BIG PICTURE

Contrary to common perception, creativity is not something some people innately have and others do not. We are all capable of being creative — and it’s simply a matter of developing the skill. Interestingly, creativity comes quite naturally to children, and what tends to happen is fear, doubt, and other social pressures creep in and cloud our creativity as we age, particularly during adolescence and early adulthood. Developing creative sparks is something we can all learn, or re-learn to do! Many people who would consider themselves “creative,” have simply had more practice.

ADDING DEFINITION

Creativity is imagination expressed in a tangible way. And believe it or not, it’s one of the most important skills we can develop as we navigate the future ahead. Being creative is part of what makes us uniquely human, and while some jobs that use creativity might be obvious — a painter or architect for example — creativity can be applied to almost any job from accounting to acrobatics.

WHAT TO EXPECT

So where do we start? The first step to enabling creativity is to stop judging ourselves, and just make something—anything. This means dedicating time and space to creativity and committing to this often, even if it’s only for a few minutes. In addition, contrary to popular belief, being creative isn’t always a solo act—we often gain inspiration from the people, places, and things around us. Build a creative community of people to inspire you and help you get “unstuck.” Creativity also about having confidence in ourselves and the process, even when we feel foggy, uninspired, or frustrated. It’s a long, winding process, and takes time and openness to the unknown along the way.