I'm not creative.
We've all heard it. From others. From ourselves. "I'm not creative."
I genuinely do not understand that sentence. I do not understand the sentiment. All humans are creative. Every piece and part of the natural world, humans included, are creative. Creativity is an unstoppable force of nature.
We've all heard it. From others. From ourselves. "I'm not creative."
I genuinely do not understand that sentence. I do not understand the sentiment. All humans are creative. Every piece and part of the natural world, humans included, are creative. Creativity is an unstoppable force of nature.
Take a step back. Look at meaning of the word.
From my battered American Heritage Dictionary (published by Houghton Mifflin in 1975):
create tr.v. 1. To cause to exist; bring into being; originate. 2. To give rise to; bring about; produce.
create tr.v. 1. To cause to exist; bring into being; originate. 2. To give rise to; bring about; produce.
By breathing we create carbon dioxide. By talking we create conversation. By consuming we create our economy. Cooking a meal creates nourishment in a form that did not previously exist. Gardening creates new vegetation, pollen for insects, seeds for birds, shelter for wee creatures, food for human consumption, beauty for the eye, exercise for the body. To live life is a continuous creative act. To create a new life, to have children, is the ultimate creative act.
When we say or think or feel "I'm not creative," what do we truly mean? What imagined inadequacy are we trying to express? What judgements are we making? That we're not imaginative? That we're not innovative? That we're not artistic? That we're not skilled at drawing, painting, knitting, sewing, woodworking?
I say none of that matters. Skills are not innate, they are acquired through practice. Sure, we all can look at someone else and see what appears to be a natural aptitude for certain skills, but is it really aptitude or simply interest in and dedication to learning them? I don't know. But I do believe innovation, imagination, originality - whatever name we put to it - is not required to be creative.
Knit a scarf from a pattern. This is a creative act. You made a scarf from nothing but a bit of yarn and couple of sticks. You brought something into being that previously did not exist; a scarf. You did not invent the design of the scarf, you did not innovate a new stitch method; you followed someone else's pattern. So what? You created a scarf. You are creative.
I say none of that matters. Skills are not innate, they are acquired through practice. Sure, we all can look at someone else and see what appears to be a natural aptitude for certain skills, but is it really aptitude or simply interest in and dedication to learning them? I don't know. But I do believe innovation, imagination, originality - whatever name we put to it - is not required to be creative.
Knit a scarf from a pattern. This is a creative act. You made a scarf from nothing but a bit of yarn and couple of sticks. You brought something into being that previously did not exist; a scarf. You did not invent the design of the scarf, you did not innovate a new stitch method; you followed someone else's pattern. So what? You created a scarf. You are creative.
When we say or think or feel "I'm not creative," what do we truly mean?
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