Experts have devised several ways to assess baseline creative abilities. They can measure different mental capacities including fluency (quick thinking), originality (unusual and independent ideas), flexibility (bending and modifying), and elaboration (level of detail).

Here are some examples of the assessment tools:

Alternative Uses. Take two minutes to come up with as many possible uses of an everyday object as you can think of. For example, you could use a paper clip to hold papers together, stir your coffee, or mark a place in a book you are reading. In the next two minutes, try this exercise by writing down as many uses for a brick that you can think of.

Riddles. See if you can experience an aha moment by solving the following riddle: A man has married 10 women in the same small town. The man has never been divorced; he has not broken any laws; and he and the women are all alive. Who is this man? (Answer on page 7.)

Word Fluency. Focus on word fluency by coming up with as many animals or fruits as you can in a given amount of time. Next, try writing down as many cities in the U.S. you can think of that start with the letter “R.” Take two minutes.