Ten Myths Surrounding Creativity
Do you hold the deep-seated belief that it takes a certain type of person to be truly creative? Perhaps you think you have to be particularly talented, artistic or highly intelligent to be creative?
Many of us have been socialised and educated into believing that creativity is a special quality, which you simply either have or haven’t. In modern times creativity has taken on an unearthly mystersism. Basically creativity has been put on a pedestal.
Here are the ten most common myths surrounding creativity. Do any of these resonate with your own thoughts, beliefs and attitudes about your own and other people’s creativity?
1) Only certain “types” of people are actually creative. For instance individuals who work in the arts. Musicians, artists, thespians and writers.
2) That creativity it is a quality that you either have or haven’t. Some people are simply born to be creative, whilst other individuals just simply aren’t.
3) If you haven’t been very creative up till now, by the time you reach adult life you are probably never going to be. Surley you would have been pursuing creative activities by now if you had a genuine interest and desire to be creative?
4) You have to be intelligent and clever. How can you be creative if you’re a rotten speller? Or if you can’t even draw?
To be creative you surely have to have a gift or talent.
5) Creativity is purely a pass-time associated with hobbies and leisure. It is just creative fluff….certainly not real work!
6) Being creativity is not a sensible activity. It certainly won’t pay the bills and it’s unrealistic to think you can make any sort of living from being creative.
7) It’s silly and frivolous, an undisciplined activity which is a waste of time.
8) Creativity is for certain types of people. Wacky types, zany, way out there people.
9) Being creativity is childs play! It’s something that we do when we’re young, but it’s just a stage we eventually grow out of it.
10) Creativity should be effortless. It shouldn’t have to be worked at. It should either come naturally, or not at all. You shouldn’t have to work at it.
Lara responds:
Posted: October 4th, 2009 at 12:05 pm →
By the very nature of nature itself, all human beings are creative. It is just a matter of UNLEASHING and developing our creative spirit. There is no such thing as a “bad idea”, only an idea which can then lead to bigger and brighter ideas. Surround ourselves with creative people and their creative energy will be contagious!