
During these unusual times, we find ourselves in unknown territory, wondering if things will ever be the same. It's tempting during this time of turmoil to look back and think we want things to return to the way they were, and to view the past with rose-tinted glasses. But looking backward is not the way forward. The only way out is through, and to get through, we need progressive thinking. The way to not just survive but thrive is to look for the solutions instead of focusing on the problems, and use necessity, the mother of invention, and the power of thought, as a motivator for creativity.
With every destruction and end, there is a chance for creations and new beginnings. What history has shown us is that an enormous amount of inventions have occurred or been sped up during recessions, wars, and plagues; to name a few: blood banks, radar technology, stainless steel, plastics, digital photography, the jet engine, the internet, theories of gravity and optics, and many more.
Our brain is a tremendously powerful instrument with its neuroplasticity - an almost magical ability for the brain to reorganize and adjust. It's times like these that we can make a choice to be positive, adaptable, and bold, so we can motivate ourselves to create better systems for ourselves post-COVID.
The foundational research of neuroscientist Dr. Paul McLean, along with other neuroscientists' research since, has helped Mastertude to categorize motivators for creativity based on brain function and to create our system of edutainment.
Key Motivators for Creativity:
Fear and survival instinct
Some people are motivated into creativity by fear in the face of perceived danger. They believe they operate best when in a threatening situation, trusting their 'gut instinct' to come up with unique solutions and strategies to get them out of it. The downside of the fear motivator is that it requires a person to be running on high alert, high adrenaline all the time, thinking of every moment as an act of survival, and constantly twisting non-threatening situations into threatening ones so they can act.
Instant gratification and emotional highs
This motivator relies on sensory pleasures to generate creativity. A person who dwells in this zone constantly seeks to recreate emotional highs and feel-good memories that satisfy the desire for immediate gratification and pain avoidance. Creativity happens on a whim or is driven by emotions. The downside of the instant gratification motivator is that projects, causes, relationships, and responsibilities are abandoned when they require persistence and patience.
Logic and reason
Some people are motivated by logic-based curiosity. Progress to these people happens in steps and stages, in an orderly, logical fashion. This motivator is all about inquiry, personal interest, analyzing information, and applying reason and logic. The downside of the logic motivator is that creativity is stunted by limited perception, and an inability to be bold and daring enough to take a leap of faith, so it is only possible for the person to improve upon existing structures.
Radical thinking and challenges
Some people are motivated creatively by radical thinking from which springs challenging tasks, spurring them into action. These individuals are altruistic, bold, confident, and reformative. They take on a purpose greater than themselves and persevere diligently until their work is recognized by society. The downside to this motivator is that it requires extreme patience and resilience, as the conventional system often considers the person to be as delusional as they are revolutionary.
All of these different motivators for creativity - fear, immediate gratification, linear thought, or radical thinking - can produce a 'eureka' moment of inventiveness. In these unconventional times when belief systems are shaken, each of these motivators could be channeled into inventing new systems to create a better earth. Old systems that are still hanging around from the dawn of the industrial revolution (such as the education system) could be reviewed and reinvented, or evolved, to be more aligned with the technological revolution.
Uncertain times like these affect people in vastly different ways; some become overwhelmed and their creativity is stifled, pushing them into a state of limbo; others distract themselves, while others go through emotional swings and paranoia. To master our moods, thoughts, feelings, actions, and dreams, we need to gain command over our brain. The brain is like any machine and it can be trained. Pythagoras stated, "No one is free who has not obtained the empire of himself. No man is free who cannot command himself."
We are endowed with the greatest power: the power of thought. 'Thought' is the essence of individuality. The flow of a person's life is centered in thinking. Thoughts are vehicles into undiscovered areas of existence and imagination. If we take command of the thoughts that inhibit our creativity - turning down the constant mental chatter that clouds our minds - then we can allow our creative imagination to roam freely.
It takes discipline and peace to know oneself. It is easy to amass the ideas of others, see how the populace is responding to a situation, and emulate this behavior - believing we are driven by our own motivations. Although the power to think is innate within us, most of the chatter in our heads belongs to other people. This time that we are living through offers a chance to break out of this pattern and create our own essence. It is an opportunity for a person to make their own unique 'mark' on this earth.
The principles of pattern-breaking can also apply to investors during these unprecedented times. In an unpredictable and volatile market, the tried and true markers that investors once used to determine if an investment was safe or not are faulty. In this uncertain market, the 'safe' investments are actually the riskiest. Investors have the chance to think in novel ways, investing in projects they generally would have considered too revolutionary. It is now these radical projects that are vital to progress. As consumers' needs change and the market shifts, it is ground-breaking inventions that are a safer bet; the one thing that is inevitable is that post COVID things are not going to be the same. Now, the world is depending on brave, optimistic, broad-minded, creative inventors and investors to create solutions.
Aristotle stated, "Excellence is never an accident. It is always the result of high intentions, sincere effort, and intelligent execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives – choice, not chance, determines your destiny."
Tumultuous periods in history, such as the one we are living through, have been the most significant moments of change and invention. For example, Mastertude is creating a radical system that will change film and education.
If those of us who are willing and able can command our brains and motivate ourselves to create, or support creations, using our gut instinct, emotional highs, logical thought, or radical thinking, we can transform this moment in time into a catalyst for incredible change.
"At last, in a flash, understanding blazes up, and the mind, as it exerts all its powers to the limit of human capacity, is flooded with light." – Plato