What is Creative Thinking ?

Dust as we are, the immortal spirit grows
Like harmony in music; there is a dark
Inscrutable workmanship that reconciles
Discordant elements, makes them cling together
In one society.

-William Wordsworth

The importance of creative thinking today needs no emphasis. In your profession or sphere of work you will have a competitive advantage if you develop your ability to come up with new ideas. In your personal life, too, creative thinking can lead you into new paths of creative activity. It can enrich your life – though not always in the way you expect.

There have been many books on creativity and creative thinking. What is distinctive about this one? My new concept is that of the Depth Mind . Of course, the reality behind it – the creative activity of the unconscious mind – is not by any means new. My contribution, however, is to present that reality in a fresh way. I have also put it into context within a simple framework of mental activity: the analyzing, synthesizing and valuing functions of the mind when
it is thinking to some purpose. Oddly enough, no one has done that before.

This is not simply a book about creative thinking. Its aim is to help you in practical ways to become a more creative thinker. Being essentially a practical sort of book, it does not go into
the philosophy or psychology of creativity in any depth, except as far as these disciplines have thrown up valuable insights or tips for practical creative thinkers. Nor have I explored here what might be called the organizational dimension of the subject. How do organizations foster or stifle creative thinking? Why are some organizations better than others at introducing changes and implementing them? My companion book to this one, Leadership for Innovation, addresses those questions. For how new ideas are brought to market in the shape of products or services
is another subject. My focus here is upon you as an individual creative thinker, regardless of where you are employed.

Each chapter has one simple core idea – something fairly tangible or well-attested. Depending on its nature, I then briefly develop and illustrate it. Then I summarize the discussion in some simple keypoints. These are not merely summaries, however, for sometimes new thoughts are introduced in them.

It follows that there is really no logical order to the book. Creative thinking cannot be reduced to a set of sequential steps. Imagine the chapters as being spokes of a wheel or pieces of amber hung on a necklace. So you do not necessarily have to start at the beginning – find a chapter that interests you and work outwards. I hope that you find this book stimulating and enjoyable as well as instructive. May it take you forward on your journey as a creative thinker.