Having an insatiable appetite for knowledge, open-mindedness to new experiences and a willingness to push beyond their comfort zone is a common trait of creative people. They are open to new possibilities and can see solutions where others might only see problems. This is a key attribute of many successful entrepreneurs, artists and business owners.
They are flexible and innovative — they can easily shift between different ideas and work on a variety of projects simultaneously. They can also quickly change directions and rework or abandon an idea when it’s not working out. They can balance creativity with practical knowledge – they know which ideas to pursue and which to rework or abandon.
Creativity is a skill, and like any other skill it can be honed over time. There are a lot of things that can impact your level of creativity including intelligence, personality traits and environmental factors. Having a good level of creativity will not only improve your quality of life but can also increase your chances of success in any career you choose.
In a recent study, researchers looked at the brain activity of 291 participants recruited via Amazon’s Mechanical Turk as they were asked to think creatively and then rate their ability to come up with useful ideas. They found that creative individuals showed a higher degree of associative thinking (jumping between seemingly unrelated thoughts). The more they used their creative abilities, the more efficient they were at using these brain networks.
These are the kinds of activities that creatives often engage in when they are feeling most productive, so it is not surprising to find that they are also better at problem-solving. When presented with a challenge, they are able to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. They can approach the problem from multiple angles and come up with original ideas that other people might not have considered.
Despite their flexibility, they don’t lose sight of their goal and are determined to succeed. This can be a little pigheaded at times, but it’s an essential trait for someone who wants to be highly creative. They refuse to give up, even in the face of failure and are able to move on from their mistakes, recognizing that they have learnt from them.
They get out of their own heads
Creatives can often be seen as rebellious and non-conformist, but they also have a deep respect for the work that has gone before them. This is what allows them to be so incredibly creative – they are able to build on past innovations and make them their own. They are willing to put themselves out there and push themselves further out of their comfort zones, knowing that the rewards will be worth it. This is what makes them so incredibly successful and is an important characteristic to have in any entrepreneur.