I am not that creative, moaned my friend when he visited my new flat, furnished with little money and a lot of creativity.

What makes you think so? Have you ever tried to be creative? You mean you have no creative flair. Let’s suppose it is true. All right, you can check the level of your creativity here. If the test comes back with a below average result [63], go on reading. If you are above, go and create, don't waste your time here.

Good news: creativity is mostly learnt. So if you are not creative just blame your education, then get down to work, and improve it. You want to be original and creative in your work?  You should try it in everyday activities, too.

Originality is based on a systematic process. Where was Buddha wrong?  He gazed at his navel for 6 years, meditating and fasting to aquire wisdom. He didn’t succeed. His breakthrough came when he overheard a musician on a passing boat speaking to his pupil. He observed, learnt and used his newly-aqcuired knowledge.

“If you tighten the string too much, it will snap. And if you leave it too loose, it won’t play. Siddharta realized that those simple words held a great truth.”

Originality grows out of existing things. Don't gaze at your navel. Look around. Observe. Find your content, your area. What do you need?

So let’s say you need a mailbox. You can go to the shop and buy one---or you can create your own. In New Zealand I saw a kind of creative mailbox competition. People used many ways to make a mailbox, from a ball to a discarded microwave oven. It was fun to walk in the streets.

So come up with a new idea of mailbox. Do some research, learn. In this case just think about: what is big enough and hollow to bear the task of a mailbox. Analyse the subject to identify new ways of doing things.

Tweak it. Make connections between unrelated things. Discuss with others. Brainstorming with friends is very effective, especially if you have some pancakes at hand. Good occasion to come up with new flavours, anyway. Experiment, try and test. Sometimes restrictions, like lack of time, money, or space inspire the best ideas. I wanted to keep my old clothes (as they come into fashion in every 20 years), but didn't have room to store them. I bought eight funny cushion cases, and my old clothes serve as cushion fillings. The cushions look great on my sofa.

All in all, being creative is just about working in a systematic way. But! Creativity should not become hard work. It requires a lot of playfulness. Take it easy! Rather play with ideas than sweat. You can start with simple things like decorating your pen. Of course it is more challenging to find new ways for old functions.

Writing and making learning materials also require a lot of creativity. Just start the same way: think about what you want to deliver, then tweak and tease. Don't copy or repeat what is already found somewhere. Don't be boring. Add your own creativity, the spark, which will make your units worth reading, beacuse they provide a new approach, or clarity, or simply fun. Find new formats to your content. Revisit them and improve. Be diferent from others. Be original!

Do! Practice makes the master.