It’s March, and in the spirit of springtime and new beginnings, I’ve decided to focus my four articles this month on creativity and the birth of new and original ideas. Subscribers to this free newsletter will receive this article and Creativity and the Psychology of Color, which will land in their inboxes on the 21st, and paid subscribers will receive two additional articles titled Creativity and Mental Health: Why the Brooding Writer Must Go (on the 14th) and Applying Ayurvedic Principles to Creativity (on the 28th).
Creativity, and specifically what factors make some people (writers, engineers, artists, etc.) more creative than others, has been a topic of study in academia for quite some time. Understanding the source and nature of creativity levels in individuals could, in theory, pave the way for harnessing and cultivating it. In addition to the predictable economic benefits (a company teeming with creative employees would see increased ingenuity in their products, marketing, and efficiency), all of which would ideally translate into an improved quality of life for everyone.
Those benefits would certainly apply to the individual as well. Imagine as a writer, your most creative day multiplied by 365. Imagine as a painter, every time you sit in front of a canvas, you’re able to create with your hands the exact image inside your mind. And those images are more vibrant and captivating than ever before. Think of the speed in which you and your scientist colleagues would invent new medicines, prevent the extinction of species, and discover new universes, and possibly obliterate certain afflictions altogether.
Imagine demystifying creativity to the point that you could summon it on command, problem-solve in ways you’ve never been able to before, come up with novel concepts and ideas that could influence your readers and invite them to see perspectives they’ve never previously considered, and enjoy the fulfillment, empowerment and satisfaction that comes with tapping into that creative flow, daily.
And yet, with all the studies that have been conducted, all the theories tested, and all the time spent, creativity remains a phenomenon, unpredictable and unreliable. That said, these studies have shown through measurable outcomes that there are certain situations in which one can learn to become more creative and more productive.
The first point we must examine is in how we view creativity in general. When people pitch me ideas for screenplays, they’ll sometimes preface their pitch with, “I have this great idea for a story, but I need someone creative like you to write it.” Or, “I came up with an idea for a movie that’s pretty good. Well, I think it’s good at least. I’m not very creative so maybe it’s not good at all.” They casually toss in their lack of creativity as if we are not all inherently creative beings. As if being creative is a talent some of us are born with and others aren’t. The mere fact they feel they have a great idea for a story implies that they are, indeed, creative. And their lack of confidence in their own ideas is a coat of armor they don to protect their egos should I tell them that the idea they are enthusiastic about out, isn’t all that great.
Reframing our definition of creativity allows us to accept, first and foremost, that we are all creative beings.
Creativity, in its simplest form, is the opposite of destructivity. The majority of human beings, consistently throughout time, have been creative. We create stories, art, music, buildings, cities, amusement parks, marinas, airplanes, space shuttles, telescopes, telegrams, roads, co-ops, clubs, recipes, medicines, prosthetics, automobiles, philanthropic organizations, educational systems, political systems, democracies, communities, countries, alliances, friendships, relationships, mentorships, families, and most of all, we (well some of us) create children.
In his book People of the Lie, M. Scott Peck relates acts of destruction to evil and acts of creation to good. People who are ‘good,’ actively engage in the process of creation, and those who are ‘evil’ are characterized by a desire to destroy what others have created. When you think about it, most crimes are acts of destruction, either literally (murder, arson, assault, vandalism, etc.) or result in some level of predictable and intended emotional, personal, or financial destruction for the victim (rape, robbery, theft, animal abuse, etc.).
The Christian Bible heralds this view of creation and destruction. God, who is inherently good, is the creator of all things. Satan, who is evil, leads us into destructive behavior. God is “the light, the truth and the way.” Satan is the “Prince of Darkness,” and darkness makes it impossible to see (the truth).
I find this notion that creation is associated with truth, to be apropos for the artist. As storytellers, we use words to illuminate the truth, to guide readers and viewers into ‘seeing the light’ so to speak. Ideally, our stories help people understand themselves, others, and humanity in a more clear and concise way. By taking them on our characters’ journeys, they find similarities in their own lives and relationships. As writers, we are the conduit between the readers, the lessons our characters learn, and the teaching of those lessons to our readers. The same goes for the painter, the actor, the playwright, the architect, the engineer, the chef, the schoolteacher, and the list goes on and on.
So that’s, that. We are all creative souls, our creativity manifesting in various ways.
Albert Einstein is quoted as saying, “Creativity is intelligence having fun!” It’s definitely fun to be in creative flow, but creativity isn’t necessarily correlated with intelligence. Historically, people credited with some of the most ingenious discoveries, like Einstein, have also had much higher-than-average IQs, but recent academic studies suggest that individuals with the highest IQs have a greater probability of creative achievement than creative potential. It’s important to understand the difference between the two.
Creative potential lies in all of us. It’s the desire to create something new, something that didn’t previously exist. Creative achievement is the creation of something so new and original that it enhances the lives of others. Acheivements like the Taj Mahal, the discovery of penicillin, the creation of The Beheading of John the Baptist, or Hamlet.
We all have the potential to be creative, but most of us don’t come up with amazingly original and novel ideas, even when we want to.
That raises two questions. Is it possible to nurture the creative forces within us and take them to a higher and more productive level regardless of our IQs? And if so, what conditions are required to do so?
A scholar named Robert Epstein, who has studied those very questions, believes that there are environments conducive to heightened creativity and environments that are disadvantageous.
Curiosity and exploratory behavior go hand in hand, so asking ‘What if?’ questions and seeking out tasks that challenge you, allows new information into your brain creating new neural pathways. Drawing connections between information you already know and the new data fosters creativity and new ideas. According to Epstein, knowledge on diverse subjects promotes interconnection which he claims is the basis for creative thought.
Thinking ‘outside the box,’ is, in fact, employing interconnection to see solutions that couldn’t have been recognized previously.
So perhaps today is the day that you sit down in front of your computer and teach yourself about aerodynamics, or quantum mechanics, or the differences between rational choice theory and differential association theory in criminology.
Your environment is also important. While a stressful environment can stifle creativity, intriguing environments enhance it. Adding interesting artwork or objects to your workspace, vibrant colors, and removing clutter can set you up for creative achievement. In Feng Shui, clutter represents unresolved issues (which, when I look at my desk right now during tax season, I must admit is true!) and those issues take up space, cluttering up our creative conscious. By eliminating the clutter, the unresolved issues, and making room for objects and art that inspire, as well as clean, negative space (specifically the right middle part of your desk according to principles of Feng Shui), to support new ideas, your mind will reflect the same.
Getting out of your workspace is equally important. Spending the day at a museum or an evening at a concert hall or at a play surrounds you with creative the achievements of others. Creation, as previously discussed, is connected to light, and is enlightening. Enlightenment is a form of clarity, which requires clearing away the mental clutter.
Natural settings can have a similar effect. Walking in a park or near a lake, hiking in the woods, or even just sitting on your back porch watching the morning light change as flocks of birds move in and out of formation can inspire creativity. Nature brings us closer to God, the Universe, the collective soul. We refer to it as Mother Nature because it is the source of life for all things, and for life, there must be birth, and birth is synonymous with creativity.
Spend time with interesting people. Many of the artists and writers I know tend to be introverts, but making the effort to engage with smart, captivating people with knowledge or interests in subjects that don’t necessarily reflect your own, promotes creativity as well. Not only will the conversations introduce you to knew ideas and perceptions, but hearing about their creative achievements is a reminder that those achievements are attainable.
The last practical way to inspire creative achievement is to build your own sense of confidence. Studies have shown that there’s a link between self-confidence and the decision to act on one’s creative ideas. This is where IQ comes back into play. People with higher IQs tend to have greater confidence in their intellectual abilities and therefore, greater confidence in their creative ideas. Instead of coming up with a great idea and assuming it could never work, or someone would have already thought of it, they assume it can work and that there’s no reason why they weren’t the first to think of it.
You don’t need to be a member of Mensa to have confidence in your ideas.
The more you follow the suggestions by Epstein, the more your creative confidence will naturally grow. Learning new subjects to foster interconnectedness of ideas, surrounding yourself with intelligent, interesting people who can challenge you, and immersing yourself in decluttered, natural, or artistic environments where you can truly marvel, will all improve your self-confidence.
Another spring is upon us, and we are here to witness it. How lucky are we? Take in all that’s fresh and new, create a new environment, new habits, new experiences, and begin to build a more creative you.
Happy writing!
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This is such a thought provoking article!! I think it's my favorite so far. Thank you for writing and sharing your gift!