Creativity Within

I come across a lot of people who, when I say I am an artist, say in response, ‘Oh, I am SO not creative.’  My usual response is ‘You are probably more creative than you realize.’  But in truth often times I am thinking, ‘Yea, that is probably true.’  Why would I think that?  Because anyone who says they aren’t creative obviously thinks they aren’t. And guess what?  Those who say they aren’t something very seldom become it.  

The Grand Mystery Illusion

The other reason people say it is because it is they think it is something you are born with, something ingrained, mysterious.  Not something you can learn. But that is not true, you can learn how to be creative.  You just can’t learn it from someone else very easily.  You have to learn it and practice it with yourself.  So, if that is the case, how can you become creative when you aren’t creative enough to teach yourself.

Talking to Yourself

The key is in talking to yourself.  The talk is not of the ‘do this, do that’ variety.  it is of the ‘hmmm, I wonder what would happen if’ variety. It is the voice of fearlessness, the voice of curiosity and the voice of joy. If you are willing to talk to yourself, encouraging yourself to try something, something a bit off the wall perhaps, you have a way to bridge that gap.

But, this is a case where you really do need to take your own advice and say, ‘OK, I’ll try it.’

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Drawing by Marty Coleman.  It is the second drawn interpretation of this quote.  You can see the first drawing, from 2009, here.

Quote by Arthur Koestler

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