"Intelligence looks for what is known to solve problems. Creativity looks for what is unknown to discover possibilities." Simon Sinek posted that on June 2, 2016.

Now, to be clear - I'm a big fan of Simon Sinek's 'Golden Circle'...'discovering and starting with your why'. In fact, I've told pretty much every business contact I've known for more than a handful of hours about the value embedded in the Golden Circle concept. And, I've written about it a number of times - link. 

With my admiration of Simon Sinek clarified...

I really struggle with his June 2^nd inspirational thought for the day...

About Simon's June 2^nd thought for the day...

I think it's wrong to presume Intelligence and Creativity are distinct concepts. I think Creativity is a subset of Intelligence. To support this thinking I go back to 'Think and Grow Rich', containing Napoleon Hill's views on what he called Synthetic Imagination and Creative Imagination. While very different in 'form', these concepts are governed/administered by thoughts (in human brains and minds)...i.e., they are forms of Intelligence. Borrowing from and expanding upon Hill's signature phrase:

What the mind can conceive and believe the mind can achieve...because the mind bears the gifts of Intelligence.

It's all about using our minds to THINK. And thinking, even in its poorest form, let alone in its creative forms, contains Intelligence. 

The June 2^nd Simon Sinek post is timely...

At a recent session, we discussed Innovation...which led to discussion of Creativity...(and in my view, quite a bunch of poorly-thought-through communications).

It is surprising to see and hear so many leaders (apparently including Simon Sinek) giving such little thought to the concept of Creativity...and, again with too little thought, so many leaders talking about and delegating work under concepts like Innovation & Creativity...often, in fact regularly, without even taking time to give quality thought to formulating prior to communicating, meaningful definitions of those words! And, in the rare instances where definitions of these words have been created they are often 'unworkable'...'un-transferable'...'un-delegatable'...i.e., destined to reach confused ears and confused minds. 

Leaders ought to remedy that problem...I mean, if they want to inspire changes for the better, leaders ought to be very clear when they talk about important things like Innovation, Creativity, Invention, and other such terms.

If we want Innovation and Creativity (and Invention) (and Possibility Thinking) (and other such things that, as the saying goes, take people's thinking out of boxes), we leaders need to give these topics the effort and study they deserve.

If you are interested in some of my thoughts on these topics, search the words 'creativity', 'innovation', 'curiosity', 'invention' and 'out of the box' at www.rickbaker.ca.

I think all of us should define these words/concepts before we use them to try to influence other people's thinking or behaviour. 

If we find our definitions falling on confused ears (and confused actions make that clear rather quickly...when we choose to follow up and observe)...if we find our definitions of words like Creativity and Innovation and Invention and Possibility Thinking falling on confused ears then we need to step back and consider the changes we need to make to remove the confusion our wording has generated.

PS:  We should avoid at virtually every opportunity the temptation to use that phrase thinking out of the box. 

As courage increases, lies decrease.

As courage decreases, lies increase and become thicker and more tangled.

The least courageous people have difficulty identifying and remembering the truth.

Even the most courageous people lie from time to time...some questions are just too painful to answer.

Today, I've been thinking about Attitudes & Struggles and how to help pessimists gain more enjoyment in life and more peace of mind. My thoughts have been laced with optimism, or, at least the optimism known to someone who has been spared some of the challenges faced by pessimists. Despite my natural pessimism (and despite much evidence to the contrary) I believe most people can change for the better. While I do not see the silver lining in every cloud, I do believe people who do the right things do find clouds with silver linings. My optimism in this area is bounded by realism...(or, at least, that’s how it seems). 

I find myself repeatedly telling people things like:

You can change for the better.

• Problems are a fact of life so we are better off facing them with all the positive attitude we can muster.
• Some problems contain opportunities and those opportunities are never seen by people who observe with victim's glasses.
• When you get knocked down, as you will throughout life, you must get back up, shake it off and press on with constructive action.
• Without problems we would have no chance to gain self-confidence let alone courage.

Yet, it seems some people are such entrenched victims. Some people's victim-attitudes are so ingrained they cannot imagine/envision achievement or success. Their perceptions are caged in never-ending, unfair confines.

When victim-thinking becomes your state of mind:

• Escape is impossible. 
• Struggle is now. 
• Failure is the future. 

We all know people who live lives filled with vicious cycles of struggle and negative-attitude. 

The question is - How can we help these people?

The answer contains many steps. 

The first step is – 

We must believe pessimistic people aren’t doomed to experience 'tough lives'.

Even when people show us over and over and over again they are unable to change for the better we must believe their thinking is temporary.