How to keep creativity alive in adulthood

Many standardized prints are related to creativity, from the most innovative and revolutionary ideas to the artistic talents. These beliefs end up making many people want to be more creative or consider themselves totally devoid of this trait. However, care must be taken that none of this becomes a major villain for every individual's potential.

Creativity is a fundamental talent for dealing with everyday challenges. In a world whose change is the only constant, being creative makes the difference to undertake or succumb to challenges, whether personal or professional ?, emphasizes executive coach and change management instructor André Luiz Dametto of ALD Consultoria.

However, it is wrong to think that creativity is only part of the life of those who work in areas traditionally recognized for this characteristic, such as artistic or technological. "Creating and innovating is part of desired behaviors in all professional fields, as there are always opportunities to improve products, services, processes, ways to manage people or transform business models," explains the expert.


Moreover, it is important to note that there are several forms of creativity, each important in its own way, and may even be complementary but not exclusive. Every human being, therefore, is creative in nature, and this is clear even in the most mundane situations, such as the ability to deal with relational problems, finding solutions to domestic unforeseen events, or even developing particular methods for memorization or learning.

Biggest Creativity Myths

Despite this practical evidence for the existence of creativity in various aspects of life, it may still be that some people identify with themselves as non-creative. Therefore, it is worth noting that this element is expressed in different ways and degrees in each individual and this is directly related to a series of factors of particular experiences: "creativity develops in the process of psychological formation itself", says the psychologist and writer Alexandre Bez, "the healthier childhood and social interaction, the more one will be able to dialogue with the factors that determine creativity."

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It's not a gift

Considering creativity as a necessary and built element in life, it is automatic to demystify one of the most widely reproduced misconceptions about it. As with specific skills, creativity needs to be sharpened, you need to identify your natural vocations and skills. Are those that developed become our talents ?, says André.

Not every idea comes from insight

A very romanticized belief is that creative people are more likely to come up with random ideas that come out of nowhere and are ready to be realized. However, coach André Luiz notes that the most creative measures are usually the result of a process, which begins with the collection of data on the problem in question, followed by an incubation stage, ie, the moment when away from the problem and then yes, eureka, is it easier to get a creative crack?

Enemy Habits of Creativity

With a focus on (re) discovered talent with the help of skill practice, stimulating creativity is a consequence, but this is not the only solution to becoming a more creative person. Does psychologist Alexandre warn that the development of creativity in adulthood requires favorable conditions and some common habits? some of which considered self-sabotage by André Luiz? can be great villains in this quest.


Fear of making mistakes

Thinking about not getting it right at first can lead many people to give up putting any ideas into practice. Attachment to perfection can be very detrimental in this regard, especially because of the risk of relegating projects to oblivion.

In order to circumvent this kind of behavior, André Luiz proposes a resignification of error, viewing this possibility as a new opportunity, thinking that "in innovation, new error is a hit", he suggests.

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Procrastinate

It is common that one consequence of fear of making mistakes is procrastination, "many people prefer to postpone implementing their projects only when they are perfect," comments the executive coach.

Another manifestation of this habit is in the famous "leave tomorrow what can be done today," which is different from letting ideas mature and may even weaken the creative flow.This also fits the preference for avoiding starting tasks that can be laborious.

André Luiz recommends adopting a very simple action model to prevent ideas from getting lost in this limbo. For the expert, the ideal would be? Accept a model? Grade 6? What will be the first step towards the realization of the idea? This also implies more everyday issues, such as the organization of a room or the development of a carpool system between neighbors, for example.

Overvaluation of the ego

Especially in the workplace, behavior that is very detrimental to the creative process is a major concern with taking up a proposal, designing an idea, and not sharing it with others who might be involved in the activity. "Thinking only from your own perspective prevents creatives from dialoging with the people who will benefit from the projects and co-creating the best solutions with them," says André Luiz.

So you have to accept that sometimes the best way to create can be by exposing your ideas and accepting collaborations that might add to it.

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Shaken emotional state

As stated earlier, creativity is completely related to the psychological development of each person. Therefore, psychologist Alexandre Bez highlights the emotional state as a fact of total influence on the creative process, citing depression, excessive shyness, lack of motivation and very rigid self-criticism as some of the main factors that may diminish creative potential.

In this sense, coach André Luiz also points out that creativity is favored when there is balance between various aspects that affect human experience, which highlights the physical, energetic, astral, mental and spiritual body, which can be worked individually to integrate , forming a favorable environment for the development of creativity.

8 ways to exercise your creativity

Fighting the monotony of routine, in addition to providing more pleasant days, is an attitude that can be very fruitful, especially by increasing the chances of having a new look at things. One of the reasons that most benefit the development of creativity during childhood is directly linked to the perception of news,? For children, everything is challenge and opportunity to create the new, so they smile more, play more and ask more questions ?, relates André Luiz.

However, this characteristic of admiration often gets lost as one gets older, as the professional notes. Therefore, it is essential for creativity to leave the comfort zone, which can lead to the accumulation of new experiences and motivate new ideas. After all,? Einstein wisely said that we will not get different results by performing the same procedures ?, recalls the executive coach.

Fortunately, breaking away from the comfort zone is not as difficult as it sounds, simply by adopting a culture of small change, "we can change the commute to work or even read a magazine you would never leaf through," suggests André. "It may seem strange, but these new connections make a difference in the creative process because the brain becomes more able to create new thought connections," he explains.

In order not to let everyday life stifle creativity, the practice of some ordinary activities can serve as oxygen and stimulate the emergence of new ideas.

1. Contact with nature

A method well suited for both relaxing and venting creative impulses is to get in touch with nature. To do so, cultivating a garden, a planter, or even a pot collection can be a good way out; Another positive side of this practice remembered by André is that the results of care can be seen quickly.

Not only trees and plants are included here, but also pets. As simple as this gesture may seem, caring for these other forms of life alone can already be considered a creative act and certainly only benefits.

2. Playing sports

The practice of sports provides unquestionable benefits to the physical body, one of the main aspects that condition the development of creativity for André Luiz. In addition, there is also a psychological strengthening from this, especially with regard to preparedness to deal with failures, as well as improving communication for a good interpersonal relationship and the exercise of security and self-esteem.

3. Meditate

As stated earlier, moving away from the issues that need to be resolved and relaxing the mind are essential for oxygenating the mind. Related to the energy body and the astral, pointed by the coach as factors that make up the human experience, the practices of meditation techniques, yoga, therapies and massages open the channels of perception of ideas and foster empathy, increasing the possibilities of good interpersonal relationships. .

4Read and write

The practice of reading and writing begins very early in many people's lives. Those who have the privilege of being literate in childhood also count on the fortunes of being able to begin to work their creativity at such a fruitful stage.

To foster creativity, a very healthy habit is reading. There are those who recommend specific literary genres and those who argue that reading is important, but psychologist Alexander emphasizes a very important point in remembering that everything is a matter of taste. Figuring out what kind of reading you like best is the best way to take this action as a routine.

Another tip given by expert André Luiz is to work the mental body? that is the intellect? Writing, “Keeping a journal about what you did most creatively on the day helps create a culture of change,” he advises.

5. Learn new languages

Undoubtedly one of the most recommended and collaborative activities to keep your mind active and bubbling with new ideas. It doesn't matter if you want to learn English, French or Russian: Studying a new language develops vital areas of the brain, strengthens memory's ability to retain information, and especially improves your attention and helps you disperse less.

All of these benefits are also accompanied, of course, by the student's knowledge and openness to greater contact with different cultures.

5. Handwork

To do some more artisanal work, you don't have to have any keen artistry, you just have to have fun while you work on it. It can be painting, crafts, embroidery, even coloring books for adults: any activity is valid to stimulate the mind and stimulate creativity. The cool thing about this kind of exercise is that you can rest your mind while doing something pleasurable from which you can see the result quickly; thus, while you have a moment of leisure, it makes it easier for your brain not to stall when it needs to force it to create something.

Remember that, despite the name, the? Works? They should not be boring and tedious, nor demand so much effort that it is exhausting for the person. On the contrary, it is crucial that you feel happy while doing art, so that the result of the activity will be the best possible if what you seek is to keep your mind alive.

7. Develop musicality

It is supposedly the philosopher Aristotle who said that "music is heavenly, divine in nature and so beautiful that it delights the soul and raises it above its condition." The art of making music, playing with musical notes and melodies to make them into a composition can be rewarding.

In addition, André Luiz points out that surfacing his musicality can help develop new connections and improve mental alertness and perception, indispensable for a person to stay creative. If you don't know how to play anything, a good first step may be to go to an instrument school that suits you best, or even self-teach using books, magazines and the internet to your advantage. The important thing is that you feel good while developing your skills.

8. Passive Activities

Watching TV shows and surfing the internet are very common pastimes, but they often make their practitioners passive on screen and are therefore less beneficial than the activities suggested above. To subvert this logic a bit and make this time more motivating for creativity, the coach suggests combining these practices with other exercises that you can play a role in: why not just watch television shows, for example, We also do not write about what we learn from it? Was this a more creative act?

In addition to personal notebooks and journals, you can also maintain a website that serves as a platform for you to spread the word about your work and any product of your creativity, such as photos, text, music, or any other content you create.

Alexandre Bez states that all activity is valid, but remember that not everything that motivates one person is fuel for another, "depends a lot on the skills developed in childhood in playful activities and how far personal interest in the proposed activity enters", attends the psychologist, "Internal conditions and unconscious associations of the past may or may not drive interest in some kind of practice."

It is valid to conclude, therefore, that the greatest force in favor of creativity is that of experience. It's important to try new flavors, new sights, new places, and consider each new idea as a creative snap.

TED - Maintain Your Creativity Into Adulthood (February 2024)


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