Creative people are often misunderstood by the people around them. They do not want to fit into systems that do not celebrate original thinking and they do not always have easy answers for their problems. They are characterized by playfulness and yet also have a doggedness that makes them work late into the night and persist even when less driven individuals would give up. These two qualities make for the unique chemistry that creatives have with their ideas and work.
Most creative people are introverted and extroverted at the same time. They are very passionate about their work, but they are able to remain objective and see that their creations do not always meet the high standards that they set for themselves. This helps them keep their ideas and projects moving forward.
They are explorers. They explore areas that no one else is exploring, and often discover things that are true, or at least interesting, about the world. They may be naive about these explorations, but this naivety is an essential ingredient of creativity. The only way to develop new ideas is to test them in the wild and to discover what does not work and why.
While creativity is about exploring and discovering, it’s also about settling on an idea and making it happen. This requires a type of convergent thinking that is usually not easy for creative people to do. In order to develop an idea, you have to be able to eliminate what doesn’t work, and this can be difficult for creatives because they are always thinking outside the box.
Creatives love to jump boats, they are professional jacks of all trades and masters of none. This makes them very hard to manage in a corporate hierarchy because companies prefer stability and do not usually hire creative people that will question or challenge what is already working.
Authentic novelty is very important to creatives because it gives them a sense of authenticity and self-worth. This is why creatives can sometimes feel a sense of disappointment and failure when their works are not immediately successful or accepted by the public. It is important for creatives to remember that the process of creating something is more valuable than its final outcome.
In the end, it is worth all of this struggle because creatives produce exceptional and lasting work. They are the ones that are taking us all into the unknown, and changing the world. If you are a creative person, don’t be afraid to embrace your unique strengths and do what is best for the world. It will be a better place because of it. And, don’t forget to stay playful along the way! Research shows that just 10 minutes of daily meditation can significantly increase your creativity. This is the perfect way to combine your love of creativity with your practice of mindfulness and still allow you to think outside the box.