Tina Seelig

We can challenge ourselves every single day.

The more we take on problems, the more confident and proficient we become at solving them. And the better able we are to see them as opportunities.

We draw imaginary lines around what we think we can do—lines that often limit us much more than the rules imposed by society at large.

We always make our own prisons, with rules that we each create for ourselves, locking us into specific roles and out of an endless array of possibilities.

if others think your ideas are crazy, then you must be on the right track.

The Invention Cycle
• Imagination is envisioning things that do not exist.
• Creativity is applying imagination to address a challenge.
• Innovation is applying creativity to generate unique solutions.

Imagination is envisioning things that do not exist. This requires curiosity, engagement, and the ability to conceive of ideas in your mind. This natural skill is influenced by your experiences, both real and fictional. Therefore, the more diverse your inputs, including travel, books, cuisines, music, and films, the more robust your imagination.

Creativity is applying imagination to address a challenge. Creative ideas fill a specific need and are manifest in the world. They are new ideas to you, but not necessarily new to others. It is important to distinguish between imagination and creativity. It’s imaginative to fill your thoughts with scenes of the seashore, and it’s creative to apply your imagination to paint a picture of the scene.

Mark Runco and Garrett Jaeger of the Torrance Creativity Center

Original things must be effective to be creative.”