at The Manageable Life.
Join Leo Babauta and Mary Jaksch in their spectacular training environment for bloggers: the A-List Blogger Club.
I find that by going eclectic I can generate ideas. Whether looking at material I’ve collected, watching the news, reading often helps. I just gather info from all directions I can, and then, as you point out try to relate it connect it up.
Also, reading how-to books that pertain directly to whatever creative project I am working on is one of the best ways to generate ideas useful to the project. Say I am writing a novel, a book on plots or chracterization or story structure often does the trick.
Good article, by the way. It’s been a while since i’ve heard about the good ol’ RAS!
Hi Bill–
I agree about “going eclectic.” Just a few weeks ago I was working on a blog post about the importance of thoughts and choice in determining the life you have. But I couldn’t get a handle on the angle I wanted to take. So I decided to just let my RAS go to work on it and see what came up. Within 24 hours I had a William James quote, a New York Times article about decision fatigue and a story about a lunch conversation with a friend that took place over 28 years ago. I wove all of these together in the post and it worked beautifully.
Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Well, that’s scary … coming from a guy who just made his second post today.
I’ve been wondering to myself what might happen if I woke up one morning, fired up the laptop, and had nothing to say. I’ve been keeping a notebook of ideas for “later”, and thankfully haven’t needed them yet. I think, for me, it has a lot to do with habit building, “setting myself up” to capture ideas, and knowing when I’m most likely to be productive at the keyboard … All things I learned from my good buddy Leo!
Thanks for the post … I suspect my RAS will be stimulated just by virtue of having given it a name!
-M
Hi Matthew–
Glad to hear you haven’t suffered from the “dry well syndrome” yet. It sounds like you’re doing all the right things to keep those ideas flowing.
I am notorious for carrying notebooks, scraps of paper, stuff written on the back of receipts, etc., to make sure I capture the good stuff when it decides to show up. I even keep a digital voice recorder handy to record ideas when I’m driving.
I’m a big fan of Leo, too …
Although it can be hard to break the mold, and the repetitive habits, I do try to from time to time, to have new experiences. It can be tough sometimes as I said because I am so accustomed to the way things are, and its tough to break away from that but yet… when forced to find new experience, its amazing what small things come out of it.
-Jean
Hi Jean–
Having an already busy life sometimes gets in the way of new experiences, doesn’t it? I think the key is to try to build some free time into each day–or at least each week. Schedule it like you would an important appointment and then make sure you do something interesting during that time. As you said, it’s amazing what happens when you shake things up.
Thank you for the feedback Cheryl! Fantastic idea about scheduling it like its something important, kind of how famous people have scheduled events to attend to, appearances, etc, and they show up not knowing what to expect sometimes.
-Jean
I will actually try this, and I will actually let you know about my progress with this method of brainstorming too. So, expect another post from me… Jarod Online.
Hi Jarod–
Good luck–not that you’ll need it–these techniques really do work!
Can’t wait to hear what happens. Please do let us know …
I’ve found a few of these techniques helpful in the past. Especially the necessity of writing down whatever line or idea pops into your mind while living your life. In my case I’ve taken random toughts wrote them into my iPod notes and came back to them a week later to write a neat 2,500 word or so short story.
I’m currently writing a novel based on such a technique. Once the idea was there my mind could work on the outline and I’m filling in the details when I write. I hope others try this as well.
Hi Alex–
Thanks for sharing your experience and confirming that these concepts do work. I am continually amazed at what ideas bubble up when I’m doing something completely unrelated to what I was working on.
I consider myself a “mind freak.” Not the magician/illusionist kind, but the “I can’t stop learning about the brain” kind…
Each day I like to pick a one thing in my room (by random, like words in the exercise from #3) and answer the question What Can I Do With This? Usually 100-200 answers is a nice feeling of creativity somewhere inside my brain.
Hi Jakub–
I LOVE this idea! Thanks for sharing…
Awesome post! I am very lucky since starting my blog that my well hasn’t run dry yet. There was a technique I learned to brainstorm new ideas (I believe it was from Problogger), where you write down one word or phrase (for example, “poetry markets”), then write down as many article concepts as possible that relate to that phrase. Eventually, you branch out into dozens of article ideas from just one word or phrase. I find this to be especially helpful by creating branches based on each section of my blog, so that they are all updated on an even basis.
Hi Krissy–
Thanks for sharing. I have used a similar exercise, called Mind Mapping, which you may be familiar with.
I’ve found that, at least for me, it’s helpful to shake things up so your brain doesn’t get “lazy” by using the same brainstorming techniques all the time.
I’m glad you’ve not suffered any dry spells yet–I admit to being a little envious about that …
reading how-to books that pertain directly to whatever creative project I am working on is one of the best ways to generate ideas useful to the project. Say I am writing a novel, a book on plots or chracterization or story structure often does the trick.
Thanks for taking the time to share what works for you. As you said, sometimes studying things closely related to your specific project does the trick.
Our brain is just like a pet. The more we train it the better it gets. And personally, i find that visualizing something makes me more creative. I can paint a model virtually and then go about branching it out :)
Thanks for the tips.
Hi Jane–
Your welcome. If he could say it, my dog Boo Boo would agree with you …
It’s kind of like exercising, too. But instead of building muscle, you’re building neural connections.
Great ideas Cheryl….and love the image – that just tops off a fab post !
Thanks, Di. Mary gets credit for the image. I love it, too!
Love your explanation of RAS–a great way of explaining a phenomenon we’ve all experienced at one time or another, and a practical way to take advantage of it. We work in film and tv, and plan to share your ideas with our blog readers who are working to break into Hollywood. Surely, RAS is just as effective a tool for recognizing great film and tv ideas!
Great job!
Biagio
Absolutely! The beauty–and power–of RAS is that it works for virtually anything.
Thanks for taking the time to comment and good luck in your own creative journeys …
Thanks, Cheryl. This is my first few months blogging and I am now sixty+ posts into my blogging life. I anticipated, from past writing, that I would hit a dry spell and so I tried to utilize the RAS technique, which is a wonderful strategy. I also try to write a few blog posts ahead of time to have in reserve. These are non time sensitive and having them has relieved some of the early worry I was having of not making a daily post.
Hi MT–
Congrats on starting your blog and your success to date. I try to work ahead, too, but am not always able to as life sometimes gets in the way.
Good luck!
Great article, Cheryl! The brain can be our most powerful tool if we know how to maximize it. Continuous learning is always the key to getting more ideas and inspiration; feed our brain so that it can work at its best. As writers, we tend to spend most of our time sitting in front of our laptops, because that’s what we are. But we should also get involve in creative activities that can stimulate creative ideas. Attending crash courses, meeting friends, taking nature trips, brainstorming with other writers are some of the activities I do when my writer’s well is really dry. I always feel inspired and full ideas when doing activities like these. Then, I write and write about the experiences and new learnings I’ve had.
Hi Shyxter–
You’re right. Living a full life naturally gives you have lots of experiences to share with your readers.
Here’s one of my favorite quotes on that subject from writer Diane Ackerman, “I don’t want to get to the end of my life and find that I lived just the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well.”
Right! Experience everything that we can experience :-)
Our brain is just like a pet. The more we train it the better it gets. And personally, i find that visualizing something makes me more creative. I can paint a model virtually and then go about branching it out :)
Wow, what a great information you provided! Thank You, I have never heard about RAS and it is so interesting.
Thanks. Hope you’ll find the techniques useful.
Great ideas, Cheryl. Though ideas may be plentiful out there in the world, it’s the ones that fit my blog, the ones that will stand out and support what I am about that often elude me. Your ideas are very helpful. Thanks!
I know just what you mean. It’s tough sometimes to find just the right ideas–or words. But if you play around with some of the techniques I’ll bet you’ll be surprised at what comes up. Good luck.
I can definitely relate to what you’ve said about hitting a dry patch. It is really frustrating for awhile as your brain struggles to find fresh paths and come up with new plans and methods. I think it’s a good idea to start afresh everyday and try to learn new methods to go about achieving the same task. Comedian George Carlin used to do that. He would dump all his tried and tested comedy skits at the end of each year and start all over again, like as if he was doing it for the first time. A lot of people instead try to rely on one proven approach only and as a result, it’s bound to go stale at some point.
Hi Rick–
I agree. Keeping that “beginner’s mind” enables you to look at things with fresh eyes and helps you discover new perspectives.
Although it can be hard to break the mold, and the repetitive habits, I do try to from time to time, to have new experiences. It can be tough sometimes as I said because I am so accustomed to the way things are, and its tough to break away from that but yet… when forced to find new experience, its amazing what small things come out of it.
Hi, actually, I have a Universal Radial Drilling machine with a 12 mm chuck. I have no engineering background and would like to know what is the significance of the chick and its size. I intend to put this machine to use and generate some business out of it.
I’ve been wondering to myself what might happen if I woke up one morning, fired up the laptop, and had nothing to say. I’ve been keeping a notebook of ideas for “later”, and thankfully haven’t needed them yet. I think, for me, it has a lot to do with habit building, “setting myself up” to capture ideas, and knowing when I’m most likely to be productive at the keyboard … All things I learned from my good buddy Leo!
One more idea to develop creative brain is to watch more videos on that subject. I tend to see more videos on any subject before writing a topic. It has really helped me a lot in terms of visitor engagement.
Although it can be hard to break the mold, and the repetitive habits, I do try to from time to time, to have new experiences. It can be tough sometimes as I said because I am so accustomed to the way things are, and its tough to break away from that but yet… when forced to find new experience, its amazing what small things come out of it.