Fredrik Härén's Blog, page 7
August 22, 2024
Build your perfect office. (Episode 224)
Here’s a video with a message about investing time and energy to create the perfect office for you.
(Okay, I admit, the main reason I made this video is that I bought a drone a few days ago and really wanted to film my office 😀 But I think the message about creating the perfect space for your creativity to thrive is really important, so I hope this video will inspire you to do that.)
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLL8R5wdOJ4
//www.fredrikharen.com/catalog/uploads/2024/08/The-perfect-office.mp4The post Build your perfect office. (Episode 224) first appeared on The Creativity Explorer.
August 14, 2024
Burn old ideas, burn! (Episode 223)
A few months ago, the house that I used as storage for my book “The Idea Book” burnt down in a fire. All the books went up in flames!
I took it as a positive sign.
A sign that I should move on.
The book has served me really well. It has sold 250,000 copies (not bad for a self-published book), been translated to, I think, 17 languages and was included in “The 100 Best Business Books of All Time” etc. It was still selling well years after it came out. And most importantly I have hundreds and hundreds of amazing stories from people who have told me how much the book has helped them become more creative.
But I am now done with that book.
The fire sent me the message that I should let the book go, to push me to start writing a new book. A book that, I hope, will become even more successful, and help even more people.
Like an “idea phoenix”, creativity can obtain new life for a new idea by rising from the ashes of an old one.
Sometimes we need to kill one idea to give us space for an even better one to emerge.
What idea do you need to (metaphorically!) set on fire and turn into ashes so that you can move on to an even better idea?
[image error]
A picture of the cover of a book burnt in the fire, and a picture of the fire itself.
Would love to know your thoughts. Post your comment on LinkedIn.
The post Burn old ideas, burn! (Episode 223) first appeared on The Creativity Explorer.
August 8, 2024
Lucid Dream Ideation (Episode 222)
This morning I had a magical creative moment. I was half-asleep, half-awake and I started brainstorming with myself in a dream like state about ways to create a memory for my dad on my island.
I played along with different ideas while being in a state of half-asleep. The ideas flowed in and out of my brain. And this idea came to me:
“Hang a saxophone from a string so that it floats in the air.”
My father was a musician, he loved his saxophone and he loved crazy and creative ideas. Hanging the saxophone in the air became a tribute to all of that.
When I woke up, I went straight to work and one hour later the saxophone was floating in the air 4 meters up in the air. I hung it upside down because it felt a bit more unexpected.
It now hangs there as a tribute to my father and I can imagine him floating around in the sky above my island playing on the instrument.
[image error]
(This is just a prototype, the final version will have a speaker broadcasting saxophone music, be using fishing lines instead of ropes to make the illusion even stronger, and most likely be a 3D printed saxophone that glows in the dark. But the one I got up today is a great first step.)
The whole ideation process for this creative process happened TO me in a dream – a lucid dream that I could, in some aspects control.
The trick, I felt, was:
1) Do not try to wake up, or get too excited about the idea or how to remember it. (That will ruin the moment and bring you back to reality.)
2) Let the ideas “come” to you, instead of trying to “come up” with them. (You are more of a receiver than a transmitter here)
3) Be prepared to influence the creative process forward when you feel that is ok. (Let your “awake”-you nudge your “dreaming”-self – if it feels right.)
Some of the best ideas in the world has come when people are sleeping, dreaming or just going in or out of sleep. The idea with “Lucid Dream Ideation” is to understand that you CAN influence the creative process, if you do it in a way that doesn’t ruin or disturb the dreaming.
I am writing this while sitting on the porch that is overlooking the floating, soaring saxophone in my garden. I call the piece “The Stage of Life”. It’s a reminder of the need to live a creative life, and it is a tribute to my creative father. It feels fitting that this idea was passed to me in a dream.
The next time you have a Lucid Dream Ideation moment, I hope you enjoy it, and take advantage of it as well.
Would love to know your thoughts. Post your comment on LinkedIn.
The post Lucid Dream Ideation (Episode 222) first appeared on The Creativity Explorer.
August 1, 2024
MIMA (Make It More Awesome) (Episode 221)
A couple of days ago I experienced the amazing feeling of taking a cold swim and a hot sauna bath in an abandoned mine 80 meters below ground. ‘The lady of the mine sauna ritual – with mining guide‘ is in Dalarna Sweden.
Words or pictures cannot describe how unique this experience was.
The woman running this show told me that the mine had been re-discovered by a bunch of teenagers who went there to dive. Later, when they got older, started bringing friends there and it turned into an adventure mine where guests could climb and dive in the mine.
It was already then an amazing experience.
But then one of their diving guests, a man from Finland, who had just done a dive in the cold water said to them “You should have a sauna here!”.
And the organizers ran with the idea and the “Sauna in a mine” was born.
To me this is a perfect example of MIMA – Making It (even) More Awesome.
An experience that was already unique (diving in a mine) became even MORE unique when the sauna was added.
This is the lesson for today: What is your most awesome product or service? How can you make it even more awesome?
Creativity is the art and skill of constant awesomeness and improvements.
[image error]
Me with the woman running the sauna experience
The post MIMA (Make It More Awesome) (Episode 221) first appeared on The Creativity Explorer.
July 18, 2024
Lubopiten – The love for asking questions. (Episode 220)
Today, I was interviewed (via Zoom) by Bulgarian TV about my views on creativity.
The journalist asked many good questions, and we had an interesting conversation that covered topics ranging from North Korea to mothers playing games with their children.
In the end, I asked HIM a question: “How do you say the word “curiosity” in Bulgarian?”
He replied: “Lubopiten” (Любопитен)
I asked for the word’s etymology, and he told me that the first part of the word comes from the word “love,” and the second part comes from the word “to ask questions.”
Lubopiten can be traced back to meaning “the love for asking questions,” which I think is an absolutely beautiful way of looking at curiosity.
I am glad I asked… 
Ps. I think the English language needs to adopt the word “lubopiten” as a noun so it can be used like this: “He is a lubopiten – a person who has the love for asking questions.”
[image error]
The post Lubopiten – The love for asking questions. (Episode 220) first appeared on The Creativity Explorer.
July 17, 2024
Introducing the word: “curiositer”. (Episode 219)
A Curiositer is a person who is curious.
The Predicate Nominative for a person who is adventurous is “adventurer”. A person who takes on challenges is a “challenger”.
I think there should be a Predicate Nominative for someone who is curious, and “Curiositer” works just fine.
Personally, I am a “curious introvert”.
Or perhaps that should be, ‘An introverted Curiositer’.
And today was a perfect example of that.
I was being an introvert sitting on my island in Sweden, but from there I did three amazing interviews on creativity with drummer and artist Aimee Marcos; Karen Ballenden, Business Director at 180 Amsterdam, The Global Business Lead for their client Pepsi; and Angela Chiara Lento, Sales Director Italy for FrieslandCampina, the world’s largest dairy co-operation.
Aimee inspired me by saying: “Inspiration cracks open your mind and soul.”
Karen reminded me of the power of curiosity by saying: “When you embrace something, you are willing to find the opportunity within it.”
And Angela pointed out to me how: “If you scratch under the surface, creativity is (virtually always) collaborative.”
[image error]
One interview done in Manila with an artist. One done in Amsterdam with an advertising executive and one done in Italy with a salesperson for dairy. All while never leaving my geometric dome on my island.
A good day’s work for a Curiositer.
Are you a Curiositer? If so, how are you feeding its curiosity?
The post Introducing the word: “curiositer”. (Episode 219) first appeared on The Creativity Explorer.
July 12, 2024
Can a book save a person’s life? I just found out my book did. (Episode 218)
Yesterday, I had the privilege to connect with a woman who had asked to meet.
In the meeting she told me her life’s story. How she – a happy and normal girl at 14 years old – had been drawn into a cult-like church and how there she had been brainwashed to give up her life to serve the people of that church.
In the darkest hour, when she felt she had no life, a friend had given her my book -“The Idea Book”. It sparked her creativity and made her realise that she had her own thoughts. Reading the book and doing the exercises in The Idea Book re-booted her self-thinking self. She described how the book had, literally, saved her.
When she finally gained the courage and power to leave the cult, The Idea Book again became her go-to tool for sketching out her new, free life.
She now lives a happy life and gives speeches to help police departments and other government organisations identify and help other brainwashed people in need of help. (She has given me permission to post about our meeting.)
As speakers and authors, we might sometimes wonder if what we do really makes a difference. What is a speech or a book?
But my meeting yesterday was another reminder to me about the potential of creativity and about the power of a book.
It can literally help save a person’s life.
So if you have a book inside of you, write it.In our meeting, I was able to help her find her Inner Theme – one of the most powerful Inner Themes I have been able to find. And she gave me a powerful lesson when she said: “Be loyal, but most of all, be loyal to yourself”.
pps. This is not a post to promote The Idea Book. I have decided to not sell the book anymore as I want to give mental space in the world for my next book. But if you want a copy of the book you can message me on LinkedIn and I will send you a copy of The Idea Book (eversion) for free.
Would love to know your thoughts. Post your comments on LinkedIn.
[image error]
The post Can a book save a person’s life? I just found out my book did. (Episode 218) first appeared on The Creativity Explorer.
July 5, 2024
Maximally Annoying Small Problems – MASP (Episode 217)
I will exemplify with the iPhone:
As a left-handed person, why can I not choose to put the camera button on the left side for easier and faster access?
Why doesn’t the iPhone recognize if the background picture is light at the top, and then change the colour of the battery status and reception bar from white to black?
And why can I not swipe left twice (!) to get to the last screen of my apps (i.e. it would be a loop) so that I could quickly get to the last downloaded apps?
And why does Siri Suggestions only show 4 latest used apps, why can I not see the 20 last used apps if I want to?
Etc etc etc.
Maximally Annoying Small Problems (MASP) are small problems that annoy you daily.
Why are companies not more interested in fixing the MASP?
Why are companies not more deliberately, more frequently and more actively asking us for the most annoying aspect of their products and services?
Companies have FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) easily accessible for their users, but what they should have is a MASP button easily accessible.
Companies: Make it easier to complain about the most frequent Maximally Annoying Small Problems.
Out of curiosity: What is your MASP?
Would love to know your thoughts. Post your comment on LinkedIn.
[image error]
The post Maximally Annoying Small Problems – MASP (Episode 217) first appeared on The Creativity Explorer.
June 25, 2024
Working on becoming even more creative. (Episode 216)
In the elevator to the training venue I was speaking at yesterday, it said “whole new level”.
The message resonated with me.
Because so many people compare their creative abilities to others – often to very creative people – and then draw the conclusion “I am not creative.”
That is so unfortunate.
Because one should not compare creativity to others. It’s not a competition.
Creativity is a process that makes us better, happier and more inspired.
You do not become happier by comparing your happiness to others. You become less happier doing that. You become happy by focusing on your happiness.
And you do not get more creative by comparing yourself to others.
What we should do is to be inspired by others!
And what we should do is to focus on what we can do to take our creativity to OUR next level.
Everyone can – and should – work on becoming even more creative.
Focus on that.
To paraphrase Sinéad O’Connor: “Nothing compares to your creativity.”
So stop comparing yourself creatively to others.
[image error]
The post Working on becoming even more creative. (Episode 216) first appeared on The Creativity Explorer.
June 13, 2024
The appreciation of creativity. (Episode 215)
Here is an insight into creativity that was triggered by two football-related events that I attended in the last few days: Creativity is one of the things we appreciate most in our heroes.
Event 1:
On Saturday night I had the privilege of being in the audience when Zlatan Ibrahimovic was celebrated for his amazing career in the Swedish National team. (He played 122 matches for Sweden and has the record for most goals scored.) My son was actually one of the boys carrying the flag at the event – big day for him.
Of all the goals Zlatan made, the one that they showed over and over that night – and the goal that inspired the tifo that the Swedish fans had created – was his famous, and amazing, bicycle kick against England from 30 meters away.
A beautiful goal, and a creative goal. You are not “expected” to do bicycle kicks from so far out.
[image error]
Event 2:
Yesterday I was in Zurich for a speech and took the opportunity to visit the FIFA Museum with its celebration of great footballers.
The things highlighted around the biggest football stars are:
-skill (players who can do magic with the ball)
-character (players who never give up)
-passion (players passionate about their team, the game or the match)
-team work (players who do everything for their team)
AND (!)
-CREATIVITY – players who do unexpected things with the ball.
[image error]
In football – and in life and business – we humans appreciate when people do something creative.
In other words, creativity has an inherent value.
That adds another benefit of creativity apart from it being the way we make things better for ourselves, and how it makes us happier and inspired.
How are you going to be creative today?
Would love your comments and thoughts – comment here.
The post The appreciation of creativity. (Episode 215) first appeared on The Creativity Explorer.
