Posted: May 18th, 2009 | Filed under: creativity, insights | Tags: personal development | No Comments »
We live in a world of abundant choice. A world where goods that used to be luxuries have never been cheaper to produce, a market where companies and individuals can move, sell and work across time zones and geographies with an ease we take for granted without often really being aware of the consequences. Consequences that include projects and jobs moving to “low production cost economies”; economies which are developing fast and moving up the value chain. It’s not just about call centres; India now has more software developers than any other country in the world.
In this world of abundant choice, increasing commoditisation, and lowering barriers to entry it is more important than ever for countries, companies, brands and individuals to compete on the VALUE they offer. Value that the markets they operate in believe is worth choosing over the competition and, hopefully, paying a premium for. And by markets I mean everything as diverse as competing on the supermarket shelves, for jobs, or a lifetime partner.
Over everything else this value is generated by CREATIVITY. Creativity makes you stand out; you conceive and produce in a way that encourages the market chooses you over the competition. Creativity is the biggest agent of change in the world. It has always been, and in these tough economic times, creativity is more important than it has ever been.
It is my deep-rooted belief I belief that everything significant in our world came from an IDEA – from somebody CHALLENGING HOW THINGS ARE DONE, CREATIVELY THINKING ways to make it better, and MAKING IT HAPPEN.
WHAT IS CREATIVITY?
There are three aspects to anything creative produced by humans:
1. It is based in INSIGHT
2. It is OUTSTANDING.
3. It is accepted to have VALUE.
INSIGHT
Anything creative is rooted into a fundamental thought about how a situation could be changed for the better. This is usually based in an understanding of people and how their needs can be answered more effectively.
- People want to spend money on their holidays not their flights.
OUTSTANDING
Creativity makes you stand apart. It gets you noticed and, usually, talked about. How? Because it grabs your attention and you feel that there is something inherently special in it that you connect with it.
- “Their no-frills service means that I pay the lowest fare possible to fly.”
VALUE
When people connect with something they see as different and possibly unique, then they create a vivid picture in their mind of its potential.
- “I can travel more because it costs me less.”
We know that something is creative when:
- It is unexpected.
- It leverages some uniqueness, something inherently special in itself that can be copied but will only ever be a copy.
- It is disruptive and creates disequilibria in its favour.
- It changes the direction and sometimes the speed of actions.
It is also important to understand that true creativity is both the CONCEPTION of an idea, and then its EXECUTION. You might have the best ideas in the world but they are, essentially, worthless if they remain locked in your head or notepad.
For creativity to be truly creative; it has to WORK.
WHY DOES CREATIVITY WORK?
Creative ideas work more effectively than safe and boring ones.
In these tough times the weak and insecure go for safe and boring ideas.
It is the weak and insecure who suffer in these tough times.
This is a time to be more creative, more brave.
Why? Quite simply because creative ideas work more effectively than safe and boring ones.
Creativity is so important because it:
- Stops people doing what they are doing, pay attention, and feel rewarded for the experience
- Because the experience has meaning and resonance for them; they connect more with what you are saying
- If you are a brand that’s really good because it means you stand apart from the competition
- And by brand I’m talking about whether you are a bar of soap or a recently graduated textile designer – we are all our own brands
- The other really good news is that creative ideas have an impact well out of proportion to their cost
Creativity makes money – and that’s more attractive than ever in these tough times.
HOW DO YOU BE CREATIVE?
Creativity isn’t a destination; it is a journey, an approach to life – who you are BEING. You are at your most creative when you are BEING creative, when every aspect of who you are thinks and feels how things are and questions how they could be. Just DOING creative; well that’s impossible.
The creative act is not only one of conceiving, it is one of PRODUCING as well. The best ideas in the world are of limited value if they are locked away in my head, notebook, or computer.
How do you be creative? Start with QUESTIONING. Have the curiosity to look at how things are, and ask questions – “smart” ones and “dumb” ones.
Smart ones like: “could it be better”, “what happens if we add this part”, “how can we make this unique”?
And “dumb” ones (like kids ask): “why can’t we smell television”, “why does my brain have to be in my head”, “why are all the US Presidents white men”?
Funnily enough, it’s usually the dumb questions that lead to the most creative answers.
Over the years I’ve developed some “rules” for how to be creative. They’ve worked for me and, hopefully they will for you.
Magnus’s rules for being creative:
1. Have a vision and inspire those around you with that vision
2. Work with inspiring people
3. Create work that is at the edge of what has been done before
4. Make money
5. Have fun every day
Have a vision and inspire those around you with that vision
If you stand for nothing, you’ll fall for everything. Whatever you are doing, you’ve got to have an idea that guides what you are doing. Guiding ideas are the glue that hold your work together and which bind people to you and together.
Work with inspiring people
Low-energy and negative people drag you down. Seek out and collaborate with the bright sparks, the passionate ones; these are the people who change the world.
Create work that is at the edge of what has been done before
Try. Fail. Learn. And try again. Following the work of others will just leave you at the end of the queue for interest, and the beginning of the queue for things that get cut out.
Make money
There is no point in being creative if you have to stop it because you can’t eat. I know, I’ve done it. I started a business once and ran out of cash on more than one occasion. Poverty is not fun and when your back is to the wall you make the wrong decisions; which can lead to failure. Either get paid for what you love. Or find another income source to fund you until the money from what you love kicks in.
Have fun every day
Smile. It’s not THAT bad out there. And the more you enjoy yourself the more successful you’ll be – in all areas of your life.
We live in a world of abundant choice. A world where goods that used to be luxuries have never been cheaper to produce, a market where companies and individuals can move, sell and work across time zones and geographies with an ease we take for granted without often really being aware of the consequences. Consequences that include projects and jobs moving to “low production cost economies”; economies which are developing fast and moving up the value chain. It’s not just about call centres; India now has more software developers than any other country in the world.
In this world of abundant choice, increasing commoditisation, and lowering barriers to entry it is more important than ever for countries, companies, brands and individuals to compete on the VALUE they offer. Value that the markets they operate in believe is worth choosing over the competition and, hopefully, paying a premium for. And by markets I mean everything as diverse as competing on the supermarket shelves, for jobs, or a lifetime partner.
Over everything else this value is generated by CREATIVITY. Creativity makes you stand out; you conceive and produce in a way that encourages the market chooses you over the competition. Creativity is the biggest agent of change in the world. It has always been, and in these tough economic times, creativity is more important than it has ever been.
It is my deep-rooted belief I belief that everything significant in our world came from an IDEA – from somebody CHALLENGING HOW THINGS ARE DONE, CREATIVELY THINKING ways to make it better, and MAKING IT HAPPEN.
WHAT IS CREATIVITY?
There are three aspects to anything creative produced by humans:
1. It is based in INSIGHT
2. It is OUTSTANDING.
3. It is accepted to have VALUE.
INSIGHT
Anything creative is rooted into a fundamental thought about how a situation could be changed for the better. This is usually based in an understanding of people and how their needs can be answered more effectively.
- People want to spend money on their holidays not their flights.
OUTSTANDING
Creativity makes you stand apart. It gets you noticed and, usually, talked about. How? Because it grabs your attention and you feel that there is something inherently special in it that you connect with it.
- “Their no-frills service means that I pay the lowest fare possible to fly.”
VALUE
When people connect with something they see as different and possibly unique, then they create a vivid picture in their mind of its potential.
- “I can travel more because it costs me less.”
We know that something is creative when:
- It is unexpected.
- It leverages some uniqueness, something inherently special in itself that can be copied but will only ever be a copy.
- It is disruptive and creates disequilibria in its favour.
- It changes the direction and sometimes the speed of actions.
It is also important to understand that true creativity is both the CONCEPTION of an idea, and then its EXECUTION. You might have the best ideas in the world but they are, essentially, worthless if they remain locked in your head or notepad.
For creativity to be truly creative; it has to WORK.
WHY DOES CREATIVITY WORK?
Creative ideas work more effectively than safe and boring ones.
In these tough times the weak and insecure go for safe and boring ideas.
It is the weak and insecure who suffer in these tough times.
This is a time to be more creative, more brave.
Why? Quite simply because creative ideas work more effectively than safe and boring ones.
Creativity is so important because it:
- Stops people doing what they are doing, pay attention, and feel rewarded for the experience
- Because the experience has meaning and resonance for them; they connect more with what you are saying
- If you are a brand that’s really good because it means you stand apart from the competition
- And by brand I’m talking about whether you are a bar of soap or a recently graduated textile designer – we are all our own brands
- The other really good news is that creative ideas have an impact well out of proportion to their cost
Creativity makes money – and that’s more attractive than ever in these tough times.
HOW DO YOU BE CREATIVE?
Creativity isn’t a destination; it is a journey, an approach to life – who you are BEING. You are at your most creative when you are BEING creative, when every aspect of who you are thinks and feels how things are and questions how they could be. Just DOING creative; well that’s impossible.
The creative act is not only one of conceiving, it is one of PRODUCING as well. The best ideas in the world are of limited value if they are locked away in my head, notebook, or computer.
How do you be creative? Start with QUESTIONING. Have the curiosity to look at how things are, and ask questions – “smart” ones and “dumb” ones.
Smart ones like: “could it be better”, “what happens if we add this part”, “how can we make this unique”?
And “dumb” ones (like kids ask): “why can’t we smell television”, “why does my brain have to be in my head”, “why are all the US Presidents white men”?
Funnily enough, it’s usually the dumb questions that lead to the most creative answers.
Over the years I’ve developed some “rules” for how to be creative. They’ve worked for me and, hopefully they will for you.
Magnus’s rules for being creative:
1. Have a vision and inspire those around you with that vision
2. Work with inspiring people
3. Create work that is at the edge of what has been done before
4. Make money
5. Have fun every day
Have a vision and inspire those around you with that vision
If you stand for nothing, you’ll fall for everything. Whatever you are doing, you’ve got to have an idea that guides what you are doing. Guiding ideas are the glue that hold your work together and which bind people to you and together.
Work with inspiring people
Low-energy and negative people drag you down. Seek out and collaborate with the bright sparks, the passionate ones; these are the people who change the world.
Create work that is at the edge of what has been done before
Try. Fail. Learn. And try again. Following the work of others will just leave you at the end of the queue for interest, and the beginning of the queue for things that get cut out.
Make money
There is no point in being creative if you have to stop it because you can’t eat. I know, I’ve done it. I started a business once and ran out of cash on more than one occasion. Poverty is not fun and when your back is to the wall you make the wrong decisions; which can lead to failure. Either get paid for what you love. Or find another income source to fund you until the money from what you love kicks in.
Have fun every day
Smile. It’s not THAT bad out there. And the more you enjoy yourself the more successful you’ll be – in all areas of your life.
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