BREAKING THE MOLD BY LOGAN ROMAINE
We have been programmed to think, act, and learn in a monotonous manner. This suppresses our ability to think for ourselves and formulate creative solutions that are outside of the box. Without questioning the process, the innate creativity that we all posses remains wasted.
In order to Break the Mold we must apply the strategies of the creative mindset and seek out challenging opportunities.
The real world that exists outside of the college bubble is ambiguous. We must train ourselves to be ok with uncertainty. The traditional educational process lays out everything we need to do without empowering us with the desire to figure it out for ourselves. Seek out unfamiliar and challenging opportunities in order to become comfortable with ambiguity.
We have been trained into rejecting failure. We must learn from our failures and ask questions in order to better ourselves. By rejecting our failures, we only foster the same mistakes that will lead to future failures. Embrace the failure and determine the cause by asking questions.
It is almost impossible to gain a deeper understanding of the information we have learned without artifacting. If we do not make use of the knowledge we absorb, the knowledge in our minds is worthless if we cannot show it to someone else. Get your hands dirty and turn your knowledge into a product to enhance understanding.
We are used to completing an assignment for the sole purpose of completion. We must create iterations of our products to achieve the highest quality of work. There have been countless instances in my life where I have submitted my ‘final product’ just minutes after completion. The mindset of turning in the first idea that comes to mind prevents us from reaching the best possible outcome, and instills a sense of complacency in students. The first right answer is never the best one. Iterate, iterate, iterate.
We have a tendency to only look inwards when solving a problem. We must allow ourselves to take on a greater perspective by empathizing with all affected by the problem at hand instead of only considering our own emotions and opinions. Ask questions and relate your own emotions to other’s experiences.
The educational process is typically perceived as an individual journey. In most classes, we are steered away from collaboration for the fear that one will not figure it out for themselves. When coming up with a creative solution for a problem it is critical to consult with peers to obtain differing insight. Every individual has had different experiences and opportunities that define their ideas, character, and opinions. By collaborating we can learn from others what we cannot learn in a classroom. Meet new people, ask for feedback, and learn from the experience.
If we simply follow the process laid out for us, we become sheep in our society and limit our ability to think for ourselves. We will spend our lives working and implementing the creative solutions created by others. By implementing the concepts of the creative mindset, we enable ourselves to think outside of the box and question the process which we are expected to conform to.
