Creativity Takes Courage

Most of us are our own worst critics.

We are much harder on ourselves than we are with others because we hold ourselves to a higher standard. But what if we could have a healthy balance between being hard on ourselves and being able to use it to our advantage?

As a mom, wife and business leader I am often running from one task, errand or deadline to the next never stopping to celebrate success or thoughtfully evaluate mistakes. How many of us can relate to that?

A mantra when I first began my career at NAS was borrowed by developer Henry Ford, “Even a mistake may turn out to be the one thing necessary to a worthwhile achievement.” My interpretation was to accept that I must fail to learn, fall to rise and accept to lose.

Not every idea will be a success, but big breakthroughs will not happen if you play it safe or color within the lines. We need to be comfortable with failure and give ourselves the freedom and flexibility to experiment with and explore new opportunities.

Here are a few ways to gain and foster courage in the workforce:

1.    Take on more challenging and complex projects

2.    Speak UP frequently, forcefully and truthfully

3.    Seek out tasks to stretch your skills

4.    Be less self-conscious and less apathetic

5.    Stop complaining and following

6.    Get **it done

Finding and harnessing courage isn’t always easy, but I do know we are all creative. My kids remind me how an Amazon box is the perfect fort for their animals, how binoculars are made from toilet paper rolls and that eating a Lego or crayon isn’t such a bad thing.

Naturally, being creative helps you become a better problem solver in all areas of your life and work. Instead of coming from a linear, logical approach, your creative side can approach a situation from all angles.

Trust me, there’s no better investment you can make today than strengthening your creative skills. In fact, in this We Work article learn why creativity is a highly desired skill for the future and Indeed shares how to improve creative thinking and problem solving at work.

In closing, I wanted to share that over 15 years ago, Peter H. Reynolds brought us “Ish” which illustrates the transformation of a young boy's relationship with his art and his outlook on life. The young boy, Ramon loves to draw …until his older brother makes fun of his drawings. He becomes too self-critical and afraid that he loses the joy he once had to draw.  But his attitude changed when he found his little sister sneaking his less than perfect drawings to hang on her wall.

This inspires Ramon to take a second look at his drawings and feel free as he creates imperfect drawings. Just like Ramon, we need to learn that things do not have to be perfect. He learned that drawing a vase does not have to look exactly like a vase…. just “vase-ish”.

Widely recognized as the greatest colorist of the 20th century, Henri Matisse - a rival to Pablo Picasso - believed that artists must be guided by instinct and intuition and was quoted, “Creativity takes Courage”.

By sheer definition, Creativity involves having ideas or behaviors that are original. Being original encourages curiosity, judgment, the love of learning, and perspective.

Be Creative. Be Courageous.

Be YOU.