Watch Out! These Habits Can Kill Creativity and Self-Development

Each of us has our own unique habits that make us different us from everyone else in the organisation. For example, you might spot your next-door colleague always plays with her pen when she is thinking seriously, or the coworker in front of you who talks endlessly when they are stressed. Some of you might also notice some funny, inspiring, even weird habits your workmates do if you pay close attention to the office environment.

But let’s look at ourselves, what kind of habit do you possess? Does the habit make you creative? Is it beneficial for your development? Or do you have a habit that lower your self-efficiency?

See also: 3 Simple Processes to Do Things You Don’t Want To Do

If you have habits that help you grow, it is great. Yet, if it is the other way around, your habit might not only hinder you from development but also kills your creativity. Now let’s get to know some habits that you should eliminate right away…

Habit of having a “fixed mindset”

Having a fixed mindset sometimes prevent us from doing great things as we fail to see a better opportunity. Fixed mindset also constantly talks to us not to do something in a state of fear of failure. Hence, instead of pushing you forward to having and leveraging your ability to grow, the fixed mindset will only hinder your way.

Therefore, if you tend to think in a fixed way, change your mindset to a growth mindset. Growth mindset is when you believe that intelligence can be developed. You should understand that everything is possible if you are taking action on your goals seriously. 

Habit of multitasking

Multitasking is bad for attention, memory, productivity and creative thinking. Your attention switches from one problem to another because you can’t concentrate on a particular problem at one time. And every time you switch tasks, you lose processing speed and accuracy. In addition, creativity cannot be done if we constantly switching our focus to one task and another. Because creativity needs our full attention to fully understand ideas that result in new associations and perspective.

Habit of analysis paralysis

Analysis paralysis is described as an individual who is thinking too much about a situation which can cause forward motion or decision-making failure. The problem is your brain cannot take much information at a time. Overdose information stored to your brain will only hinder you to take real action and stop you from being productive which eventually will slow your thinking progress.

Habit of “too” logical thinking

Remember the famous apophthegm from Albert Einstein?

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution.”

That said, creative ideas cannot be born in an environment limited by logic and rationally of knowledge. Oftentimes, when you let logic think a way out, you don’t get any creative ideas outcomes as logic will stifle your creativity and blinds you to essential insights of different analysis.

Habit of copying others

More than a hundred times, people said that “they cross this road then I will cross the same road too” – not knowing that everyone has a different destination. Different individuals have different skill sets, goals, and vision. Additionally, if you just copy someone else boldly, you cannot explore your own way which hinders your own thinking to be creative.

“Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That’s because they were able to connect experiences they’ve had and synthesize new things.” – Steve Jobs

Moreover, albeit you have the same goal as your role model, it does not mean you should follow your role model because the way you accomplish things are different from theirs. A simple example, your idol use their own money to build their business. But you don’t have that much money to run a startup. Then, should you to stop and continue working 9-5 till you get the money needed? No, right? You need to go with your own standard and method. You should utilise a strategy that suits your own condition.

Habit of doubting yourself

Do you believe that each individual has a touch of creativity? Yes? No? 

You should know that everyone is born to be a creative person, said Michael Kirton, a renowned British psychologist. Constantly thinking that you are not creative is what makes you uncreative. This habit will gradually block every bit of creative mind you’ve got. Additionally, ignorance is the biggest mistake that keeps you away from the creative process. So, creativity is actually a choice – whether to embrace your creative self or to barricade yourself from it. You choose! 

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