How to Improve Your Creativity

Here are 10 psychological factors, effects, and phenomena related to how to improve creativity:

1- Emotion

How do you feel when you have a brilliant idea? Do you feel happy, excited, or proud? Or do you feel angry, sad, or frustrated? Emotions are powerful forces that can shape our creativity in surprising ways. They can inspire us to think outside the box, or they can block us from finding new solutions. But not all emotions are created equal. Some emotions can help us be more creative, while others can hinder us. Let’s take a look at how different emotions affect our creative thinking.

Positive emotions: When we feel good, we tend to see the big picture, explore new possibilities, and connect different ideas. Positive emotions like joy, curiosity, and love can boost our creativity by making us more open-minded, flexible, and playful. For example, Cardi B, the rapper and creative director of Playboy, said that she feels “happy and free” when she works on her music and fashion projects. She also said that she likes to have fun and experiment with different styles and sounds. Positive emotions can also help us overcome challenges and setbacks by giving us more motivation and resilience.

Negative emotions: When we feel bad, we tend to focus on the details, avoid risks, and stick to familiar routines. Negative emotions like fear, anger, and sadness can lower our creativity by making us more narrow-minded, rigid, and serious. For example, Pete Davidson, the comedian and rumored creative partner of Calvin Klein, said that he struggles with depression and anxiety. He also said that he feels “stuck” and “uninspired” when he works on his comedy sketches. Negative emotions can also make us give up easily or avoid feedback by reducing our confidence and self-esteem.

But wait, there’s more: Negative emotions are not always bad for creativity. Sometimes, they can actually help us be more creative if they are mild, relevant to the task, or expressed through creative outlets. For example, anger can make us more assertive and persistent in pursuing our goals. Sadness can make us more empathetic and insightful in understanding others. And frustration can make us more determined and resourceful in finding solutions. For example, Dakota Johnson, the actress and co-creative director of Maude, said that she felt “angry” and “frustrated” by the lack of sexual health and wellness products for women. She also said that she used her emotions as a “driving force” to create a brand that empowers women to explore their sexuality.

So what does this mean for you? Emotions are not just feelings that happen to you. They are also tools that you can use to enhance your creativity. By paying attention to your emotions, you can learn how they affect your creative thinking. By managing your emotions, you can choose how to respond to them in productive ways. And by expressing your emotions, you can channel them into your creative work. Whether you feel positive or negative emotions, you can use them as sources of inspiration and motivation for your creativity.

2- Motivation

Motivation can affect creativity by influencing how much you care, how hard you try, and how long you persist in a creative task. Intrinsic motivation, which comes from within, tends to foster creativity more than extrinsic motivation, which comes from outside. However, extrinsic motivation can also enhance creativity if it is helpful rather than harmful and if it supports your needs, skills, and relationships.

Intrinsic motivation: When you are intrinsically motivated, you do something because you love it, enjoy it, or find it satisfying. Intrinsic motivation can boost your creativity by making you more engaged, persistent, and effortful in your creative work. For example, Mark Hamill and Sir Patrick Stewart, the actors and sci-fi legends, appeared together in an ad for Uber Eats because they had fun doing it. They also said that they were fans of each other’s work and that they liked to challenge themselves with new roles. Intrinsic motivation can also help you overcome obstacles and failures by giving you more enthusiasm and optimism.

Extrinsic motivation: When you are extrinsically motivated, you do something because you get something out of it, such as a reward, a pressure, or a constraint. Extrinsic motivation can lower your creativity by making you less engaged, persistent, and effortful in your creative work. For example, Jennifer Aniston, the actress and chief creative officer of Vital Proteins, said that she felt “pressured” and “stressed” by the expectations of her fans and critics. She also said that she felt “limited” and “bored” by the roles that she was offered. Extrinsic motivation can also make you give up easily or avoid feedback by reducing your autonomy and self-esteem. But wait, there’s more: Extrinsic motivation is not always bad for creativity. Sometimes, it can actually help you be more creative if it is mild, relevant to the task, or expressed through creative outlets. For example, a reward can make you more motivated and confident if it is based on your performance rather than your participation. A pressure can make you more focused and alert if it is related to your goal rather than your ego. And a constraint can make you more inventive and resourceful if it is challenging rather than impossible. For example, Will Smith, the actor and rapper, said that he felt “motivated” and “inspired” by the challenge of recreating the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme song with artificial intelligence. He also said that he used his creativity as a “tool” to express himself and connect with others.

3- Reward

Reward is a powerful factor that drives learning and creativity through the activation of dopaminergic pathways in the brain. Reward provides positive feedback, reinforcement, and incentive for generating novel and useful ideas. However, reward can also undermine creativity if it is expected, contingent on performance, or perceived as controlling.

Positive reward: When you get a positive reward, you feel appreciated, valued, and motivated. Positive reward can enhance your creativity by making you more confident, curious, and willing to try new things. For example, Victoria Clark, the actress and singer, won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her role in Kimberly Akimbo. She said that she felt “honored” and “inspired” by the recognition. She also said that she wanted to use her creativity to “make a difference” and “give back” to the theater community. Positive reward can also help you learn from your mistakes and improve your skills by giving you constructive feedback and guidance.

Negative reward: When you get a negative reward, you feel obligated, constrained, or coerced. Negative reward can lower your creativity by making you more fearful, rigid, and conforming. For example, Jennifer Aniston, the actress and chief creative officer of Vital Proteins, said that she felt “pressured” and “stressed” by the expectations of her fans and critics. She also said that she felt “limited” and “bored” by the roles that she was offered. Negative reward can also make you avoid challenges and feedback by reducing your autonomy and self-esteem. But wait, there’s more: Reward is not always good or bad for creativity. Sometimes, it depends on how you perceive it and how you use it. For example, a reward can be informational rather than controlling if it tells you how well you are doing rather than what you should be doing. A reward can also support your needs, skills, and relationships if it helps you fulfill your goals, enhance your abilities, and connect with others. For example, Mark Hamill and Sir Patrick Stewart, the actors and sci-fi legends, appeared together in an ad for Uber Eats because they had fun doing it. They also said that they were fans of each other’s work and that they liked to challenge themselves with new roles.

4- Mood

Mood states can affect creativity in different ways depending on whether they are positive or negative, stable or fluctuating, congruent or incongruent with the task. Positive mood states enhance creativity by broadening the scope of attention, increasing cognitive flexibility, and promoting associative thinking. Negative mood states can also facilitate creativity if they are mild, congruent with the task, or resolved through creative expression.

Positive mood: When you are in a positive mood, you feel optimistic, energetic, and playful. Positive mood can boost your creativity by making you more open-minded, adventurous, and willing to explore new ideas. For example, Julia Cameron, the author and teacher of The Artist’s Way, a self-help book on tapping into your inner creativity, said that she feels “joyful” and “free” when she works on her creative projects. She also said that she likes to have fun and experiment with different mediums and genres. Positive mood can also help you overcome challenges and setbacks by giving you more motivation and resilience.

Negative mood: When you are in a negative mood, you feel pessimistic, lethargic, and serious. Negative mood can lower your creativity by making you more narrow-minded, cautious, and conforming. For example, Jennifer Aniston, the actress and chief creative officer of Vital Proteins, said that she felt “pressured” and “stressed” by the expectations of her fans and critics. She also said that she felt “limited” and “bored” by the roles that she was offered. Negative mood can also make you give up easily or avoid feedback by reducing your confidence and self-esteem. But wait, there’s more: Mood is not always good or bad for creativity. Sometimes, it depends on how you cope with it and how you use it. For example, a negative mood can be mild rather than intense if it does not overwhelm your emotions or thoughts. A negative mood can also be congruent rather than incongruent with the task if it matches the tone or theme of your creative work. And a negative mood can be resolved rather than unresolved through creative expression if it helps you vent your feelings or find meaning in your situation. For example, Mark Bradford, the artist and painter who uses paper as his primary medium, said that he felt “angry” and “frustrated” by the social injustices and racial inequalities in America. He also said that he used his creativity as a “voice” to express his emotions and perspectives.

5- Regulatory focus

Creativity is not just a talent; it’s a skill that you can develop by understanding your regulatory focus. This is the way you approach your goals: either by pursuing them with enthusiasm (promotion focus) or by avoiding failures with caution (prevention focus). Depending on your focus, you can boost or block your creativity. Let me tell you how.

If you have a promotion focus, you are more likely to be creative because you are willing to take risks, explore new possibilities, and generate multiple alternatives. You are not afraid of making mistakes because you see them as opportunities to learn and grow. You are like Cardi B, the rapper who became the first creative director in residence at Playboy. She is always trying new things, from music to fashion to vodka-infused whipped cream. She is not afraid of controversy because she knows how to use it to her advantage.

If you have a prevention focus, you are less likely to be creative because you are careful, rigid, and fixated on a single solution. You are afraid of making mistakes because you see them as threats to your security and reputation. You are like Pete Davidson, the comedian who was rumored to be the new creative director at Calvin Klein. He is always playing it safe, sticking to his signature style and jokes. He is afraid of controversy because he knows how to avoid it at all costs.

6- Social interaction

Social interaction can make or break your creativity depending on the type and quality of the interaction. Positive social interaction can boost your creativity by giving you social support, feedback, collaboration, and inspiration. Negative social interaction can kill your creativity by putting you under social pressure, competition, criticism, and conformity. Let me give you some examples.

If you have positive social interaction, you are more likely to be creative because you have people who encourage you, help you, work with you, and inspire you. You are not afraid of sharing your ideas because you get constructive feedback and appreciation. You are like Ryan Reynolds, the actor and producer who is also the owner of Aviation Gin. He is always collaborating with other creative people, such as his partner George Dewey, Richard Branson, and Hugh Jackman. He is always getting positive responses from his fans and the media for his hilarious and inventive marketing campaigns.

If you have negative social interaction, you are less likely to be creative because you have people who discourage you, hinder you, compete with you, and pressure you. You are afraid of sharing your ideas because you get harsh criticism and rejection. You are like HoYeon Jung, the actress who starred in the Netflix series “Squid Game”. She was bullied online for her appearance and her acting skills by haters and trolls. She was also compared unfavorably to other celebrities and pressured to conform to certain standards.

So, what can you do if you want to have more positive social interaction and less negative social interaction? Here are some tips:

• Surround yourself with people who support your creativity, not stifle it.
• * Seek feedback from people who can help you improve your ideas, not tear them down.
• * Collaborate with people who have different perspectives and skills, not compete with them.
• * Get inspired by people who have achieved creative success, not copy them.
• By following these tips, you can enhance your creativity and become more innovative. Just look at Lizzo, the singer who put creativity at the heart of everything she does. She is always interacting with her fans on social media, giving them positive messages and encouragement. She is always working with other artists from different genres and backgrounds, creating diverse and original music. She is always learning from her idols and mentors, such as Prince and Missy Elliott.

7- Working memory

Imagine you have a magic box that can transform into anything you want. You can use it to create new inventions, explore different worlds, or solve tricky problems. That’s what working memory is like: a powerful tool that lets you play with ideas in your mind. But not all magic boxes are the same. Some are filled with words, while others are filled with shapes and colors. Research has shown: The ones with “visual-spatial information” are more linked to creativity than the ones with “verbal information”. So, if you want to make your magic box more fun and useful, try filling it with puzzles, mazes, or Lego bricks. You can also follow the example of Emma Watson, who loves sculpting Rubik’s cubes into amazing artworks. She even made a portrait of herself using 600 cubes. How cool is that!

8- Relaxation effect

Creativity is not just about how smart you are, but also about how relaxed you are. When you put too much mental effort into a task, you can drain your working memory and your creativity, as you have fewer mental resources to process information. To avoid this, you need to chill out and reduce the distractions and stress that can overload your brain. You can do this by meditating, listening to music, or taking a nap. You can also follow the example of Ariana Grande, who recently shared that she uses meditation to cope with anxiety and boost her creativity. She even released a series of soothing songs inspired by her meditation practice.

9- Inhibition

Sometimes, you may get stuck in a mental rut, where you keep repeating the same old thoughts and solutions. This is where inhibition comes in. Inhibition is a cognitive process that allows you to suppress or ignore irrelevant or distracting stimuli or responses. Inhibition can help you overcome mental set, which is the tendency to use familiar strategies that may not work for new problems. By inhibiting your habitual responses, you can open your mind to new possibilities and perspectives. You can also learn from Lizzo, who recently shared that she used inhibition to boost her creativity and self-confidence. She said that she stopped comparing herself to other artists and started embracing her own unique style and voice. She also said that she used meditation and affirmations to silence her inner critic and unleash her creative potential.

10- Hypnagogia

Did you know that one of the greatest minds of our time, Stephen Hawking, made some of his most amazing discoveries while drifting off to sleep? That’s right, Hawking was a master of hypnagogia, the state of consciousness between wakefulness and sleep, where the mind can wander freely and creatively. In this state, Hawking was able to visualize complex concepts and equations that led him to breakthroughs in cosmology, black holes, quantum theory and more. For example, he came up with the idea that black holes are not really black, but emit radiation that can be detected by special instruments. He also proposed that the universe has no boundaries in space or time and that it can be described by a single mathematical expression. He even predicted the existence of mini-black holes that exploded in a burst of energy at the time of the Big Bang.

Hawking was not alone in using hypnagogia for scientific inspiration. Many other famous inventors, artists and writers have reported having insights and visions in this state, such as Thomas Edison, Salvador Dali and Mary Shelley. But perhaps the most surprising example of hypnagogia in action is that of pop star Katy Perry, who recently revealed that she wrote her hit song “Firework” while falling asleep on a plane. She said she had a vivid dream of fireworks shooting out of her chest and woke up with the chorus in her head. She quickly recorded it on her phone before going back to sleep.

Hypnagogia is also a source of inspiration for Lana Del Rey, who has said that her songwriting process involves “falling asleep with a melody in my head and then waking up and recording it.” She is part of a genre called hypnagogic pop, which evokes nostalgia and cultural memory through retro sounds and aesthetics.

But what exactly is hypnagogia, and how does it work? Hypnagogia is a psychological term that describes the transitional state from wakefulness to sleep, during which one may experience hallucinations, lucid dreaming, sleep paralysis, and other phenomena. It occurs when the brain shifts from the alertness of the beta waves to the relaxation of the alpha waves, and then to the drowsiness of the theta waves.

During this shift, the brain mixes elements of reality and fantasy, creating a unique blend of sensations and emotions that can be very vivid and realistic. Some people may see geometric shapes, colors, faces, or landscapes. Others may hear voices, music, or noises. Some may feel sensations of falling, floating, or flying. And some may even have out-of-body experiences or encounter supernatural beings.

So next time you feel sleepy, don’t fight it. You might just have a brilliant idea waiting for you in your dreams.