CREATIVE THINKING! A PROVEN DREAM PROPELLANT

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FIRST, LET'S CLEAN UP a common fallacy about the meaning of creative thinking.
For some illogical reason, science, engineering, art, and writing got tabbed as about the only truly creative pursuits. Most people associate creative thinking with things like the discovery of electricity or polio vaccine, or the writing of a novel
or the development of color television.
Certainly; accomplishments like these are evidence of creative thinking. Each forward step made in the conquest of space
is the result of creative thinking, lots of it. But creative thinking is not reserved for certain occupations, nor is it restricted to superintelligent people.
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Well, then, what is creative thinking?
A low-income family devises a plan to send their son to a leading university. That's creative thinking.

A family turns the street's most undesirable lot into the neighborhood beauty spot. That's creative thinking.

A minister develops a plan that doubles his Sunday evening attendance. That's creative thinking.

Figuring out ways to simplify record keeping, selling the "impossible" customer, keeping the children occupied constructively, making employees really like their work, or preventing a "certain" quarrel-all of these are examples of practical, everyday creative thinking.
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Creative thinking is simply finding new, improved ways to do anything. The rewards of all types of success - success in the home, at work, in the community-hinge on finding ways to do things better.

Now let's see what we can do to develop and strengthen our creative thinking ability.

Step one: Believe it can be done.
Here is a basic truth: To do anything, we must first believe it can be done. Believing something can be done sets the mind in motion to find a way to do it.
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To illustrate this point of creative thinking in training sessions, I often use this example: I ask the group, "How many of you feel it is possible to eliminate jails within the next thirty years?"

Invariably the group looks bewildered, not quite sure they heard right and thinking they are listening to a real fuzzy-wuzzy.

So after a pause, I repeat, "How many of you feel it is possible to eliminate jails within the next thirty years?"

Once they're sure I'm not joking, someone always blasts me with something like "You mean to say you want to turn all those murderers, thieves, and rapists loose? Don't you realize what this would mean? Why, none of us would be safe. We have to have jails." Then the others cut loose:
"All order would break down if we didn't have jails." "Some people are born criminals."

"If anything, we need more jails."

"Did you read in this morning's paper about that murder?"And the group goes on, telling me al sorts of good reasons why we must have jails. One fellow even suggested we've got to have jails so the police and prison guards can have jobs.

After about ten minutes of letting the group "prove" why
we can't eliminate the need for jails, I say to them, "Now let me
mention here that this question of eliminating jails is used tomake a point.

"Each of you has come up with reasons why we can't eliminate the need for jails. Will you do me a favor? Will you try extra hard for a few minutes to believe we can eliminate jails?"

Joining in the spirit of the experiment, the group says, in effect, "Oh, well, but just for kicks." Then I ask, "Now, assuming
we can elimiate jails, how could we begin?"

Suggestions come slowly at fIrst. Someone hesitantly says something like, "Well, you might cut down crime if you established more youth centers."

Before long, the group, which ten minutes ago was solidly against the idea, now begins to work up real enthusiasm. "Work to eliminate poverty. Most crime stems from the low income levels." "Conduct research to spot potential criminals before they commit a crime." "Develop surgical procedures to cure some kinds of criminals." "Educate law enforcement personnel in positive methods of reform."
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These are just samples of the possible ideas
that could help accomplish the goal of eliminating jails.

WHEN YOU BELIEVE, YOUR MIND FINDS WAYS TO DO.
This experiment has just one point: When you believe something is impossible, your mind goes to work for you to prove why. But
when you believe, really believe, something can be done, your mind goes
to work for you and helps you find the ways to do it.

Believing something can be done paves the way for creative solutions. Believing something can't be done is destructive thinking.
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This point applies to all situations, Iittle and big.
The political leaders who do not genuinely believe permanent world peace can be established will fail because their minds are closed to creative ways to bring about peace. The economists who believe business depressions are inevitable will not develop creative ways to beat the business cycle.

In a similar fashion, you can find ways to like a person if you believe you can. You can discover solutions to personal problems if you believe you can. You can find a way to purchase that new, larger home if you
believe you can.

Belief releases creative powers. Disbelief puts the brakes on.
Believe, and you'll start thinking constructively.
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