You Think You Aren't Creative, And That Bothers Me

It bothers me as much as it bothers you.

You don't have to be some weirdo in a secluded cabin deep in the woods pulling your hair out and talking to yourself to be considered creative.

Not every idea you emit needs to be a masterpiece before you can consider yourself creative.

Your definition is all wrong.

You don’t need someone else to tell you that you’re creative before you consider yourself so.

To be creative, you need to create.

That’s it.

Stop attaching all of this mystery to it.

What does “uncreative” even mean?

You’re only uncreative if you aren’t creating anything.

So what if your ideas suck?

That’s why we keep creating.

The only way to get to the good ideas is to get rid of the bad ones. The only way to get rid of the bad ones is to continue coming up with bad ones.

I promise you:

When you vomit enough dirt on the page, canvas, staff paper, plate, fabric, code, or stage, eventually, you’ll get to the gems.

When you look at a masterpiece, know that you are staring at a series of refinements.

And not just refinements on that particular piece, but refinements over the course of years on the craft itself.

Masterpieces are built piece by piece.

And you don’t need to have completed one to consider yourself creative.

Creativity is creating.

That’s it. That’s all.

It’s as simple as focusing on the art for art’s sake.

Creativity is a way of life.

To live as an artist is a way of being in the world. A way of perceiving. A practice of paying attention. ― Rick Rubin, The Creative Act: A Way of Being

Make no mistake: this is a way of life.

Creativity is about solving problems. It’s about bringing forth the things you notice that others don’t.

You only do this by being curious.

You need to have an open mind and the courage to try over and over again.

We creatives have the arduous task of actualizing the things we envision in our mind’s eye.

That’s no small feat.

But do it long enough, and you’ll get better and better at replicating the masterpieces in your head on our tangible plane.

If you don’t consider yourself creative, then you might as well consider yourself lifeless.

Stop going through the motions.

Feel the motions.

Go out into the world and experience things.

Consume things.

Notice every moment.

Creativity is about establishing a nurturing environment in the mind that allows creativity to thrive.

You need to invite the Muse in .

You do that through your tenacity as much as you do through remaining curious.

Creativity is forced.

“Creativity is an action, not a feeling. Your work is too important to be left to how you feel today.” — Seth Godin, The Practice: Shipping Creative Work

Half of creativity may appear magical, but the other half is mundane and bothersome.

It’s grunt work.

No one wants to do the work. It’s the result we crave.

The result of having created something with your own hands is so damn fulfilling that we do the annoying work anyway.

When I’m putting music notes on a page or writing words, you think I feel like it every time?

Creativity doesn’t care about your feelings. The Muse doesn’t care about your feelings.

They care about the art and the art only.

Are you going to be the one to show that you care about it as much as they do?

Can I tell you a secret?

If I’m not composing music, playing music, or writing words, I don’t feel creative either.

Then I remember:

That’s the point.

To be creative in everything I do is to hinder how creative I can be in what I choose to do.

Everyone is measuring their creative worth on a scale that was never in their favor.

While some jobs/careers are considered more creative than others, creativity is found in everything.

It’s about your mind and how you solve problems.

Follow your curiosity. Follow your interest.

If you’re struggling, perhaps you’re in the wrong lane (perhaps).

Consider what you think you aren’t “creative” in and question whether you want to be creative in that thing.

Divert your energy only to the art you’re interested in making.

Be “uncreative” in everything else if you so choose.

Final Thoughts

Why am I so bothered by you thinking you aren’t creative?

Because most of you want nothing more than to share your artistry with the world.

We create for us in hopes that it’s not just for us.

“The way mad scientists, and great entrepreneurs, view the world is that their idea must exist and that a world without it is materially worse off.” — Keith B. Nowak

True creatives treat their art this way as well.

The world is materially worse off without it.

The world needs your art, Imaginator.

It’s craving it.

And it doesn’t care about how creative you think you are, only that you create.

If everyone thought they weren’t creative, what a sad world this would be…

Got big dreams? I wrote a free guide of 34 principles that’ll get you there.