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Did you know that you can use cannabis to help your brain tap into a whole new world of creative ideas? While there is no exact evidence pointing to cannabis boosting creativity, science does show that it impacts creative thinking. That means new ideas for your next creative project or business venture, and even for solving obstacles you may encounter while cultivating cannabis seeds.

Put on your thinking caps because it’s time to learn about the two different types of creative thinking and the benefits of using cannabis to assist them.

Divergent vs Convergent Thinking

There are two main components of creative thinking: divergent thinking and convergent thinking. Both are essential to the creative process, yet they accomplish significantly different things.

Divergent thinking is most related to brainstorming. It involves coming up with new ideas and exploring different perspectives. Think of it like a web of ideas. You start with a node (one central topic or theme), and every new idea branches off, or diverges, from that central idea.

Convergent thinking is about working towards a solution. It’s more comparable to a roadmap of ideas that lead to one identified result. With the node example, it’s about following one branch until the end, where it converges to the final answer.

Together, both types of creative thinking help solve problems in innovative ways that haven’t been considered before. Let’s explore real-life examples of convergent and divergent thinking to see how they work together.

Using Creative Thinking in Business

Did you think creative thinking is only useful in the arts? Think again! Enter the business world! Where most of us experience convergent and divergent thinking every day. Whether you work a regular job or founded your own company, chances are you shift between the two creative thinking types to complete various tasks.

1. Creative thinking with startups

Do you have the next billion euro business idea? You’ll rely on divergent thinking to come up with your next business idea. Brainstorming is essential for startups, as it’s the first stage in deciding what the business will be, which features to implement, the startup’s name, and the branding approach. After you have a whiteboard full of ideas, convergent thinking helps determine which of those startup ideas have the most demand and pair the business concept with a name that best represents the company.

2. Improve product development with creative thinking

The creative thinking process cycle continues once companies begin the product development stage. It begins with divergent thinking to determine the best product to solve the market’s problem. Convergent thinking does a lot of the heavy lifting by deciding how to manufacture the product, what price to charge, and when to release it to the public.

3. Creative thinking to optimise your business strategy

Business success or failure relies on developing an effective business strategy. Creative thinking helps businesses navigate the highs and lows of operating. Rely on divergent thinking to brainstorm ideas about navigating difficult economic climates, exploring different market positioning for your product, and go-to-market strategies. Convergent thinking helps narrow ideas to concepts suitable for your business, based on past performance, projected revenue goals, and market viability.

Business is dynamic, so there’s always a need for creative thinking to maintain success. A successful business today does not guarantee success tomorrow. Consider how ride-sharing companies like Uber have taken significant market share from taxi operators. Or how streaming platforms like Spotify and Netflix completely changed the music and movie industries. Divergent thinking is essential in the workplace to “think outside the box” and consider new possibilities. Convergent thinking helps with building a roadmap to success based on the ideas you came up with.

This is just one example of how creativity is used in business. And more specifically, how the two types of creative thinking each play a role in a startup’s journey to business success.

Improve creative thinking with cannabis

So, what does all this business talk have to do with cannabis? Global trends prove that marijuana is no longer restricted to creative industries like art, music, and literature. Reduced stigma about cannabis use is making it much more common in the workplace, where creative thinking is just as important.

The good news is that cannabis use can actually boost certain types of creative thinking!

THC affects the human body’s endocannabinoid system by boosting dopamine. This process stimulates cells and receptors, which can improve our divergent thinking by making new connections and idea associations. Therefore, using cannabis during the brainstorming phase can inspire new ideas while allowing users to approach problem-solving from new perspectives.

Don’t rely too much on cannabis for creative thinking, however. Convergent thinking helps narrow down ideas to assist in decision-making. However, according to a study titled “The (b)link between creativity and dopamine” by Charmahani, too much dopamine can actually impair convergent thinking. So, while you may come up with lots of new ideas, deciding which of those ideas are most effective and executing them are best completed while sober.

A caveat to the findings is that cannabis affects users in different ways. Users with higher tolerance can still perform at high levels even after consuming cannabis.

The best cannabis seeds for creative thinking

If you’re looking for that creative inspiration effect, we recommend exploring our sativa-dominant cannabis seeds. The high THC levels and uplifting effects are excellent for that dopamine boost, which can be useful for improving divergent thinking.