Webster’s definition:
CREATIVE: having the quality or power of creating. resulting from originality of thought, expression, etc.; imaginative: creative writing. originative; productive
KAIZEN: Japanese for continuous and incremental improvement, a business philosophy about working practices and efficiency; improvement in productivity or performance
On my radio show yesterday we brainstormed around the idea of creative kaizen. The Mindfull Creative and I talked about continually improvement, constant practice and original thought and how those elements work together.
I believe and have experienced that the ability to unleash your imaginative spirit and unlock your creative potential comes from the merging of these two concepts. If creative is about original thought and expression and kaizen is about continuous and incremental improvement weren’t they just made to go together? Doesn’t that give us permission to test the waters, try new things, improve and then do it all over again? It removes the pressure for perfection and replaces it with the understanding that imaginative and innovative thinking and action is about constantly trying, reworking and improving. Whether you apply the philosophy to your work, personal life or just for your own personal growth, it harnesses our natural ability to grow and evolve. We are human after all.
Here is a simple way to practice Creative Kaizen:
1. For the next 7 days write down every imaginative thought and creative action you take
2. Next to it, write down some words that describe the experience and your feelings (challenging, confidence, playful, collaborative, etc)
3. Every day pick 1 to improve upon the next day. It can be the same one for 7 days or you can pick a new one to focus on every day.
4. With the one you are improving upon, make sure to write down the difference between the first time you do it and the second, third, etc time you do it.
5. At the end of 7 days marvel at the fact that you have filled pages with imaginative thoughts and creative actions. Then smile at the fact that you just implemented Creative Kaizen
6. Keep it up! You’ll find that more imaginative thought and creative action come to you as a result of easy to do practice and improvement.
Dream big. Dream often. Pat yourself on the back!
Tags: creative journaling, creative kaizen, creative practices, creativity, imaginibbles, improving creative skill, kaizen, kaizen creative, right brain exercises, right brain tools, tamara kleinberg, unleashing creative, unleashing creativity, unleashing imagination
