4 creative strategies to open up your horizons in 2022
Creativity should be at the core of all businesses. Without any sort of creativity, success and longevity are difficult to attain. It is the fuel behind the emergence of any new ideas. In a business setting, these ideas may pertain to products, services, branding, marketing strategies, etc. But is creativity limited and perishable? My answer to this is simple. There will never be a shortage of creativity if you stay committed.
Here are 4 strategies in order to never run out of creativity.
- Focus on solutions not on barriers
As human beings, we often tend to find excuses on why we can’t change our circumstances. Certainly, through a lot of our endeavours, we have to face personal, professional or organizational demands and barriers. They often seem immutable and hard to overcome. However, a defeated mindset will often create more problems and can be destructive for a business in the long run. On the other hand, a problem-solving mindset helps us to find creative ways to improve our circumstances.
- Your fears are often indicative of what you have to do
Fear is the main limiting factor in finding and executing our ideas, dreams and goals. Most of the time, fear stems from an improbable threat that we have made up in our mind. That inner voice makes us focus more on the risks than the benefits of our actions. Is fear a normal emotion to have? Absolutely, yes! However, when it is based on made-up thoughts and not reality, fear should be a signal to do what we fear right now. Feeding into it will only make us unnecessarily waste time and let it grow.
- Go for «permissionless» innovation
Constant validation and reassurance are what most people long for before starting a project or acting on an idea. They don’t trust their instinct and fear the judgment of their peers and the public. Asking permission is something that we’ve been taught since we were little. Even as adults, we can’t negate permission in a society with many laws. However, permission can be a serious hindrance for our creativity especially when it’s not mandatory. Waiting for people’s approval for every single idea we have is problematic because it reinforces the «follower» mentality. Therefore, my advice is to not always follow the pack but to sometimes lead it.
- Create your own personal mission statement
A personal mission statement consists of your values and principles, your service and your goals. It is fundamental for all entrepreneurs and businesses. This statement orients us in our decision-making and our creativity. A clear idea of what you want to become and do is undoubtedly reassuring for yourself, your employees and your customers. Also, finding your «why» will always fuel you to keep going in times of doubt and trials. A mission statement tames an overflowing creative mind by making all of his ideas and decisions coherent and structured. In short, this statement has to be the locus of control for our creativity.
Moses Boachie is Pharmacien-chef / Chief Pharmacist of Pharmacie Groupe Horizon Santé