I was talking with someone about whether I am all policies or all no policies. The answer was both, which is probably true.

That conversation, and a related one on creative thinking and what is funny got me reflecting on a day in my life and the creative thinking and creative self-talk that goes on behind the scenes.

As I started to jot down ideas from the day, it read like a bunch of creative thinking policies and non-policies. Some of the creative self-talk is not particularly beneficial. A lot of it is.

Day of Creative Self-Talk

If you happen to come across me during the day, here is what is going on behind the scenes creatively.

• Speak your inspirations instead of ignoring them.
• Listen to ideas everyone offers you, and expect to hear a lot incredibly good suggestions.
• Do not decide things right away. Ask other people what they think.
• Pay attention when everyone is saying the same thing, but you still have to decide whether they are all correct or all incorrect.
• Combine things from completely separate parts of your life.
• Combine things you know no one would combine.
• Continually workshop creative ideas. Put things out there all the time to see what works, knowing that a low percentage of them will land.
• Be ready to go it alone creatively when that is the only thing that makes sense.
• Walk away and come back to creative ideas and activities.
• Surround yourself with the tools that inspire your creativity and allow you to effectively implement it.
• Take a picture. It will last longer and can inspire you later.
• Hug the people that boost your creativity.

What is the creative self-talk you have going on every day? – Mike Brown

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