4 EASY WAYS To Become A SUPER Creative Person

Creativity is one of those things that people believe you are just born with it or you're not! I was always very creative as a child. I used to spend hours by myself in my room drawing and writing, so it is does come somewhat natural for me.. however, I have periods where I can't think of anything! So I had to think.. Can anybody be creative? Where does it come from? Where do creative people get their ideas? How can I become more creative and also teach others to do the same? Well I gave it a lot of thought and here are 4 Easy ways to tap into the creative genius that lives in all of us!

Relax

I noticed that my best ideas come when I'm doing almost nothing! Like driving in the car, taking a shower or just staring into space and being very quiet or meditating. Oftentimes the inspiration for creativity comes when we are relaxing. Take a walk, or relax and cook a nice meal When our body is relaxed our brain is freed up for creative things. If you are feeling stuck on an idea - take a break from it and just RELAX. I have started purposely setting time aside for nothingness and the ideas seem to keep on flowing because of it.

Get Some Competition

Nothing gets the creative juices flowing quite like competition. When someone challenges your creativity on a subject are you going to give up? Not likely! You are going to think of something new and different to be better because that's what we do. Talk to a friend or colleague and see which one of you can come up with better ideas for whatever you might be working on.

Find Your Inspiration

What really inspires you? Is it music, art, laughing, sports, cooking? Whatever it is.. do more of that! When you are doing things that inspire you, oddly enough you become more inspiring, which results in more creativity!

Improve On An Old Idea

Well, no idea is truly original but you know rappers take a sad song and make it better? (well sometimes it's better) Just think of think of ways to make improvements on already existing ideas. Advertising agency think tanks are always spinning old content and making it fresh again. Why can't you???

Creativity is as unique as the individual. There might be creative dry spells but trust and believe the source for creative ideas is infinite. If you need help tapping into your creativity to help in your business, life, or relationships contact me for a FREE Coaching session.

https://ezinearticles.com/?4-EASY-WAYS-To-Become-A-SUPER-Creative-Person&id=8562656

Why One Is Not The Loneliest Number

There is a famous Three Dog Night song entitled "One is the Loneliest Number". However is this really true? In our fast paced, complicated lives, we are encouraged to "Just Do It" and make it all happen. We are enticed with emails about fabulous vacations, delicious restaurants, and online classes, etc. We watch reality TV and other shows that make us want to do more and achieve everything on our bucket list - yesterday.

The reality is that for us to achieve true wellness, we must stop and have quiet time. We must have time to reflect, ponder, and dream. The most creative people set aside time to do this. They envision things and play them out in their minds. They brainstorm in their heads and just imagine. When was the last time you "allowed" yourself to do this? If you did this recently, did you feel guilty, that you should have been "doing" something instead?

According to Dictionary.com, the word "solitude" means the state of being or living alone, seclusion. It sounds so negative to me. All I think of are movies when the prisoner is put in solitary confinement. So to put a positive spin on this, I realized that if I want to have some quiet time, I need to create a place where there are no disruptions and is peaceful. It needs to be in a room that has calming colors (like pastels for me) and is free of gadgets including TVs and other devices. Plants and soothing pictures of birds and butterflies are in this room.

In addition, I schedule this time because like many, my calendar is very full. Besides running two businesses and being the mother of three teenagers, there is not a lot of free space on my calendar. By scheduling some quiet time and putting a Do Not Disturb sign on my door, everyone knows to leave me alone (except my cats).

I may have a cup of tea with me but otherwise there is nothing for me to center my thoughts on. I close my eyes and try to let my imagine run wild. This is not necessarily meditation time where I am focused on my breathing, but more letting me just think about anything I want to with no constraints. Sometimes it is about new presentations I want to create, a blog idea, or just what new recipe I want to have for dinner. Other times I imagine myself in a foreign land and meeting amazing people. Regardless of what I am thinking, I do not judge or critique my thoughts and I do not think about what others would think. Some thoughts and dreams are pretty crazy.

I try to stay in the room for at least 20 minutes. I am known for setting a timer outside my door to let me know when time is up versus looking at a clock or my cell phone. Usually I feel refreshed but I admit there are times when I am frustrated. I feel this way either because I wish I could have more alone time (I feel like waking up from a dream too early) or I feel that there is now way too much to do because I came up with more ideas of things I want to accomplish. Argh! Luckily this frustrating feeling doesn't happen often and when it does, it is usually for a short period of time.

If you are the type that can't sit still, try this for 5 or 10 minutes. Also allow some time afterwards to write down some thoughts or ideas that you may have come up with or things that you want to discuss with others. Regardless of how you do this, remember that our brain like our body needs down time and this is a wonderful way to do it.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-One-Is-Not-The-Loneliest-Number&id=9807345

The Unfair Truth About How Creative People Succeed

The other week, I was invited to a dinner hosted by a friend. Those attending included people I’ve admired for years. Halfway through the dinner, I silently asked myself, “How did I get here?” The answer lies in what I subsequently learned.

For years, I had heard people talk about their influential friendships and subsequent success, and each time, I would seethe with envy. It seemed unfair. Of course those people were successful. They knew the right people. They were in the right place at the right time. They got lucky.

Years later, however, I discovered that success is born of luck -- I don’t think any honest person can dispute that. But luck, in many ways, can be created, or at the very least, improved. The truth is, life is not fair. For creative work to spread, you need more than talent. You have to get exposure to the right networks. And as unfair as that may seem, it’s the way the world has always worked.

The good news is, you have more control over this than you realize.

Creativity: a systems approach

What makes a person creative? As human beings, of course, we are all endowed with the ability to create. But, what is the difference between that kind of “little c” creativity and the world-changing “big C” creativity that changes industries and leaves a legacy for generations to come?

In his decades-long study of creativity, management psychology expert Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi described what he called a “systems approach.” Since "creative" work tends to be subjective, he posited a model that included three systems:

• The domain
• The field
• The individual

In order to be considered creative (in the sense that it offers some kind of enduring work the world remembers), a work must satisfy all three of these areas. Here’s how it works: First, an individual must master his or her craft in a given domain (art, science, mathematics,etc.). Then, this person must offer the creative work to a field of influencers in that domain who are trusted experts. Finally, those gatekeepers must decide whether the work is worth being accepted into the domain as being authoritative.

That’s the systems approach to creativity. And as much as I initially winced at the word “gatekeepers” when considering what makes creative work succeed, once I started reading biographies of famous artists, scientists and musicians, Csikszentmihalyi's theory made a lot of sense. Talent is only part of the equation. The rest is networking.

Hemingway, Paris and enduring work

When he was just a young man in his early 20s, Ernest Hemingway moved from Chicago to a poor district in Paris. He had just returned from a short stint of serving with the Red Cross in World War I and wanted to pursue a career in writing.

There was just one problem: Hemingway didn’t have much exposure to other writers. Who would teach him?

In Chicago, Hemingway met Sherwood Anderson, who encouraged him to move to Paris to meet Gertrude Stein, who led a community of writers, poets and artists there. Plus, it was cheaper to live in Paris, and Hemingway could live modestly while still having time to travel and write.

In Paris, he met Stein, as well as Ezra Pound, James Joyce and many others who would shape his work for years to come. This included a connection via F. Scott Fitzgerald to Scribner’s, the publisher that would later publish his novels and change the course of his career forever.

Before that decade in Paris, Hemingway was a writer of some notable talent and a pretty good journalist. But after those years when he immersed in the creative work of others, he became a household name.

Due to the connections created through that Paris community, Hemingway became one of the most famous writers of the 20th century. It’s inconceivable that such a development could have happened anywhere else. Not because there was something special about the Left Bank at that time, but because without a network, creative work does not endure. In other words, without Paris, there would have been no Hemingway. But, what does that mean for mere mortals like you and me?

Finding your own Paris

Are we doomed to failure if we don’t live in the right place at the right time? Of course not. But networks matter, maybe more than we care to admit. Vincent van Gogh’s work matured much more quickly once he met the French Impressionists. And why wouldn’t it? He now had a field of gatekeepers who both critiqued and validated his work.

Whether we like it or not, we all need some kind of objective standard against which to measure our work. And although van Gogh did not sell much of his work in his lifetime, it was the tenacity of a well-connected sister-in-law that eventually brought his paintings to market. In fact, most of the great art the world has ever seen came about not through a single stroke of genius but by the continual effort of a community.

Networks. Partnerships. Creative collaborations. This is where enduring work originates, and, incidentally, this is how we get works like The Lord of the Rings and The White Album. Creativity is not a solitary invention but a collaborative creation. And communities create opportunities for creative work to succeed. But how do you apply this approach if you don’t live someplace like Paris, New York or Rome?

Well, of course, you could move. According to Csikszentmihalyi, it’s better to move somewhere new than it is to will yourself to be more creative. And today, it’s easier than ever to transplant yourself someplace inspiring, even if your move is just temporary. I did this eight years ago, relocating from northern Illinois to Nashville and unknowingly inserting myself into what would become a hub of creativity, technology and entrepreneurship. I’m glad I did.

But you could also let go of your excuses and realize that there’s a network available to you right now, wherever you are. This may come in the form of an online mastermind group or a series of events you attend, maybe even one you organize yourself. The truth is, there are connections everywhere and always more resources available to those willing to look.

A seat at the table

Five years ago, I decided to do something radical -- well, radical for me at least. I let go of my cynicism and began reaching out to influential bloggers and authors, people I had watched for years and wanted to know. I asked them to meet me for coffee. And here’s the crazy part: Most of them said yes.

Even though I was a shy person, I met these heroes of mine and followed up with them, doing everything I could think of to help them. In some cases, it just meant buying their coffee. In others, I would interview them for my tiny blog, realizing that even the most influential people don’t mind talking about themselves.

I tried to be the kind of person these people would want to invest in -- following every piece of advice they gave, doing everything they told me to do and not questioning a single word of it. And at some point, I got lucky.

It’s naive to say success doesn’t involve luck. Of course, it does. Crazy stuff happens all the time, stuff we can’t control that sometimes works in our favor. At the same time, luck is not completely out of your control. Luck can be planned. Although I can’t tell when or where luck is going to come from, I do know that the more you put yourself in the company of greatness, the more likely some of that greatness will rub off on you.

So if you want a seat at the table, the process might look something like this:

1. Find a gatekeeper.

For Hemingway, this was Sherwood Anderson and eventually Gertrude Stein. These were the people who held the keys to the kingdom, and every domain has at least one. Find someone who is connected to the people you want to know, and be strategic in reaching out, tenacious in staying in touch and intentional in demonstrating your competency.

2. Connect with people in the network. 

Stein introduced Hemingway to other writers in Paris who could help him, but he was also relentless about meeting with them. He used to spar with Ezra Pound on a regular basis, boxing with him and learning how to write terse prose in the process. If you show the gatekeeper you’re willing to learn, he or she will likely introduce you to others and keep investing in you.

3. Help as many people as possible. 

This is crucial. It’s not just whom you know, it’s whom you help. People remember what you do for them a lot more than they remember how clever you were. In spite of his reputation as an alpha male, Hemingway did this, too -- helping Stein get her work published, encouraging Fitzgerald when he suffered from creative blocks and bringing attention to the work of the Left Bank.

Of course, every person’s journey is his or her own. But what I am now more certain of than ever is that success in any creative field is contingent on the networks you are a part of. The question is, will you embrace the power of networks, or will you keep thinking those people are just "lucky"?

Luck comes to us all. But those who recognize it are the ones who succeed. Every story of success is really a story of community, and the way you find yours is by reaching out and taking advantage of the opportunities that present themselves -- whether the setting is Paris, Chicago or your own hometown.

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/250468

You ARE Creative, It's A Capacity Not A Skill

"To say 'Creative People' is redundant." - Elizabeth Gilbert

Too often, people claim that they just aren't creative.

Maybe you've said that about yourself?

Hooey I say!

Creativity is a human trait. It is a capacity that is built into our DNA.

There is a stereotypical image of a "Creative Type," and it usually looks like an artist or author. They are edgy, they have prolific imaginations, and they are often broke.

Or perhaps your image is more of the "Creative Class" that all the corporations and cities are seeking to attract. They are young, tech savvy, their medium is likely programming or design.

These images are limiting, and even dangerous.

The more we can embrace that everyone has the capacity to be creative, the more we will all benefit from it.

I'm not saying that everyone can paint a masterpiece or build a machine. That is a level above Creativity itself.

The Difference Between A Capacity And A Skill

To be creative is simply the ability to have original thoughts. It's our ability to look at something, and have a unique thought about it. It could be through solving a problem, coming up with an idea, or seeing a new angle.

To execute or express our creativity requires a skill. Just because you have an idea for the next great video game doesn't mean you can program it. Just because you have a vision for a novel doesn't mean you can write it.

Creative skills can include everything from painting, drawing, writing, programming, designing, building, carving, speaking, moving... The list goes on and on!

Skills can be learned

How we express our ideas is a matter of form. Do we express them through writing, through creating spaces, through music?

Choosing your form and then learning and improving your skills is what allows you to fully express your creativity.

Some skills are more technical than others, but they all require some knowledge and a lot of practice to become proficient.

So, you can say that you aren't an architect or a painter. Those just aren't your chosen forms for creative expression, and you haven't honed those skills.

Creativity must be fostered

While we all have the capacity for creativity, original thinking, and new ideas, many people lose touch with this ability. If it isn't fostered, it can fade.

Sir Ken Robinson, in his well-known TED talk, argues that the education system, as well as society at large, is actually squashing our creativity. We are being taught to copy others, to get things "right" rather than trying new things or taking risks.

We need to give ourselves a chance to be creative. Some space to let our ideas grow. The opportunity to try different forms of creative expression and work on the ones we are most drawn to.

There are many ways to do this. For my clients and me, content creation is the opportunity. It is where creativity and entrepreneurship meet. Where finding a form for creativity and self-expression can grow your business and build your reputation.

And in the process, make the world a more creative place.

https://ezinearticles.com/?You-ARE-Creative,-Its-A-Capacity-Not-A-Skill&id=8974796

10 Signs You Are A Creative Person (Though You Don’t Feel You Are)

     

Paint covered hands, the clickity clack of the typewriter, or the soft strumming of a guitar aren’t necessarily signs of a creative person. You don’t need a stylish combover, nonprescription glasses, or staunch arrogance to consider yourself an artist, either. In fact, people who embody the characteristics previously listed are sometimes some of the most non-creative pretend creatives on the face of the earth.

The misconception that “creativity” is a term only deserving for those who can draw, write, or make music is more inaccurate than the “earth is flat” truthers of yesteryear.

Here’s why you’re more of a creative genius than you realize.

1. You’re responsibly irresponsible.

It’s not smart to act immature, but you take chances when you need to. You don’t live a life shackled to “should be’s”, “would be’s”, and “coulda beens”. This can be expressed in buying your first home or car, sending in a job application for a position you’re under qualified for but really want, or treating your friends to a dinner on you when you don’t have a ton of money. Creativity takes guts.

2. You understand the important difference between imagination and reality.

Edgar Allen Poe once famously said, “Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things that escape those who dream only at night.” Edgar was on to something then that you’re probably doing each day – imagining the ideal world you want. You’re able to take those fantasies, evaluate them, and put them into action taking the necessary steps to get there. But, as always, balance between these two is absolutely vital.

3. Your heart’s on your sleeve and your soul’s on your forehead.

Creatives are very open with their emotions, which leaves them susceptible to both tremendous pain and euphoric bliss. You are not unlike this. When you’re frustrated with your children, your best friend can tell when you get tea that afternoon. You just received your 15th rejection letter on your masterpiece manuscript and your wife knows it the second you put down the letter. Creative people are not afraid of their emotions, no matter if they are negative or positive.

“Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.”

-Martin Luther King Jr.

4. You can admit it’s not your best work, but you’ll never say it “sucks.”

I belong to an artistic collective who’s mantra is, “There’s no such thing as bad art.” Though we strongly believe that, each of us are able to recognize when our output or the outcome of our vision is not exactly intended. However, you, like us, are able to accept and appreciate the fact that whatever you just created was not in the world before you made it. And sometimes that’s more than adequate. Eleanor Roosevelt put it best, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

5. You observe everything. Eve-ry-thing.

The world is a huge dinner party, buzzing with gossip, eccentric characters, and the perfect fodder for creation of all kinds. Though many creatives carry around a pocket, purse, or backpack sized notebook, this is not necessary. Your brain is a steel trap and your conscious is a straight-jacket. Mental note it, and get busy.

6. You don’t wait for opportunities, you create it.

Stagnation is something that all creative people hate, and you are no different. The “routine,” the “grind,” and the “day to day” is never the same for too long in your world. If you feel it becoming that, you quickly seek out new sensations, feelings, people, and experiences to keep it fresh. If you don’t know where to look start wandering. Eventually, you’ll find and create the opportunities you’re looking for.

7. You “fail forward.”

Eric Thomas has encouraged his millions of YouTube listeners to do exactly what’s in the title quotations. When you succumb to failure, you don’t stay down for long. Instead you look for ways to learn, grow, and continue forward. Creative people don’t let their downfalls get the best of them.

8. Your risk is worth your rewards.

Creative people are by definition extremely bold. Your actions and plans are easily justifiable because they are normally in accordance to what you believe in. Any time you’re confronted with something that has a somewhat likelihood of backfiring, you don’t run away. You run towards it. Creation, the act of making something from absolutely nothing, is one gigantic risk. Nothing more, nothing less. Forbes contributor Steven Kotler adds,”This is not a job for the timid. Time wasted, reputation tarnished, money not well spent – these are all by-products of creativity gone awry.”

9. You immerse yourself in beauty and talent.

  

       

A lot of creatives have a knack for beauty, even if it’s peculiar and unique to their style. You’re no different. From your writing group to your children and the way you decorate your house, you blanket yourself in the things you love. No matter who thinks what about your space and choices, you stay true to what you’re about. One of the most successful basketball coaches of all time John Wooden once said:

“Whatever you do in life, surround yourself with smart people who’ll argue with you.”

10. You chase dreams and live your passions. Period.

No two ways about it, creatives are generally happy and content with nothing but producing quality work. Definitions and standards of brilliance are self defined, and you realize that. You’re the graceful angel taking tango lessons. You’re the old man at the gym dropping NBA caliber dimes and hitting 35 foot three pointers. You’re that really cute old lady posted at the coffee shop piano who I really want to give my number to for convorsational purposes only. Your drive to perform, compete, and produce is intrinsic. So is the true reward. No matter how many or little fans, accolades, or appreciation you have, only one thing matters:

You’re doing it.

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/10-signs-you-are-creative-person-though-you-dont-feel-you-are.html

10 Things Creative People Do Differently

Being different is not easy. You may get mocked or simply be misunderstood. That is why many people choose the easier way and hide the fact that they are different from others. It is much easier like that.

Many people do that… but not the creative people. Creative people not only are different, but they also express that difference in different shapes and colors.

So what is it that creative people do differently?

1. They Daydream

Who said dreaming is a waste of time? Who said we should always stick to the reality? Many creative ideas are result of daydreaming and creative people do it on daily basis.

2.  They Observe

We all are too busy to notice the things around us. But there are so many interesting things in the streets, in the public transport, at the office… if we only take the time to observe and notice. Creative people observe the things around them and watch people. Many ideas start their development from there.

3. The ask questions

Creative people are very curious. They ask questions and look for the answers. Each question brings a new path towards discovering new things and coming up with creative ideas.

4. They always look for ways for self-expression

For creative people self-expression is crucial. They desperately need to express themselves, their ideas and share what they have created with the world.

5. They enjoy and cherish solitude

Creative people don’t avoid being alone. Just the opposite, they need solitude, since it boosts their creativity. They feel comfortable being with themselves and actually enjoy the loneliness.

6. They break the rules

Usually the creativity does not fit into the rules. Following the same rules bring us to the same point and we all end up with more-less similar results. One has to break the rules and do things in a different way in order to come up with something original and unique.

7. They take risks

By sharing their works creative people take the risk of not being understood, of not being appreciated or of being thought of as crazy. But that’s the only way to succeed, because until they take the risk and share their works no one will know that they exist.

8. They listen to their inner voice

Creative people have well developed intuition and spend lot of time in solitude. That results in being able to hear their inner voice and have fruitful dialogues with it.

9. They work when they feel like it

Creativity can’t be forced. If you want to kill the creativity then set deadlines, get detailed instructions about what needs to be done and create when you don’t feel like it. Creative people can feel inside when they can produce good quality work and when not. So they follow their own rhythm and are more productive that way.

10. They keep trying

Everyone fails. Life makes sure that you fail once in a while. What’s important is how you react to failure. Creative people keep trying. They simply don’t give up.

One should not forget that we all were born creative and talented. We all have it deep inside. We simply have to find that deep place where the creativity hides, tap into it and nurture it.

http://www.lifeprobabilities.com/2014/04/14/creativepeople-2/