Some people are born with an innate sense of creativity. Others are able to develop their creative skills through life experiences and practice. The most successful creative people embrace the challenge of taking risks and seeing their ideas through to completion. They understand that failure is an important part of the process, and they aren’t deterred by criticism or rejection.
Creativity is a complex concept with many facets. It can be seen in the way a person thinks, feels and behaves. Some of these traits are easy to see, such as the way that a creative person can balance a playful attitude with a serious focus and determination when working on something. Creatives also exhibit a paradoxical trait in that they are able to juggle seemingly contradictory qualities, such as being both extroverted and introverted, being smart yet naive, or being responsible and irresponsible.
Being curious is another creative trait that can be seen in the way a creative person interacts with their environment. They are always seeking new experiences and sensations that can help them to broaden their mind. This is one of the reasons that creatives often enjoy a more varied lifestyle, as they aren’t confined to a single job or role. Instead, they might have a side hustle, or work freelance, or even start their own company.
Creative people also possess the ability to work long hours and maintain a high level of concentration while still projecting an air of freshness. This is not because of a superior physical endowment, or some genetic advantage, but because they are focused on their goals and have the confidence to know that they will succeed.
They are often open to using a variety of different methods in their work, whether it be painting with a palette knife or playing with digital software. This is because they can flexibly activate and deactivate different brain networks that typically are at odds with each other. It is this flexibility that allows creatives to come up with unexpected ideas and solutions to problems.
Most of all, a creative person has a deep appreciation for the beauty in the world and the value in being alive. They will often express this appreciation in their work, expressing the unique perspective that they have on the human experience.
In addition, creative people are not afraid to question authority. They are at odds with systems that try to channel people into doing the same things over and over again. These systems can be very dangerous to creatives, as they may be forced to change their core selves in order to fit in.
In a nutshell, creatives don’t fit well into the status quo, and this can make them feel misunderstood. It is a tragedy that the majority of schools and workplaces around the world are designed not to educate, but to fashion their students into standardized human resources to be used as input for other systems. In the long run, this is a recipe for disaster and will only squander creatives’ potential.