Thinking Outside the Box: How to Think Creatively
https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-of-human-hand-256514/

Thinking Outside the Box: How to Think Creatively

Bhavesh Mehta Bhavesh Mehta

Bhavesh Mehta

Creative & Design Director | Ai designer | Strategist | Agency Growth | Marketing | Digital Marketing

Published May 25, 2025
+ Follow

How to Cultivate Creative Thinking Creativity is a highly valued skill in today's world. Whether you're an entrepreneur, an artist, or a business professional, the ability to think creatively can help you solve problems, generate new ideas, and stand out from the crowd. But creativity isn't just an innate talent; it's a skill that can be cultivated and developed. This article explores practical techniques and strategies for breaking free from conventional thinking and fostering creative thinking.

Understanding Creative Thinking

Creative thinking is the ability to generate new and original ideas, make connections between seemingly unrelated concepts, and approach problems from fresh perspectives. It involves:

  • Fluency: Generating a large number of ideas.
  • Flexibility: Thinking about a problem from multiple perspectives.
  • Originality: Coming up with unique and novel ideas.
  • Elaboration: Developing ideas in detail.


Article content

Techniques for Thinking Outside the Box

  • Brainstorming: A classic technique for generating a large number of ideas in a group setting. Encourage wild ideas, defer judgment, and build on each other's suggestions.
  • Mind Mapping: A visual technique for organizing thoughts and ideas. Start with a central idea and branch out with related concepts and subtopics.
  • SCAMPER: A mnemonic for a set of creative thinking techniques:

  • Substitute: What can be replaced?
  • Combine: What can be combined?
  • Adapt: What can be adapted?
  • Modify: What can be modified?
  • Put to other uses: How can it be used differently?
  • Eliminate: What can be eliminated?
  • Reverse: What can be reversed?

  • The 5 Whys: A problem-solving technique that involves asking "why" repeatedly to get to the root cause of a problem and uncover new solutions.
  • Random Input: Introduce a random word, image, or object into your thinking process to spark new ideas and make unexpected connections.
  • Role-Playing: Consider a problem from different perspectives by imagining how someone else (e.g., a historical figure, a competitor, a customer) would approach it.

Let me know how your thinking is changing now :)

Mark Belosa, CLSSDC

I shape stories, songs, and strategies with AI and heart. From faith to family to connection, I use words - spoken, scripted, or sung - to create meaning in a fast-moving, tech-shaped world.

2mo

This is such a grounded and helpful breakdown of creative thinking—not as magic, but as muscle. It reminded me of a line from Twyla Tharp’s The Creative Habit: “Before you can think out of the box, you have to start with a box.” So many people chase novelty without first creating the conditions for it. One question I’d add to the mix: How do we balance structure with serendipity? Tools like SCAMPER give us rails, but some of my most original ideas have come from doing something completely unrelated—like going for a walk or sketching badly in a notebook. Curious how others invite surprise into their creative process.

Like
Reply
2 Reactions
Matthew Lebeau

AR Experience Designer | Helping marketing studios deliver interactive AR campaigns their clients love

2mo

I use the Random input and mind mapping soo much!! I find when i get things messy I get alot of tangencial thoughts. The death of me is a blank page. When i draw i just start scribbling and then i form shapes out of what i see. I love the article!

Like
Reply
2 Reactions
See more comments

To view or add a comment, sign in

More articles by this author

See all

Others also viewed

Explore topics