In 2018 Annual Conference

By: Vicki Pleus, APR, CPRC – Volusia/Flagler Chapter

Tim Walsh, Fearless Leader, The Playmakers (www.theplaymakers.com)

  • What do these three have in common?
    • Car, tree, elephant àTrunk!
    • Florida, locksmith, piano? àKeys

28 years ago Tim introduced this game, Tribond, at the Toy Fair, 1990 in New York City. People did not get it! Not a solid start to his creative endeavor.

  • Do you think you are very creative?
  • Somewhat creative?
  • Not creative?

We all create all the time and don’t realize we are doing it.

Creativity: The process of having original ideas that have value – Ken Robinson.

Creativity is not a moment in time. It’s a dimmer switch you can turn up.

It’s a process. Creativity is conception; it’s not birth.

He worked to pitch TriBond to Good Morning America. A host there loved trivia games…Tim pursued, and sent a game to a producer. He was persistent! The game was played all morning long. Hosts played it for 4 minutes, value of $2 million of exposure.

CREATIVITY HACK #1 – Remain persistent.

Creativity is a process. “Show up.” – Steven King (quote about persistence)

CREATIVITY HACK #2 – Value.

CEOs polled – creativity is the number one thing needed.

WHY DO WE CREATE?

  • To move ourselves or others
  • To communicate ideas
  • To solve problems

Keep these three in focus if you want to do your most creative work.

How can you apply these three to things you do in PR, like writing a news release?

Focus on the “WHY” you are creating

Focus on the WHYs…

CREATIVITY HACK #3: CREATE A BOUNDARY OF SPACE AND TIME

Understand how “checking social media” can interfere in a boundary of space.

  • Set a boundary of time…a start and finish

CREATIVITY HACK #4: FIND FLOW

“Flow is a state of optimal experience and heightened focus when you’re stretched to your limits in an effort to accomplishment something difficult and worthwhile.”

What’s happening in FLOW?

  1. Intense focus
  2. Diminished sense of self
    1. Forget to eat, forget to sleep, brain does not tell you to eat!
    2. The voice that tells you to stop goes away
  3. Deep, effortless involvement
  4. Altered sense of time
  5. Sense of control

Book by Steven Kotler – who goes into flow the most? (Book: The Rise of Superman)

  • In flow, the prefrontal cortex of your brain slows down
  • PLANNING: You must know the goal to get into flow; and your TEAM must know where you’re going, too
  • EMOTION: Calm like a lake. Emotion is shut down in flow.
  • PERCEPTION OF TIME: time gets wonky!

Extreme sports athletes can turn on flow easily. They focus, find a way to silence the inner critic.

FINDING FLOW

  1. Boundary of space
  2. Boundary of time
  3. Clear, realistic goals
    1. Shot of dopamine in the brain!
    2. Focus on why
      1. To move our selves or others
      2. To communicate ideas
  • To solve problems
  1. Are you pointing at goals you want? If not, you will get sidetracked
  1. Immediate feedback
  2. Challenge level need to be > or = your skill level at that task
    1. The challenge skill ratio (see graphic)

Book: Right Brain Red: 7 Ideas for Creative Success

CREATIVITY HACK #5: Look outside your industry.

Looking outside your world is a power way to create something.

CREATIVITY HACK #6: BREAK A RULE

  • Cliché, but true!
  • Some of the biggest kickstarter campaigns are for board games…they are not dead; the internet didn’t kill card and board games

CREATIVITY HACK #7: SERVE SOMEONE

  • Serve others and show them your value through that

Suggestion: Best games for adults

  • Apples to Apples
  • Monopoly

 

 

 

 

 

 

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