8 examples of creativity and innovative thinking

Several examples of creative thinking, some of which have changed history.

Creativity is undoubtedly one of the most valued skills today, both in the workplace and on a personal level. It is an ability that allows changes to be made with respect to what has gone before, for better or for worse.

But... what is creativity, and can we think of someone who is one to help us understand it? In order to answer this last question, in this article we will look at examples of creativity. we will look at examples of creativitymany of them great geniuses and historical figures of great relevance whose abilities meant a change in different fields.

What do we call creativity?

Before going on to see some examples of creative people and how they have used such creativity, it is advisable to first establish what we can consider this concept to imply.

In a general way, we can consider creativity as the cognitive capacity that allows us to create or generate novel and original ideas, thoughts or strategies, which differ from the usual strategies or strategies of other people.Although they may be based on fragments of reality and experience, they differ from the typical procedures that have been used so far or that have been learned through experience.

One of the elements on which this ability is based is lateral thinking, i.e. the ability to leave the established or learned throughout life to generate something new and different: to generate possible and viable options even though they are not among those that are given to us beforehand.

This capacity is one of the most relevant and valued at a social level, since it allows the generation of new procedures, products and services. This capacity is one of the most relevant and valued at a social level, as it allows the generation of new procedures, products and ways of doing that drive development and allow learning and improvement of the personal and socio-cultural situation. In fact, having a high creative capacity is one of the main criteria required to consider that a person has traits of genius.

Great examples of creativity

Having defined the concept of creativity in a generic way, we can now look at a series of eight examples of highly creative people and how they have applied their skills in different fields.

1. Leonardo Da Vinci

Undoubtedly, a list that talks about great examples of creativity cannot miss Leonardo Da Vinci, one of the historical figures and considered a genius whose creativity continues to amaze today. Leonardo Da Vinci stands out in many of the branches of the arts and scienceHe was a genius in the fields of painting, sculpture, chemistry, medicine, mathematics and even physics.

Among many other contributions, let us cite a few: at the technological level, this genius developed prototypes of the ornithopter, (his well-known flying machine of the(his well-known flying machine similar in appearance to today's hang gliders) and even submarines.

On an artistic level, some of his paintings are "La Gioconda" or "The Last Supper", and on a medical level, his detailed descriptions and drawings of human anatomy stand out. All this speaks of a great creativity in multiple domains, something especially praiseworthy in the era in which he lived.

2. Charles Darwin

An example of a historical figure who stood out for his ability to elaborate and synthesize one of the most relevant theories in the study of life and living beings: the theory of evolution.

Although today this theory is something we take for granted, at that time it was a challenge to the majority beliefs about how we appeared in the world, of a mystical-religious nature. Although his was not the only evolutionary theory (for example, Lamarck's theory is also well known), undoubtedly its development and the studies that this man carried out are highly creative, original, and different from what was generally accepted at the time.

3. Albert Einstein

Another great genius whose work has required high creativity, Albert Einstein is highly regarded as one of the most brilliant physicists of modernity. His studies on Brownian motion and especially the creation of the theory of relativity were not only brilliant but also a paradigm shift in the world of physics.

4. Nikola Tesla

Another great and highly creative genius, Nikola Tesla was an engineer and inventor and his contributions have helped to change the world: the alternating current motor (and the Tesla coil) and his theoretical studies on electromagnetic fields alone have changed technology. have changed the technology technology available to us today.

To him and other great historical figures such as Thomas Edison we owe much of the technological advances that led to the Second Industrial Revolution, including the popularization of the use of electric power.

5. Sigmund Freud

Although psychoanalysis is an often criticized and controversial theoretical current, it is undoubtedly one of the most important theories of psychoanalysis. one of the most creative and original theories of the psyche.It was a revolution thanks to which the science of psychology and psychiatry has advanced greatly.

Although his theory is often criticized for the fact that it is neither falsifiable nor empirically testable, the truth is that it has helped a great number of people throughout history and has allowed the emergence of other theoretical currents.

The discovery of the unconscious and the theoretical development of psychic structures, the theories of psychosexual development and studies on hysteria were completely groundbreaking in his time, as well as his treatment and interest in the sexual field and the study of drives and repressions (it is necessary to remember that he was born in the Victorian era, in which there was a very high sexual repression, especially regarding female sexuality).

6. Galileo Galilei

Although he had to disavow himself in order to survive, Galileo Galilei was a man whose thought, although he inherited some traditions and thoughts, had the courage and originality to break with the Aristotelian theories and to propose heliocentrism at a time when such a break could have meant execution. In fact he is considered one of the fathers of modern astronomy, and his works were source of inspiration for the Copernican Revolution and the development of other great scientific theories. and the development of other great scientific theories.

7. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Perhaps one of the areas where creativity can be seen the most is in the arts. One of the most famous musicians of all time, his great creativity and genius were already visible from his earliest childhood and would be so throughout his life. and would be so throughout his life.

Even in his later years he composed great works, despite being seriously ill and losing popularity. Even the great Beethoven was inspired by him (another great creative genius, who even after losing his hearing continued to compose some very important works).

8. Pablo Picasso

The art world also has a great number of highly creative geniuses. Among them we highlight some like Salvador Dalí or Pablo Picasso. The latter was co-founder of the pictorial style known as cubism, as well as one of the pioneers in the use of collage (along with Braque).

Bibliographical references:

• Johnson, D. M. (1972). Systematic introduction to the psychology of thinking. Harper & Row.
• Monreal, C. A. (2000). What is creativity. Madrid: Biblioteca Nueva.