Teaching People to Break the Rules: Why Creativity Classes Make Sense
Creative people are always coming up with these weird ideas that no one else has ever tried. Because their unorthodox ideas are often successful, that’s why you should learn to think outside the box.
When we think of creative people, we tend to think of actors and singers with a penchant for bad behavior. However, creativity is what propels society forward; without it, we’d still be rubbing two sticks together to heat our food. Whether you want to further your career or change your life, creativity classes are the key to success.
Who Needs Creativity, Anyway?
The answer is simple: EVERYONE needs it. Creativity is the act of coming up with a new idea, not just in art and music. Pizza, the printing press, the Constitution and the Internet all came from the creative process, meaning you wouldn’t be reading this article now if someone hadn’t thought of a way to deliver it to you.
Creativity also does a lot to dispel the notion of the “starving artist.” New research shows that the most creative cities are economically stronger than other cities. In short, a creativity class might seem like a fun indulgence, but it can actually make you and your community more productive and successful.
What Happens in Creativity Classes?
Creativity classes vary depending on the course objective and who’s teaching it. For example, an art workshop won’t be run the same way as a management course for an online college degree in business. But many will use the same types of exercises and methodologies, including:
Free Thinking: In these sessions, you write or draw whatever you want on a blank piece of paper. Maybe you get a suggestion; maybe you don’t. Otherwise, no one tells you what to do or how; you just keep going until time is up. This exercise keeps your hands occupied while it relaxes your mind, which can ironically spark great ideas.
Random Objects: MacGyver could create bombs or keys just by using whatever objects were available. This exercise works the same way in that you’re given 3-4 random objects and have to make something out of them. It could be a new toy or a solution to an existing problem. Either way, you learn to make the most of what you have.
Pretend: Did you pretend to be a princess or a cowboy when you were a kid? If you take a creativity class, get ready to do it again. For instance, you might become one of your characters in a writing class, or an employee or customer in a management class. By learning to think like someone else, you learn how best to work with them.
Creativity makes the world go round, and yet too many people have abandoned their creative impulses. Get them going again; sign up for a creativity class today and start living and working more successfully.
Shane Jones
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