You don't need a tattoo to be creative.

We've written about how creativity can be of great value to hotels and resorts. But perhaps some of you might be thinking that we only mean “creative” in an "ad-agency-black-t-shirts-and-website-design” sense.

Not so. One of our favorite quotes (over there, to your right) is by George Lois, a legendary art director: "Creativity can solve almost any problem. The creative act - the defeat of habit by originality - overcomes everything."

Note he said "any problem," not just advertising problems.

So we thought we’d share a few books on creativity and creative thinking that might kick-start or re-start your creative juices. Or show you another way to look at things. There’s also the video below. It’s well worth the time it will take to watch it. Then check out some of these gems:

“Creativity: A Short And Cheerful Guide.” – John Cleese

“The Creative Habit: Learn It And Use It For Life.” – Twyla Tharp

“The Do-It-Yourself Lobotomy” – Tom Monahan

“Predatory Thinking” – Dave Trott

“Hare Brain, Tortoise Mind” – Guy Claxton

“The Trickster's Hat. A Mischievous Apprenticeship in Creativity" – Nick Bantock

“Trust Your Crazy Ideas” – Kobi Yamada

“Leap. A Revolution in Creative Business Strategy” – Bob Schmetterer

Nobody expects you to turn into an ad guy or web designer, but, as George Lois said, creativity can solve any problem. So the more you embrace it, the better off you'll be. Dave Trott calls creativity a "legal unfair advantage." And, of the bazillion books out there on creativity, these are some we think are particularly inspiring and useful. Enjoy.

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