9 Obstacles to Creativity

By Alexander Hiam, The Futurist, Oct. 1998

1. Failure to Ask Questions: "Why?" and "What if?"

2. Failure to Record Ideas

3. Failure to Revisit Ideas: Give old ideas a second chance.Increase your awareness.

4. Failure to Express Ideas: Most ideas are treated like weeds rather than cultivated.

5. Failure to Think in New Ways: Not so much what you think, but 'how you think'. Group sessions are good for bringing out individual mental strategies.

6. Failure to Wish for More: Creativity is nutured by optimistic speculation.

7. Failure to Try Being Creative: Lack of or little effort.

8. Failure to Keep Trying: Revisit, incubate, focus... There are no shortcuts to creativity.

9. Failure to Tolerate Creative Behavior: When creative forces emerge, behavior often seems a bit weird to others.