Let’s not talk about creativity. Everyone has been doing quite enough of that lately. Even us. These days, you can hardly open a magazine or visit a website without seeing an article featuring the latest research on how to get quicker, faster or better creative results.

Some of it’s common sense. Some of it isn’t. But most of it fails to mention that the tips and tricks that fall out of this research are just that. You still have to put in the effort.

It’s no coincidence that the most creative person in a brainstorming session is usually the one who’s spent the most time thinking about the problem. Creative thinking is the same as anything else that way. There are no short cuts. Tips and tricks just won’t cut it.

What the tips and tricks can do, however, is give us hope and reassurance that there’s always something else to try, even if we think we’ve run out of options. They give us new ways to work hard, new ways to mull things over, and new inspiration when we find ourselves going back to the drawing board. They encourage us not to give up. After all, the next big idea could be just an argument, a high ceiling or a drink away.

So let’s not talk about creativity. Instead let’s talk about solving problems by putting in the work, no matter how much work it takes. It’s the same thing as creative thinking, after all. It just has the distinct disadvantage of sounding hard. Which of course, it is no matter what you call it.