When someone asks you to draw a picture of something, or dream up new ideas, or make comment on something some has made, do you respond “I’m not creative, I can’t do that?”
Hearing this from people frustrates me no end. It’s either an unfair judgment of someone’s own abilities – we can all be creative if we let ourselves be – or a copout that that type of work isn’t for us serious corporate adults – its for kids, or art students.
This is of course absurd. We’re all creative in many interesting and colourful ways.
Creativity has been discussed and debated by some of the worlds greatest minds, both in long and recent history. A real revolution in allowing creative thinking and activity is even making its way into the workplace – think colourful and expressive spaces and studios, 20 percent time, etc.
But we need to take it a new level.
We can all be creative, appreciate creative things. We can be artists, dreamers, visionaries.
But to advance ourselves (and our business opportunities) we also need to be creators of creative things – builders, sculptors, entrepreneurs, leaders, directors, project managers, and executors (not executioners).
Be inspired and interesting with your ideas, but make sure you’re also productive and make the idea come alive.
Be creative, and a creator.
