What’s the difference between creative people and not? Self-perception.
Creative people think they are creative and non-creative people think creativity is beyond them.
When you see yourself as a source that has no creativity in the bone, you organize yourself in a way where you personally discount any creative opportunities—just by dismissing the possibilities that you may come up with something creative today.
So how do you see yourself?
Below are three slates. One has a squiggle, one is blank, and one has a dot. Which one are you?
Most people would choose the squiggle. Some the Blank sheet.Few would choose the one with a dot in the center.
When I did this test, I chose the squiggle. I was thinking, I know what I want and when I want it badly, I’d do it. I choose things and I feel no remorse if I drop them if it doesn’t feel right or good anymore. If I see a challenge worth pursuing, I’d have no difficulty going after it. I put my energy in things I am interested in and so far, I am in where I want to be…well, almost. So many things I want to do…maybe that’s why I’m confused? maybe that’s why….ahh most people would say, incomprehensible….
I don’t do only one thing.
I change my mind often. hmpf! The squiggle then!
Most of us feel incoherence and, at some point, we feel empty, that’s why most would choose the first slate (and sometimes the second one). Few people would choose the dot, when, amongst the three, it is the most centered and solid. I feel centered. I feel solid. I know why I do things. I know why I experiment. I chose it, remember? I know my reasons for doing it. I am stable, FYI! Then why did I not choose the dot?
Why so few chooses the dot?
Majority of us want to be centered and solid and represent ourselves as the one with the most potential. In some way, my sense of self made me feel unworthy to choose the dot. Some people say I’m not focused, that I get distracted, and those things that they say somewhat limited me. Sense of modesty appealed to me to choose the squiggle. I rationalized myself to select the squiggle–eventually thinking I may be unworthy to be the centered dot.
My Creativity Pattern has a lot to do with how I’ve been taught as well. My background, education, even friends affect my creativity pattern. Remember the saying,”tell me who your friends are and I’ll tell you who you are”?— it is, in one way or another, true. If you hang out with a certain group, you end up doing what they do, their thoughts will have an influence over yours, and their reality, having come in contact with them, will eventually have an effect on you. You either become a shadow of everyone else in the group, or the group can heighten your clamor to be a unique individual. Either way, they become part of your process.
My friend told me that I get distracted with the next shiny thing easily. But I find it funny. My system may seem to be a mess to him but it is my organized system. He may not understand it, but I do. And that’s what matters. I have proven that I can generate ideas that he, in his rigid boxed world, cannot. And between the two of us, I’m the one that’s less likely to break down. He finds my ideas too wild for him to even consider but after hearing its tune, dances to it. I drag him to to my temperamental life with activities I find important that he finds so silly.
He overlooked the fact that my choices are not random. They are interconnected. Just because he doesn’t understand it, doesn’t mean I don’t. But he became my “check-and-balance” partner. He checks up on me– if I’m being too crazy, asks me questions about myself…and I end up checking myself as well. It’s during these times that I reassess the direction of the things I’m doing to see if I am still on the track that I wanted to be.
What does it have to do with being creative? A lot.
The contents of your life aren’t contained anywhere but is only revealed through your dynamic interaction with whoever and whatever that comes across your path. A positive self-image creates a pattern that is self-maintaining and creative.
So what is being creative? it’s the ability to cultivate an attitude towards life, interpreting, maximizing, and creating something out of your experiences that creates value for yourself and others that allows you to move forward.
Creativity is not only about producing beautiful images, drawings, and any other artsy craft. Creativity is producing ideas at will, finding solutions to complex problems, improving at work, modifying thoughts and producing powerful processes.
Creative thinking is seeing problems as opportunities to improve.
Creative thinking is looking at your limited resources as an opening to manipulate, re-arrange, and develop innovative ideas possible.
And creative thinking renders a creative experience.
So I took the test again and chose the third slate.
I deserve to be that dot in the middle. I am what I make of myself and not what people think I should be. I am an active subject capable of choices. I may be weird to you but I am self-creating. And I will not be one of those people who are alive, but in comparison, lifeless.
Ok, now it’s your turn.
Creativity on the other hand is generated by brainstorming and require no training or enhancement. Creativity is something that can’t be copied. Creativity also differentiates your style from the rest because no two people can come up with the same idea.
true perry :)
creativity is not an accident and not something genetically determined…it is a consequence of your intention and determination to be creative :) but there are creative-thinking strategies that can help :)
in other words, creativity is a natural expression of an artist, it comes from within; a burst of a fountain of wisdom!
not just artist…but of everybody that can honed and sharpened :)
I always find you creative ^_^
thank you tessa mae :)
Best post ever Lay. I chose the squiggle too, perhaps for differing reasons yet the center dot, each of us as center..of our soul, of our life, of our universe is always appealing. It is good to have someone to talk to..someone to drag along, over, upwards, sideways down….life is best that way.
thank you :)
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I chose the blank one. The vast open space. For me, creativity is limitless and abysmal. No entry point. No exit point. Its the creativity itself makes a way to get in and get out. This is how I look at it.
nice one albert :)
:P made me smile when you said you took the test again. but yes you deserve it. i chose the dot then the squiggle. i think ive been to this, i chose the squiggle before so thats why i chose the dot today hehe is that cheating? i remember my uncle told me once before that everything starts from a dot, whether you intend to draw a line or a curve – that applies everything in life.
now im a work in progress. if i would become an artist, an established one, i wouldnt wanna be labeled, eg., fiction writer, manga artist, portrait painter, etc. because i believe i can do more. uber sa confidence bayot! :D
and u are truly creative leah! i really look up to you! :)
and I learn a lot from you! bayoooot kaayo ka. i miss your curly hair. gives you a sense of aura of the unnatural hahahah! and no that is not cheating…that is merely an advantage…lucky you ! :P
haha naremember sad nako ako curly hair sa squiggle. i miss it too, i miss the benefits of looking like less asian hehe. basta mubalik ra to :D
hahah true! see you soon!
I choose the squiggle, too. When I saw the dot I immediately thought of someone like an engineer or accountant. I think people like that might not be visiting your site so much, what do you think?
well we never know :)
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Hello I liked your informative blog post on What is your creative pattern?. This really answered my problem, thank you!
Hi stacey, I chose the dot :) Glad the article helped you.