Use Your Imagination

Creativity is a curious beast. When I talk about the miracle of human creativity, and how much better it can be than suggestions from A.I., I often sense a real unease building in the audience.

“What? You want me to be creative? At work? Oh no, I don’t do that sort of thing.”

“We have a marketing department; they do the creative stuff.”

“There’s no room for creativity in my job; my boss wouldn’t like that.”

I’ve heard all the excuses, and I think most people are right. Being creative is a real stretch, especially when you have years of experience that have beaten the free-flowing spirit out of you. The last time the boss asked you to be creative was probably during an ill-conceived brainstorming session in a dreary meeting room. That didn’t do anything to build your creative muscle.

So, perhaps the fault lies with me. Expecting anyone to be creative is a big ask. It feels scary, daunting, even risky. Creativity is something most people are happy to avoid.

That’s why I often now talk about ‘using your imagination’, not just ‘being creative’. Being imaginative feels a lot more accessible than being creative. There’s less baggage associated with imagining stuff, less that can go wrong. And being imaginative and daydreaming are universally accepted as fun things to do. Plus, with imagination, there’s no expectation of a positive outcome, no KPI to deliver. It’s just being playful. If a good idea should rear its head, that’s a nice side benefit.

So, here’s to using your imagination at work this week! It’s a bit like being creative, but you smile more. I believe that everyone can be magnificently creative, but each person is limited to how creative they believe they are. To go further, you just have to use your imagination.

Photo: Sunrise over Bay Pond in Godstone, magical fuel for my imagination as I catch my breath while jogging