Often, I run into people who tell me they are not creative. This is usually in response to my own attempts to create something. They say things like, ‘I’m not artistic’, ‘I can’t write.’ or ‘I don’t have a creative bone in my body.’ Truthfully, I don’t believe any of them.
Creativity is not just for “creative” types. Everyone is creative. All of us have to solve problems, rely on our unique perspective, have the ability to make connections and are continually becoming different versions of ourselves.
You’re always solving problems.
Every day, you encounter a variety of problems that need solving, from small issues to larger, more complex challenges. When you find a solution to a problem, you are being creative. You are using your imagination and your skills to come up with an answer to a question.
Maybe you don’t think of it as being “creative,” but problem-solving requires a great deal of ingenuity. When was the last time you had to figure out a new way of doing something, or how to make the best of what you’ve got? For this mama, I need to solve problems on the daily! And if you really think about it, you will find that solving problems is part of your everyday life.
You have a unique perspective.
You might not value it, but no one else has lived your life or experienced the world in the same way that you have. Whether you love being who you are or wish you could walk in another person’s shoes, your perspective is a source of inspiration and creativity. Your experiences and insights are continually forming ideas which help you come up with new and innovative solutions.
The way you see the world, though it is limited, is nothing more than a springboard for the life you are creating. It identifies opportunities, gaps in the market and ways to navigate obstacles.
You can connect seemingly unrelated things.
One of the hallmarks of creativity is the ability to make connections between seemingly unrelated things. When you make connections between ideas, concepts, or experiences that don’t normally go together, you’re being creative; you’re using your imagination to see the world in a new and different way. This ability to connect disparate things can lead to new insights that you might not have thought of otherwise.
So when someone says, ‘I’m not creative’ they are denying how memory prompts certain emotions, how they apply knowledge and concepts from one field to another and how they have the ability to brainstorm to generate new ideas. I, in all my years, have never met a person who cannot do at least one of these things.
You’re constantly learning and becoming.
Learning new things sparks imagination. You might not realize it, but every time you read a book, take a course, or have a conversation with someone, you’re expanding your knowledge and your ability to think creatively. We become who we are becoming through what we read, what we listen to, how we spend our time and who we connect with. The creativity of others influences how we create our own lives.
And so, my friend, if you don’t consider yourself a “creative” person, I say, ‘it’s time to rethink that label. It’s time to recognize the ways in which you are already creative, start to tap into that potential and develop your skills even further’.