Top 3 Creativity Myths That Hold You Back --- Myth #2
We think of creativity in absolutes – you either have it or you don’t.
In my last post I discussed Myth #1 - the impact of how we define creativity.
Let's now turn our attention to Myth #2: We think of creativity in absolutes – you either have it or you don’t – versus a continuum.
While it's true you might not be able to compose like Mozart or paint like Monet, don't you think you have a little bit of creativity within you?
What about that time you moved into a new role and had to develop a process to address a particular business challenge? And what if you customize a process you created at another company – but apply it differently at your new company? Doesn’t that fit our more expansive definition of creativity?
When I work with teams to discover their untapped creative potential, I often ask them to remember back to a time in their youth. For me, I showed early signs of my love of facilitation when I was 8. I loved directing plays in our garage with all the neighborhood kids (at least those that were younger and shorter than I was). It was fun bringing together a diverse group of kids, convincing then to play together nicely, and having a successful outcome (a play that we could perform for our parents). I didn't need to be the star of the play - it was more fun for me to be behind the scenes, making things happen.
And so now I will ask you... when you were younger, what came easily to you? Maybe you even got a nickname for it.
What is your own unique brand of creativity? How could you apply that natural talent to some personal or professional challenge facing you today?
