Creativity and Communication Lessons from Crossing the Street
Spring is in full bloom, which means it's 'get back in shape time!' For me, that means strapping on the sneakers and going for a run (well, at this stage it's more of a slow loping jog...).
I live in a city (Philadelphia) so I have to deal with traffic and crosswalks when I jog. A few days ago I was out for a run and I came to a red light. I jogged in place and looked for an opening in traffic so I could cross the street and continue my exercise.
After a few moments, all the cars had passed but one. This one was approaching the intersection with it's turn signal blinking, meaning that it was going to turn before it reached me. In theory, I should have been able to safely cross the street.
I was about to go, but then I stopped. Something about the car didn't feel right. Maybe it was the speed, maybe it was the position, or maybe it was just a gut feeling. Whatever it was, I decided to wait.
Sure enough, the car whizzed right past me while its turn signal flashed on and on. I may not have gotten squashed if I tried to cross, but there probably would have been a big scene with screeching tires and honking horns.
Once the car was past, I safely proceeded on my way.
So, what does this have to do with creativity, improv, business, and life?
I personally take two powerful lessons away from this experience:
1) Always look beneath the surface.
If I took what the car claimed it was going to do (turn before it got to me) I might have ended up in a body cast. I paid attention to details in addition to what it was explicitly telling me.
Similarly, when talking with someone, it is important to pay attention to more than just what comes out of the person's mouth. Watch their body language. Listen to their tone of voice. Just because a person says one thing doesn't mean that they really fully feel that way.
2) Get out of your own head.
People spend a great deal of time wrapped up in their own thoughts. I find pedestrians and drivers to be two of the guiltiest of this. If I had been lost in my own thoughts I may have just glanced at the car's turn signal and started crossing. By putting my attention out on the world around me I was able to learn a whole lot more about the situation.
This idea is fundamental to both Creativity and Communication. Put your attention on things outside of you and your creativity will start to freely flow. Get out of your own head and your ability to listen and communicate effectively will grow exponentially.
All that just from crossing the street. Maybe I should jog more often...
Avish Parashar has a refreshingly unique approach to speaking and training: identify the fundamentals of success and then give people the tools to implement those fundamentals. Avish's approach can be deceptive; it's fun, funny, interactive, engaging, entertaining, and ridiculously simple. Success isn't complicated, it's simple. So visit the web site to learn more about the "Ridiculously Simple Ideas That Everybody Needs and Nobody Uses."
Learn More:http://www.avishparashar.com
Free Creativity Mini-Course:http://www.avishparashar.com/creativity-free-minicourse.html
MORE RESOURCES:
Are Sleepless Parents More Creative? New York Times I ran the question by R. Keith Sawyer, an associate professor at Washington University in St. Louis, and the author of Explaining Creativity: The Science of ... |
 Earthtimes (press release) | RESET: The Final Jury for the 2010 International ANDY Awards Announced CNNMoney.com (press release) After six weeks of voting across five continents, the passionate campaign that engaged the finest minds in creativity and digital media resulted in the ... Andy Awards' 'Crowdsourced' Jury Is Revealed |
Part of a Creative Powerhouse Behind Ephemeral Artworks Wall Street Journal Adding to the vision of two artists merging their creativity was the fact they shared the same birthday. Jeanne-Claude took the lead in raising funds for ... |
 Destructoid | Unleashing creativity with PS3-exclusive ModNation Racers Destructoid If you're familiar with Forza Motorsports' deep customization options, and the kind of stuff you can do with a little creativity, you're on the right track. ... |
Aspiration Women try Veg Jewellery items to showcase their creativity PunjabNewsline.com Out of the eight groups on Thursday, three were selected as winners for their best creativity in molding vegetables into fine jewellery items. ... |
Franco family's 'Metamorphosis: Junior Year' San Francisco Chronicle For the Francos, creativity is a family affair that plays out in the pages of books and the making of art. It recently spilled out into late-night ... |
All manner of human creativity on display ScienceBlogs (blog) - David Ng is Director of the AMBL at the University of British Columbia - fancy speak for a science teacher. "The world is full of light and life, ... |
Freedom, Creativity -- and Systems? Dynamic Chiropractic If you've ever gone to a seminars on practice growth, taken any courses on the topic, or even talked to people who have, then you know the ... |
 CNN International | Movie Review: Planet 51 MovieRetriever (blog) As much as vampire fiction has taken off with films like The Twilight Saga: New Moon and programs like True Blood and The Vampire Diaries, the creativity in ... Movie Review: Planet 51 Movie has smooth look, bumpy storyline Planet 51 - Movie Review |
Holiday Marketing: Amp Up the Creativity… And the Prospective Clients MyNC.com However, by writing off marketing during the holiday season, your business may be missing a great opportunity to creatively connect with prospective clients ... |
Breathing Out Stage Fright
You're stepping onto the stage, amidst opening night flurry and last minute stage directions. In the audience are the director you'd like to work with, the reviewer everyone listens to, and your first acting coach.
Creativity Management - Breaking Through The Mental Barrier
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas.
9 Steps to Supercharge Your Productivity with Creativity
Time is the great equalizer. Everybody has the exact same number of hours in each day.
Creative Thinking versus Critical Thinking
The process of creative thinking is often, mistakenly, intertwined with critical thinking. There is a tendency to write and edit simultaneously, couple hypothesis generation and evaluation, combine problem identification with solution.
Recharge Your Battery
It was 4:15PM on a Thursday when I arrived at the hair salon to get my haircut. My hair appointment was at 5PM but I arrived there quite early.
Overcoming Artists Block (Part 1)
How many times does an artist stare down at that blank piece of paper thinking "What on earth do I paint - Where do I put my first mark?" More often than you would imagine! It happens to all creative people actually, from visual artists, designers, poets, through to musicians and writers.When this situation arises, you are in the grip of creative block.
Finding A Little Adventure
I have had more than my share of exciting times and I'm grateful for every one of them.There was the time the bear came into camp at 11:00 p.
9 Ways to Live Creatively
Creativity - according to Webster's it means having the ability or power to create; characterized by originality and expressiveness; imaginative. Ok that sounds great, wouldn't we all like to be more creative every day? Sometimes the hardest part to trying something new is the first step.
Business Innovation - Personal Creativity
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas.
How to be More Creative and Enhance Your Creativity
efore thinking about how to be more creative, let me begin point out some real barriers that some people seem to have when wanting to enhance creativity, have a think if any of these things are applicable to you and your life;1. Lack of time.
Creativity Management - Intellectual Cross Pollination
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas.
The Source of Growth and Creativity
Bare attention (to objects, people and circumstances) is what brings order in this world and in your personal world. If you know how to move your attention without the involvement of mind, positive creation happens as a result.
Art of Creation with Attention
Attention is the greatest creative power in the world. If you command your attention, you command your creation/life.
Are You Inventive Enough to be an Inventor? Some Guidelines to Invention Success!
Inventors make a ton of money when the invention is needed and when the process is done properly. There are different types of inventions.
You Dont Have To Be An Artist To Be Creative
Imagine that a block of ice has been set on your desk. Now describe it.
Creative Thinking The Secret Key To Lasting Success
What is creativity anyway? Well, let us look at the word. Creativity means the capability to build, create something.
Are You A Creative Meathead?
Remember Archie Bunker's description of what a Meatheadwas on All in the Family?Dead, from the neck up!When it comes to creaivity, innnovation, coming up with ideas that magically turn into money - are you alive?Ever wonder how some of the big names in business are able tocontinually come up with new, innovative product ideas, marketing programs and publicity projects?New ideas are the lifeblood of leaping to the top of your field.Without diving into the bowels of scientific theory, itis absolutely true that to fuel creativity, your brain needsnew input.
Think Orange! Creativity and the Sacral Chakra
Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could just flick a switch and turn on your creativity? Sadly, at times, tapping into your creativity can feel like trying to squeeze water from a stone. The good news is, there are ways of encouraging creativity and one of these ways is through balancing your sacral chakra.
Top Ten Reasons To Start Creativity Coaching
DEVELOP YOUR ARTISTIC CONFIDENCE I'd really like to write but I don't have enough time. Creativity coaching can give you back control over your calendar.
Riches Through Creative Thinking!
When solving problems after you have exhausted the normal means of coming up with the solution, think in terms of unorthodox methods. Vary your thinking and try to solve the problems by creating something completely new and irrelevant.
