Super Book Review: Your Creative Brain- Seven Steps to Maximize Imagination, Productivity, and Innovation in Your Life
One of the best books on creativity and for creativity. A creativity workbook for creatives and people who think they are non-creatives.
Title | Your Creative Brain |
---|---|
Subtitle | Seven Steps to Maximize Imagination, Productivity, and Innovation in Your Life |
Author | Shelley Carson PhD |
Chapters | 13 plus 3 Appendices |
Pages | 292 core + 370 total |
1st Published | 2010 Harvard Health Publications |
Single Sentence Summary:
Your Creative Brain by Shelley Carson provides practical exercises to help strengthen creative muscles and unlock potential, enabling readers to utilize CREATES brainsets- Connect, Reason, Envision, Absorb, Transform, Evaluate and Stream to improve productivity, increase creativity, and inspire innovation.
Is This Book For Me?
"We all are creative. The CREATES brainsets teach us 7 different ways to increase our creativity."
This book is for you if...
- you seek change
- desire more creativity
- care about your future
- are interested in neurocognition
- love life
- are willing to improve your life with action
If you DON'T want to improve your life you can stop reading right now.
Explain It To Me Briefly:
Dr Shelley Carson explains the science behind how we use our creativity. She mixes her experience with neuroscience and useful tips on how to improve our productivity by tapping into our creative potential.
We all are creative. The CREATES brainsets teach us 7 different ways to increase our creativity.
Carson explains how the brain's neural pathways work in detail. This gives readers a good understanding of how ideas come together. She also covers topics such as improving problem-solving skills, cultivating creativity and developing self-discipline.
What I found particularly helpful was all the exercises at the end of each chapter. When you read this book make sure to do the first test to find out your dominant creative brainset. Brainsets are different than mindsets.
I thought this book was both interesting and creative-making. Carson's style is easy to read and understand, making it a good choice for anyone who wants to learn more about their creative abilities and how to use them in new ways. I would definitely recommend it!
"I would definitely recommend it!"
-JaRViS-AI
Super Short Review:
The CREATES framework developed by Dr. Shelley Carson is based on the latest neuroscience research that suggests tapping into our creative potential will lead to greater success and fulfillment in our personal and professional lives.
The 7 CREATES brainsets:
- Connect
- Reason
- Envision
- Absorb
- Transform
- Evaluate
- Stream
The 7 CREATES brainsets help us develop our creativity.
The 7 CREATES Brainsets (Stream is Flow)
- Connect is about converging ideas from multiple angles - bringing together disparate pieces of information to build a new idea or solution.
- Reason helps one analyze data and apply logical thinking to foster innovative problem-solving.
- Envision is focused on creating mental pictures and exploring the limitless possibilities of ideas.
- Absorb involves impressing information into your memory so it's readily available when needed.
- Transform draws upon emotional intelligence to create meaningful change through personal adaptation strategies and interactive training techniques.
- Evaluate encourages self-assessment of performance outcomes for better understanding of strengths and weaknesses in order to move forward with projects more efficiently.
- Stream facilitates fluency of ideas with strong communication practices that create new levels of creativity through storytelling. Can be called Flow.
This Book Is Super Because:
Your Creative Brain: Seven Steps to Maximize Imagination, Productivity, and Innovation in Your Life is super because it provides readers with a comprehensive roadmap to unlock their creative potential.
The CREATES framework developed by Dr. Shelley Carson covers all the bases, from learning how to convert ideas from multiple angles and analyze data logically, to practicing effective communication techniques that facilitate fluency of ideas.
Furthermore, the book features practical advice on cultivating creativity, developing self-discipline, and improving problem-solving skills.
The end of each chapter has great exercises to develop ALL your CREATES powers! Increased creativity is a superpower for superconsumers.
The tips are backed by neuroscience-backed information for a comprehensive understanding of how ideas come together. With this book, readers will be well-equipped with the knowledge to make their creativity soar!
Overall, this book is an excellent resource for those looking to discover and maximize their creative potential. It provides a practical, easy-to-understand approach to honing and using one's creativity - perfect for anyone who is eager to improve their life!
Each chapter covers one of the CREATES brainsets and includes the specific areas of the brain activated. The book actually TEACHES YOU HOW TO BE CREATIVE!
This book has lots of helpful exercises for artists and other creatives. It also breaks down the belief that one is not talented. We are all creative.
"Thanks for reading this book review on Your Creative Brain: Seven Steps to Maximize Imagination, Productivity, and Innovation in Your Life by Dr. Shelley Carson! I hope you found it interesting and inspiring. If you're interested in unlocking your creative potential, this is definitely a great book for you. With its comprehensive CREATES framework and insightful advice, it's sure to help you achieve success!
Best of luck with your journey!"
About The Author Shelley Carson, PhD
Quoted From: shelleycarson.com/about
My formal education began in Prairie Village, Kansas (where I learned to read and write) and ended at Harvard University (where I received a PhD in psychology). However, the journey in between took half a century; you’re never too old to go back to school and follow your dream! Along the way I’ve had the opportunity to travel extensively (as a flight attendant and erstwhile vagabond) and raise two wonderful children (definitely an education in itself). And of course my informal education is still a work in progress!
I am fortunate enough to have a career I find so exciting that I can’t wait to get going on my work each day! I teach and conduct research at Harvard on the topics of creativity and psychopathology. And, since 2006, I’ve also served as a senior subject matter expert for the Department-of-Defense project afterdeployment.org, which provides innovative online mental health assistance to service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
I’m delighted to share with you some of the latest research about creativity in my new book Your Creative Brain. I hope you’ll enjoy the book! Please come visit me on my website shelleycarson.com and follow me on Twitter @ DrShelleyCarson.
Curious about how we review books?
Check out our Super Book Review Guide
More Super Book Reviews
- Evolve Your Brain by Dr Joe Dispenza
- Talent Is Overrated by Geoff Colvin
- Collaborative Intelligence by Dawna Markova and Angie McArthur
Comments ()