The widespread myth is that creativity is an innate talent – you either have it or you don’t. Research paints a different picture: Creative thinking can be trained, much like strength or endurance. Those who intentionally ask unconventional questions and think through problems systematically can measurably increase their creative abilities – even in strictly logical fields such as mathematics ^[1].

Creativity is not chaos but the ability to generate novel yet useful ideas. Two building blocks are central: Divergent Thinkingbroadly generating ideas without early evaluation and Convergent Thinkingselecting and refining the best options. Lateral thinkingconsciously departing from obvious thought paths through perspective shifts and provocative questions serves as a catalyst between the two. The Creative Problem Solving (CPS)structured process of problem clarification, idea generation, and solution implementation provides a framework for this. Unconventional questions – such as “What rule would I need to break to achieve the goal in 10 minutes?” – act as cognitive levers: They disrupt routines, open search spaces, and accelerate the leap from familiar patterns to surprising solutions. For high performers, this is more than just “nice to have”: Creative thinking alleviates mental bottlenecks, enhances decision quality, and makes teams more adaptive in dynamic environments.

Creative work with lateral thinking acts like mental cross-training: It fosters cognitive flexibility, which can increase stress tolerance in everyday life and mitigate mental fatigue – a well-known effect when task variety trains cortical network integration. Studies show that structured creative processes like CPS enhance the ability to find alternative solutions; this reduces rumination and decision latency, which would otherwise consume energy ^[1]. For health, this counts double: Less cognitive friction means lower mental strain during the workday and more reserves for sleep quality, recovery, and training. Furthermore, trained divergent thinking strengthens the psychological underpinning of self-efficacy – a predictor of sustainable behavior change, such as in stress management or dietary routines. In short: Those who maintain their creative muscle protect their energy and expand their action options – essential for longevity and high performance.

In a qualitative case study with graduates in a course on creativity and creative problem solving, the use of the CPS model showed significant increases in creative thinking abilities. Alongside real problem tasks, standardized creativity tests (Torrance, verbal forms) were employed; the result: By the end of the course, the originality and flexibility of ideas were measurably improved ^[1]. Relevance to daily life: A structured creative process translates to complex activities – from product decisions to crisis management – and shortens the path from problem to actionable solution. The sample size is small, but the finding is consistent with the principle that targeted training in specific thinking strategies enhances performance: Practice in divergent tasks expands the search space, while the convergent phase ensures quality. Particularly interesting is the transfer: Although the intervention took place in a mathematical context, it addressed general cognitive routines (problem clarification, perspective shifts, evaluation criteria). This suggests that the observed effects are transferable to other knowledge work – including leadership, product development, and everyday health decisions ^[1].

- Incorporate daily lateral thinking sprints (5–7 minutes). Start with a provocative question: “What assumption must be false for my goal to become easier?” or “How would a beginner solve this?” The consciously unconventional question is the trigger for lateral thinking and opens new pathways to solutions ^[1].
- Use the mini-CPS: 1) Clarify: Frame the problem as a wish (“Success would be if…”). 2) Expand: Generate 15 ideas without evaluation. 3) Condense: Choose 1–2 approaches and define the first micro-step. This sequence trains divergent and convergent thinking – a core mechanism of the CPS logic used in the study ^[1].
- Strategically employ “rule-breaking questions.” Ask: “What rule is holding me back – and what happens if I temporarily suspend it?” This irritation fosters originality, as demonstrated by the CPS-based tasks in the study that provoked flexible solution paths ^[1].
- Curated stimuli instead of endless scrolling: Choose a foreign field daily (e.g., architecture, biology) and answer: “What analogy can solve my current problem?” Analogy questions are practical triggers for divergent thinking, compatible with CPS phases ^[1].
- Retrospectives with a twist: After important decisions, ask three unconventional questions: “What would be the opposite?” “What did I overlook because it was too obvious?” “What would the 10x version look like?” This strengthens flexibility and improves the quality of future solutions in line with systematic creative training ^[1].

Creativity is trainable – and unconventional questions are the simplest daily tool for it. Those who structure lateral thinking conserve mental energy and increase the success rate of good decisions. Start today with a 5-minute sprint and experience how a new perspective simultaneously enhances your performance and health.