"Creativity is seeing what everyone else sees but thinking what no one else has thought."

Creativity is about looking at the same world as everyone else but coming up with ideas that nobody else has considered. It's about taking the ordinary and making it extraordinary by thinking differently.

Let's go back in time to the invention of the telephone. Everyone communicated via letters or telegraphs, which was the norm back then. People saw and experienced the same things in terms of communication limitations. But Alexander Graham Bell thought about these problems in a new way. He imagined a device that could transmit voices over wires. While everyone else saw the current communication methods as the only options, Bell saw a need and thought of a novel solution.

Consider the world of advertising today. Think of the famous example of the "Got Milk?" campaign. Before this campaign, milk advertisements were pretty straightforward—focused on health benefits and how milk was good for you. The California Milk Processor Board, however, saw the same market data and consumer behavior as everyone else but thought differently. They came up with a simple yet powerful phrase that turned the industry on its head and made people think about milk in a new way. The result? A catchy slogan that stuck in people's minds and significantly boosted milk sales.

Now, how can you apply this kind of creative thinking in your own life? Start by questioning the status quo. If you're working on a project at your job and everyone is approaching it in the same old way, take a step back. Look at the problem from different angles. Ask yourself, "What haven't we tried yet?" or "Is there a completely different way to approach this?" This isn't about reinventing the wheel every time but about being open to new possibilities and daring to think differently.

Picture this: You’re at work, part of a team tasked with increasing customer engagement. Everyone's suggesting typical solutions: more social media posts, a new ad campaign, maybe a customer loyalty program. But you’re stuck on this idea of humanizing the brand—really making customers feel connected on a personal level. What if you proposed a series of behind-the-scenes videos showing the people behind the products, sharing their stories, their passions? It's not a groundbreaking idea, but it’s different from what's on the table, and it could resonate deeply with your audience.

Imagine you're a teacher trying to make history lessons more engaging for your students. Most educators might use textbooks, lectures, and maybe the occasional documentary. But what if you thought outside the box? What if you turned your classroom into a living history museum? You could have students dress up in period costumes, act out historical events, and even recreate significant moments through interactive projects. It's the same material everyone else is teaching, but you're presenting it in a way that's unique and memorable.

In essence, creativity is about daring to think differently and challenging the norm. It's not always about coming up with something that's never been seen before. Sometimes, it's about seeing what everyone else sees but finding a new way to approach it. So next time you're faced with a problem or a project, ask yourself—what can I see that others might miss? How can I think in a way that nobody else has thought? That’s where true creativity lies.