CREATIVITY..89

7 Habits of Highly Creative Minds

 Antoinette Seaman

7. Share Your "Ah Ha!" Moments

Two minds are better than one. Collaboration is key to developing ideas and taking them places you hadn't thought of before. This habit goes hand in hand with connecting the dots.

It's like picking fruit from a tree that grows apples and pears and bananas and mangos all on the same branch, instead of picking an apple from an apple tree.

Sometimes an idea flourishes when you talk about it with a friend, co-worker, or partner. Other times, you (and the people you're talking with) end up with a long list of new ideas that strayed so far from the original thought. This is good. This allows you to connect the dots between all those ideas which, really, has more substance and depth than a singular concept.
Imagine a blank whiteboard on the wall. How many creative ideas could you write down in 5 minutes? What would that whiteboard look like? Now think of 5 creatively-minded individuals (you included) writing down all their creative ideas in the same 5 minutes. You get a different image in your head about what that whiteboard looks like now, don't you? There's more to explore and expand upon. It's like picking fruit from a tree that grows apples and pears and bananas and mangos all on the same branch, instead of picking an apple from an apple tree. The variety of possible creative connections gets you drooling.

Freelancers have the great advantage of collaborating with other freelancers. Not only does the work of individual freelancers improve that way, but the entire value of freelancing in general goes up because we've just helped each other reach prime creative levels. People choosing to go the freelance hiring route will feel more secure in their decisions knowing that what they can expect from the freelancing community is a high standard for creativity and effective results.

Putting in the Creative Effort

Inspiration doesn't come from the sky above. It doesn't come from spending countless hours on social media sites. It comes from you.
Put in the effort to develop creative thinking habits and the quality of your freelance skills will grow.
Right now I'm looking at a painting on my wall. Don't ask me what it is. It's way too bizarre to explain. All I can say is that this artist created a completely different world. A world so different from the one outside. It took guts to create the kinds of creatures he did and to imagine the type of landscape they flourish in.
It may take some effort to get your creativity flowing, but as soon as it starts it doesn't stop. Just practice the habits of creative thinking and you'll become a better freelancer. Not only will your skills improve, but all the other hats you wear will improve too. That's what creative thinking does.