Creativity is not just for them, you have it too!

I think because I am passionate about the subject of creativity and its role in a person's life, I get uncomfortable when I hear people refer to certain industries or people as the creative ones. Because those statements is indirectly telling someone, he or she is not creative, simply because he/she is not this, that and there.

For example it is easy for people to label the music, fashion and movie industry as the creative industries, thereby calling those who show more of spatial intelligence the creative ones.

A psychologist, Howard Gardner said we all have multiple intelligence. Therefore, I will say people in arts, probably exhibits more of spatial intelligence, while others like musicians and dancers exhibit more of musical and bodily-Kinesthetics intelligence respectively.

Again, due to the fact that this industries or people explicitly showcase their works, we call them the creative ones. Yes, they make use of creativity in what they do, and so does every other industries and individuals.

Moreover, I will say the role of artists in our pleasure seeking desires such as relaxation and fun, make us consume many of their works (almost everyone of us connect with them), celebrate them and more of them are recruited through talent shows.

But intelligence is different from creativity. In fact, experts have said only average intelligence is needed to be creative.

Now, who is a creative person?

I will say a creative person is that person who has identify a field he or she can grow on, is motivated and has taken it upon him/herself to grow in that field by generating and making use of new and valuable ideas.

You see, everybody has the innate ability to be creative in them, and it can be fostered by an environment or company that values and encourages creativity. Creativity is what differentiate an excellent individual from a competent individual.

Don't get me wrong, I am not hating on artists and their industry. I simply believe that just because something is new doesn't mean it is creative. New songs, new movies, new stories, new paintings doesn't mean it is creative, it can only be called creativity when these two constructs are present; new and valuable.

We all have the creative genius in us!

Note: I have written this post as a person who gives lectures and presentations on creativity, innovation and change. I don't have any particular beef for any industry. Feel free to contact me to help you facilitate a creativity session for your organization.

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