Creativity is that double edged sword of synapse and soul that exudes from everything we are and everything we do.
Or at least that is how I phrased it when commenting on a post entitled Why Be Extraordinary over at CreativeBeasts.com.
Looking back, you could say that by the time we have graduated high school we’ve lost that extraordinary, creative side from our childhood days in favor of more mature, responsible, adult ways of thinking about things. That’s actually a shame because as kids while we might occasionally ask “What’s this do?” more times than not we didn’t ask, we just did it and found out as a result of our actions what something did or didn’t do. Our creativity was in full swing about all things. One minute we’re our favorite super hero, or movie character, the next minute we’re taking apart the lawn mower to see what makes it work, or drawing a picture on the dining wall. Our creativity, like our imagination knew almost no bounds.
Then, oddly enough, one day somewhere in our adult career-mindedness, we find ourselves trying to recapture that wild, vivid imagination we once had as children. Creative problem solving is nothing new. How many job descriptions do you see these days where it says something to the effect “the ability to think outside the box” somewhere in the description? Answer, more than you cans hake a fountain pen at. So why do we as people approaching adulthood so willingly sacrifice our creativity while others cling to it with a deathgrip like no other? Is it because society says we have to in order to be considered mature?
For an example look no farther than the Bible, there’s a verse I remember from my church days a youth that roughly goes “When I was a child I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I acted like a child. When I became a man I put away childish things.” Are our creativity and spontaneity some of those childish things this verse references? Or rather is creativity now rapidly becoming the currency of the kingdom of the 21st century? How do you value creativity? What costs do associate with being creative?
I love this: “So why do we as people approaching adulthood so willingly sacrifice our creativity while others cling to it with a deathgrip like no other? Is it because society says we have to in order to be considered mature?”
I feel like I have held myself back for so long, as I’ve been incredibly worried that an unfavorable opinion I may have towards a current trend, or even a creative way of expressing my thoughts will make me come across as immature to others.
I guess we have to take a chance and expose ourselves, albeit the chance of negative feedback from others. In my opinion, creative thinking is THE form of currency right now.
Thanks so much for sharing this post. It was very well written. In fact, it was almost hard to comment on this post, as you seem to have “polished up” many of the same ideas and questions that pop into my mind each day.
Keep up the great posts!
Alicia, the costs of being creative is something I struggle with all the time. I quit writing poetry for years because in order for me to put the kind of emotion into I wanted I had to open myself up and feel all the emotion all over again.
Now with my working in a technology field I allowed some creativity via problem solving, but then again it’s nothing for to come up with several ideas based on what the conversation or idea being discussed is.
Creativity for me has had both a personal and a business cost, but all things considered, I’m glad I paid the price..
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Jeff,
Love your thoughts, here–and especially your opening quote. Yes, creativity is a weird gift, indeed–what one artist friend of mine calls both a blessing and a curse. Trying to balance the desire to create and inspire–and to maintain that level of inspiration within oneself–with work, societal pressures and the day to day grind, can be trying, to say the least. And yes, it certainly seems that greater society, itself, has this love/hate relationship with the creative world. There is magic in creativity, and so many people at so many levels, really wrestle with this concept. They want it, but they also fear it. It goes back to your question, “What will it do?” The lack of control that larger forces sometimes associate with creative thinking is what kills them. They say they want to take risks, but then the moment an idea strikes them as too different, they rescind the desire. So, yes; we see the ads that call for “outside the box” thinking, but half the time, they don’t even mean it. Because half the time, they don’t even know what it means. The ones who seem to celebrate and embrace the magic of creativity, and are then able to combine it with outstanding craftsmanship and execution–and who use it to further their visions–rise above and stand apart. And I believe that it is this type of alchemy… that everyone–every entity; be it an individual or business, so deeply desires and even envies. But only the very few are willing to take the actual steps “To boldly go where no man has gone before (yes, that is a quote from the opening of Star Trek… for all of you non-geeks who may happen to read this
).” It’s really hard to be fearless. And a little bit of fear may even be healthy, now and then. But when it holds us back, as creative spirits, we are called on to be brave, and that means moving forward in the face of fear.
Trish,
I have a to agree with what you said at the end. A little fear is a healthy and a good thing. I was told by a good friend once, that once I am no longer nervous just before I go to do a presentation or to speak that it would be at that moment I should stop presenting or speaking. The fear helps you focus in an odd way and the nervousness passes in moments and let’s the passion shine through. But the fear also makes sure you do a good job and pushes you to better the next time than you did the last.
I think it is important to remember though that with businesses, the truly creative people need to lead them into taking the risk on creativity in small steps. To kind of desensitize them from fearing it to the point where they’re paralyzed, but also to make sure we leave enough of the fear in tact so that they don’t get comfortable and always try to push themselves to be better than they were the last time.
Albert Einstein once said, and for me, having that little bit of fear, that trepidation is what keeps me passionately curious even though I too have no special talent.
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