Top Ten Creative Strategies for Inspiring Creativity Where You Work and Play

Websites, automobiles, milk cartons, living spaces. Design saturates every aspect of our lives and the difference between success and failure could be the color purple, could be the person that you talk to every morning when you wake up, or could be the amount of light that streams into your office every day.

These ten steps will support you in revitalizing your environments and will foster an amazing sense of innovation. With these strategies, creativity will become much more than a goal…it will become a way of living.

1. Start by finding out what makes you “tick” with the DISC assessment.

The DISC is a fantastic tool that can provide you with amazing insight into understanding your behavior and will help you create motivational environments and interact more effectively with others.

Are you a high D Dominance- You will thrive in an environment that is fast-paced, buzzing with energy, and somewhat chaotic. A week-end in a busy city like Manhattan, Atlanta, Chicago, or Hong Kong may provide you with the motivation you need to get your juices flowing.

Are you a high I Inspirational- You will thrive in an environment filled with people. A high energy convention, a mastermind group, or a cutting-edge community organization can send you to amazing new levels of success.

Are you a high S Steadiness- You will thrive in a calm and consistent environment. A day in a quiet park by the water can provide you with the balance and peace that you need to get the job done.

Are you a high C Conscientiousness- You will thrive in an environment that is filled with order, facts, structure, and one that focuses on tradition. A day at a wonderful book store or a historical museum will often motivate a high “C” to move to new levels of inspiration.

2. Replace your old 45s by adding Beethoven to your life.

What songs are the old records in your mind playing “I’m not smart enough. I can’t do this. I don’t have the money. I’m not well-connected enough.” Break this pattern of negative thinking by popping in a CD of Ludwig van Beethoven. The year 1805 was a year of crisis for Beethoven, with his realization that the impaired hearing he had noticed for some time was incurable and would soon grow much worse. Did he let this stop him Absolutely not! He actually sawed off the legs of his piano so that he could put his ear to the floor to feel the vibrations as he struck the notes of the keyboard. He came through this phase with determination strengthened and entered a new creative phase, during which Symphony No. 5 was born. Beethoven’s music coupled with his heroism can provide you with a powerful source of energy, inspiration, and a sense of pure triumph.

3. Add a punch of Red to your life!

In the practice of Feng Shui it is important to know that Red is the color of fortune as it is a color of confidence. Moreover, it attracts recognition and respect for the person who uses it. Add red candles, red roses, or red paint to your home or office and watch closely as you unleash your creative spirit and as your boldness grows to new heights.

4. Master the Master.

Jack Fields, age 13, has over 22 tournament championships and 2 holes in one under his golf achievement belt. How did he do this By mastering the master, Tiger Woods. During his free time, Jack reads books like How I Play Golf-- by Tiger Woods, In Search of Tiger: A Journey Through Golf With Tiger Woods-- by Tom Callahan and Tiger Woods: A Biography for Kids -- by Libby Hughes. He pours over Golf World and Golf Digest Magazine to find out what Tiger is up to, is incorporating Tiger’s diet and workout regimen, and he practices putting while watching Tiger on television during his appearances on the PGA tour. Jack’s focused study of this icon of the golfing world has stimulated him to come up with his own innovative style, quality processes, and to make smart decisions when the tournament heat is on!

5. Add an original twist to a traditional business by tapping into a hobby.

As visitors walk through the doors of Donna Lane, in Southern Pines, North Carolina, the aromas of jasmine, citrus, lemon, and roses mixed with the rich smell of coffee and mochas are enticing… making visiting this full service day spa an ideal location for renewing beauty, forgetting stress, and for getting reacquainted with old friends. CEO, Michelle Yow, is not only an expert in the field of extreme self care but is a connoisseur of fine coffees from around the world. By adding The Java Bean Plantation Coffee Company to her establishment, Michelle is able to dabble in a favorite hobby while enticing coffee lovers from her local community to take a closer look at her line of all natural skin care products. This is a clever strategy, and people love doing business with Michelle, because she is resourceful, inventive, and known for adding panache and pizzazz to a traditional business.

6. Create a feeling of warmth, comfort, and of “being home.”

Accessories reflect a highly personal touch, and they are of paramount importance in the design and décor of not only a home but a place of business. No one knows this better than David Woronoff, President and Publisher of The Pilot Newspaper www.thepilot.com. Breaking away from the traditional publishing design schemes, David chose hard wood floors, corian countertops, and Oriental rugs for the renovation of The Pilot, adding an element of surprise, an intimate touch, and a homey feel to the interior of this growing community newspaper.

7. Create relationships that inspire you.

Are your relationships chipping away at your creativity and your zest for life Or, are they simply supporting you to live a life of mediocrity and of living with the status quo Hmmm…not quite enough. By developing relationships with people and colleagues who not only support you but actually inspire you, the vacuum of success can pull you forward in a flash! Dan Askins of www.danaskins.com is living proof of the profound affect that positive relationships can have on your life. Dan believes that success is all about making connections with high-energy colleagues, friends, customers, and companies. By forming a marketing mastermind group and opening a full concierge service in his executive office center, Dan is quickly advancing in the world of commercial real estate development, and he is finding the courage to try innovative ways of problem solving and of approaching the challenges of both his business and personal life.

8. Play Chess.

Chess is not simply a game…it is an amazing tool for the development of the mind, and it just so happens that it is a “board game.” By adding a chess board to your home, small business, or corporation, this game can challenge you and your team to think fast, think under pressure, and to think several moves ahead. It is a fantastic game for developing vision, elements of strategic planning, and for anticipating a potential change from a customer or competitor.

9. Use your gifts and talents shamelessly.

One of the keystones of high achievement and happiness rests in your ability to exercise your talents, strengths, and gifts. As an attorney and President of a new chemical company, BenTech, Bob Friesen is a shining example of how building your life around a talent can translate into personal and career success. Bob has accessed his musical talent in a highly compelling way. With the support of a digital keyboard and his guitar, Bob has been able to use his talent to add extraordinary joy to his life, and he will soon be recording a demo of one of his many compositions. This exceptional use of talent has allowed this forward-moving professional the opportunity to play out his strengths to their fullest, which has resulted in an increase in his bottom line profits.

10. Build spaces of delight by merging the indoors with nature.

Whether it is a sun-filled breakfast or conference room, a beautiful potted plant, or a hummingbird feeder placed outside a common window, you can boost your spirits and create extraordinary joy by bringing nature into your home or office. After being challenged by the dark spaces of his basement office, Dr. Timothy Dey www.deygroup.com created a solution to this challenge by adding a Florida room to his home in Detroit, Michigan. Timothy now uses this room as his home office, and by filling his day with natural light, birds, trees, and all that nature has to offer, he has truly created a living and breathing environment that is warm, inviting, and truly inspiring.