2 Approaches to Creativity

One approach is result-oriented, the other is resource-oriented. Let's have a look-see at what each entails.

Result-oriented

You want to make something particular. You make a list of what's available to you right here right now in order to create it. There will be many options even with a very limited set of resources. Your skill in using said resources is also a resource to be aware of. Based on what's on your list, you select what you are willing to try and see what happens.

Learning to recognize what resources are actually available to you past the obvious is something that comes with effort and practice. I can draw from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire to illustrate this point. "...he advises Harry to play to his strengths, nodding when Harry muses aloud "Quidditch." Harry realizes through this conversation that he must fly past the dragon, and therefore he must have his Firebolt broomstick. He and Hermione spend the rest of the day and night practicing the summoning charm, "Accio!"" That realization right there (though it was purposefully elicited) is a big part of the result-oriented approach to creativity. I assume there will be at least some of you who are not too, if at all, familiar with Potter lore, so I'll explain: the idea here is that Harry would essentially be led into an enclosure containing a dragon and an egg it's guarding with nothing but his clothes and his wand with the task to retrieve the dragon's egg.

Resource-oriented

You have something. What can you do with that something? The something can be a set of items, tools, and/or skills. The result is irrelevant, or, rather, a surprise, if you will. You are an experimenter who wants to see what comes out of this or that combination of resources. There's a lot of "what if" questions involved in this approach.

This is basically what any kid engaged in open-ended play is doing. How high can I stack these blocks? What'll happen if I put glue here? What if I dunk it in water? As an adult, you may need to spend a bit more time coming up with ideas of what to try simply because most of us don't have a habit of engaging in open-ended play, one, and two, we can rather easily predict the outcome of stuff like "what if I dunk it in water." Don't be afraid to let a goal emerge in the process when you decide to turn whatever it is into, say, a wearable item, or a sheep, or what have you. That doesn't mean you've suddenly messed up the approach and gone into result-oriented territory.

That said...

In order for creative flow to happen, you need to learn to get rid of "criteria" that are actually abstract adjectives. If your desired result is a "pretty basket," revise it until it's stripped down to "basket." Add specific descriptions such as "heavy" or "small" if you must, but leave all the abstract stuff out. The phrase it is what it is is your friend. You can work on improving your specific creation or your skill set later when and if you decide to.

Feel free to use this as a mental exercise too. Imagining how you might go about making something specific out of what's in front of you or what you can do with this or that resource is a great way to prepare for creative problem solving in the future and generally jog your brain to keep it nice and supple by playing with ideas and learning a thing or two in the process.