Why be Creative?
Often when we think of creativity, we think of someone who can paint a picture, write an incredible story, or put together a dance. But creativity is so much more than that. Creativity is about figuring out a new path around the roadblocks that will irrevocably be a part of our mortal experience.
As human beings, we are hardwired to be creative from birth. Children are constantly learning and discovering new things as they gain experience. Many experiments, however, have shown that levels of creativity decrease as we get older. The cause of this is often blamed on the educational system which has commonly taught that obedience to rules and regulations is more important than creative thinking. Thankfully many educators in all subjects are turning to a more creativity-based teaching style that allows for students to share their unique points of view and ideas.
Just as education is becoming increasingly more creativity-based, so is the world of business. Employers want creative thinkers because, frankly, creativity and innovation bring in the money. Look at companies such as Apple for example. Their success comes from the creative new technology they produce, products that become so popular that lesser companies attempt to replicate them, only to fall further and further behind as the creativity behind Apple’s business continues to grow and innovate. Because of this desire for increased creativity, many businesses have begun to incorporate the “20% rule” which encourages employees to spend 20% of their work time focused on critical thinking and exploring new ideas.
Many who are reading this likely feel that they are lacking in creativity. Despite common assumptions, creativity can be learned and developed. There are many workshops and ideas out there that can assist in the development of creativity. A common thread amongst these resources, however, is the incorporation of “play time” into daily life. This simply means that the best way to increase creativity is to participate in playful activities such as writing, painting, free-form drawing, photography, and playing games with friends and family. Allow yourself to rediscover a child-like wonder for the world around you and encourage curiosity within your home.
As an example of playfulness increasing creativity, when producing the movie Brave, animators and other employees at Pixar were able to take part in Scottish games, eat Scottish food, and the men even wore kilts sometimes. Those involved said that the experience helped them gain a better understanding of the Scottish culture which they incorporated in many different ways into the movie. It also helped to promote a positive feeling toward the source material, which also increased creativity and productivity.
Creativity is inborn ability that can be found in all of us, not only those who take part in the fine arts. Your ability to critically think and come up with new and original ideas will set you apart in the work place and will allow you to discover an increased wonder for life. See if you can try something new this week that will increase your creativity. And be sure it’s something fun!
Sources
Landry, L. (2018, April 20). The Importance of Creativity in Business. Retrieved March 23, 2019, from https://www.northeastern.edu/graduate/blog/creativity-importance-in-business/
Roe, B. (2012, December 17). Why is creativity important in everyday life? Retrieved March 23, 2019, from https://tscpl.org/art/why-is-creativity-important-in-everyday-life
What is Creativity? The Importance of Creativity in Life. (n.d.). Retrieved March 23, 2019, from https://creativityworkshop.com/what-is-creativity.html