The following six brilliant achievements are seemingly unrelated, but there is a tie that binds them.

The World Wide Web

The Word Processor

The I-Mac

Office 355

Facebook

Google

So, what connects these six achievements? The answer is that they all started in the creator’s imagination. These six technical innovations and every other innovation were either invented or improved upon, by individuals using their imagination. At some point, a creative spark ignited, leading to so many priceless innovations.

It is through creative thinking that we have solved some of history’s most vexing scientific, medical, engineering and technological problems. We’ve found clever solutions that have immeasurably improved peoples’ lives around the world. That is the power and the importance of creative thinking for any entrepreneur.

But survey after survey proves that many people are just not achieving their creative potential. For example in 2012, the Silicon Valley software firm Adobe surveyed 5,000 people and published a report titled ‘Global Creativity Gap.’ According to the findings, most people around the world know creativity is crucial to economic expansion, the development of society and their personal growth.

There were many other fascinating outcomes of the survey but the key one, for me, was this.

Creativity is not happening anywhere near as often as it could or should. While 80% of respondents felt we all have the potential to be creative, they also stated that they spend only a third of their time being creative, and only 25% felt they were living up to their creative potential.

Now, imagine if we can move that 25% figure up to 50%. Think what we could achieve — things like the fantastic, world-changing innovations. More importantly, what to others might seem like small innovations for you could be life-altering. What is stopping us from achieving this 50%?

Killing the myth

Well, I think there are several inhibitors which block our ability to become more creative. And at the top of this list are education and work. Through the education system that you and I went through, and your work environment, we have been ‘told’ that creativity is not that important.  And subconsciously most of us have been taught to use mainly one side of our brain — the left side.

The right side of the brain is associated with things like creativity, imagination, and intuition, whilst the left side is associated with things like planning, logic, and rationality.

Therefore, the argument goes that ‘left-brain people’ are more logical in their thinking, rather than imaginative, and simply cannot be all that creative. And for many people, they believe this thinking as it has been ingrained into them from when they were young

But let’s kill this myth and if you think you have been using the left side of the brain for the most time, I have some good news. The brain’s right hemisphere is not a separate organ, working in isolation from the left hemisphere.

Creativity is a whole-brain process.

For example, a brilliant idea that pops into your mind and appears to solve a problem can be experimented with, visualized, integrated with other ideas and ultimately developed into a possible solution. That's the right hemisphere part.

Now, to do something about that possible solution requires different specialized mental processes, and these, by and large, are located in the left hemisphere. Assessing the proposed solution to determine whether it represents a viable solution to the real problem makes use of our rational processes of analysis and logic.

The role of the right hemisphere is essential to the creative process. But, it supplies only half of the thinking needed to realize the full creative process. We also need the left hemisphere and both halves of the limbic system to optimize creative output. This is where we start to become inventive: when we begin translating these creative thoughts into action.

So, how do you make creativity a whole brain process if you have been told since you were young that you are really not that creative? Basically, how do I start to use the right side of my brain more?

Fire up your imagination

The number one thing you need to do is to fire up your imagination, which will lead to sparks of creativity that will revolutionise your life as an entrepreneur in so many positive ways. And how do fuel your imagination? - you simply need to be more curious and seek to increase your knowledge.

You see, without extending our knowledge, our ability to see things not as they are, but as they might be, is greatly hindered. How can you think of innovative new ways to solve a technical problem, design an innovative website or app, or set up a new digital agency if you keep coming back to tired old ideas?

Strive to increase your knowledge, every single day. Reading is obviously key, whether you turn to books, newspapers, blogs, tweets, websites, Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook posts — all will increase your knowledge. And rather than following things you’re currently interested in, try delving into areas that will challenge your conventional thinking. One tweet or post about something new could be the catalyst that sparks your imagination.

If reading is not your thing, then watch TED Talks, webcasts, documentaries, and films, or listen to podcasts, radio programmes or audiobooks. Go to art galleries, museums, book festivals, bookshops, conferences, lectures and public seminars to get new ideas and perspectives.

By doing this, you will challenge your existing thinking, so that when you’re presented with a new opportunity you will not automatically revert back to what you already know. Your mind will go in the direction of a more creative solution. If you can increase your knowledge of new subjects or further challenges, your imagination is more likely to flourish.

I think that one of the most important benefits of being a more curious person is that you will become open-minded to new ideas and interests. And this is when your imagination can really get to work!

Firing up your curiosity will allow your imagination to be the spark that ignites your creativity, leading you to exciting, innovative new ideas ready to be put into action. You are a fantastic creative machine with far more creative potential just waiting to burst out.

Being more creative in all areas of your life is probably one of the most important and exciting things you can ever do to become a successful entrepreneur!