Is Your Child Naturally Creative? Nine Sure Signs that They Are

I believe that creative talents are due to nature (gift) and nurture (learn) at the same time. It is a blend of the two. But some children seem to be outstandingly creative from a very young age. Victoria Wilson in her book Boost Your Child’s Creativity (The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc; 2009) listed nine signs that your child may be creatively gifted or naturally creative:

1)    They’re Often Lost in Daydreams. A vivid imagination, and a love of fantasizing and being playful with thoughts is a strong sign of a creative child.

2)    They Connect Seemingly Random Objects and Ideas in Their Fantasy Play. Of course most children love imaginary play, but a key thing to look out for is if your child connects seemingly random objects or ideas into their play or stories. For example, they are an alien descending to sample the tomato soup on planet Earth, or their pretend horse loves chatting to the flowers on his mobile phone. This ability to make unusual connections is a key trait of very creative children.

3)    They Ask Lots of Unusual Questions. Most children go through a phase of asking ‘Why?’ to everything. But if your child is always asking questions and especially if he or she comes up with very strange, seemingly silly questions such as, ‘What would happen if the sun came back up at night-time?’ or ‘Why don’t apples grow from our fingers?’ it is a strong sign they are very creative. What they are also demonstrating is the ability to rearrange elements of thought to create new ideas and the inclination to question things others take for granted.

4)    They’re Often the Odd One Out; They Don’t Dress or Act the Same Way Others Do. It’s natural for children to want to be accepted by their classmates and friends, but some children will deliberately choose to be the odd one out no matter how much pressure there is to fit in. Often this is simply because they think differently to others, and thinking differently is thinking originally.

5)    They’re Resourceful and Good at Solving Problems. Creative children are, by definition, good problem solvers because they are flexible in the way they think and adapt quickly to different situations. Also, by definition, children who are creative will have lots of ideas and potential solutions to problems.

6)    They Love Playing Alone and Can Entertain Themselves for Long Periods of Time. Of course, children need some organized activities, and there’s even some evidence that a little carefully selected TV can stimulate learning and ideas. But a child who’s naturally able to come up with ideas is usually able to find plenty to occupy him or herself. In fact, it is very hard for children who are shuttled from one arranged activity to another, or put in front of the TV for long periods every day, to be creative.

7)    They’re Often So Absorbed in What They’re Doing, They Don’t Even Hear You. Being utterly absorbed in creative play or activities is to be in what famous psychologist Abraham Maslow labelled a ‘peek experience.’ This is the ability to ‘become lost in the present.’ It’s an important ability, particularly for young children who need constant supervision, because it allows them to free themselves from interaction and interruptions by others, while remaining in their presence, so they can really focus on their own thoughts, feelings and experiences. This is essential for creativity, because it allows children to form individual and original thoughts.

8)    They’re Rebellious. Of course, sometimes this is simply bad behaviour, but the instinct to think for themselves and to be individuals will drive creative children to question parents, teachers and books. It is down to you and your innate knowledge of your own child to determine whether a demand to wear a ballerina costume to bed is an act of creative expression, or a ploy to put off bedtime…

9)    They’re Often Both Extroverts and Introverts. Psychologists have found that very creative people can often be very outgoing and very shy at different times, whereas most of the population are either one or the other.

Lord, Give Us Today Our Daily Idea(s)

Change Your Life: Listen with Empathy and Openness (Don't Rush to Give Advice)

“It is the province of knowledge to speak,

And it is the privilege of wisdom to listen”
(Oliver Wendell Holmes)

I’m still learning this: the key to providing emotional and moral support to people in need, is the ability to listen to what they are saying. When others need our help, my instincts, our instinct is to rush in and provide comfort and practical advice. But no matter how valuable the knowledge that we wish to share, no matter how well intentioned our desire to help, our first obligation is to provide the space and the opportunity for others to share experiences, feelings and thoughts. We need to beware of our inclination to think about our response while others are speaking, jump to complete their sentences, or interject with our advice – even if it is the best advice possible.

Learning from the experience and advice of others is extremely important – it is one of principal ways in which we grow as individuals and humankind. But it usually works only if those receiving the advice feel that they have been heard. Once a student told earnestly to me, “Thank you for listening to me.” I didn’t give any advice, I just listened and I asked questions. Well, if advice is needed and necessary, then give advice. But first – listen.

In the early 1970s, Robert Greenleaf coined the term Servant Leadership after noticing that the great leaders throughout history spoke and acted as servants. According to Greenleaf and other leadership scholars, one of the core characteristics of servant leaders is that they listen first and talk later. In fact, in become a servant leader, Greenleaf argued, a person has to go through “a long arduous discipline of learning to listen, a discipline sufficiently sustained that the automatic response to any problem is to listen first.” First we need to learn how to listen.

Don’t rush to give advice,

Listen with empathy and openness

Lord, Give Us Today Our Daily Idea(s)

 References:

1. Choose the Life You Want: 101 Ways to Create You Own Road to Happiness by Tal Ben-Shahar, PhD (New York: The Experiment, 2012) Buy this book!

2. On Becoming a Person: A Therapist’s View of Psychotherapy by C.R. Rogers (Boston: Mariner Books, 1995)

Nurture Creativity: Ideas Worth Sharing

Pic from: andrewkonrad.com

“If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas.” (George Bernard Shaw)

I love watching TED Talks whenever I need inspirations to write or simply just curious to know random-but-informative stuffs. TED is a non-profit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks (18 minutes or less). Very interesting! TED believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and, ultimately, the world. Their agenda is to make great ideas accessible and spark conversation. Their tagline is my favourite: “ideas worth spreading.”

We must learn to share ideas. I remember when I was in a primary school, teacher asked us to study and do our homework alone. No copying or discussing. Maybe that was why I refused or reluctant to share my ideas and have this spirit of competitiveness with my friends throughout my schooling years. Only after I went to the university, I slowly learn to share ideas. The history of great inventors and creative people proof that nobody is a self-made. No musician, artist or writer ever achieved greatness without studying the works of earlier masters and discussing thoughts with their contemporaries. Ideas are meant to be share.

Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak shared ideas together and foundered Apple (They also shared a love of practical jokes and technological challenges). Bill Gates and Paul Allen shared ideas and Microsoft was born. Malaysian Christian students then studied at University Malaya in Singapore saw the potential of students impacting students in campus. They shared ideas and their burden for the student ministry. Hence Fellowship of Evangelical Students (FES) Malaysia came to be. All of these happened because people share ideas.

Many people are worried about sharing ideas with others. They get very protective of those ideas. They afraid that people will steal their ideas. It's okay. I understand, it happened to me. But I know this very well also that it’s better to share ideas and work collaboratively than isolate yourself. Take risk. Of course, I’m not encourage you to share everything including all the finest details of your ideas. What I want us to do is to be more open about an idea or two and asking for feedback – especially, that constructive criticisms – has always work better than working alone. Present your ideas. Consider asking your trusted friends, peers and colleagues for their thoughts. Try your online friends as well. Now, steal those ideas. In many cases, they might be able to connect you with someone else who can help turn your idea into reality. But, you won’t know unless you talk to others openly. “For good ideas and true innovation,” write Margaret Heffernan, “you need human interaction, conflict, argument, debate.”

The more you share your ideas,

The more ideas you’ll get,

The more options and adjustments you can make,

The more choices (that’s matter) you’ll have to make a good decision and action.

There is a time to keep secret, there is a time to share your idea.

That’s what creative people do.

God, Give Us Today Our Daily Idea(s)

Nurture Creativity: Never Lose a Holy Curiosity

“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.”

(Albert Einstein)

All of us come into the world curious. Since the day we were born we have within us an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. When we were babies, we love to explore and learn new things. We were like little (mad) scientists who innocently enjoy experiment with everything in our environment. As soon as we can start to speak, we ask question after question, “Why the sky is blue?” “Where I’m coming from?” “Why I need to eat?!” When my little cute cousin asked me a question, I answered it, she then have a dozen more questions after that. Unstoppable!

In his book Think Like Da Vinci, Michael J. Gelb said that as a child, Leonardo Da Vinci possessed an intense curiosity about the world around him. Da Vinci wrote this on his notebook: “Do you not see how many and how varied are the actions which are performed by men alone? Do you not see how many different kinds of animals there are, and also the trees and plants and flowers? What variety of hilly and level places, of springs, rivers, cities, public and private buildings; of instruments fitted for man’s use; of diverse costumes, ornaments and arts?”

Elsewhere Da Vinci adds: “I roamed the countryside searching for answers to things I did not understand. Why shells existed on the tops of mountains along with the imprints of coral and plants and seaweed usually found in the sea. Why the thunder lasts a longer time than that which causes it, and why immediately on its creation the lightning becomes visible to the eye while thunder require time to travel. How the various circles of water from around the spot which has been struck by a stone, and why a bird sustains itself in the air. These questions and other strange phenomena engage my thought throughout my life.” What a curious man! No wonder he is known today as the greatest of all geniuses. He was intensely curious. Never stop.

All great thinkers and creatives, like Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Edison and Richard Feynman never stop asking confounding questions with the same intensity throughout their lives. Their bodies may grow old but their minds are like children with “an insatiably curious approach to life and an unrelenting quest for continuous learning” as Michael J. Gelb defines curiosity in his book. “I have no special talent,” said Albert Einstein, “I am only passionately curious.” If you want to nurture your creativity – be curious. Curiosity makes your mind active and you will become more observant of new ideas. It also opens up new possibilities and brings excitement into your life. For me, being curious is not only to gather more information or for the sake of being smart, but it is a way of learning something new.

To be more creative, you need to possess an intense curiosity. Donald Latumahina, Lifehack expert, suggests 6 tips to develop curiosity: 1) Keep an open mind. To be open to learn, unlearn and relearn; 2) Don’t take things as granted. Dig deeper beneath the surface of what is around you; 3) Ask questions relentlessly. What, why, when, who, where, and how are the best friends of curious people; 4) Don’t label something as boring. Curious people are unlikely to call something as boring; 5) See learning as something fun. Look at life through the glasses of fun and excitement and enjoy the learning process; and 6) Read diverse kinds of reading. It will introduce you to the possibilities and excitement of the other worlds which may spark your interest to explore them further. I loves this quote from Albert Einstein: “The important thing is not to stop questioning… Never lose a holy curiosity.”

Yes, never lost a holy curiosity.

Idea is here all along, waiting for someone to ask.

God, Gives Us Today Our Daily Idea(s)

Common Blocks to Creativity #3: Resource Myopia

“Resource myopia is common among pragmatic,

no-nonsense realists who ‘see things as they are.’

Innovation thrives on seeing things as they might be” (David P. Campbell)

Myopia means “the quality of being short-sighted” and “lack of foresight or intellectual insight.” Resource myopia, thus in this context, mean, the inability to see the resources at our disposal. It is a common block to creativity! We are often unaware of our own strengths. The resources at our disposal are usually much larger than we imagine. Consider a man like Nelson Mandela. He had no formal authority nor, to begin with, an exceptional gifts. But by his pen, by his speech, by his example, and by his ability to bring together dedicated men and women, he was able to move mountains, so to speak.

The ability to perceive one’s strengths and weaknesses accurately and the awareness of the resources in one’s environment are indispensable for overcoming resource myopia. Curiosity about the situation one find oneself in, the habit of asking around who has what resources and where, “the managerial trait of being able to draw readily on the resources of others,” are worth cultivating to get rid of this block.

Resource myopia gives rise to a number of other disabilities that also hinder creativity. They chief of these are fatalism, excessive dependence, “learned helplessness,” and inferiority complex. These are dangerous! All these disabilities arise because resource myopia makes us poor problem-solvers. Get rid of resource myopia, immediately!

Lord, Give Us Today Our Daily Idea(s)

References:

1.      Lifelong Creativity: An Unending Quest by Pradip N. Khandwalla (Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Limited, 2004).

2.      Take the Road to Creativity and Get Off Your Dead End by David P. Champbell (Center for Creative Leadership, 1977)

Common Blocks to Creativity #2: Conformity

“Let us not follow where the path may lead.

Let us go instead where there’s no path and leave a trail” (Japanese Proverb)

My dictionary defines conformity as “compliance with standards, rules, or laws” and “behaviour in accordance with socially accepted conventions.” Negative form of Conformity creeps into us because of the fear of disregarding social norms, the fear of social disapproval. A number of factors raise the desire to conformity. Fear of failure, fear of humiliation and rejection, and allergy to ambiguity (or uncertainly) may make one escape into a safe, don’t-rock-the-boat, conformist niche. Conformity permits a relatively risk-free existence through the acceptance of the status quo. It manifests itself in excessive compliance to customs, traditions, rituals, and procedures. (Also standards, rules and man-made laws).

An excessive desire for conformity is clearly a block to creativity, since creativity implies change in the status quo. Indeed, conformists have often blocked creative individuals. Jesus, my Lord was rejected by the Pharisees for his teachings (and his claiming to be equal with God) and Galileo was made to recant his theories by the Roman Catholic Church. No doubt, some research evidence suggests that conformity to social pressures dampens creativity.

Some conformity is, of course, essential for any social existence. But without creativity, a society would soon face extinction since the world keeps on changing, thereby making the status quo obsolete. Societies that adapt quickly tend to survive and prosper. Those that stick to conventional modes are often superseded by those that do not.

“The roots of conformity may go deep, into child-rearing practices, into what is considered right and wrong behaviour, and the severity with which deviation from socially prescribed behaviour is punished,” write Pradip N. Khandwalla in his book Lifelong Creativity. He added: “Conformity cannot be got rid of easily. Active questioning of conventions and habits, exposure to dynamic cultures, and rewarding of creative forays, however, can break the shackles of conformity. A study of individuals who successfully broke conventions can also fortify one’s resistance to conformity, as also friendship with unconventional types.”

“Creativity often rewards the non-conformist, the iconoclast, the generalist who treats life not a linear fast track to success, but as a forest of rich discoveries that one can meander through, creating one’s own trail” (Ho Kwon Ping). Most of the time, be a non-conformist!

Lord, Give Us Today Our Daily Idea(s)

Characteristics of a Creative Person #3: Eager to Test New Ideas

“To swear off making mistakes is very easy.

All you have to do is swear off having ideas”

(Leo Burnett)

Even before a new idea is completely finished, refined, formulated, etc. it can be put before others for feedback and evaluation. A creative person does this because the input of others will no doubt have a beneficial effect on the quality of the idea as it reaches maturity. Keeping a new idea under wraps until it is unveiled as new policy excludes most of what’s good about the creative process.

Not only do people resent new ideas being forced upon them without the opportunity to participate in the development of the idea, it’s possible that there was a better idea available that nobody got the opportunity to promote. Perhaps the new idea, once it’s launched, proves to be a failure. The liabilities and vulnerabilities of the new idea could have been exposed in a less embarrassing development process that encouraged input from others. Creative people put new ideas out for maximum scrutiny as soon as possible in order to tune up the program.

A creative person is eager to test new ideas

Lord, Give Us Today Our Daily Idea(s)

*I recommend you to read Danny Cox and John Hoover’s Seize the Day (Book-mart Press, 1994), “Step Two: Developing Strengths” page 77-118.

How-To Generate Ideas #10: Ask, Ask, Ask Questions

“Computers are useless.

They can only give you answers” (Pablo Picasso)

Albert Einstein, the famous scientist, was once asked: “What would you do if you have 60 minutes to save the world from the collision with a large meteorite?” Einstein wittily replied, “I would spend the first 55 minutes asking questions and the last 5 minutes to find a solution.”

Asking questions is a great way to explore any problem and discover many new solution ideas. When we ask questions, we awaken our sense of curiosity – a gift that we all had since we’re born. Curiosity will breed new idea but first it must start with a right question. Vanessa Redgrave advices: “Ask the right questions if you're going to find the right answers.” Asking the right questions in a more targeted way with a good questioning process will give us a better understanding of our problem at hand and thus be able to generate more practical ideas.

5W’s and 1H (or the 5 Wishes and 1 Hope): Who, Why, What, When, Where and How questioning process is very helpful. For example, let’s say I want to create new ways to experience the Bible daily. My questions can be:

Why I have to read the Bible story only through book? How about audiobooks, songs or movies? Why not reading or listening to different versions every year? How about learning to read the Bible in other translations? How about organizing a conference where people continually reading the whole Bible nonstop until it finished? Why not make the Bible drama? Or expressing it in a group dance? When is the best time to read it? Early morning or mid-night or every tea breaks? Where? Under the bridge, in the wood, up on the tree or by the lakeside? Read to Muslims in the mosque or Hindus and Buddhists in the temple? How about listening to audiobook while stuck in the traffic jam? Since the Bible is quite a bulky book, why not tear it into each single book and carry it along anywhere you go and proceed with the new book after you finished reading it? Why not speaking the Bible instead just reading it? Why not creating a Bible when I press the words the book will make sound and read it for me?

Surprisingly, when I asked these questions to a group of people I was sometime considered a ‘rebel’ person (and laughed at). But as the Chinese proverb said: “He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question remains a fool forever.” Ask, ask, ask questions and many fresh and exciting new ideas you will get.

Lord, Give Us Today Our Daily Idea(s)