I was so sceptical when I checked my timetable and saw a creative thinking class when I was in my first year of studying media! I remember thinking, “What are they even going to teach in this class? Creativity isn’t something you can force or teach! It comes from within.” (So lame, I know.)
And that was not very creative—it was a classic Singaporean way of academic thinking.
So I approached the class sceptically, but I’m pleased to say that the class proved me wrong!
I learnt many ways to open up my creativity and take it to the next level.
But among everything I learnt, the two things that stuck with me until today are the first two things that I learnt in that class.
And I see them as the pillars of creative thinking since they can light the spark for the fire and make the fire bigger, or help you to contain it.
So if you want to know what those two secrets to creative thinking are, then continue reading!
Lateral Thinking
Lateral thinking can help you find a new idea. It’s great if you’ve been stuck on something for too long, not knowing how to move on, or if you just don’t even know where to begin!
Ever heard of the phrase “think outside the box”? That’s basically what lateral thinking is. You look at something from a different angle!
Lateral thinking is also known as ‘divergent thinking’. So if you think about how ‘divergent’ means to develop something in different areas, then it’s pretty self-explanatory.
How Do You Use Lateral Thinking?
There are several ways to do it since we’re all complex individuals.
So the best brainstorming process for everyone is different since our experiences, thoughts, and inspirations define our psyche.
You and your friend could both be inspired by the same perfume and want to make an art piece out of it.
You could’ve also used the same methods of lateral thinking, but ended up with completely different products!
Isn’t that so interesting?
So what are the 3 ways of lateral thinking? Read on!
The abstract ladder
(Credits: Mr Hanson’s English)
With the abstract ladder, you draw a ladder, and on the bottom is the topic you’re starting with, and the top of the ladder is what you’re ending up with after all of the abstract thinking you’ve done.
It’s important to note that the bottom should be concrete facts and statements that show how it’s taking place.
But as you move up the ladder, you start to think more abstractly and ask what the statement on the previous step means to you and your answers to questions starting with the 5W1H questions you have about the topic.
I once started with Jackson Pollock’s ‘Naked Man With Knife’ painting and ended up with a poem about the start of World War 2!
The 6 Different Hats
(Credits: UTools)
This is an interesting one, as it allows you to literally put the hats of another person on!
You’ll then assume the role that that hat brings and think from a different perspective, and approach that the hat focuses on!
So with this method, you have 6 different hats that you can put on, and they’re colour-coded.
White Hat: You’re more focused on logic and facts.
Yellow Hat: You’re optimistically searching for the values and benefits that this will bring.
Black Hat: You’re playing the Devil’s Advocate as you consider the risks and dangers of everything.
Red Hat: You intuitively listen to your hunches and emotions.
Green Hat: You’re creatively searching for new ideas and possibilities!
Blue Hat: You’re stepping out of the picture and acting as the manager to make sure you’re using every hat properly.
Crazy 8
This brainstorming method is where you fold a piece of paper in half lengthwise, then three times crosswise, so you end up with 8 slots. Then you think about a topic and set a one-minute timer. Within that one minute, draw something related to your topic in the first box.
When the timer is up, don’t dwell on your drawing anymore, and move on to the next.
Do this 8 times in total, until all 8 slots on your sheet of paper have been used up.
The ‘Crazy 8’ might sound scary. I was intimidated the first time I did it too. “What if I can’t come up with something in the next minute?” I thought.
You might also be wondering if you can set a 5-minute timer instead of 1, or if you can do 5 sketches instead of 8.
First of all, no. You can’t do 5 instead of 8, because it’s called ‘Crazy 8’, not ‘Crazy 5’.
Secondly, the one-minute timer forces you to come up with a “raw idea” that’s authentically yours.
You might be shocked at how much your brain can produce in 8 minutes, and who knows? Your last idea might be your best!
But it shouldn’t be too much of a challenge since you’re thinking divergently. Otherwise, you’re thinking convergingly.
Convergent Thinking
(Credits: Sense and Sensation)
The word ‘convergent’ means to come to a point.
It’s also called ‘verticle thinking’, ‘creative thinking’, ‘analytical thinking’, and ‘critical thinking’. So by its other names, I think you get the gist of it.
In convergent thinking, you only focus on one correct or logical answer, and that’s it.
So you might be wondering how this is creative thinking, and it’s not really, of course.
But it can be extremely helpful if you ever catch yourself spiralling out of control.
You might start getting overwhelmed with the influx of ideas, and your brain might start getting muddled with the excitement and rush of ideas that divergent thinking can bring.
So sometimes, saying, ‘STOP! Let’s go back to the drawing board and start from scratch, can be the most helpful thing you do in your creative process.
And Occam’s Razor, where you go with the most straightforward answer, can help you “contain the fire” and clear the haze.
It’s like how you take so many selfies but always end up choosing the first few.
Conclusion
Seeing convergent as coming inward and divergent as going outward helped me remember the two modes of thinking and their differences.
You can literally apply these methods of thinking, problem-solving, and brainstorming to anything you’re doing.
Don’t know how to make your art piece stand out? Put on one or more of the 6 thinking hats!
Think your poem is lacking in depth? Use the abstract ladder!
Are you overwhelmed by the big bang of creativity that suddenly happened in your head? Take a deep breath and think convergently, or take a stimulating break.
Creativity isn’t something that some people are just born with, (although it’s definitely true for many cases!) it’s a skill that can be honed!
So take the first step today towards your journey with a method of lateral thinking. All you need is a pen, paper, and a topic!
If it’s schoolwork that you need help with instead of creativity, SmileTutor can help with that!
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