Why creativity should be viewed as a skill, not a gift

Free Malaysia Today

22-05-2025

Creativity needs to be worked on, triggered and nurtured on a daily basis. (Envato Elements pic)
PARIS : Of all the skills valued in the modern world, one still seems to resist the grip of artificial intelligence: creativity. It intrigues, fascinates and yet proves essential, in innovation, education or simply solving everyday problems.
But where does it come from? Can it be nurtured or trained? And above all, what's behind this mysterious process that's often viewed as a kind of gift?
World Creativity and Innovation Day, April 21, shines the spotlight on the minds that imagine unexpected uses, solve problems in original ways, or breathe new life into everyday actions.
In a world that values performance, dedicating a day to divergent thinking is almost a rebellious act. So what better opportunity to explore what's really going on in people's brains when they're creating?
First, it's important to remember that creativity is not a gift that just falls from the sky. Several neuroscience studies show that creativity relies on the coordination of three distinct brain networks.
The first, known as the 'default mode network,' is activated when the mind is at rest, daydreaming or introspecting. It plays an essential role in the production of spontaneous ideas.
The second, the 'executive control network,' organises, filters and structures these ideas.
Finally, the third, the 'salience network,' acts as a kind of gatekeeper, directing attention to the information deemed most relevant. Together, these networks can transform an intuition into a structured creative idea.
Mind mapping is a great tool to boost your imagination and creativity. (Envato Elements pic)
This complex architecture has been demonstrated by work using functional brain imaging, which has made it possible to observe the simultaneous activation of these networks during creative activities.
Researchers at University of Utah Health used advanced brain imaging techniques (functional MRI) on participants engaged in creative tasks, such as generating new ideas.
In a study published in the journal 'Brain' in 2024, they explain that they observed how the joint activation and coordination between the default mode network and the executive control network are essential for producing creative responses. This suggests that creativity is not localised in a single brain region.
Creativity, a force to be nurtured
But it's not all biology. Creativity has to be worked or trained, like a muscle. Cognitive psychology emphasises that a creative idea is first born of a confrontation between common responses, quickly called up by memory, and more original ideas, often less accessible.
Going beyond automatic responses requires sustained mental involvement. Certain cognitive biases are particularly detrimental to creativity.
The functional fixation bias leads people to see objects only in terms of their usual use. The anchoring effect locks people's thinking around the first idea evoked, while the conformity bias encourages people to align themselves with the dominant ideas of the group.
Thinking outside the box requires precise mental gymnastics. It means thwarting automatic responses, keeping hasty judgments at bay, and daring to venture off the beaten track.
There are a number of effective exercises for maintaining this flexibility of the mind. This can involve using everyday objects in original ways, practising delayed brainstorming or using visual brainstorming techniques such as mind maps or image associations, which help to explore ideas in a non-linear way.
These are just some of the tools you can use to boost your imagination and, by extension, your creativity.
To rekindle your creativity, it's essential to disconnect: take a walk, draw, do some gardening or meditate. (Envato Elements pic)
Fostering mental agility in daily life
It's also important to embrace boredom. Because it's often in these moments of 'emptiness' that creative thinking is born. When the mind is allowed to wander, free of all stimulation, it begins to weave unexpected links and new ideas in the background.
So, to rekindle your creativity, it becomes essential to disconnect. Take a break, embrace silence, idleness and slowness. It can be helpful to return to simple, almost meditative activities like walking, drawing, gardening or meditation. In short, doing nothing is sometimes the best way to bring out new ideas.
Metacognition is another powerful lever for stimulating creativity. Learning to observe and regulate your own mental processes enables you to better direct them.
Do you feel too rigid in your reasoning? Is your idea truly original, or just a repetition of familiar patterns? By questioning yourself in this way, you can take control of your thinking, like a conductor directing their mental score.
An Iranian-British study, published in 2023 in the journal Thinking Skills and Creativity, reveals that teachers who adopt a metacognitive approach in their teaching practice are more creative in teaching English as a foreign language.
Social context also has an important role to play. A stimulating atmosphere, the benevolent presence of peers, an emotionally secure environment or even a touch of healthy competition can play a key role in the emergence of creative ideas.
Joy Desdevises, a doctoral student at Université Paris-Cité, pointed out in her thesis that, while social obstacles such as fear of judgment can hinder creativity, certain collective environments, on the contrary, can encourage it.
The richness of interactions, group dynamics and diversity of viewpoints are all levers that can fuel the imagination. But at the heart of it all is intrinsic motivation. The raw pleasure of creating, just for the sake of creating, is the most fertile breeding ground for new ideas.
So, is creativity a miracle or a mechanism? Probably a bit of both. But one thing's for sure: it doesn't just fall from the sky. It has to be worked on, triggered and nurtured.
You have to let your mind wander, learn to see differently, shake up codes, transform the ordinary. And, above all, to create, relentlessly. Because creativity grows with effort, much more than it is born of a simple innate gift.