Sometimes, all it takes to kickstart great work is a fresh perspective.
It doesn’t need to be overwhelming resolutions or massive overhauls—just a few thoughtful adjustments to how you approach your creative process.
Making small, intentional changes can help you shift your perspective on challenges, spark creativity, and unlock innovative ideas that take your work to another level.
So, looking to you energize your creative juices? Here are some actionable strategies you can use to I.N.N.O.V.A.T.E.
I – Imagine Possibilities
Assumptions and biases get in the way of new ideas without us even realizing it. That’s why it’s so important to think about what could be, rather than just what is.
When you brainstorm, or mull over a challenge, you don’t always need to be pragmatic; you can just see where your ideas take you.
How to do it:
- Try free writing. Get a piece of paper, set a timer, and jot down every single thought that occurs, however wild or irrelevant it seems. Some people make it a rule not to let the pen leave the paper until the timer rings.
- Try a creative exercise like Impossible Objects, where you create a mashup between two very different items. As well as getting you thinking creatively, this also helps you get more comfortable with concepts that seem too strange to work at first.
- Focus on the quantity of ideas rather than quality. Do a No Bad Ideas brainstorming session (alone or in a group). This can help you discover different possibilities you may not think of if you focus on landing directly on the right solution.
N – Nurture Curiosity
Curiosity primes us to seek out possibilities and to gather the knowledge and experiences we need to come up with creative solutions. It also helps us respond to setbacks and challenges in a more constructive way.
While there’s evidence that some people naturally have higher levels of curiosity, it’s still a trait that you can intentionally cultivate. Even better, you can have fun doing it.
How to do it:
- Spend time investigating things that you enjoy, rather than picking areas purely based on how “useful” they seem. Don’t be afraid to switch if learning becomes a slog. As psychologist Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, writing for HBR, says: “Harnessing your curiosity muscle should be a pleasant experience, more like swimming than heavy weightlifting.”
- Pose more questions (to yourself and other people). Start with “I wonder…”, “Why…”, or “What if…” and just let yourself explore for a while.
N – Network With Others
Spending time with other people can be a great source of solidarity and support. It can also inspire us to think differently. A study found that participants who were exposed to people who had novel ideas came up with more novel ideas themselves.
In addition to spending time with colleagues doing similar work, try seeking out people from other departments and industries too. They’re likely to have experiences and insights that will shine a new light on what you’re thinking about.
How to do it:
- Attend a conference for people working in your field – or maybe one that’s completely new to you!
- Meet a friend for a coffee to chat about the projects you’re both working on. Practice active listening. This means making sure to ask plenty of questions about their work and demonstrate that you’re open to hearing their perspective on yours.
- Invite people from other teams to a brainstorming session. Take time to establish what it is you’re aiming to do so you’re starting from a place of alignment, then open up the floor and see what happens.
O – Observe
Tuning into the world and what’s happening around us can be a rich source of inspiration. It’s also a way of developing “openness”, the fundamental personality trait most closely linked to creativity.
Broaden your focus by intentionally taking time to observe details in your environment, trends in your field, and how others solve problems.
How to do it:
- Keep a photo journal or write down random details you notice. Record any thoughts or questions these observations stir up too.
- Head out into nature. As well as giving you plenty to observe, nature can have a tremendous impact on creativity.
V – Visualize Outcomes
Visualizing a desired outcome can be incredibly motivating. Research also suggests that this process might even improve performance by harnessing our selective attention and strengthening relevant neural pathways.
Sit with your dreams for a bit. What does an ideal end result look like? What would it feel like to achieve it?
How to do it:
- Let an expert guide you. Using a visualization meditation video or podcast could help you see your goals more clearly.
- Create a “vision board” with images and snippets of text that remind you of your goal. This will give you something concrete to focus on. And if you leave it somewhere you’re likely to see it, prompt you to do it regularly.
A – Apply New Methods
While creative routines are important, novelty and a certain level of discomfort (or even fear) can be just as helpful. They shock us into thinking in new ways.
Think about how you could switch up your work routine and step beyond what’s familiar.
How to do it:
- Apply a creative constraint. Encourage yourself to think laterally by intentionally putting artificial limits in your way.
- Do the opposite to what you’d ordinarily do. If you usually use an ideation framework, try a freestyle brainstorm. If you usually do focused work early in the morning, see what happens if you schedule it in towards the end of the day instead.
T – Test New Ideas
Taking a trial-and-error approach to life is crucial for creative execution and innovation. It enables us to refine or rethink an idea while it’s still possible to pivot.
Don’t let a fear of failure trap you in a cycle of overthinking and holding you back from acting on an idea. Try it out in a controlled way and see how it goes.
How to do it:
- Think about quick and low-cost ways you could road-test your concept. Maybe you wireframe an app or bullet-point an article. While these aren’t a substitute for fully executing the idea, they should give you some indication of how (and if) it will work.
- Other people will be able to spot strengths and weaknesses that aren’t obvious to you, so try asking for feedback at different stages of the process. Using an online proofing tool like ReviewStudio will make it easy for people to offer their input and for you to keep track.
E – Evaluate Outcomes
Evaluation equips us with the feedback we need to refine our approach in the future and keep on growing. It’s also a good opportunity to step back and recognize all the progress that’s been made.
Build in some time for self-reflection. While this might be a bit uncomfortable at first, it will help you put things into perspective and take steps to stop history repeating itself.
How to do it:
- Conduct regular self-reviews. This is a chance to look not only at your results but also at what you did to achieve them. Were there sources of frustration or time sinks that you could avoid next time?
- Celebrate your wins. Evaluation isn’t just about what you could do better, it’s about what you did well and should keep on doing.
I.N.N.O.V.A.T.E. in Your Creative Process and Achieve More
Change doesn’t have to be radical to have a radical impact. There are many small actions you can take to refresh your approach and spark your creativity .
Something as simple as actively listening to a friend, a stroll in the park, or spending five minutes researching something you’ve always wondered about could help you discover an exciting new way to approach your goals.
