Creative Thinking Hub

Everyone is born with the ability to think creatively. In fact, as a child, your creativity knew no boundaries. That’s worth considering the next time you hit a creative wall.

Picasso: All children are artists

Pablo Picasso once said: “All children are artists. The problem is how to stay an artist when the child grows up”. He was right. I think there’s a powerful creative thinking lesson here, too.

A great way to improve your creativity is to try less. Strip away the creative thinking techniques — children don’t need them and nor do you!

A creative thinking anti-strategy

Instead, focus on removing the adult-learned barriers. Gather the childlike courage that dares to colour outside the lines. Refuse to focus on failure and see all experimentation as a success, regardless of the outcome. Ask better questions… kids are constantly questioning everything.

What I’m suggesting is that you stop trying to become a more creative thinker. Focus on reconnecting with your inner child instead.

He or she is still there, ready to see the possibilities and share them with you!

… but focusing too much on money is a mistake.

I’m not saying that money isn’t important. Money matters. It isn’t everything though. It’s not even the most important thing. If you think it is, imagine having 50 million dollars in the bank — and no family, bad health and 6 weeks to live.

In Steve Jobs’ famous Stanford commencement speech, the billionaire said: “It’s not about being the richest guy in the cemetery”. He went on to explain that your life work should be about making your own, unique dent (or ding) in the universe. I call that doing work that matters.

Many years before Jobs’ era, Henry Ford said: “A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business”. He was right. Money for the sake of money isn’t what it’s about.

A wise man once told me the secret to never letting money get in the way of your health or happiness. He said that we should strive to make enough money, so that we don’t have to worry about money. Now, that’s a different figure for some people than others. However, it puts money in it’s place and allows you to focus on what really matters — what really counts.

Get yourself as financially strong as you need to be, so the lack of money can’t force you into bad decisions. Then:

• Make your art.
• Do work that matters.
• Make a difference.

No one should become the stereotypical starving artist. But if the focus of one’s work is exclusively money, both you and your art will suffer.

I recently heard an expert talking about the passing of a politician. Her closing words were this:

“History will judge him!”

Surely it’s the future, which will judge him?

Music has always been associated with freedom. Freedom of thought, freedom of expression, freedom of the oppressed.

Ironically, one of the most oppressive industries of the past 10 years, is music publishing. This is something John Lennon foresaw over 40 years ago:

“Music is everybody’s possession. It’s only publishers who think that people own it”. John Lennon.

Indeed.