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出门在外也不愁Introduction to Creative Thinking
.:VirtualSalt
Introduction to Creative Thinking
Robert Harris
Version Date: April 2, 2012
July 1, 1998
Much of the thinking done in formal education emphasizes the
of analysis--teaching students how to understand claims, follow or
a logical argument, figure out the answer, eliminate the incorrect
and focus on the correct one. However, there is another kind of
one that focuses on exploring ideas, generating possibilities, looking
for many right answers rather than just one. Both of these kinds of
are vital to a successful working life, yet the latter one tends to be
ignored until after college. We might differentiate these two kinds of
thinking like this:
Critical Thinking
Creative Thinking
generative
convergent
probability
possibility
subjective
left brain
right brain
associative
richness, novelty
In an activity like problem solving, both kinds of thinking
are important
to us. First, we must then we must generate
next we must choose and impleme and
we must evaluate the effectiveness of the solution. As you can see,
process reveals an alternation between the two kinds of thinking,
and creative. In practice, both kinds of thinking operate together much
of the time and are not really independent of each other.
What is Creativity?
An Ability. A simple definition is that creativity
is the ability
to imagine or invent something new. As we will see below, creativity is
not the ability to create out of nothing (only God can do that), but
ability to generate new ideas by combining, changing, or reapplying
ideas. Some creative ideas are astonishing and brilliant, while others
are just simple, good, practical ideas that no one seems to have
Believe it or not, everyone has substantial creative ability.
at how creative children are. In adults, creativity has too often been
suppressed through education, but it is still there and can be
reawakened.
Often all that's needed to be creative is to make a commitment to
creativity
and to take the time for it.
An Attitude. Creativity is also an
attitude: the ability to accept
change and newness, a willingness to play with ideas and possibilities,
a flexibility of outlook, the habit of enjoying the good, while looking
for ways to improve it. We are socialized into accepting only a small
of permitted or normal things, like chocolate-covered strawberries, for
example. The creative person realizes that there are other
possibilities,
like peanut butter and banana sandwiches, or chocolate-covered prunes.
A Process. Creative people work hard and
continually to improve
ideas and solutions, by making gradual alterations and refinements to
works. Contrary to the mythology surrounding creativity, very, very few
works of creative excellence are produced with a single stroke of
brilliance
or in a frenzy of rapid activity. Much closer to the real truth are the
stories of companies who had to take the invention away from the
in order to market it because the inventor would have kept on tweaking
it and fiddling with it, always trying to make it a little better.
The creative person knows that there is always room for
improvement.
Creative Methods
Several methods have been identified for producing creative results.
are the five classic ones:
Evolution. This is the method of
incremental improvement. New
ideas stem from other ideas, new solutions from previous ones, the new
ones slightly improved over the old ones. Many of the very
sophisticated
things we enjoy today developed through a long period of constant
incrementation.
Making something a little better here, a little better there gradually
makes it something a lot better--even entirely different from the
For example, look at the history of the automobile or
any product
of technological progress. With each new model, improvements are made.
Each new model builds upon the collective creativity of previous
so that over time, improvements in economy, comfort, and durability
place. Here the creativity lies in the refinement, the step-by-step
improvement,
rather than in something completely new. Another example would be the
improvement
of the common wood screw by what are now commonly called drywall
They have sharper threads which are angled more steeply for faster
penetration
and better holding. The points are self tapping. The shanks are now
all the way up on lengths up to two inches. The screws are so much
that they can often be driven in without pilot holes, using a power
The evolutionary method of creativity also reminds us of that
principle: Every problem that has been solved can be solved
a better way. Creative thinkers do not subscribe to the idea
a problem has been solved, it can be forgotten, or to the notion that
it ain't broke, don't fix it." A creative thinker's philosophy is that
"there is no such thing as an insignificant improvement."
Synthesis. With this method, two or more
existing ideas are combined
into a third, new idea. Combining the ideas of a magazine and an audio
tape gives the idea of a magazine you can listen to, one useful for
people or freeway commuters.
For example, someone noticed that a lot of people on
dates went first
to dinner and then to the theater. Why not combine these two events
one? Thus, the dinner theater, where people go first to eat and then to
see a play or other entertainment.
Revolution. Sometimes the best new idea is
a completely different
one, an marked change from the previous ones. While an evolutionary
improvement
philosophy might cause a professor to ask, "How can I make my lectures
better and better?" a revolutionary idea might be, "Why not stop
and have the students teach each other, working as teams or presenting
For example, the evolutionary technology in fighting
termites eating
away at houses has been to develop safer and faster pesticides and
to kill them. A somewhat revolutionary change has been to abandon
altogether in favor of liquid nitrogen, which freezes them to death or
microwaves, which bake them. A truly revolutionary creative idea would
be to ask, "How can we prevent them from eating houses in the first
A new termite bait that is placed in the ground in a perimeter around a
house provides one answer to this question.
Reapplication. Look at something old in a
new way. Go beyond
labels. Unfixate, remove prejudices, expectations and assumptions and
how something can be reapplied. One creative person might go to the
and see art in an old model T transmission. He paints it up and puts it
in his living room. Another creative person might see in the same
transmission
the necessary gears for a multi-speed hot walker for his horse. He
it to some poles and a motor and puts it in his corral. The key is to
beyond the previous or stated applications for some idea, solution, or
thing and to see what other application is possible.
For example, a paperclip can be used as a tiny
screwdriver if filed
paint can be used as a kind of glue to prevent screws from
dishwashing detergents can be used to remove the DNA from
general purpose spray cleaners can be used to kill
Changing Direction. Many creative
breakthroughs occur when attention
is shifted from one angle of a problem to another. This is sometimes
creative insight.
A classic example is that of the highway department
trying to keep
kids from skateboarding in a concrete-lined drainage ditch. The highway
department put up a fence
the kids went around
The department then p the kids cut a hole in it.
department then put it, too, was cut. The
department
then put a threateni it was ignored. Finally,
decided to change direction, and asked, "What really is the problem
It's not that the kids keep getting through the barrier, but that they
want to skateboard in the ditch. So how can we keep them from
skateboarding
in the ditch?" The solution was to remove their desire by pouring some
concrete in the bottom of the ditch to remove the smooth curve. The
angle created by the concrete made skateboarding impossible and the
stopped. No more skateboarding problems, no more fence problems.
This example reveals a critical truth in problem solving: the
is to solve the problem, not to implement a particular solution.
one solution path is not working, shift to another. There is no
commitment
to a particular path, only to a particular goal. Path fixation can
be a problem for those who do they become
overcommitted
to a path that does not work and only frustration results.
Negative Attitudes That Block Creativity
1. Oh no, a problem! The reaction to a problem is
often a bigger
problem than the problem itself. Many people avoid or deny problems
it's too late, largely because these people have never learned the
appropriate
emotional, psychological, and practical responses. A problem is an
opportunity.
The happiest people welcome and even seek out problems, meeting them as
challenges and opportunities to improve things. Definition: a problem
(1) seeing the difference between what you have and what you want or
recognizing or believing that there is something better than the
situation or (3) an opportunity for a positive act. Seeking problems
aggressively
will build confidence, increase happiness, and give you a better sense
of control over your life.
2. It can't be done. This attitude is, in
effect, surrendering
before the battle. By assuming that something cannot be done or a
cannot be solved, a person gives the problem a power or strength it
have before. And giving up before starting is, of course, self
fulfilling.
But look at the history of solutions and the accompanying skeptics: man
will never fly, diseases will never be conquered, rockets will never
the atmosphere. Again, the appropriate attitude is summed up by the
statement,
"The difficu the impossible takes a little
3. I can't do it. Or There's nothing I can do.
Some people think,
well maybe the problem can be solved by some expert, but not by me
I'm not (a) smart enough, (b) an engineer, or (c) a blank (whether
expert, etc.) Again, though, look at the history of problem solving.
Who were the Wright brothers that they could invent an
airplane? Aviation
engineers? No, they were bicycle mechanics. The ball point pen was
by a printer's proofreader, Ladislao Biro, not a mechanical engineer.
advances in submarine design were made by English clergyman G. W.
and by Irish schoolmaster John P. Holland. The cotton gin was invented
by that well known attorney and tutor, Eli Whitney. The fire
extinguisher
was invented by a captain of militia, George Manby.
And so on. In fact, a major point made by recent writers about
excellence is that innovations in industry almost always come from
individuals
(not research groups) outside of the area of the invention. General
invented Freon, the refrigeration chemical, and tetraethyl lead, the
additive. Kodachrome was invented by two musicians. The continuous
casting process was invented by a watchmaker (fooling around with brass
casting). Soap making chemists turned down the problem of inventing
detergents: those detergents were invented by dye making chemists.
In a nutshell, a good mind with a positive attitude and some
good problem
solving skills will go far in solving any problem. Interest in and
commitment
to the problem are the keys. Motivation--a willingness to expend the
effort--is
more important than laboratory apparatus. And remember that you can
do something. Even if you cannot totally eradicate the problem from the
face of the earth, you can always do something to make the situation
4. But I'm not creative. Everyone is
creative to some extent.
Most people are capable of very high
just look at
young children when they play and imagine. The problem is that this
creativity
has been suppressed by education. All you need to do is let it come
to the surface. You will soon discover that you are surprisingly
5. That's childish. In our effort to appear
always mature and
sophisticated, we often ridicule the creative, playful attitudes that
our younger years. But if you solve a problem that saves your marriage
or gets you promoted or keeps your friend from suicide, do you care
other people describe your route to the solution as "childish?"
isn't play a lot of fun? Remember that sometimes people laugh when
is actually funny, but often they laugh when they lack the imagination
to understand the situation.
6. What will people think? There is strong
social pressure to
conform and to be ordinary and not creative.
Here are some overheard examples:
Creative Person: "I like to put
water in my orange juice so
it's less sweet."
Ordinary Person: "You're weird, you know?"
Ordinary Person: "What are you
Creative Person: "We're painting our
Ordinary Person: "You're crazy."
Creative Person: "Why don't we add
a little garlic?"
Ordinary Person: "Because the recipe
doesn't call for garlic."
Ordinary Person: "Why are you
going this way? It's longer."
Creative Person: "Because I like the drive."
Ordinary Person: "Did anyone ever tell you
you're strange?"
The constant emphasis we see in society is toward the
ruthlessly practical
and conformist. Even the wild fashions, from those in Vogue to punk
are narrowly defined, and to deviate from them is considered wrong or
ridiculous.
Some peoples' herd instinct is so strong that they make sheep look like
radical individualists.
So, what will people think? Well, they're already talking
about you,
saying that your nose is too big or your shoes are funny or you date
people. So, since others are going to talk about you in unflattering
anyway, you might as well relax and let your creativity and
individualism
Almost every famous contributor to the betterment of
civilization was
ridiculed and sometimes even jailed. Think about Galileo. And look what
happened to Jesus. Quotation: "Progress is made only by those
strong enough to endure being laughed at." Solutions are
ideas, and new ideas, being strange, are usually greeted with laughter,
contempt, or both. That's just a fact of life, so make up your mind not
to let it bother you. Ridicule should be viewed as a badge of real
innovative
7. I might fail. Thomas Edison, in his
search for the perfect
filament for the incandescent lamp, tried anything he could think of,
whiskers from a friend's beard. In all, he tried about 1800 things.
about 1000 attempts, someone asked him if he was frustrated at his lack
of success. He said something like, "I've gained a lot of knowledge--I
now know a thousand things that won't work."
Fear of failure is one of the major obstacles to creativity
and problem
solving. The cure is to change your attitude about failure. Failures
the way should be e they are simply learning tools
that help focus the way toward success. Not only is there nothing wrong
with failing, but failing is a sign of action and struggle and
attempt--much
better than inaction. The go-with-the- flow types may never fail, but
are essentially useless to humanity, nor can they ever enjoy the
of accomplishment that comes after a long struggle.
Suppose you let your fear of failure guide your risk taking
attempts. You try only three things in a year because you are sure of
succeeding.
At the end of the year the score is: Successes 3, Failures 0. Now
the next year you don't worry about failing, so you try a hundred
You fail at 70 of them. At the end of the year the score is Successes
Failures 70. Which would you rather have--three successes or 30--ten
as many? And imagine what 70 failures will have taught you. Proverb: Mistakes
aren't fun, but they sure are educational.
Myths about Creative Thinking and Problem Solving
1. Every problem has only one solution (or one right answer).
goal of problem solving is to solve the problem, and most problems can
be solved in any number of ways. If you discover a solution that works,
it is a good solution. There may be other solutions thought of by other
people, but that doesn't make your solution wrong. What is THE solution
to putting words on paper? Fountain pen, ball point, pencil, marker,
typewriter,
printer, Xerox machine, printing press?
2. The best answer/solution/method has already been
found. Look
at the history of any solution set and you'll see that improvements,
solutions, new right answers, are always being found. What is the
to human transportation? The ox or horse, the cart, the wagon, the
the car, the airplane, the jet, the SST? Is that the best and last?
about pneumatic tubes, hovercraft, even Star Trek type beams?
What is the best way to put words on paper? The word
processor? Is that
the last invention? How about voice recognition, or thought wave input?
On a more everyday level, many solutions now seen as best or
entrenched were put in place hastily and without much thought--such as
the use of drivers' licenses for ID cards or social security numbers
taxpayer ID numbers. Other solutions are entrenched simply for
historical
reasons: they've always been done that way. Why do shoe laces still
when technology has produced several other, better ways to attach shoes
to feet (like velcro, elastic, snap buttons, and so on)?
3. Creative answers are complex technologically.
Only a few problems
require complex technological solutions. Most problems you'll meet with
require only a thoughtful solution requiring personal action and
a few simple tools. Even many problems that seem to require a
technological
solution can be addressed in other ways.
For example, what is the solution to the large
percentage of packages
ruined by the Post Office? Look at the Post Office package handling
Packages are tossed in bins when you send them. For the solution, look
at United Parcel. When you send a package, it is put on a shelf. The
from bin to shelf is not a complex or te it's just
a good idea, using commonly available materials.
As another example, when hot dogs were first
invented, they were
served to customers with gloves to hold them. Unfortunately, the
kept walking off with the gloves. The solution was not at all complex:
serve the hot dog on a roll so that the customer's fingers were still
from the heat. The roll could be eaten along with the dog. No more
about disappearing gloves. (Note by the way what a good example of
direction this is. Instead of asking, "How can I keep the gloves from
taken?" the hot dog server stopped thinking about gloves altogether.)
4. Ideas either come or they don't. Nothing will help.
are many successful techniques for stimulating idea generation. We will
be discussing and applying them.
Mental Blocks to Creative Thinking and Problem Solving
1. Prejudice. The older we get, the more
preconceived ideas we have
about things. These preconceptions often prevent us from seeing beyond
what we already know or believe to be possible. They inhibit us from
change and progress.
Example problem: How to connect sections of airplanes
with more ease
and strength than using rivets. A modern solution is to use glue--glue
the sections together. We probably wouldn't think of this solution
of our prejudice about the word and idea of glue. But there are many
of glue, and the kind used to stick plane parts together makes a bond
than the metal of the parts themselves.
Another problem: How can we make lighter weight
bullet proof windows?
Thicker glass is too heavy. Answer: Use plastic. Again, we are
prejudiced
against plastic. But some plastics are not flimsy at all and are used
place of steel and in bullet proof windows.
Another problem: Make a ship's hull that won't rust
or rot like steel
or wood. Solution: Use concrete. Our prejudice is that concrete is too
heavy. Why not make lightweight concrete? That's what's done.
Final example: How to divide a piece of cake equally
between two
kids so they won't complain that one kid is preferred over the other:
you like him better! Waaaah!" Solution: Put
the kids in charge of dividing the cake. Our prejudice is that
selfish kids can't do the job. But the solution, one cuts the cake, the
other has first choice of pieces, works very well.
2. Functional fixation. Sometimes we begin
to see an object only
in terms of its name rather in terms of what it can do. Thus, we see a
mop only as a device for cleaning a floor, and do not think that it
be useful for clearing cobwebs from the ceiling, washing the car, doing
aerobic exercise, propping a door open or closed, and so on. (Later on
in the semester, we will be doing "uses for" to break out of this
fixation.)
There is also a functional fixation of businesses. In the late
nineteenth
and early twentieth centuries the railroads saw themselves as
railroads.
When automobiles and later airplanes began to come in, the railroads
adapt. "That's not our business," they said. But if they had seen
themselves
as in the people transportation business rather than in the railroad
they could have capitalized on a great opportunity.
Similarly, when the telephone began its rise, some of
the telegraph
companies said, "That' we're telegraph companies."
if they had said, "Hey, we're in the communication business, and here's
a new way to communicate," they would have grown rather than died.
Western Union to AT&T. And have you heard of those big
calculator companies
Dietzgen or Pickett? No? Well, they were among the biggest makers of
rules. But when electronic calculators began to rise, they didn't know
what business they were in. They thought they were in the slide rule
when they were really in the calculator business. They didn't adapt,
didn't accept the challenge of change and opportunity, and they fell.
And there's a functional fixation of people, too. Think a
minute how
you react when you see your pastor mowing his lawn, or your auto
on a television show promoting a book. Stereotyping can even be a form
of functional fixation--how many people would laugh at a blonde quoting
Aristotle? Too often we permit only a narrow range of attitudes and
in other people, based on bias, prejudice, hasty generalization, or
past experience. Think of those statements like, "I can't believe he
that," or "Imagine her doing that," and so on. But recall the proverb,
"The goal of my life is not to live down to your expectations."
3. Learned helplessness. This is the
feeling that you don't have
the tools, knowledge, materials, ability, to do anything, so you might
as well not try. We are trained to rely on other people for almost
everything.
We think small and limit ourselves. But the world can be interacted
If you are in need of information, there are libraries,
bookstores,
friends, professors, and, of course, the Internet. And there are also
county, and state government agencies with addresses and phone numbers
and web sites. There are thousands of government agencies that really
and that will talk to you. Contact the EPA if you're working on air
or pesticides. Get some government publications. Call your state
or federal congressman for help on bills, information, problems.
the manufacturer of a product to find out what you want to know about
If you are technologically poor, you can learn. Learn how to
tools, make clothes, use a computer. You can learn to do anything you
want to do. All you need is the motivation and commitment. You can
to fly an airplane, drive a truck, scuba dive, fix a car--name it.
4. Psychological blocks. Some solutions are
not considered or
are rejected simply because our reaction to them is "Yuck." But icky
themselves may be useful or good if they solve a problem well or save
life. Eating lizards and grasshoppers doesn't sound great, but if it
you alive in the wilderness, it's a good solution.
Perhaps more importantly, what at first seem to be icky ideas
to better solutions--de-ickified analogues of the original. When
noted that some unsophisticated natives were using giant ant heads to
wounds, they imitated this pincer-closing technique by inventing the
Psychological blocks prevent you from doing something just
because it
doesn't sound good or right, which is a pretty ridiculous thing.
Overcoming
such blocks can be really beneficial. Navy commandos in Vietnam
their blocks and put on women's panty hose when they marched through
swamps and jungle. The pantyhose cut down on the friction and rubbing
the plants and aided in removing the dozens of leeches after a mission.
Overcoming the block to using your own blood to write a help note could
save your life someday if you got kidnapped.
Positive Attitudes for Creativity
1. Curiosity. Creative people want to know
things--all kinds of
things-- just to know them. Knowledge does not require a reason. The
"Why do you want to know that?" seems strange to the creative person,
is likely to respond, "Because I don't know the answer." Knowledge is
and often useful in strange and unexpected ways.
For example, I was once attempting to repair
something, without apparent
success, when an onlooker asked testily, "Do you know what you're
I replied calmly, "No, that's why I'm doing it."
Next, knowledge, and especially wide ranging knowledge, is
for creativity to flourish to its fullest. Much creativity arises from
variations of a known or combinations of two knowns. The best ideas
from a well equipped mind. Nothing can come from nothing.
In addition to knowing, creative people want to know why. What
reasons behind decisions, problems, solutions, events, facts, and so
Why this way and not another? And why not try this or that?
The curious person's questioning attitude toward life is a
one, not a destructive one reflecting skepticism or negativism. It
seems threatening because too often there is no good reason behind many
of the things that are taken for granted--there is no "why" behind the
status quo.
So ask questions of everyone. Ask the same question of
different people
just to be able to compare the answers. Look into areas of knowledge
never before explored, whether cloth dying, weather forecasting, food
additives,
ship building, the U.S. budget, or the toxicity of laundry detergents.
2. Challenge. Curious people like to
identify and challenge the
assumptions behind ideas, proposals, problems, beliefs, and statements.
Many assumptions, of course, turn out to be quite necessary and solid,
but many others have been assumed unnecessarily, and in breaking out of
those assumptions often comes a new idea, a new path, a new solution.
For example, when we think of a college, we
traditionally think of
a physical campus with classrooms, a library, and some nice trees. But
why must college be a place (with congregated students and faculty) at
all? Thus, the electronic college now exists, where students "go" to
right at home, online. Correspondence courses have existed for years,
beginning with the challenging of the school-as-centralized-place idea.
When we think of an electric motor, we automatically
a rotating shaft machine. But why assume that? Why can't an electric
have a linear output, moving in a straight line rather than a circle?
such a challenged assumption came the linear motor, able to power
elevators, slide locks, and so on.
Problem: We make brandy, and for this special edition
of our finest
kind, we want a fully-grown pear in one piece inside each bottle. The
is narrow necked. How can we do it? As you think, watch for the
assumptions
you are making. Possible solutions (assuming fully grown pear): close
neck or bottom after insertion, use a plastic bottle like heat-shrink
change to a wide mouth bottle. If we do not assume a fully grown pear:
grow the pear from a bud inside the bottle.
3. Constructive discontent. This is not a
whining, griping kind
of discontent, but the ability to see a need for improvement and to
a method of making that improvement. Constructive discontent is a
enthusiastic discontent, reflecting the thought, "Hey, I know a way to
make that better."
Constructive discontent is necessary for a creative problem
for if you are happy with everything the way it is, you won't want to
anything. Only when you become discontent with something, when you see
a problem, will you want to solve the problem and improve the
situation.
One of the hallmarks of the constructively discontented person
of a problem seeking outlook. The more problems you find, the more
and therefore improvements you can make. Even previously solved
can often be solved again, in a better way. A constructively discontent
person might think, "This is an excellent solution, but I wonder if
isn't another solution that works even better (or costs less, etc)."
Another mark of constructive discontent is the enjoyment of
challenge.
Creative people are eager to test their own limits and the limits of
willing to work hard, to persevere and not give up easily. Sometimes
discontent is almost artificial--they aren't really unhappy with the
quo of some area, but they want to find something better just for the
of it and the opportunity to improve their own lives and those of
4. A belief that most problems can be solved.
By faith at first
and by experience later on, the creative thinker believes that
can always be done to eliminate or help alleviate almost every problem.
Problems are solved by a commitment of time and energy, and where this
commitment is present, few things are impossible.
The belief in the solvability of problems is especially useful
on in attacking any problem, because many problems at first seem
impossible and scare off the fainter hearted. Those who take on the
with confidence will be the ones most likely to think through or around
the impossibility of the problem.
5. The ability to suspend judgment and criticism.
Many new ideas,
because they are new and unfamiliar, seem strange, odd, bizarre, even
repulsive.
Only later do they become "obviously" great. Other ideas, in their
incarnations, are indeed weird, but they lead to practical, beautiful,
elegant things. Thus, it is important for the creative thinker to be
to suspend judgment when new ideas are arriving, to have an optimistic
attitude toward ideas in general, and to avoid condemning them with the
typical kinds of negative responses like, "T that's
that's impossible," and so forth.
sterilization and antiseptic procedures, television, radio, the Xerox
and stainless steel all met with ho-hums and even hostile rejection
their persevering inventors finally sold someone on the ideas.
Some of our everyday tools that we now love and use
daily, were opposed
when they were originally presented: Aluminum cookware? No one wants
Teflon pans? They'll never sell. Erasers on pencils? That would only
carelessness. Computers? There's no market for more than a few, so why
build them?
Remember then that (1) an idea may begin to look good only
becomes a bit more familiar or is seen in a slightly different context
or clothing or circumstance and (2) even a very wild idea can serve as
a stepping stone to a practical, efficient idea. By too quickly
your judgment into play, these fragile early ideas and their source can
be destroyed. The first rule of brainstorming is to suspend judgment so
that your idea-generating powers will be free to create without the
of fear or criticism. You can always go back later and examine--as
critically
as you want--what you have thought of.
Proverb: "A crank is a genius whose idea hasn't yet
caught on."
6. Seeing the good in the bad. Creative
thinkers, when faced
with poor solutions, don't cast them away. Instead, they ask, "What's
about it?" because there may be something useful even in the worst
And however little that good may be, it might be turned to good effect
or made greater.
Example problem: How can we get college students to
learn grammar
better? Solution: Spank their bottoms with a hickory stick. This isn't
a good solution, partly because it's probably illegal. But should we
toss it out? Why not ask what's good about it? (1) it gives individual,
attention to the poor performers, (2) it gives them public attention,
it motivates other students as well as the student being spanked, (4)
easy and costs nothing. The next question is, Can we adapt or
incorporate
some of these good things into a more acceptable solution, whether
derivative
of the original or not?
We easily fall into either/or thinking and believe that a bad
is bad through and through, in every aspect, when in fact, it may have
some good parts we can borrow and use on a good solution, or it may do
inappropriately something that's worth doing appropriately. And often,
the bad solution has just one really glaring bad part, that when
leaves quite a good solution. In the above example, changing the
spanking to a verbal spanking changes the entire aspect of the solution
while keeping all the good points we identified.
7. Problems lead to improvements. The
attitude of constructive
discontent searches for problems and possible areas of improvement, but
many times problems arrive on their own. But such unexpected and
unwanted problems are not necessarily bad, because they often permit
that leave the world better than before the problem arose.
For example, the first margarine was made from beef
fat, milk, water,
and chopped cow udder. It wasn't extremely tasty or healthy. Then about
the turn of the century a shortage of beef fat created a problem. What
to use? The margarine makers turned to vegetable fats from various
and the soybean, corn, and sunflower oils they used are still used
The margarine is healthier and tastes better.
Or think about exams or papers. When you don't do as well as
you think, "Oh no!" But actually, you have a good insight into what you
don't know and still need to learn. You are aware of the geography of
knowledge in a much more detailed form than before the errors showed
8. A problem can also be a solution. A fact
that one person describes
as a problem can sometimes be a solution for someone else. Above we
that creative thinkers can find good ideas in bad solutions. Creative
also look at problems and ask, "Is there something good about this
For example, soon after the advent of cyanoacrylate
adhesives (super
glue), it was noted that if you weren't careful, you could glue your
together with it. This problem--a permanent skin bond--was soon seen as
a solution, also. Surgeons in Viet Nam began to use super glue to glue
wounds together.
Another example, also involving glue: 3M chemists
were experimenting
with adhesives and accidentally came up with one that was so weak you
peel it right back off. Hold strength, shear strength, all were way
the minimum standards for any self-respecting adhesive. A glue that
hold? Quite a problem. But this problem was also a solution, as you now
see in Post-It Notes.
9. Problems are interesting and emotionally
acceptable. Many
people confront every problem with a shudder and a turn of the head.
don't even want to admit that a problem exists--with their car, their
their child, their job, their house, whatever. As a result, often the
persists and drives them crazy or rises to a crisis and drives them
Creative people see problems as interesting challenges worth
Problems are not fearful beasts to
opponents to be jousted with and unhorsed. Problem solving is fun,
educational,
rewarding, ego building, helpful to society.
Miscellaneous Good Attitudes
1. Perseverance. Most people fail because they spend
only nine minutes
on a problem that requires ten minutes to solve. Creativity and problem
solving are hard work and require fierce application of time and
There is no quick and easy secret. You need knowledge gained by study
research and you must put your knowledge to work by hard thinking and
protracted
experimentation. You’ve surely read of the difficulties and setbacks
by most of the famous inventors--how many filaments Edison tried before
he found a working one, how many aircraft designs failed in the attempt
to break the sound barrier. But planning to persevere is planning to
2. A flexible imagination. Creative people
are comfortable with
imagination and with thinking so-called weird, wild, or unthinkable
just for the sake of stimulation. During brainstorming or just mental
playfulness,
all kinds of strange thoughts and ideas can be entertained. And the
pragmatist that it is, will probably find something useful in it all.
will look at several examples of this later on.
3. A belief that mistakes are welcome.
Modern society has for
some reason conceived the idea that the only unforgivable thing is to
or make a mistake. Actually failu mistakes show
something is being done. So creative people have come to realize and
emotionally that making mistakes is no negative biggie. One chief
of a big American corporation warns all his newly hired managers, "Make
sure you make a reasonable number of mistakes." Mistakes are
educational
and can lead to success--because they mean you are doing something.
Sir Francis Pettit Smith, one of the early developers
of the screw
propeller, tried one design in 1836. During the test, half of it broke
off--what a failure--but then the boat increased in speed
substantially,
revealing the efficiency of a new design, formed from a mistake.
In sum, as Vergil once said, "They can who think they can."
Having the
proper positive attitude about generating new and useful ideas and
problems is really a large part of the whole process.
A few years ago, the pipes in my mom's house had
finally rusted through
and I was faced with the task of finding a plumber to get a bid.
how much they charge for small repairs, I knew that doing a whole house
would cost a fortune. I thought, "You know, I'd really like to do this
job myself, but I wonder if I can." My neighbor happened to be around
when I said this, and he said, "Oh, you can do it." Just that simple
expression
gave me the positive attitude I needed to do it. So I did.
Characteristics of the Creative Person
seeks problems
enjoys challenge
optimistic
able to suspend judgment
comfortable with imagination
sees problems as opportunities
sees problems as interesting
problems are emotionally acceptable
challenges assumptions
doesn't give up easily: perseveres, works hard
w w . v i r t u a l s a l t . c o m
About the author:
is a writer
and educator with more than 25 years of teaching experience at the
and university level. RHarris}