You’re Already Using Creative Problem Solving (CPS) Every Day — And That’s the Magic
We use Creative Problem Solving (CPS) every day — at work, at home, in our communities. You’ve likely brainstormed ideas, weighed options, and implemented solutions without realizing you were following a proven process! When people learn the CPS framework — the stages, steps, and mindset — it clicks. It feels familiar because it names and nurtures what’s already inside us: the natural creativity we all use to make sense of challenges and imagine what’s next.
What CPS Actually Is
CPS is not some exotic skill only a few possess. It’s a structured approach to creativity that builds on the reality that everyone is creative and that creative skills can be developed. The CPS model is built on a learner-framework of four stages with six process steps, each using both divergent thinking (generating possibilities) and convergent thinking (selecting and implementing solutions). (creativeeducationfoundation.org) In simpler terms, we all do this — whether we call it creativity or not.
Why It Feels So Familiar
Because you are doing it. Think of a time when you faced a challenge: you asked, “What do I really want? What’s the problem?” You collected information. You generated options. You picked one and acted. That’s CPS, even if you didn’t label it as such. When you learn CPS, you simply give a name and structure to something you were already doing. It becomes a toolset, not just a theory.
When We Use CPS Regularly — Something Powerful Happens
Once we start using CPS regularly, something else happens — we future-proof our lives. One of the struggles we face when trying to explain why deliberate creativity is so valuable is because we don’t have a lot of dramatic crisis examples of CPS “saved the day.” That’s because people who apply CPS often avoid crisis situations to start with. Creativity is preventative, not just reactive.
When you immerse yourself and your daily practice in creative thinking — in possibilities, potentials, and unique solutions — you prevent crises and position yourself to react quickly if a crisis is thrust upon you. The logic is simple: by being proactive in thinking creatively, you are less likely to be caught flat-footed when disruption arrives.
Big Problems Require Teams Trained in CPS
Here is what I know for sure — CPS-trained people, working together collaboratively on large-scale problems can short-circuit crises, and resolve systemic issues. At CEF, we are working hard to cultivate partners who understand this so we can tackle some of the big challenges in the world today. Research also supports that CPS skills (ability, mindset, interaction) can be measured and improved — meaning that intentional training in CPS isn’t just nice-to-have, it’s mission-critical. (arXiv) (https://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1385&context=creativeprojects&utm_source=chatgpt.com) (https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03075079.2023.2225532?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
You Are Part of the Story
Know that you are part of the story. Every time you face a challenge with emotional regulation, curiosity, and the creative process — you make the world a stronger place. Whether you used CPS consciously or not, you used creativity in action. When you learn CPS, you’re not learning something new — you’re reclaiming something essential.
Bottom Line:
The next time you ask, “Why bother learning Creative Problem Solving?” remember: you already do it. What CPS gives you is awareness, intentionality, and the confidence to apply it more broadly and deeply. It helps you shift from waiting for inspiration to making inspiration happen. It helps you future-proof your life, your team, your community. And when enough people do it together, you can solve big, systemic challenges — not just get through another day.
So keep solving, keep creating — your everyday creativity matters more than you know.