3 steps to being more creative in 2008!

One of the most often underestimated and overlooked aspects of becoming a smarter and more creative persons is a simple exercise that is initiated by top executives regularly.

Many great business ideas have been generated by the simple stroke of a pen on a mountain or by a lake. What is essential is a notebook, or a journal that is with you at all times. It will capture your creative juices wherever they flow.

Many times a spark will come out of nowhere -- to make your personal or business life more efficient -- if you let it go, you might never recall it again.

So here we outline the three vital steps you need to being more creative -- whether for your job, your business, or your personal life...you'll find it to be a powerful spring of ideas to make your life easier, better and more productive:

STEP 1:
You need a journal...if you want to go for the fancy ones with leather and personalized with your initials thats fine -- but a simple one will work just as well too (you can always upgrade to the fancy one after your idea takes off!).

STEP 2:
Now, most people think thats the end of it, they will get ideas, write down the ones that make sense and move on. Wrong!

The correct methodology is to write down every single idea that comes to you, no matter how stupid it might seem. Write it down -- I cannot emphasize that enough. You can always sift through them later. But what if you discarded an idea that you thought was stupid and it really wasn't?

By having a reservoir of ideas, tips, and notes to draw on, you can always go back to them later and see what is feasible and what is not.

STEP 3:
Write in your journal everyday. Now you won't be contemplating on top of a mountain or in other such natural and pristine surroundings -- so just take a few minutes at the end of the day, sit down in complete quiteness, open your journal to a blank entry and let your mind wander.

Do not force yourself to come up with something, just let your brain do its job for a few minutes in a relaxed and calm manner. If after five minutes you have nothing thats fine -- close your journal. You have done the exercise.

Eventually as you develop a stronger connection, you will start getting more and more ideas: A better way to streamline your bill-paying routine, a more productive way to spend your commute time, an idea for a small part-time business, a smarter way to do your current job and so on.