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10 Simple Ways to Be More Creative · The Daily Writer

• 0:17
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome everybody to the Born to Create podcast.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_00: My name is Kent Sanders, and I'm your host.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_00: I'm an author, musician, and teacher, but most importantly, I'm a husband and a dad.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_00: Here on the show we talk about practices, habits, and strategies that help us live out our creative calling.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_00: This is episode 32, and today we're going to be talking about 10 simple ways to be more creative.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_00: You can find the post that accompanies this episode, as well as all the links, at KentSanders.net slash ten simple ways, and that's the number 10 simple ways.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_00: Before we get into the content, I want to invite you to send in your questions on creativity, productivity, art, writing, or similar topics, and I'll answer those questions here on the podcast and on my blog as well.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_00: You can shoot me an email at Kent at KentSanders.net, or you can find me on Facebook or Twitter as Kent Sanders.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_00: Now let's dive into this episode.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_00: Creativity is a vital element of success today.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_00: Without creative thinking, we have no hope of growing as individuals or leading our organizations and businesses to greater success.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_00: Creativity isn't just about painting, music, dance, or other forms of art.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_00: I think creativity is about being a person who's growing and learning in order to lead and bless other people.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_00: But honestly, who feels like they have extra time to be creative?
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, we all lead busy lives and we feel pressed for time.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_00: However, I think there are many ways to feed your creative mind that don't take a lot of time and that aren't super expensive.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_00: So I've put together a list of ten items in this episode, and a lot of these things you can do with your friends and family.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_00: And a lot of these are free or at least really cheap.
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_00: So I'd encourage you to pick one or two of these that fit your interests and take a plunge.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_00: Let's dive in.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_00: Number one is watch a great movie.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_00: Movies blend storytelling, moving images, and music to transport us into other worlds.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_00: Movies can also speak to your heart and your mind while sharpening your creativity.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_00: Of course, there's thousands upon thousands of movies that are available, but why not pick a great one while you're at it?
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, with so many movies and TV shows available, you may as well watch ones that are really, really good, right?
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_00: So I would recommend picking something from the American Film Institute's Hundred Greatest American Films of All Time.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_00: There's a link for that in the blog post.
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_00: And also I've compiled a couple of blog posts that each deal with ten movies on kind of a special theme.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_00: The first one is ten movies that will blow your creative mind.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_00: And the second one is ten movies that will inspire your new year.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_00: And you can find both of these posts on the blog.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_00: Just Google KentSanders.net movies.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_00: Number two is Read a Great Fiction Book.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_00: I recommend reading fiction for many of the same reasons that I recommend movies and TV, and that's because stories are really powerful and we're just wired to love stories.
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_00: A good book, however, lets you go a lot deeper into a character's world than a movie or a TV show ever could.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that you should never feel guilty about reading fiction because again, we're simply wired as people to love stories and to connect with other people through current stories, but also ones that are timeless and ones that have been told for generations.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_00: A few really great or at least really entertaining novels that I've enjoyed reading or rereading the last couple of years include The Martian by Andy Weir, The Godfather by Mario Puzzo, It by Stephen King, and The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_00: Number three is read a great screenplay.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_00: You know, watching a movie can be a great experience, but reading a screenplay is a whole different way to experience a story.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_00: And if you've never read a screenplay before, check out a site called the Script Lab for a lot of free ones, and that URL is thescriptlab.com.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_00: Number four, visit an art museum.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_00: If you have an art museum in your neck of the woods, make some time to go and visit so you can be inspired by the creativity and the artistry of different cultures and time periods.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_00: So I live in a suburb of St.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_00: Louis and we have an awesome art museum here.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_00: It's called the St.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_00: Louis Art Museum.
• 4:23
  SPEAKER_00: And also we have a lot of other museums here in the area.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_00: One is called the City Museum, and another one is called the Missouri History Museum, and there's a lot of other ones as well.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_00: If you don't live in a big city where there's lots of museums around, you know, for instance, if you live in a smaller community, I bet that you're not too far from some type of museum or a gallery that can expand your horizons.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_00: If you go to Wikipedia and search for a list of art museums, you'll come across a post that lists art museums all around the world.
• 4:51
  SPEAKER_00: And my guess is that you're probably not too far from a good museum.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_00: Number seven, watch a TED Talk.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_00: The TED Organization, which, by the way, stands for Technology, Entertainment, and Design, focuses on spreading ideas and sparking conversation.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_00: Now TED is mainly known for the fascinating talks that are given at its TED conferences.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_00: And these talks are given by all kinds of leaders, innovators, and artists, and they feature a wide array of different topics.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_00: However, the one thing that all TED Talks have in common is that I think they're all really super interesting.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_00: You can find the talks at TED.com, that's TED.com, as well as on Ted's YouTube channel.
• 5:33
  SPEAKER_00: Just search for the phrase TED Talks on YouTube.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_00: Now I've listened to I couldn't even begin to tell you how many TED Talks, dozens, maybe well over a hundred talks that are given by Ted, and I always come away learning something.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_00: Even if it's a topic that I don't initially find interesting, I always come away learning something.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_00: So be sure and check those out.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_00: Number eight, go geocaching.
• 5:58
  SPEAKER_00: Geocaching is a worldwide phenomenon that's kind of like a giant treasure hunt.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_00: Millions of people participate by hiding and finding what's called caches that can range from a tiny container to a pretty good size plastic container.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_00: You can locate the cache, or in other words, the treasure, by using GPS coordinates on your phone.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_00: My son and I have been geocaching for several years, and it's a great way to bond with friends and family while also doing something fun and getting outdoors and getting a little bit of exercise as well.
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_00: Number nine is build something.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_00: One summer a few years ago, I decided to build a tree house for my son Ben, and to be honest, I didn't have a clue what I was doing, but I was determined to learn how to do it.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_00: It took me a few years and a lot of trial and error, but finally I finished the tree house in the summer of 2016.
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_00: And the result was a very cool tree house with windows, a trapdoor, a skylight, a bridge, and even a pulley system.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_00: Now obviously you don't have to build a tree house to express your creative side, but I definitely encourage you to build or make something with your hands, even if it's something really simple like a bookshelf.
• 7:05
  SPEAKER_00: If you do a lot of computer work or you work with a lot of technology or things like that, in other words, if you're on screens all the time, building something with your hands can be a great way to recharge your creative batteries.
• 7:17
  SPEAKER_00: By the way, if you want to see a video tour of the tree house I built, you can find that on my YouTube channel, which is youtube.com slash Kent Sanders.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_00: Finally, number 10, and this is gonna sound really odd, but number 10 is visit a graveyard.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_00: When you walk among the dead, you have a very real sense of the brevity of life.
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_00: You see the headstones of those who have gone before you in this life, and you realize that you're gonna join them one day.
• 7:46
  SPEAKER_00: I know that sounds really depressing, but it's a truth that should motivate and inspire us to use our time wisely every single day.
• 7:53
  SPEAKER_00: You only have one short life, so make it count.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_00: You know there's no special formula or some kind of magic elixir that can help you become more creative.
• 8:03
  SPEAKER_00: It's all about taking small daily steps to reach your creative potential.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_00: I think these ten simple steps or these ten simple ideas are within the reach of almost anybody.
• 8:15
  SPEAKER_00: So what other simple ideas do you have for becoming more creative?
• 8:19
  SPEAKER_00: I'd love to hear your thoughts.
• 8:21
  SPEAKER_00: You can join the conversation and find the post and the links that accompany this episode at KentSanders.net slash ten simple ways.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_00: And that's the number ten simple ways.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_00: When you visit my site, you'll find all kinds of great resources to inspire your creative life.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_00: I'd also love to share a gift with you when you subscribe to my newsletter.
• 8:41
  SPEAKER_00: You can check it out and learn more about my books, writing, and services at KentSanders.net.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_00: I'd love to connect and you can tweet me at Kent Sanders, or you can find me on Facebook and Instagram as simply Kent Sanders.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_00: Hopefully you'll also check out our Born to Create Facebook group by visiting KentSanders.net slash Facebook group and that redirects to the actual Facebook group.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_00: Until next time, remember that you were born to create and designed to make a difference.
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_00: What will you do with the time you have left?