Think outside the box
To think creatively or unconventionally.

Break the mold
To do something differently, defying tradition.

Put on your thinking cap
To start thinking seriously or creatively about something.

Blue-sky thinking
Thinking freely without limitations.

Hit the nail on the head
To describe or identify something exactly.

A stroke of genius
A brilliant idea or action.

Bend the rules
To slightly alter rules to create a new approach.

By leaps and bounds
To make rapid progress or improvements.

Catch lightning in a bottle
To achieve something exceptional or creative that is difficult to replicate.

Cutting edge
Highly innovative or pioneering.

In the pipeline
In the process of development or being planned.

Lightbulb moment
A sudden realization or creative idea.

On the drawing board
In the planning or design stage.

Reinvent the wheel
To waste time creating something that already exists.

A spark of inspiration
A small but powerful creative idea.

Step up to the plate
To take responsibility and act creatively.

Get the creative juices flowing
To stimulate or inspire creativity.

Play it by ear
To improvise or make decisions based on the situation.

Jump on the bandwagon
To follow a trend or join others in doing something new.

Back to the drawing board
To start over with a new plan after a failure.