The Top 10 Strategies for Inspiring Creativity Where You Work and Play
by Bea Fields
Websites, automobiles, milk cartons, living spaces. Design
saturates every aspect of our lives and the
difference between
success and failure could be the color purple, could be the person
that you talk to every morning when you wake up, or could be the
amount of light that streams into your office every day.
These ten steps will support you in revitalizing your
environments and will foster an amazing sense of innovation. With
these strategies, creativity will become much more than a goal…it
will become a way of living!
1. Start by finding out what makes you “tick” with the
DISC assessment.
The DISC is a fantastic tool that can provide you with amazing
insight into understanding your behavior and will help you create
motivational environments and interact more effectively with others.
Are you a high D (Dominance?)- You will thrive in an
environment that is fast-paced, buzzing with energy, and somewhat
chaotic. A week-end in a busy city like Manhattan, Atlanta, Chicago,
or Hong Kong may provide you with the motivation you need to get
your juices flowing.
Are you a high I (Inspirational?)- You will thrive in an
environment filled with people. A high energy convention, a
mastermind group, or a cutting-edge community organization can send
you to amazing new levels of success.
Are you a high S (Steadiness?)- You will thrive in a calm
and consistent environment. A day in a quiet park by the water can
provide you with the balance and peace that you need to get the job
done.
Are you a high C (Conscientiousness?)- You will thrive in
an environment that is filled with order, facts, structure, and one
that focuses on tradition. A day at a wonderful book store or a
historical museum will often motivate a high “C” to move to new
levels of inspiration.
2. Replace your old 45s by adding Beethoven to your life.
What songs are the old records in your mind playing? “I’m not
smart enough. I can’t do this. I don’t have the money. I’m not
well-connected enough.” Break this pattern of negative thinking by
popping in a CD of Ludwig van Beethoven. The year 1805 was a year of
crisis for Beethoven, with his realization that the impaired hearing
he had noticed for some time was incurable and would soon grow much
worse. Did he let this stop him? Absolutely not! He actually sawed
off the legs of his piano so that he could put his ear to the floor
to feel the vibrations as he struck the notes of the keyboard. He
came through this phase with determination strengthened and entered
a new creative phase, during which Symphony No. 5 was born.
Beethoven’s music coupled with his heroism can provide you with a
powerful source of energy, inspiration, and a sense of pure triumph.
3. Add a punch of Red to your life!
In the practice of Feng Shui it is important to know that Red is
the color of fortune as it is a color of confidence. Moreover, it
attracts recognition and respect for the person who uses it. Add red
candles, red roses, or red paint to your home or office and watch
closely as you unleash your creative spirit and as your boldness
grows to new heights.
4. Master the Master.
Jack Fields, age 13, has over 22 tournament championships and 2
holes in one under his golf achievement belt. How did he do this? By
mastering the master, Tiger Woods. During his free time, Jack reads
books like How I Play Golf-- by Tiger Woods, In Search of Tiger: A
Journey Through Golf With Tiger Woods-- by Tom Callahan and Tiger
Woods: A Biography for Kids -- by Libby Hughes. He pours over Golf
World and Golf Digest Magazine to find out what Tiger is up to, is
incorporating Tiger’s diet and workout regimen, and he practices
putting while watching Tiger on television during his appearances on
the PGA tour. Jack’s focused study of this icon of the golfing
world has stimulated him to come up with his own innovative style,
quality processes, and to make smart decisions when the tournament
heat is on!
5. Add an original twist to a traditional business by tapping
into a hobby.
As visitors walk through the doors of Donna Lane, in Southern
Pines, North Carolina, the aromas of jasmine, citrus, lemon, and
roses mixed with the rich smell of coffee and mochas are enticing…
making visiting this full service day spa an ideal location for
renewing beauty, forgetting stress, and for getting reacquainted
with old friends. CEO, Michelle Yow, is not only an expert in the
field of extreme self care but is a connoisseur of fine coffees from
around the world. By adding The Java Bean Plantation Coffee Company
to her establishment, Michelle is able to dabble in a favorite hobby
while enticing coffee lovers from her local community to take a
closer look at her line of all natural skin care products. This is a
clever strategy, and people love doing business with Michelle,
because she is resourceful, inventive, and known for adding panache
and pizzazz to a traditional business.
6. Create a feeling of warmth, comfort, and of “being home.”
Accessories reflect a highly personal touch, and they are of
paramount importance in the design and décor of not only a home but
a place of business. No one knows this better than David Woronoff,
President and Publisher of The Pilot Newspaper (www.thepilot.com.)
Breaking away from the traditional publishing design schemes, David
chose hard wood floors, corian countertops, and Oriental rugs for
the renovation of The Pilot, adding an element of surprise, an
intimate touch, and a homey feel to the interior of this growing
community newspaper.
7. Create relationships that inspire you.
Are your relationships chipping away at your creativity and your
zest for life? Or, are they simply supporting you to live a life of
mediocrity and of living with the status quo? Hmmm…not quite
enough. By developing relationships with people and colleagues who
not only support you but actually inspire you, the vacuum of success
can pull you forward in a flash! Dan Askins of (www.danaskins.com)
is living proof of the profound affect that positive relationships
can have on your life. Dan believes that success is all about making
connections with high-energy colleagues, friends, customers, and
companies. By forming a marketing mastermind group and opening a
full concierge service in his executive office center, Dan is
quickly advancing in the world of commercial real estate
development, and he is finding the courage to try innovative ways of
problem solving and of approaching the challenges of both his
business and personal life.
8. Play Chess.
Chess is not simply a game…it is an amazing tool for the
development of the mind, and it just so happens that it is a “board
game.” By adding a chess board to your home, small business, or
corporation, this game can challenge you and your team to think
fast, think under pressure, and to think several moves ahead. It is
a fantastic game for developing vision, elements of strategic
planning, and for anticipating a potential change from a customer or
competitor.
9. Use your gifts and talents shamelessly.
One of the keystones of high achievement and happiness rests in
your ability to exercise your talents, strengths, and gifts. As an
attorney and President of a new chemical company, BenTech, Bob
Friesen is a shining example of how building your life around a
talent can translate into personal and career success. Bob has
accessed his musical talent in a highly compelling way. With the
support of a digital keyboard and his guitar, Bob has been able to
use his talent to add extraordinary joy to his life, and he will
soon be recording a demo of one of his many compositions. This
exceptional use of talent has allowed this forward-moving
professional the opportunity to play out his strengths to their
fullest, which has resulted in an increase in his bottom line
profits.
10. Build spaces of delight by merging the indoors with
nature.
Whether it is a sun-filled breakfast or conference room, a
beautiful potted plant, or a hummingbird feeder placed outside a
common window, you can boost your spirits and create extraordinary
joy by bringing nature into your home or office. After being
challenged by the dark spaces of his basement office, Dr. Timothy
Dey (www.deygroup.com) created a solution to this challenge by
adding a Florida room to his home in Detroit, Michigan. Timothy now
uses this room as his home office, and by filling his day with
natural light, birds, trees, and all that nature has to offer, he
has truly created a living and breathing environment that is warm,
inviting, and truly inspiring.
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