The table of contents alone is enough to inspire you, starting with Chapter 0 and weaving across a two-page spread, through nine other chapters, to a final destination of Inventitivity. This book is designed not only to enhance your creative spirit, but to help you recover it if it's been lost to one-way-is-the-right- way education, the pressures of society to conform, or the corporate culture with it's endless rules and regulations.
The book is just plain fun. That's
what it was designed to be. Fun makes it powerful. The size is
delightful, the colors energizing, the mnemonics memorable. Page
numbers appear in digital time clocks, French, Spanish and German
(mixed together), mirror images, dice & hash marks,
Stretch-ercises fill a plethora of pretty purple pages, plus
there's plenty of room to add your own notes or try the exercises
right there in the book.
Can you tell I enjoyed it cover to cover? You will, too.
Table of Contents
0 About Us
Explains how this husband and wife team of toy inventors has
enjoyed their lives as "working creatives" who
"practice what we preach and preach what we practice on a
daily basis."
1 About You
Take the "Breyers Miggs" one-question creativity test
to see if you are creative. Discover what you can change, why you
should, and how venturing "off-road" can lead to new
and exciting possibilties.
2 What is Creativity Anyway?
Explores various definitions of creativity, including your own.
3 Stretch-ercises
The book defines "stretch-ercises" as "n. 1. A way
to open one's mind for creative risk-taking 2. A fun thing to
try. Also see 'Thinking outside the box.'" This chapter is
divided into stretch-ercises for everyday, for 5 - 10 minutes
spans, and for bigger chunks of time. They "take you out of
the comfort of your daily habits, thereby forcing the brain to
make ne connections.....you will grow in your capacity and
willingness to think and act creatively."
4 The Practice of Inventivity
This chapter explores the Girschs' inventivity mantra, the value
of incubation and intuition, and blocks to creativity.
5 Little Things
The authors counsel: "Inventive creaivity takes an effort,
so you will need to make a decision to go the extra mile to get
into the habit." The chapter is brimming with simple things
the pair have built into their days to assist and stimulate their
creative efforts and output. The goal is to become aware of the
opportunities buried in your typical day.
6 Key Qualities of Creative People
The authors pinpoint qualities that distinguise creative people
"from those who choose not to think and act as if they are
creative." Stretch-ercises are wrapped around each quality
to help you practice.
7 Tools & Techniques
Introduces creativity tools such as the Think Pen and Click
Cards, and techniques like Get Your Butt Fired! to help you turn
"the wacky into the workable."
8 Things to Do or See
This chapter encourages you to set aside time to nurture your
creative spirit, and offers field trip ideas, books to read,
movies to see and toys and games to stretch the mind.
9 Seven Practices of Inventivity
Discusses "the Seven Practices of the 'Inventive
Creative.'" It closes with an "Inventivity Permission
Slip" that you can fill out and keep where it can remind you
of the seven practices and information on Creativity Central.
(http://www.creativitycentral.com)