The Creative
Creativity in a way, can be like a trending color in design or fashion… I mean, we all like to have that color, which is ‘color of the year’ if we are interested in fashion! And we may even feel missing-out, if we don’t have an item in that color, because it is trending and being used everywhere!
And when it comes to the trending fashion, we may think it is good for some people, depending on their appearance and looks, and not so good for others because of the same reason… or maybe we would think those people need to be more creative with their choices… Or maybe we come to the idea that ‘they are not being creative’!
But this way of thinking may be fundamentally wrong!
Why? Well, let us think about it’s reasons, and learn how to change our own perspective about creativity, with putting our eyes on effort and patience!
So, in the first step, let’s throw out the way of thinking that creativity is actually missing in some people!
Yes. of course, some people have a gift, or there is more potential and talent in them to be ‘super creative’ and come up with creative suggestions and ideas here and there. But we can say that almost all human-beings, are creative, and I emphasize that almost all human-beings can develop creativity in themselves.
The path of developing creativity, like the path of developing any other skill, is long and requires effort, persistence and patience.
What Is Creativity?
We all know what creativity is! But if someone asks us to explain it, we may not be able to give a precise and a correct definition, without looking to the dictionary. I think defining creativity is in conflict with its true nature, because it means that we have given a framework which limits it, while it is so vast by its nature. And the main goal in creativity is to remove the limiting frames, and letting your mind fly in every direction freely.
But inevitably, in order to talk about a subject and have a clear understanding, we must express our definition of it too. When we hear the word creativity, probably the first thing that comes to our mind is planning new ideas or making new things, or making an extraordinary effort to change how things currently are. Even when you look at the word in English, creativity has it’s roots in creation, and comes from the word create, which refers to making.
In reality, creativity is a complex and broad concept, so let’s break it down:
Analysis Of Creativity
Creativity Is An Ability:
Just like the ability of playing the guitar, or sculpting and cooking, which are all skills at the same time. Creativity is also an ability, therefore, all the characteristics of the abilities can be called for creativity too. That is, as it was mentioned, with effort and practice, you can achieve creativity and become a professional in it.
-Creativity means going beyond the traditional ways of thinking and acting.
-Creativity also means identifying the limitations and problems in any old thing, which can include old ways of thinking, the old way of taking actions, or the way we look or think about objects, and in everything that has an old version. For taking steps to improve it.
-Creativity can be as simple and easy as a different style or a different way to sing a song, or a different way for giving a surprising gift to a loved person.
-Creativity does not only mean making new things, and is not always discovery and invention. Sometimes creativity means having a different and new look at things. It means to look at things that have already been discovered and explained, from a different perspective. Or to find connections between old questions and finding new answers.
-Creativity is the act of allowing change to happen and turning imaginary ideas into reality.
-In some definitions, it is said that if you have bright ideas but do not act on turning them to reality, you are only a fantasist, and not a creative person! That means, new ideas must be accompanied by action, so that the power of creativity can be put on it, and simply dealing with the idea in the mind is not enough to be a creative person. If you are someone who most of the time comes up with ideas, but doesn’t go on to put those ideas to action, you need to consider the reasons, and be more in control of your efforts and actions.
-Creativity is the use of internal resources.
Internal resources include knowledge, insight, information and all the things that are in our mind. The resources that we have accumulated in our minds for years. It is enough to touch this information and extract creative ideas by organizing them or updating them with the new knowledge that we have gained recently, to come up with something completely bright, fresh and useful.
-Creativity Is Not Only Related To Artistic Matters.
When the word creativity comes up, we often only think of the artistic fields, and we generally use the word creative for artists such as designers, painters or musicians.
But creativity exists in all fields, and its advantages can be used in any field. That’s why in many businesses and startups, finding a creative person who has different point of view, and can think out of the box, is very appreciated, because the creativity can add so much value to many fields, and has very high value for them.
What Is The Use Of Creativity?
The benefits of creativity are so obvious to almost all of us, and asking this question may seem as pointless as asking a question such as ‘what is the the point of the Internet!’ So, we dedicate this section to express the importance of creativity, instead of explaining it’s use. (In short, addressing the importance of creativity is very important!)
1. Strengthening The Spirit, One Of The Obvious Effects Of Creativity:
When we finish a creative work or a creative idea riches our mind, our brain gets filled with dopamine. If you search about the dopamine that comes to our mind with this creativity, you can see that the dopamine plays a role in pleasure and reward in our body and helps to bring positive energy to our mind. So, doing work in a creative way is a completely natural way that works similar to some anti-depressants and gives us motivation and a good feeling.
In addition, the use of creativity in work leads to better results, so the mind and spirit continue to be full of strength after seeing the results.
2. Increasing Self-Confidence:
By conducting an experiment, researchers found that only 45 minutes of free art performance is enough to improve our self-confidence. In this experiment, participants were aged between 18 to 59 and created a creative work using anything they liked. After finishing the work, they were asked 10 questions and the answers to the questions showed more than 70% increase in their self-confidence. Which is a wonderful result for this short period of time!
There is a very nice feeling in the moment when you finish your work, and personal satisfaction fills your entire being. (I have a similar feeling when I am writing the articles and seeing my results in the end) 🙂 This personal satisfaction depends on the use of creative-skills in the way of achieving results, and has a significant effect on increasing self-confidence too.
3. Improving Cognitive Performance:
Musicians are indeed very creative and talented. Studies show that musicians have a better brain connection compared to those who did not grow up with instruments. When playing music, at the same time that the left hemisphere of the brain is fully focused on the functions, the right hemisphere of the brain is attentive to the melody. Music as a creative activity is unique, because it stimulates both sides of the brain at the same time and helps to improve cognitive performance over time.
As a result, parents who know this, often encourage their children to be creative because it is useful for the development of the child’s brain. When we are creative, we use the inactive parts of the brain to perform, that parts are usually turned off in the daily tasks and creativity activates them.
4. Reducing Stress And Anxiety:
When we are doing activities that stimulate creativity, such as coloring a coloring book, we forget about all our worries. So in any activity, if we use a bit of creativity as a seasoning, it will take the too-much seriousness out of it and turn it into a more attractive activity. As a result, we get so immersed in a work that stress and anxiety don’t get a chance to show themselves by being creative.
5. Creativity Makes Us Seek Knowledge, From The Cradle To The Grave:
When we cultivate creativity in ourselves, we learn to be questioners and always look at issues from different perspectives. This reminds us that there is no end to the path of knowledge and we always can come up with new solutions, and new ideas, and we can always ask new questions and acquire knowledge, in order to reach the right answer.
6. Strengthening Problem Solving Thinking:
Practicing creativity inculcates this skill in us: ‘Not to leave problems without finding a solution for them’. Because from the point of view of a creative person, there are countless windows to look from. From this point of view, if you went through one path and it did not end up giving you the answer, as a creative person you always can try another path. Also, because having a creative mind leads us to fresh and new ideas, the probability and speed of reaching the answers also increases by being creative.
This skill is not only related to the field of work. In our personal life, there are countless obstacles and dead ends that take us out of the normal path. Problem solving skills help us not to despair in such situations and continue the path by creating a new ways and finding finding solutions.
7. Creativity, Purposeful Factor:
Creativity can create new goals. When you look at the world from a different perspective, you notice problems or issues that others have not noticed, and this will help you to come to the answers and avoid making mistakes. So the problem, becomes a goal for you to follow to find solutions. Also, the other advantages of creativity, such as increasing motivation, interest in learning and increasing self-confidence, lead to adherence to the goal.
Being creative can help us find reasons, solutions, goals, and even purpose and meaning in almost everything.
8. Increase Motivation:
Creative thinking turns dead ends into crossroads when it comes to the road of success! As a result, you get motivated by discovering new ways and continue on the road with full strength. Also, creative people usually achieve more success and if they are in a good environment, they will be appreciated and encouraged by others for their new ideas, which makes their motivation stronger, and accompanies them along the way to their success.
9. Creativity, A Bridge To Innovation:
If we want to name only one benefit of creativity, it will be innovation! Because it has all the other benefits in it’s heart. The word innovation itself expresses its meaning. It means to innovate and bring the new! In fact, if we consider the implementation of creative ideas as a process, innovation is the end of this process.
If you think about it, you will agree with me that if there was no innovation, we would probably still be living in places similar to caves and our main problem was ‘who would go hunting tonight!’ and ‘How to get cured from an animal bite!’. Going through the cave-dwelling period, and reaching the current developments in technology, engineering and science, is the result of innovation. And the result of asking the questions “what if?” and “How to?”
Creativity is the first step in the path of innovation, and that shows us it’s importance!
(Read this article if you want to learn some ‘Practical Ways To Increase your Creativity‘.)
Copyrights@YasGorji.com