I Asked ChatGPT How to Be More Creative—Here Are the 15 Exercises It Shared

Here's a hands-on guide revealing 15 creative exercises inspired by real American practices, designed to spark originality in work, art, and life.

Alyana Aguja
November 6, 2025
5 min read

I Asked ChatGPT How to Be More Creative—Here Are the 15 Exercises It Shared — Rachael Gorjestani from Unsplash

Creativity can be trained like a muscle through mindful, consistent practice. This article presents 15 proven exercises, from morning pages to interdisciplinary curiosity. Through habit, play, and reflection, anyone can unlock their creative potential and bring fresh energy to everyday thinking.

1. 1. Morning Pages

Inspired by Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way, the “morning pages” practice involves writing three pages of unfiltered thoughts as soon as you wake up. The goal is not perfection but presence. By doing this daily, your brain learns to connect ideas freely without judgment, which leads to fresh insights. Over time, you begin noticing creative sparks even during routine activities.

2. 2. The One-Hour Rule

Set aside one uninterrupted hour a day purely for creative play. It might mean sketching at a café, composing a short melody, or brainstorming product ideas without deadlines. Bill Gates’ famous “Think Weeks” stem from this very principle of scheduled solitude. This habit teaches your brain to anticipate and value imaginative thinking.

3. 3. Mind Map Your Problems

Mind mapping helps visualize ideas through branches and associations. Try starting with a central word — say, “community” — and watch how concepts like “volunteering,” “festivals,” and “art” spiral outward. It trains the brain to link unrelated concepts, often producing surprising connections. Over time, it helps you turn abstract thoughts into tangible projects.

4. 4. Reverse Brainstorming

Instead of asking, “How do I solve this problem?” ask, “How could I make this problem worse?” This reversal sparks humor and insight. Once you see what breaks the system, you understand what strengthens it. It’s counterintuitive but remarkably effective for innovation.

5. 5. The Creative Commute

Change how you travel to work or school for one week. Walk a different route, listen to new music, or take public transit instead of driving. Studies show that sensory novelty boosts creative thinking. Even small changes in scenery can trigger new perspectives and imaginative problem-solving.

6. 6. The Object Story Exercise

Pick a random object near you — a coffee mug, a keychain, or a pen — and write its imaginary backstory. It teaches you to look deeper at everyday things and find meaning where others see none. This habit trains observation and empathy, two key ingredients of creativity. You begin to see the world as filled with hidden narratives.

7. 7. The Constraint Game

Creativity thrives under limits. Challenge yourself to write a poem without using the letter “e” or cook dinner using only five ingredients. When boundaries exist, your brain works harder to connect unusual ideas. Constraints fuel focus, discipline, and original thinking.

8. 8. The 10 New Ideas Challenge

Every morning, write down ten new ideas, no matter how impractical. James Altucher popularized this practice to strengthen what he calls the “idea muscle.” You might generate business concepts, story ideas, or solutions to everyday annoyances. The more you practice, the easier it becomes to think innovatively under pressure.

9. 9. The Museum Method

Visit a local museum and study one artwork for 15 minutes without distractions. Ask yourself what story it tells, what emotion it evokes, and how the artist made choices. This slow-looking exercise enhances patience and visual imagination. It reminds you that inspiration can emerge from attention, not just novelty.

10. 10. The Soundtrack Shift

Change the soundtrack of your workspace. Music influences mood, tempo, and focus — all vital for idea generation. Try curating playlists for different creative goals, like “invention,” “calm,” or “chaos.” The rhythm of sound can unlock the rhythm of thought.

11. 11. The “What If” Journal

Dedicate a notebook to “What if” scenarios: What if New York City went silent for a day? What if people could exchange memories like currency? It encourages divergent thinking and risk-taking. Over time, it reshapes your worldview into one that questions and reinvents.

12. 12. Collaborate with a Stranger

Attend a workshop, open mic, or hackathon and partner with someone from a different field. Collaboration challenges assumptions and teaches adaptive thinking. It also forces you to communicate your vision clearly. Working outside your comfort zone reveals hidden creative strengths.

13. 13. Borrow from Another Discipline

Study something far from your expertise — like a chef learning architecture or a coder studying dance. It teaches pattern recognition between unrelated domains. You start seeing creativity as a universal language, not a niche skill. The best ideas often come from unexpected intersections.

14. 14. The Sensory Immersion Exercise

Choose one sense and amplify it for a creative task. Close your eyes while writing dialogue or describe a room using only sounds. It awakens memory, emotion, and imagination. Engaging senses fully helps creativity feel embodied, not just cerebral.

15. 15. Reflect and Reframe

At the end of each week, review what you created and note what surprised you most. Reflection turns experience into insight. It helps you identify patterns in your imagination and build confidence in your originality. Creativity becomes not just a flash of inspiration but a lifelong habit.