Creative people are masters of mixing and matching seemingly contradictory emotions, ideas, and personality traits to produce something unique. They can daydream and imagine fantastic worlds, yet remain grounded enough to turn those visions into reality. Often they are more than happy to spend late hours working on their projects because they find it fun and rewarding. They also have an uncanny ability to see beauty in the everyday – whether it is the beauty of their surroundings, their partner or their work.
A large part of creativity is learning from your mistakes and overcoming hurdles. Most creative people are not afraid to admit when they are wrong or that their initial idea isn’t as good as it could be. They are willing to give new approaches a fair shot before giving up and moving on to another idea. This is why most creatives tend to be prolific – they will keep trying and will eventually hit on something that works.
Many creatives have a unique ability to balance playfulness and productivity, often at the expense of their other responsibilities. They will sometimes be seen laughing and having a great time, but they can also be known to work late into the night and persist through challenges that less driven individuals would not. They usually have a deep belief that most, if not all, problems can be solved and are not discouraged when they encounter obstacles.
Creativity involves seeing the potential in everything – and that can make them seem carefree and lighthearted at times. However, this doesn’t mean they aren’t serious about their work. When they are focused on a project they can become laser-like in their pursuit of perfection, and that requires discipline.
Csikszentmihalyi believed that creative people are able to merge their masculine and feminine sides. This enables them to be nurturing and sensitive (often labeled as feminine), as well as dominant and assertive (often labeled as masculine). They are able to create both in the arts, where they may write poems or paint masterpieces, and in science and business, where they may develop new technology or run businesses.
Creatives have a strong sense of curiosity, and they are always asking questions. This is why they are so good at finding inspiration and solutions – they notice the little things that others might miss.
Because they are open and sensitive, creatives feel the pain of others. A poorly designed machine or a bad poem can hurt just as much to an inventive engineer or a writer as it does to the average person. This can make them sensitive to criticism, but it also makes them passionate about their work.
This is the biggest difference between creatives and everyone else. They are the ones who understand the meaning of the phrase, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Creatives love to break the rules and have a hard time keeping standard business hours or adhering to a schedule because they want to give their full attention to their work.