Extension: Creative Thinking

“Creativity is intelligence having fun.” - Albert Einstein

Why This Extension?

Creativity isn’t just for artists - it’s essential for problem-solving, innovation, and leadership. This module breaks down the myth of the “creative person” and gives you practical tools to unlock creative thinking in any domain.

Prerequisites: None - can start anytime

Week 1: Unlocking Creativity

Core Concepts

Mental Locks: The assumptions and rules that block creative thinking. We learn to be uncreative - and can unlearn it.

Creative Confidence: The belief that you can be creative. Like any confidence, it’s built through practice and small wins.

The Creative Process: Creativity isn’t random - it follows patterns. Understanding the process helps you navigate it.

This Week’s Reading

📖 A Whack on the Side of the Head by Roger von Oech (Full book)

• The 10 mental locks that block creativity
• How to unlock each one
• Practical exercises for creative thinking

The 10 Mental Locks

The Creative Process

Application Exercise

Pick a current problem and apply each mental lock:

1. What’s the “second right answer”?
2. What would be the illogical approach?
3. What rule could you break?
4. What impractical idea might lead somewhere?

Week 2: Building Creative Confidence

Core Concepts

Creative Confidence: Believing you can create. It’s not about being artistic - it’s about believing you can solve problems creatively.

Design Thinking: A human-centered approach to innovation. Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, Test.

The Power of Constraints: Paradoxically, constraints enhance creativity. Unlimited freedom often produces paralysis.

This Week’s Reading

📖 Creative Confidence by Tom & David Kelley (Full book)

• Why everyone is creative
• Overcoming the fear of judgment
• Design thinking basics
• Building creative culture

The IDEO Approach

Design Thinking Process

Creative Exercises

Week 3: Overcoming Resistance

Core Concepts

The Resistance: The internal force that opposes creative work. It’s universal - every creator faces it.

Turning Pro: Making the commitment to show up consistently, regardless of inspiration.

The Creative Habit: Creativity comes from practice, not waiting for inspiration.

This Week’s Reading

📖 The War of Art by Steven Pressfield (Full book - 3h)

• Understanding Resistance
• How pros overcome Resistance
• The higher realm of creativity

📖 Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon (Selected chapters - 2h)

• All creativity builds on what came before
• Finding your creative voice
• Side projects and play

Understanding Resistance

Turning Pro

Capstone: Creative Project

Complete a creative project applying the frameworks:

1. Problem Selection: Choose a problem worth solving
2. Design Thinking: Apply the 5 phases
3. Mental Lock Audit: Which locks did you face? How did you unlock them?
4. Resistance Journal: Document how Resistance showed up and how you overcame it
5. Output: Create something - prototype, proposal, plan, artwork

Key Frameworks

Resources

Books

• ⭐⭐⭐ A Whack on the Side of the Head (Essential - 4h)
• ⭐⭐⭐ Creative Confidence (Essential - 7h)
• ⭐⭐ Steal Like an Artist (Quick read - 2h)
• ⭐⭐ The War of Art (Recommended - 3h)

Free Resources

• IDEO U free resources
• Stanford d.school methods
• YouTube: “Creative Thinking” courses

TED Talks

• Sir Ken Robinson: “Do Schools Kill Creativity?”
• David Kelley: “How to Build Your Creative Confidence”
• Steven Johnson: “Where Good Ideas Come From”

AI Learning Integration

Creative Problem Solving Prompt

Help me apply creative thinking to a problem.

Problem: [describe your problem or challenge]

Walk me through:
1. Which mental locks might be blocking me?
2. How can I find the "second right answer"?
3. What would be the impractical or foolish approach?
4. What ideas from unrelated fields might apply?

Then help me brainstorm 10 unconventional approaches.

Overcoming Resistance Prompt

I'm stuck on a creative project due to Resistance.

My project: [describe what you're trying to create]
How Resistance is showing up: [procrastination, perfectionism, fear, etc.]
What I've tried: [list approaches]

Help me:
1. Recognize the specific form of Resistance I'm facing
2. Develop a "turning pro" routine for this project
3. Break the project into smaller, less scary pieces
4. Create accountability structures

Phase Assessment

Complete the following to demonstrate creative thinking competency:

1. Quiz: Creativity Concepts (30%)
2. Creative Project: Apply Frameworks to Real Problem (70%)
   • Document your design thinking process
   • Identify and unlock mental blocks
   • Create a tangible output (prototype, plan, design)

I'm studying Creative Thinking (Phase EXT-CREATIVITY of my MBA program).

Act as a Socratic tutor - don't give me direct answers. Instead, ask me questions to help me discover insights about these concepts: Creative Ideation, Innovation Mindset.

Start by asking what I already know about one of these topics, then guide me deeper with follow-up questions. Challenge my assumptions when appropriate.

After each of my responses, either:
1. Ask a deeper follow-up question
2. Point out a gap in my reasoning
3. Connect my answer to another concept

Let's begin.

Quiz me on Creative Thinking. Ask 10 questions covering: Creative Ideation, Innovation Mindset.

Rules:
- Mix question types (multiple choice, short answer, scenario-based)
- Start easier, get progressively harder
- After each answer, tell me if I'm right or wrong and explain why
- Keep a running score
- At the end, summarize what I know well vs. need to review

Ask the first question now.

Help me apply the main frameworks from this phase to a real situation in my life or work.

First, ask me to describe a recent challenge or decision I faced.

Then guide me through analyzing it using these frameworks:
- Which framework applies best?
- What would each framework reveal about the situation?
- What would I do differently knowing this?

Don't lecture - ask questions that help me discover the insights myself.

I want to practice case analysis for Creative Thinking.

Give me a short business scenario (2-3 paragraphs) involving Creative Ideation, Innovation Mindset.

Then ask me:
1. What's the core problem?
2. Which frameworks from Creative Thinking apply?
3. What biases might cloud judgment here?
4. What would you recommend?

After each answer, push back on my reasoning before moving to the next question.

I'm studying Creative Thinking and need to understand these concepts deeply: Creative Ideation, Innovation Mindset.

For each concept, ask me to explain it in simple terms (as if to a child).

If my explanation is unclear or wrong, don't correct me directly. Instead:
1. Ask clarifying questions
2. Give me a scenario that tests my understanding
3. Help me refine my explanation

The Feynman technique says if you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.