Creative People – How Are We Different?

For creative minds, the world isn’t to be lived in—it’s a playground ripe to disrupt and reinvent; a petri dish brimming with inspirational soup. And the mindset that accompanies creativity eschews the baseline for normalcy. Instead, the questions become: Why not turn it upside down to see what falls out? What if there is no right or wrong? What if possibilities are everywhere?

Creativity isn’t just about painting a masterpiece or writing a bestselling novel. It’s a unique way of seeing the world, interacting with it, and having the courage to flip and reimagine the obvious.

So, how do creative people bring their uniqueness into the world? Tapping my own well of experiences, here is a deep dive into seven creative essentials:

• Imagination: Top of the list for obvious reasons. Creative folks have an incredible ability to visualize the impossible. They can see a blank canvas—whatever their medium—and imagine a sparkling new and untapped universe. They ignore the familiar creature comforts to blast beyond the mundane and into the extraordinary. This isn’t limited to art; they unleash the unexpected through problem-solving and innovation.

• Curiosity: Ever notice how some people can’t stop asking questions? My Facebook advertising representative told me last year that I asked too many questions! I threw it back at him: “How else am I going to learn?” That’s a creative mind at work. They always seek new information, new experiences, and new perspectives. Relentless curiosity is a hallmark of ideas.

• Emotional Depth:  Heightened sensitivity and emotional depth are prominent markers for creativity. To feel things deeply and channel those tangled emotions into work–that’s where the riches come from.  It’s why art, music, and writing can be so powerful and moving.

• Risk Taking: The fear of failure? Sign me up! I’ve been deep into a year of living dangerously, fuelled by zero, well, you know. Failure, while always imminent, is never as daunting to creative types. Failure is a stepping stone to success, and creatives embrace a path littered with risks, experiments, and the unknown. Not every idea will be a hit, but you never know until you try!

• Non-Linear Thinking: Creative minds often think in loops, leaps, and bounds. Logic and structure? Sometimes. The thrill of creativity lies in the connection of seemingly unrelated dots. This free association leads to innovative and unexpected ideas.

• Balancing Introverted & Extroverted: I learned this lesson the hard way when writing my first book. Can someone say fall down a rabbit hole?  The ability to swing between intense moments of solitude, lost in thought, and being the life of the party, takes practice. Time becomes elastic when you create. You stretch and stretch into the depths of inspiration but the need to snap back into reality is paramount for a healthy life balance.

• Resilience: Rejection and criticism? You better get used to that if you want to create. Everyone happily dispenses opinions on your work and a percentage of haters will never shower you with love. But instead of giving up, creative individuals use these experiences to grow and refine their work. They bounce back, often stronger and more determined. All driven by a deep passion for their craft. 

In summary, we live in a culture that worships the winning result. But creatives know to embrace the less glamorous gains made along the way to success. Growth, confidence, and dealing with failure, propels creative minds further. They are endlessly captivated by what could be. This perspective inspires work that challenges norms, and thus, what makes their contributions so invaluable.

Y’all know that one of my all-time favorite sayings comes from advertising executive Bill Bernbach: The memorable never emerged from a formula. I will die on my sword to live up to this. It’s woven into my DNA. And as a creative soul, this peculiar splendor of going for it at all costs is now a lifestyle choice.

Carpe diem.

ACF CREATIVE 💋

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Read my award-winning novel A Rainbow Like You