Have You Lost Your Creative Power?

 

How can I rediscover my creative genius?

We see it in children. We marvel at it.We remember what we did when we were that age. Do you remember how a stick you held in your hand became a sword? What about an empty carton box becoming a hideout? Put the box over your head and you were in a new world! It was called creativity: a by-product of innocence and fun.  Sadly, research shows that creativity declines significantly as we reach adulthood, with only 2% of adults scoring at the "creative genius" level.

At adulthood, we discover that, what once came naturally, now feels foreign and not worthy of structured thought. And research confirms what many of us suspect deep down: creativity doesn’t just change over time, it dies. 

This decline in creativity is attributed to the education system's focus on convergent thinking  at the expense of divergent, generative thinking.

A good way of understanding what 'convergent thinking' entails is to study its exact opposite: Divergent  thinking.  This type of thinking involves thinking of many possibilities. Yes, it is rooted in intellectual imagination. Think of all the possibilities that can arise from a question. This is 'divergent' thinking. And at school, this concept is literally banned. We were taught to think 'convergently'. 

Convergent Thinking involves logic, rules, and clear solutions—think math problems, standardized tests, or multiple-choice questions. In other words:

A teacher will pose a question to her class. "What’s the right answer?"  (In other words, what is the ONE right, and only right, answer?) Convergent thinking discourages the process of thinking. It will reward students for getting the right answer, rather than exploring the many possible answers.

Divergent thinking is the art of exploring the many possible 'right' answers. Its methodology is useful for creative minds like storytellers who  brainstorm the many possibilities of an idea. 

(Hint... if you're still in school, or have a child in school, stick to convergent thinking! You don't want to fail (or have your child) fail exams!)

Here is a summary of ways to rediscover your creative genius:-

1. Walking while listening to happy music to facilitate divergent thinking.
2. Daydreaming: Let your mind wander, as daydreaming can boost creativity.
3. Imagine the best-case scenario when brainstorming, instead of focusing on potential problems.

The good news is that while creativity may decline with age, it can be recovered through specific exercises and mindsets.

What are the four ways to regain childhood creativity mentioned in the article?

1. Go for a Walk While Listening to Happy Music: This activity can help stimulate your mood and creativity by combining physical movement with uplifting music. 

Going for a walk while listening to happy music" rejuvenates creative powers in adults through several interconnected mechanisms:

1. Mood Enhancement: Happy music, typically characterized by faster tempos and major keys, triggers positive emotions, which are linked to improved cognitive function and creativity. Studies show that music can act as an affective stimulant, making physical activity more enjoyable and reducing perceived exertion.

1. Physical Movement and Creativity: Walking increases blood flow to the brain, which can enhance cognitive processes like problem-solving and idea generation. Everyday bodily movement has been associated with creativity, particularly in verbal and figural domains.
2. Rhythmic Entrainment: Music provides a steady beat that the body naturally synchronizes with during walking. This rhythmic entrainment can improve fluidity of movement and create a meditative state conducive to creative thinking.
3. Stress Reduction: Walking outdoors while listening to uplifting music removes individuals from stressful environments, allowing them to think freely and explore new ideas. Nietzsche famously noted that "all truly great thoughts are conceived while walking," highlighting the connection between physical activity and mental clarity.

Combining these elements fosters a holistic environment for adults to reconnect with their innate creativity.

How does the combination of physical movement and happy music enhance creativity?

The combination of physical movement and happy music enhances creativity through several interconnected mechanisms:

• Increased Divergent Thinking: Music-feedback exercise, which combines physical exertion with musical control, significantly increases scores in divergent thinking tasks, a key aspect of creativity. This interaction between musical control and physical exertion acts as a driver for increased creative capabilities.

          

• Mood Enhancement: Happy music, characterized by faster tempos and major keys, triggers positive emotions. This positive mood state can lead to greater fluidity and flexibility in thinking, which are essential for creative processes.

• Optimal Arousal Levels: Moderate emotional arousal induced by music tends to boost cognitive functioning by establishing an optimal mental activation level. This optimal arousal can foster greater fluidity and flexibility in thinking, contributing to enhanced creativity.

• Neural Rearrangement: The fusion of exercise and music can rearrange the brain's electrical frequency to stimulate feelings of positivity and increase the use of dissociative thoughts, such as daydreaming. This neural rearrangement may contribute to a more creative mindset.

 

          

• Reduced Perceived Exertion: Music combined with physical exercise can reduce the perception of exertion by 12 percent. This reduction in perceived effort may allow individuals to focus more on creative tasks rather than physical discomfort.

• Improved Mental Flexibility: Happy music enhances mental flexibility, which is a crucial component of creativity. This increased flexibility allows for more diverse and novel idea generation.

• Enhanced Cognitive Processing: The positive emotions elicited through happy music can transiently modulate an individual's mood to be more positive, fostering greater fluidity of thought and, consequently, improving cognitive processing. This optimized cognitive processing can, in turn, generate more creativity.

By combining these effects, physical movement and happy music create an environment that is conducive to creative thinking and idea generation. This synergy between movement and music provides a powerful tool for enhancing creativity in various settings, from personal development to educational and professional environments.

Are there any long-term benefits of combining physical exercise with music for creativity?

While most research focuses on the immediate effects of combining exercise and music, there is evidence suggesting potential long-term benefits for creativity when regularly pairing physical activity with music:

• Enhanced Cognitive Function: Regular exercise combined with music has been shown to improve cognitive performance, including executive functions like working memory and inhibitory control. These cognitive improvements may contribute to enhanced creative thinking over time.
• Neuroplasticity and Brain Health: The combination of physical activity and music stimulation may promote neuroplasticity and help maintain brain health. This could potentially slow cognitive decline and preserve creative abilities as we age.

        

• Mood and Motivation: Consistent exercise with music can lead to improved mood states and increased motivation. These positive psychological effects may foster a more conducive mindset for creative thinking in the long run.
• Habitual Physical Activity and Creativity: Research suggests that habitual physical activity is associated with better creative ideation. Incorporating music into exercise routines may make physical activity more enjoyable, potentially leading to more consistent exercise habits and, by extension, improved creative capabilities.
• Neural Activation and Arousal: The synergistic effects of exercise and music on neural activation and arousal may have cumulative benefits for cognitive processing and creative thinking when practiced regularly.

While these findings suggest potential long-term benefits for creativity, it's important to note that more research is needed to directly examine the long-term effects of combining exercise and music on creative abilities specifically. The current evidence primarily focuses on cognitive function, mood, and overall brain health, which are closely related to creative processes.

How does the type of music influence the cognitive benefits of exercise?

The type of music significantly influences the cognitive benefits of exercise by affecting mood, attention, arousal, and neural activation. Here are some key ways different types of music impact these benefits:

Tempo and Rhythm:

Fast-tempo music (135–140 bpm) enhances dissociation, exercise enjoyment, and remembered pleasure compared to slower tempos or no music. It shifts attention away from discomfort and fatigue, enabling a more positive experience during physical activity.

Synchronizing movements with rhythmic beats improves neuromechanical efficiency, reducing the metabolic cost of exercise and promoting greater physical and mental performance.

Genre Preferences:

Preferred music genres stimulate brain regions associated with motor control and emotional processing more effectively than non-preferred genres. This personalization enhances engagement and cognitive benefits during exercise.

Studies show that classical music can improve cognitive performance post-exercise, while rock music may elicit higher arousal levels, potentially influencing motor output and emotional states differently.

Emotional Arousal:

Listening to exciting or feel-good music can make your body more alert and energized. It triggers certain chemicals in your body that help your muscles work better and your body burn energy faster during exercise. This also helps you concentrate better and think more quickly.

Attentional Focus:

Listening to music during light or moderate exercise helps take your mind off the pain or tiredness. Instead of focusing on how hard the workout feels, your brain pays attention to the music. This makes you feel better, think the workout is easier, and enjoy it more.

In the image above, the ai generated young woman is listening to music whilst working the treadmill.

What we are trying to demonstrate here is the effect the music has on her total experience. The music should have the effect of not making her not notice the length of time of her exercise or how strenuous it is. 

If you think about the what the above paragraph is really saying, you may conclude that the music being listened to, forms a distraction. It makes us forget the pain and the time passing. When we are distracting the mind in this way, we are playing a with our mind. The music helps us mentally disconnect with the unpleasantness of what we are doing. Factories employing people to do repetitive tasks will allow their employees listen to music- this is not through kindness but is a strategy. It is known in psychology as  Dissociative Cognitive Strategy.  In essence, this is just a mind trick to make the mind think of something else. It helps if the 'other thing' causes the body to improve one's mood.

Complex Neural Activation:

Different types of music activate distinct brain networks. For example, rhythmic music engages pre-motor and cerebellar regions, facilitating movement organization and efficiency during exercise. Let's simplify this a little further:-

Rhythmic music activates specific parts of the brain that are responsible for planning and coordinating movement. These parts are:

The pre-motor region: This area helps plan movements before you actually do them.

The cerebellum: This part fine-tunes your movements and helps with balance and coordination.

When these brain areas are engaged by rhythmic music, it helps your body move more smoothly and efficiently while you exercise. Essentially, the rhythm of the music helps your brain organize your movements better, making your workout more coordinated and potentially more effective.

I hope this helps you understand the connection between rhythmic music and improved movement during exercise.

Relaxing music may reduce theta wave activity in the brain, decreasing fatigue and promoting sustained cognitive performance. Another, less technical, way of saying this is: Relaxing music may reduce certain slow brain waves associated with drowsiness and fatigue. This reduction helps you feel less tired and allows you to think clearly for longer periods. And now, you can conclude, quite correctly, that"theta waves" are  "slow brain waves associated with drowsiness and fatigue." 

Overall, fast-tempo, rhythmic, or emotionally engaging music tends to maximise cognitive benefits during exercise by enhancing mood, reducing fatigue perception, and stimulating brain regions critical for motor control and creativity. However, individual preferences play a significant role in optimizing these effects.

1. Let Your Mind Wander: Allowing yourself to daydream and explore your thoughts freely can help tap into your creative potential.

Let Your Mind Wander" means allowing your thoughts to flow freely without focusing on a specific task or problem. This practice can enhance your creativity in several ways:

1. Unexpected Connections: When your mind wanders, it can make unique associations between seemingly unrelated ideas. For example, a chef daydreaming about a beach vacation might suddenly connect the idea of sand with a new texture for a dessert, leading to an innovative recipe.
2. Problem-Solving: Daydreaming activates both the default network (associated with routine tasks) and the executive network (for complex processing) in your brain. This combination can lead to novel solutions. For instance, a software developer stuck on a coding problem might find a solution while absentmindedly doodling.
3. Future Planning: Mind wandering is often future-oriented, allowing you to mentally rehearse upcoming events or brainstorm ideas. A student preparing for a presentation might visualize different scenarios, leading to better preparation.
4. Stress Relief: Daydreaming provides a mental break from monotonous tasks, potentially reducing stress and refreshing your mind. This can indirectly boost creativity by putting you in a more relaxed state.
5. Fantastical Thinking: Engaging in fantastical daydreams, like imagining a world where gravity doesn't exist, can lead to more creative ideas. This type of thinking isn't bound by reality, allowing for truly innovative concepts.

By allowing your mind to wander, you create space for these creative processes to occur naturally, potentially leading to new ideas or solutions that might not arise during focused thinking.

Imagine the Best-Case Scenario: Visualizing positive outcomes can help foster a creative mindset by encouraging optimistic thinking and problem-solving.

Imagining the best-case scenario when brainstorming is a powerful technique to enhance creativity and generate innovative ideas. This approach encourages adults to think optimistically and without constraints, potentially leading to more creative and ambitious solutions. Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

Business Innovation: Instead of focusing on budget constraints or market competition, imagine your product becomes a global sensation overnight. This could lead to ideas like revolutionary features or unconventional marketing strategies that might not have been considered otherwise.

Environmental Solutions: Rather than dwelling on the challenges of climate change, envision a world where renewable energy is abundant and free. This perspective might inspire ideas for new energy storage technologies or innovative urban planning concepts.

Education Reform: Instead of concentrating on current system limitations, picture a world where every student is highly engaged and learning at their optimal pace. This could spark ideas for personalized learning platforms or immersive educational experiences.

Healthcare Advancements: Rather than fixating on current medical limitations, imagine a future where all diseases are curable. This mindset could lead to brainstorming cutting-edge treatment methods or preventive health technologies.

Urban Development: Instead of focusing on traffic congestion and pollution, envision the most livable city possible. This approach might generate ideas for innovative public transportation systems, green spaces, or community-building initiatives.

By adopting this "best-case scenario" mindset, adults can bypass self-imposed limitations and tap into their innate creativity, potentially leading to breakthrough ideas and solution

So, if you're an adult that feels you have lost your innate childhood creativity due to societal pressures, fear of failure, and rigid thinking patterns - there is a solution!

Creativity can be rekindled by adopting four key mindset shifts inspired by how children approach the world:

1. Embrace curiosity (ask questions without self-judgement).
2. Let go of perfectionism (accept "messy" ideas in the early stages).
3. Play without purpose (explore freely, not just for outcomes).
4. Challenge assumptions (question "the way things are done").

1. Embrace Curiosity (Like a Child’s "Why?" Phase)

Children constantly ask “why?” without fear of seeming naive. Adults, however, often suppress curiosity to avoid appearing ignorant or disruptive.

Ask questions freely: Challenge norms (e.g., “Why do we do it this way?”).

Ditch self-judgment: Curiosity fuels innovation (e.g., Google’s “20% time” for side projects).

 Google's 20% time : allowed Google employees to spend 20% of their work time (roughly one day a week) on passion projects unrelated to their core job. The purpose was to foster creativity and bottom-up innovation by reducing bureaucratic constraints. Famous outcomes of this was Google Ad-sense (a major revenue booster), GMAIL, and Google News. Today, Google's 20% is kept on an informal footing and is more aspirational than required.

Practical Tip: Keep a “question journal” to explore unknowns without pressure.

Why It Works:

Curiosity stimulates divergent thinking, a cornerstone of creativity (studies link it to problem-solving and adaptability).

2. Let Go of Perfectionism (Welcome "Messy" Ideas)

Children create without worrying about mistakes (e.g., finger painting), while adults self-edit prematurely.

Separate ideation from evaluation: Brainstorm first, refine later.

Reframe “failure”: Imperfections are steps toward originality (e.g., Post-it Notes emerged from a “failed” adhesive).

 Set timer for 10 minutes of unrestrained idea generation before critiquing.

Why It Works:

Perfectionism triggers fear-based paralysis; MIT research shows iterative, messy processes yield breakthroughs.

3. Play Without Purpose (Exploration Over Outcomes)

Kids play for joy, not results. Adults hyper-focus on productivity, stifling creative discovery.

Schedule unstructured time: Analogous to childlike play (e.g., doodling, tinkering).

Detach from utility: Play sparks unexpected connections (e.g., Einstein’s thought experiments).

Practical Tip: Dedicate 30 minutes/week to a “useless” activity (building blocks, freewriting).

Why It Works:

Neuroscience shows play lowers stress and activates the default mode network (linked to insight and imagination).

4. Challenge Assumptions (Question "The Rules")

Children see possibilities (e.g., a box as a spaceship); adults accept constraints as fixed.

Spot invisible boundaries: Ask, “What if the opposite were true?” (e.g., Airbnb’s “live anywhere” model).

Test conventions: Rebel against “best practices” (e.g., Slack’s playful UI disrupted sterile corporate tools).

Practical Tip: List 3 assumptions about a problem, then deliberately violate one.

Why It Works:

Creativity thrives on cognitive flexibility (Stanford studies link assumption-challenging to disruptive innovation).

Creativity isn’t about reverting to childhood but integrating its best traits—curiosity, playfulness, and courage—into adult frameworks of discipline and expertise. The above article’s strategies are useful tools, but their effectiveness depends on intentional adaptation to real-world constraints.