It may not be the fate - or even the desire - of each of us to change the world, to be the next Steve Jobs or Pablo Picasso. That said, this shouldn’t stop us from doing what we believe in. Unfortunately, the messages we receive are often conflicting, and creativity is not always encouraged. In some cases there may be consequences for doing something in a different way, or to finding another way to go about it entirely. This isn’t always the case, but if the end result doesn’t meet expectations, it can be like a door has been slammed on your creative idea. You wanted to be creative, but it failed. You’d better stick to the basics, buddy.
The pressure to stifle creativity can begin in school. As Sir Ken Robinson states in his TED talk, “Intelligence is diverse. Intelligence is dynamic. Intelligence is distinct.” The irony is, many schools emphasize math and science and those areas that will ostensibly help us become employed when we become adults. There may be those with a gift in a certain area, but for the rest of us average children, we’d better stick to the grain or risk mediocrity - or worse, poverty - for the remainder of our lives.
But what about those people who are brilliant in their own ways, but who don’t believe their talents have merit because they receive constant reinforcement that they are not? Their gifts may diverge from math and science and other conventionally “applicable” disciplines. These students only know that they are average, or less than average, in those courses that promising students are supposed to do well in.
Take the example of my mother. Everything about her is musical: her abilities of retention, analysis, performance, and interpretation of classical music are extraordinary (my assessment is not, I assure you, solely based on the fact that she is my mother). She should be an artist in some capacity. What's tragic is that she sees herself as a failure.
The pressure to stifle creativity can begin in school. As Sir Ken Robinson states in his TED talk, “Intelligence is diverse. Intelligence is dynamic. Intelligence is distinct.” The irony is, many schools emphasize math and science and those areas that will ostensibly help us become employed when we become adults. There may be those with a gift in a certain area, but for the rest of us average children, we’d better stick to the grain or risk mediocrity - or worse, poverty - for the remainder of our lives.
But what about those people who are brilliant in their own ways, but who don’t believe their talents have merit because they receive constant reinforcement that they are not? Their gifts may diverge from math and science and other conventionally “applicable” disciplines. These students only know that they are average, or less than average, in those courses that promising students are supposed to do well in.
Take the example of my mother. Everything about her is musical: her abilities of retention, analysis, performance, and interpretation of classical music are extraordinary (my assessment is not, I assure you, solely based on the fact that she is my mother). She should be an artist in some capacity. What's tragic is that she sees herself as a failure.
Throughout my mother's schooling she was repeatedly told that her talents were useless, and she still believes it to this day. She is plagued by the fact that she never mastered advanced math. When I tell her how valuable her true self is, she beams for a moment, only to shake her head and say, “Yes, but what use is it?” This firm belief is why she precludes herself from any possibility of starting an artistic life, even in her retirement.
It’s almost as if the message is: If you’re not innovative in a shortlist of pre-approved fields, you might as well give up. After all, how many George Balanchines and Paul McCartneys are out there?
It’s almost as if the message is: If you’re not innovative in a shortlist of pre-approved fields, you might as well give up. After all, how many George Balanchines and Paul McCartneys are out there?
As Sir Ken Robinson put it succinctly and rather devastatingly, “We are educating people out of their creativity.”
How can we find a balance? How can we do our due diligence, yet still find the breathing space to find our true talents? If we don’t happen to have a supportive community be it family or school or workplace, we must find the courage to strike out in our own ways.
First, acknowledge your talents and abilities. Make a list and keep it handy, if it’ll help remind you of who you are and that you are valuable for your unique qualities. In my mother’s case she can’t even bring herself to do this first step, so I’m writing a list for her to see what results. I’m hoping my admiration for her will help her see just how valuable her talents are.
Second, find opportunities, no matter how small, to put your ideas into play. Attach a concrete reason to work on your idea. As I read once, “If you like something, find a way to call it work.” Give yourself a goal. Before I started this blog I knew I loved to write, but had never done anything about it. I realized I’d never given myself a reason. My blog was the vehicle through which I set my goals. Every week I had to brainstorm ideas to write about. Even if I didn’t come up with anything I ultimately used, at least I’d done something. Psychologically this reinforced the legitimacy of my project, and equally important, it became a habit.
Third, find a way to get some kind of external validation for what you’re doing. It’s really difficult working in a vacuum after the initial groundwork is laid. At some point, find someone to share your work in progress with (don’t wait for that perfect moment; it doesn’t exist!). It could be a family member, friend, or a shot in the dark submission to someone in that field whom you admire. If your idea is work-related, try to find a mentor or someone you trust to bounce your framework off of. That person may point out aspects you’d never considered, allowing you to strengthen your work before you bring it to a bigger (or more crucial) audience.
It’s a cycle. After presenting to a confidant, it’s usually necessary to go back to your inner world and reassess, restructure, redo. Hopefully this process will build on your confidence, even as setbacks give you reason to improve and/or bolster your belief in your work. The key is not to lose courage. If your idea means enough to you, you’ll find ways to carry on and fight for it. It takes guts to try something you might have been told is impractical, will lead to a dead end, will cause you to lose your current job, will render you a pauper ... the naysayer’s list is endless.
How can we find a balance? How can we do our due diligence, yet still find the breathing space to find our true talents? If we don’t happen to have a supportive community be it family or school or workplace, we must find the courage to strike out in our own ways.
First, acknowledge your talents and abilities. Make a list and keep it handy, if it’ll help remind you of who you are and that you are valuable for your unique qualities. In my mother’s case she can’t even bring herself to do this first step, so I’m writing a list for her to see what results. I’m hoping my admiration for her will help her see just how valuable her talents are.
Second, find opportunities, no matter how small, to put your ideas into play. Attach a concrete reason to work on your idea. As I read once, “If you like something, find a way to call it work.” Give yourself a goal. Before I started this blog I knew I loved to write, but had never done anything about it. I realized I’d never given myself a reason. My blog was the vehicle through which I set my goals. Every week I had to brainstorm ideas to write about. Even if I didn’t come up with anything I ultimately used, at least I’d done something. Psychologically this reinforced the legitimacy of my project, and equally important, it became a habit.
Third, find a way to get some kind of external validation for what you’re doing. It’s really difficult working in a vacuum after the initial groundwork is laid. At some point, find someone to share your work in progress with (don’t wait for that perfect moment; it doesn’t exist!). It could be a family member, friend, or a shot in the dark submission to someone in that field whom you admire. If your idea is work-related, try to find a mentor or someone you trust to bounce your framework off of. That person may point out aspects you’d never considered, allowing you to strengthen your work before you bring it to a bigger (or more crucial) audience.
It’s a cycle. After presenting to a confidant, it’s usually necessary to go back to your inner world and reassess, restructure, redo. Hopefully this process will build on your confidence, even as setbacks give you reason to improve and/or bolster your belief in your work. The key is not to lose courage. If your idea means enough to you, you’ll find ways to carry on and fight for it. It takes guts to try something you might have been told is impractical, will lead to a dead end, will cause you to lose your current job, will render you a pauper ... the naysayer’s list is endless.
But as Steve Jobs said, why live your life for someone else? If you don’t believe in your own particular kind of creativity, the only person who will be left asking “What if ...?” in the end, is you.
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