Can one learn to be creative?

In the past few days, I have been drawn to a number of readings that focus on spirituality, creativity and the science behind both. Is the universe trying to tell me something, those who believe in the concept that we are can control what happens to our us through our thoughts would say yes? I am a believer in the idea that what and how we think translates to actions and those actions affect those around us either in a positive (hopefully) or a negative way. I am not a believer in the concept that we control what happens to us and the law of attraction that seems to be making the rounds in people's thinking. Karma, I was told does not come into play until your next life, for those who believe in this concept.

Creativity is another theme that I have been drawn towards over the last few days and I find this theme interesting. Can one learn to be creative, according to Jeffery Baumgartner who is the editor of Report 103 a monthly newsletter on creativity, imagination and innovation in business, and whose personal website is http://www.ungodly.com/, you can learn.

Jeffery talks about the seven steps of Creative Problem Solving:

1.  Clarify and identify the problem

2.  Research the problem

3.  Formulate creative challenges

4. Generate ideas

5. Combine and evaluate the ideas

6. Draw up an action plan

7. Do it! (ie. implement the ideas)

I think he has an interesting approach to problem-solving, but I am not sure if it is an approach to creative problem-solving. Creativity happens, I find when I least expect it, creative ideas come from the right brain and for me, that process is not as logical or sequential as laid out above. The idea of having a method for solving problems is a great idea, but I am not sure if the left brain approach is the best way to bring out full creativity.

Albert Einstein, Da Vinci and Edison all were creative thinkers, but I suspect that their most creative ideas leapt out for them, and were not part of a formal process. These people were focused on particular problems and I suspect thought about the problems, dreamt about the problems and mulled their thoughts around and then the right brain, which had a solution was able to have the left brain listen to and translate the idea so that others could use the idea.

I believe we can be creative if we listen to the right side of our brains more often