Creativity Information

Creativity and Communication Lessons from Crossing the Street


Spring is in full bloom, which means it's 'get back in shape time!' For me, that means strapping on the sneakers and going for a run (well, at this stage it's more of a slow loping jog...).

I live in a city (Philadelphia) so I have to deal with traffic and crosswalks when I jog. A few days ago I was out for a run and I came to a red light. I jogged in place and looked for an opening in traffic so I could cross the street and continue my exercise.

After a few moments, all the cars had passed but one. This one was approaching the intersection with it's turn signal blinking, meaning that it was going to turn before it reached me. In theory, I should have been able to safely cross the street.

I was about to go, but then I stopped. Something about the car didn't feel right. Maybe it was the speed, maybe it was the position, or maybe it was just a gut feeling. Whatever it was, I decided to wait.

Sure enough, the car whizzed right past me while its turn signal flashed on and on. I may not have gotten squashed if I tried to cross, but there probably would have been a big scene with screeching tires and honking horns.

Once the car was past, I safely proceeded on my way.

So, what does this have to do with creativity, improv, business, and life?

I personally take two powerful lessons away from this experience:

1) Always look beneath the surface.

If I took what the car claimed it was going to do (turn before it got to me) I might have ended up in a body cast. I paid attention to details in addition to what it was explicitly telling me.

Similarly, when talking with someone, it is important to pay attention to more than just what comes out of the person's mouth. Watch their body language. Listen to their tone of voice. Just because a person says one thing doesn't mean that they really fully feel that way.

2) Get out of your own head.

People spend a great deal of time wrapped up in their own thoughts. I find pedestrians and drivers to be two of the guiltiest of this. If I had been lost in my own thoughts I may have just glanced at the car's turn signal and started crossing. By putting my attention out on the world around me I was able to learn a whole lot more about the situation.

This idea is fundamental to both Creativity and Communication. Put your attention on things outside of you and your creativity will start to freely flow. Get out of your own head and your ability to listen and communicate effectively will grow exponentially.

All that just from crossing the street. Maybe I should jog more often...

Avish Parashar has a refreshingly unique approach to speaking and training: identify the fundamentals of success and then give people the tools to implement those fundamentals. Avish's approach can be deceptive; it's fun, funny, interactive, engaging, entertaining, and ridiculously simple. Success isn't complicated, it's simple. So visit the web site to learn more about the "Ridiculously Simple Ideas That Everybody Needs and Nobody Uses."

Learn More: http://www.avishparashar.com

Free Creativity Mini-Course: http://www.avishparashar.com/creativity-free-minicourse.html


MORE RESOURCES:

The ad pitch: Creativity, not saturation, is key
Boston Globe, United States - 14 hours ago
... The Holiday Inn Express marketing campaign is one of several examples of Fallon Worldwide's work that demonstrate how creativity in marketing yields better ...
BIZ BOOKS: A WEEKLY PEEK AT WHAT'S ON THE SHELVES Columbia Daily Tribune
all 5 related


Enlightened creativity
Arizona Daily Star, AZ - 15 hours ago
By Valerie Coley. Most people would have spotted the cracked bathroom window, sprinted off to the home-improvement store for a replacement and left it at that. ...


Over-testing robs education of its flexibility, creativity
Jackson Sun, TN - 11 hours ago
... Aside from the $6 billion a year we spend on testing (and the law is still not fully funded), we are squelching creativity in teaching and learning, driving ...


Wallpaper has borders, creativity has no limits
Orlando Sentinel, FL - 13 hours ago
Wallpapering is fun, but it takes practice. You might not want to tackle a large room for your first effort. It can be tough, and it be quite expensive. ...


HCT counts on a flood of creativity to stage 'Beauty and the Beast ...
Salt Lake Tribune, United States - 16 hours ago
How do you make a memorable live-theater version of a well-told story such as "Beauty and the Beast," a musical that has been playing on Broadway since 1994 ...


PAIL IT ON: Red Hat Society's contest stirs members' creativity
Winston-Salem Journal (subscription), NC - 17 hours ago
By Janice Gaston. In 1961, poet Jenny Joseph cautioned people about what would happen when she became an old woman. "I shall wear ...


Creativity workshop at MAAC
Chandigarh Newsline, India - 23 hours ago
Chandigarh, August 5: The creative assistant director of Rang De Basanti and Mangal Pandey fame, Shwetabh Chandra Verma, conducted a creativity workshop for ...



Team talk
We lacked creativity, says Kelly
Team talk, UK - Aug 5, 2006
Leicester boss Rob Kelly admitted his players were short of creativity in the 2-0 Championship defeat away to Luton Town on Saturday. ...


SUNDAY, AUG. 6, 2006
Monterey County Herald, CA - 12 hours ago
... Let your life flow, and you'll smile, as will others. Emotions and creativity flourish. ... 22) **** Your creativity and dynamic actions can make a difference. ...
SATURDAY, AUG. 5, 2006 Monterey County Herald
all 3 related


Beating the heat with creativity
Kinston Free Press, NC - Aug 4, 2006
Ask Norman Adkins to explain his definition of a “hot box,” and he will quickly describe the little white building at the recycling site on Fairground Road ...

home | site map
© 2006 Indexadvertisements.com

Useful Links

   
Biometrics Solutions Ayurvedic Biometrics Products Job opportunities
Tech News Online Advertisement Software Development Investments Guru
Biometrics Integrated Chipsilicon Matrimonial Semiconductors