If you tried, you and your neighbor would probably find the results

Creativity 305 If you tried, you and your neighbor would probably find the results rather humorous. But, most likely, you did not follow my instruction. This is a form of social self-censorship. I asked you to do something rather difficult and embarrassing, but very creative and likely to enlighten you. Sadly most people — I am no exception — tend to censor their creativity for fear of embarrassment. Children, of course, do not sensor themselves as much as adults. Now you know how to be more creative. Find your inner child and don't censor yourself too much! What Sparks Creativity As an inventor, I’m often asked what makes me creative. How do I do it? The answer is, I have no real process. After all, a process is mechanical and this entire book has been about exploring how creativity is a non- mechanical task. However, there are many things you can do to unleash your creative potential. New ideas are often sparked through linking disparate ideas. Expose yourself to as many ideas as you can, read widely, attend conferences, visit customers. Creativity requires peace and quiet. I personally get up early every morning. This gives me a good two hours of uninterrupted time every day. It’s also the part of the day when my brain works best. Others prefer to work late into the night. Pressure, for me and for many people, is a great incentive. Tales of the Polish Enigma code breakers, Douglas Adams’ writing deadlines and the fear of impending death in shark attack stories all force people to think in an accelerated way. This appears to help many people defeat the human tendency to prevaricate. On the other hand avoid panic. While a level of pressure can help, panic is unproductive. There is a sweet spot between having enough time to get properly acquainted with a problem and an impending deadline to force the crystallization of ideas. This balance varies from person to person and is something you need to test for yourself. You need time off. Once you have a well thought out idea, you may need to leave it alone for a while to allow your subconscious to work. Time off does not need to be two weeks at the beach. Charles Darwin and Benjamin Britten used to go for long walks. You can walk in Darwin's footsteps at Down House in Kent. Others such as John Cleese HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_015995