Do you want to be more creative? I think we all do, deep down inside; let’s be honest. And while I’m being open, I’ll also admit to wishing I was taller and better at physics. But let’s focus on what’s achievable. And that’s creativity. We all have great creative potential; it’s just a matter of identifying it, and tapping into it. For some, ideas hit sporadically and unexpectedly, while others generate new and exciting ideas each and every day in their jobs. No matter where you sit on the scale, there are things we can all do to think more creatively. So as we make our way through 2015, and as more and more businesses value the power of creative ideas, here are a few tips to help encourage you.

1. IDENTIFY YOUR PASSIONS

Creativity is fuelled by passion. So, identify the things you’re most passionate about. What topic do you find yourself reading dozens of articles about? What’s an activity you can do for hours on end, without ever getting bored? What’s an artform you wish you could create, or a skill you’d love to possess? Identify what fires you up and start there. You’ll get the most motivation when you care about what you’re working on. I’m not guaranteeing you’ll be able to transform your shower rendition of Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” into a #1 iTunes hit, but go ahead and try, by all means. Creativity is good for the soul, so even if you don’t get any downloads you’ll still benefit from the process. Or, if you tell me your favourite thing to do is ‘sit on the couch, drink beer, and watch football’ I would say there are heaps of yet-to-be-invented projects and gadgets in the areas of sport, relaxation, technology and booze. Whatever your passions are, follow them. We are the most creative when we love what we’re doing.

2. OPEN YOUR IMAGINATION

All of the world’s best innovations and creations have one thing in common: they all began with an idea. Whether it was a passing comment, a thought, a hope or a dream, someone, somewhere, asked: ‘What if’ or ‘Imagine if I could’ or ‘How cool would it be to’. From Facebook’s conception, to the ground-breaking iPhone 3 in 2009, or even the invention of Pringles in a can, they all started with an idea. And dreaming up ideas is a fundamental part of the creative process. As we grow older we shut down our imagination. All too often, when we notice ourselves drifting off into fairyland, we snap ourselves back into reality. I’m saying ‘Open your imagination. Explore ideas. Daydream. And dream big.’ And write it all down. For all you know, a note you jot down this afternoon could change your entire future.

3. CREATE YOUR OWN INSPIRATION

In order to foster inner creative motivation, surround yourself with things that inspire you, to get motivated from the outside. The best place to set up external inspiration is your workspace, where you spend endless hours answering emails, preparing campaign budgets and chatting on Facebook messenger (oh come on, we all do it). In addition to stock-standard desk features like cup-a-soup sachets and family photos, add things to your computer space that get you excited. Next to my Mac I have the autobiographies of Jerry Seinfeld and Ellen DeGeneres, some Facebook merchandise, and a Boo toy (yes, now you know what to buy me for my birthday). So, what do you love? Find ways to represent your passions and build them into your work space. I promise it will help.

4. INVEST TIME INTO BEING CREATIVE

Sometimes brilliant ideas hit us at the most inconvenient times – trekking through the Amazon without a pen and paper, driving in our car on the freeway, or in the middle of karaoke sessions in the shower. It’s true – we can’t always control when creative ideas hit – but with practice, we can become more creative, more of the time, which means we can be more prepared for our own creativity. Of course, the way we each express and explore creativity differs but just like practice helps us become better athletes and better cookie-eaters, practice also helps us become more creative. In his book Rewire Your Brain, Dr John B. Arden says the more often we bring about a certain state, the greater the likelihood that state will develop into a trait. I believe this can totally be applied to creativity. The more you work your creative muscle, the stronger it gets and the more naturally ideas will flow. So, be prepared to always capture them. Record them in a voice memo, type them into your phone, email them to yourself, or write them on a restaurant napkin using a stranger’s eyeliner; just get them out. This won’t just make space for other ideas to come in, but as you collect lists of ideas, you’ll gain more confidence in your own creativity. Sure, they won’t all be ‘Pringles in a can’ quality, but there will certainly be a few gems!

Jordana Borensztajn is a creative consultant, humourist, speaker and writer. She loves creativity, online content and new Apple products. Tweet her any time at @JordanaOZ. This piece originally appeared on LinkedIn.

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