Have you ever heard the saying, "The harder I work, the luckier I get?" Guess what? That"s the way it is with creative inspiration too.

Don"t Wait For Creative Inspiration

Graham Green, the famous English writer, attributes much of his success to a simple habit: He forced himself to write at least 500 words daily, whether he felt like it or not. Creative inspiration can strike at any time, but it strikes more often when there is work instead of waiting.

Don"t Expect Creativity To Come Uninvited

If you want to have creative ideas for inventions, start redesigning everything you see. Imagine a better light bulb, a faster way to serve food, or a better lamp. Do this for three weeks, and it will become a habit. It"s also a good way to pass time while driving or waiting for an appointment.

If you want creative ideas for poems, take random words, use one per line, and start writing anything. We created a game (Deal-A-Poem) from this technique, and my wife has had poems published that were created in this way. Your mind will begin to find a poetic use for any word if you use this method often.

Would you like to have something unique to say about any topic? Train your mind to take other perspectives. What would Ghandi say? How would a martian view this? The point isn"t to ask silly questions, but to see what creative ideas are suggested by other perspectives. Do this until it"s a habit, and you"ll usually have something interesting to add to a conversation.

Work, and you"ll have more opportunity for creative ideas. Train your mind, and you"ll have more creative ability. There"s your two-step guide to greater creativity.