A special creativity class from Korea's leading economist
*** The best creativity lectures highly recommended by Seoul National University students ***

Professor Kim Se-jik, a leading macroeconomist in South Korea and a renowned creative lecturer at Seoul National University's Department of Economics for nearly 20 years, has published a new book, "Awaking."
This book provides seven specific methods that anyone can use to awaken and develop the creative cells dormant within themselves after at least three months of practice.

Unlike stocks or real estate, creativity is an asset that carries no risk of loss due to price declines.
No matter what way you try
The profit cannot be negative.
If you come up with an idea, what's the harm if it doesn't come to fruition?
No investment in this world is as one would like, but the only investment that is free and without risk of loss is thinking, imagining, and developing creativity.

--- p.9

The most important thing is to first realize that we ourselves are beings with the ability to think and imagine infinitely.
What is needed to do this is the confidence and belief that you have the ability to imagine infinitely.
It is the belief that one has the ability to come up with new ideas through infinite imagination.

--- p.21

Until now, in elementary, middle, and high school, we have only solved 'closed problems' with already determined answers.
When I asked students in the Department of Economics at Seoul National University, they said they had solved as many as 70,000 closed-ended problems in high school.
However, it is said that he has rarely solved open-ended problems without correct answers.
--- p.24

To develop creativity, it is important to believe that you can develop creativity.
That's because you have to keep trying creative ideas, and then suddenly a good idea will come to you.
As we experience the pleasure of thinking through this, our brain becomes more and more absorbed in thinking.
As a result, creativity grows.
That's why I often refer to creativity as a 'self-fulfilling belief.'
Creativity is something that can be nurtured, and it only grows if you believe that you can nurture it.
--- p.36

If you feel like you lack creativity, try adding your own imagination to the space or objects around you.
Even if it's a vain or ridiculous imagination, it's fine.
Why has BTS been able to create such enormous economic value? It's probably because they've constantly practiced imagining the unreal.
Instead of compromising with reality.
So we too must imagine.
Especially the unrealistic, the absurd.
--- p.61

SpaceX successfully sent a civilian crew into space in 2021, and Neuralink, a brain research startup he founded, received FDA clinical approval and implanted an artificial chip into the brain of a clinical trial patient in January.
These are all world firsts.
Of course, we are currently faced with ethical issues that need to be resolved, but one day, as Elon Musk says, humanity may migrate to Mars and live forever with preserved memories.
It's like something out of a science fiction movie.

--- p.70

The first credit card created by McNamara was the Diners Club, which has over 4,000 affiliated stores in over 200 countries around the world.
It means that it started with the 'membership (Club)' of 'Dinner'.
The current postpaid credit card was born thanks to McNamara's imagination, which completely broke the common sense of the time that 'you can't make payments without cash'.
It is.

--- p.85

This tradition began with William Harper, the first president of the University of Chicago.
Harper wanted to create a 'university like no other'.
Harper persuades oil magnate John Rockefeller to make his dream come true.
The University of Chicago was founded in 1982 with a large donation from Rockefeller, who highly valued his vision.
President Harper wanted to make the University of Chicago something completely different from other universities.
I considered research more important than lectures.
In particular, we wanted to become a university that discovers new truths and nurtures those who discover the truth.
Accordingly, the University of Chicago sought individuals who could present unique, new ideas in each field.
The University of Chicago's creative academic culture began right here.
--- p.124

Henri Matisse, who is considered one of the greatest artists of the 20th century along with Picasso, left behind a famous quote.

Creativity takes courage.
Indeed, his life is filled with the courage to showcase his creativity to the world.
After graduating from law school and becoming a lawyer, Matisse began painting with paints and brushes given to him by his mother while he was hospitalized with appendicitis.
Through that, he realized that being a painter was his path.
Eventually, he gave up his stable path as a lawyer and entered art school in Paris despite his father's strong opposition.
It was Matisse's first courage.

--- p.173