Creativity
The difference between intelligence and creativity is that intelligence can be measured by a test and creativity cannot. In the traditional classroom, many students who are labeled creative are not usually the teacher’s pet unless the class is art or the like. Creative students are not necessarily intelligent students.
Creativity The tendency to generate ideas, alternatives, and possibilities that may be useful in solving problems, entertaining others and ourselves
In the 1950s, Roger Sperry who later became a Nobel Peace Prize winner showed that the brain is divided into two major parts of the hemispheres—the right and the left sides of the brain. The left side is the more logical side and the right side is the more creative side. The right brain processes the information differently than the left brain. The right brain looks at the spatial relationship of all of the parts that make up the whole object. The right side does not look for the "right" answer nor is it concerned if it makes sense. At times, what the right side of the brain is "viewing" is difficult for the brain to put into words.
For example, an artist paints a picture and believes that this is his or her masterpiece and you look at it and think, “Hmmm, this is a purple dot and yellow specks."
The artist has a vision that has meaning far beyond the words he or she can communicate.
What makes some people “creative” and others “not” has to do with which side of the brain is their more dominate side. There are ways to foster your creativity.
- Approach each situation as thought there is not only one way to do something. For example, if you are helping your sister set the table and she is folding the napkins one way, this is not the only way. Try to think about ways in which to fold a napkin that are more creative. How about folding the napkin so that the utensils have a pocket to rest in?
- Spend time brainstorming. List all of the possibilities—even if they may sound impossible. Some of the greatest inventions seemed like unrealistic thoughts until it became an item we could see using often. For example, the internet seemed like a "crazy" idea in the 1980s. However, now we know we would be "crazy" without it. If you are feeling like you cannot think, go for a walk to clear your mind. Keep a notebook and pen with you at all times. This can be a small, handheld notebook that you can easily store in your pocket.
- Challenge a rule without breaking it. Don’t challenge the rules of your folks or of your traditional school. However, if there is a rule like "boys can not do yoga" or "girls can not play football" and you would like to do something that crosses the lines of gender— figure out what rules are there that you can challenge and be creative in doing so.
- Don’t be afraid to be creative. The fear of looking bad (or weird) prohibits creativity. If you have a passion to save all of the dogs in the world or to invent a really cool invention—do it! You will not look weird once you have become an inventor of your possibility.
- Don’t allow your creativity to be stifled. Many times we are creative until we are told we are “wrong” or “that is never going to happen." Read as much as you can about the possibility you are going to create. Do mind puzzles to keep your brain healthy.
