In part one of this three-part series, I talked about how we are ALL creative, dispelling the notion that creativity is somehow magical and therefore inaccessible to most of us. This installment will debunk five other creativity myths and provide additional tips to help you foster your own creative genius.

Myth No. 1: Having ideas = being creative.
Having ideas isn’t the same as creativity. Ideas are important because they’re the seed of something new, but the seed is only valuable because of what it might grow into. Without cultivation and nurturing, it has little worth on its own. Like seeds, ideas are wonderful starting points, but creativity is about execution.

Tip: Many people have ideas, but few actually take the steps to cultivate them into something tangible. Take a step that many don’t — just start. Put your ideas down on paper. Set aside time to explore, test and research. Ideas are seldom completely original, but you can differentiate yourself simply by executing.

Myth No. 2: There needs to be a “Eureka!” moment.
Creativity isn’t about magic; it’s about tenacity and hard work. It’s about showing up — over and over again — and tackling the same problem until you find a path forward. Creation comes from ordinary acts, and doggedly pursuing a solution one step at a time. That flash of insight or “Eureka!” moment actually comes from the hard work already invested in a problem as it incubates in our subconscious, sometimes making a breakthrough feel like magic.

Tip: Give yourself time and space away from a tough problem or project. Let it incubate in your mind. There’s a reason why so many of our ideas come to us when we’re in the shower or otherwise disengaged from the task at hand.

Myth No. 3: I need to get it right the first time.
Tied to the misguided belief in the “Eureka!” moment is the thought that you have to have the “perfect” idea or solution immediately. Don’t feel like you have to solve something on the first try. Edison tried more than 6,000 materials for the filament in the light bulb before finding one that would fit the bill, both in durability and economy.

Tip: Experiment and explore. Try different approaches. Consider a potential solution that you would have previously thought silly or inappropriate. Even though that may not actually be your solution, it may create interesting insights, helping form the foundation that eventually leads to a breakthrough.

Myth No. 4: You have to be an expert.
Ironically, experts are often too close to a problem and can actually be artificially constrained by their knowledge and experience. They may see all the reasons why something won’t work instead of seeing the possibilities. Sometimes an outsider is the one who brings a fresh perspective and asks the most basic questions, challenging fundamental assumptions and identifying opportunities.

Tip: Expose yourself to many different domains and stimuli. Explore new areas. Ask a lot of questions. Knowledge is fuel for creativity. The more you know, the more you can see patterns and connect dots in interesting ways. Pick up a magazine or trade journal you normally wouldn’t read. Watch a different type of movie or documentary. Talk to your airplane seatmate about her professional field.

Myth No. 5: I don’t have enough money, time, resources …
Creativity thrives on constraints. Limitations force us to think differently about how we can solve problems. Many of us do our best work the closer we get to a deadline. If we don’t have a huge marketing budget, we get creative about guerilla tactics. Remember the scene from the movie Apollo 13 where ground control solved a complex problem using only the items the crew had available on the shuttle?

Tip: Having trouble getting started? Try setting a timer for 20 minutes and focus on nothing but churning out as much as you can during that time. Save the reviewing, evaluating and editing for later. Even the act of setting an artificial deadline can propel your thinking.

Shari Rudolph is the chief marketing officer of Good360, a nonprofit that works with companies to make the business of giving simpler, as well as an expert in creativity and idea generation