Do you think you are creative?
What would be your answer? Well, most of you might end up voicing a simple 'yes' or 'no' answer. While a 'yes' answer would speak of the creative bend of your mind and would surely bolster your confidence in yourself, a 'no' might be a result of your perceived and wrongful definition of creativity and how you wish to absorb the same in your personality.
One can define the set of misconceptions that people hold about creativity and creative skills as 'Creativity myths'. Let's start by dispelling these myths, brick by brick. It's time to re-correct or rephrase our age-old definition.
Myth #1 - Being creative is equivalent to being artistic
This is one of the biggest myths about creativity. People, in general, tend to abide by the conventional perception that being creative is the same as being artistic. This myth is however shattered by Tom Kelley and David Kelley on the very first page of their collaborative project i.e the book Creative Confidence: Unleashing the creative potential within us all.
Creativity is an excellent and awe-inspiring trait except for the belief that it's only restricted to designers, architects, creative writers, painting, and interior decorators. If any of us are holding by this definition, we are out-rightly undermining the creativity and creative potential that makes a successful CEO or an entrepreneur.
Myth #2 - Your creativity is a gift of your genes.
One simple answer that might rescind people's interest in their creative potential is the belief that creative people have a family legacy. Needless to say, this belief is far from being factual or rational. Creativity is just like any other skill, we nurture it, strengthen it, and then put the same to valuable use. Simply, creativity isn't exclusive to a group of people. It's a result of our long-lasting interests, efforts, and experience.
Myth #3 - Creativity is the demand of only a few professions.
Inherent in this statement, there are two myths. First, creativity is a professional demand only. No! Creativity is a trait, a skill. It's as useful in overcoming our personal challenges as it helps in solving problems in the professional sphere. Isn't it true that a volley of thoughts cross our minds all the time and we experience a Eureka moment when we feel finally successful in solving something? That's what we call a creative mind.
Second, creativity isn't limited to a few professions. It has gone mainstream now. One can't be compartmentalizing creativity in small boxes and expect to develop a successful business model. That's simply what we call, living in a fool's paradise.
Myth #4 - Once you hit your creativity bar, it's difficult to raise it higher.
You might have heard authors saying that there is a lot of pressure that they come under after their first book becomes the bestseller. They might think that they have translated all their creativity in their last book and it is difficult to raise the bar even higher. However, the point is, no bar defines one's creativity.
We can be even more creative than we were the last time if we take a moment to learn more and explore more. There is no standard that one needs to reach to be called enough creative.
Well, these are some of the myths that are generally prevailed everywhere. Let's shatter these and look at the world with a creative outlook, that is with new opportunities, developments, and ideas.
Udisha Srivastav is currently working as a Content Writer with MakeShift.