Creativity is often thought of as a mysterious trait — you are either born with it or you’re not is what most people think. Also, most people think creativity only applies to sudden outbursts of Eureka moments. While entire civilisations have been driven by the minds of creative geniuses, how much of it can be attributed to nature and how much to nurture?
Kinjal Pandya, consulting psychologist in Mumbai, asserts that creativity is an inborn quality. “The IQ of a person can be categorised into two categories: the rational intelligence (left-minded people) and the creative intelligence (right-minded people). I firmly believe that creativity is something people are born with. Through IQ tests, you can only find out what category you belong to — these don’t help develop one’s creativity,” she says. However, there are numerous other experts who believe that ingenuity is a blend of genetics, upbringing and application. Life coach Khyati Birla believes that everyone is inherently creative in some way but only when it is deliberately pursued does it get active. Explaining that there are often hindrances that keep people from exploring their full potential, Khyati says, “In most cases, people are taught to approach situations in a linear manner. Our society emphasises on logical thinking more than creative thinking.” She continues, “Often, we stifle creativity by not knowing that there is a creative way of doing things; just because it is different compared to the regular way of thinking, we don’t indulge in it. You can say fear holds people back.”
Despite subscribing to the view that creativity is inherent, Kinjal believes that one can learn to be imaginative with practice — provided one has the capacity to do so. “One can enhance this potential if it isn’t completely utilised. Our brains are built for creative problem-solving, and it is easy to both uncover and enhance our natural inventiveness,” she explains.
While genetics does play a role in the creative quotient of a person, through training and practice, one can enhance creative thinking, believes Khyati. “I strongly think that experience develops creativity. A very senior person once approached me to help him and his friends to develop on their imaginative abilities. And through coaching and practice, we were able to work on a creative thinking process together,” she recalls.
The number one step is to try and look at situations with a different perspective — one that you wouldn’t usually opt for. If the situation permits, brainstorming could also help. Khyati concludes, “Through coaching, people open up to other perspectives. Try looking at every challenge from different angles. Also, shifting your frame of reference is an important key to creative problem solving.”
