Practice Creativity

In the last week or so I’ve found myself in a number of conversations that ultimately turned into a ping-pong match of idea-swapping and action-suggesting (just made that word up). I’ve always been an avid brainstormer. I love the struggle of finding creative solutions. Several ideas I discussed with TJ were actually implemented a few days later by an organization we’re a part of when it reached out to its volunteers to gain some feedback. I can’t lie, I loved seeing that email show up in my inbox working the public relations strategies I had suggested.

I think I could get addicted to this creativity stuff. New media promotes it. The people behind the golden wall are afraid of it. Our education system has forgotten about it. But the work world demands it.

Then, I think to myself: “How do I become one of those people who has the right idea at the right time?” Waiting for the ever-elusive “inspiration” in crunch time just won’t work. The people I know whom I considered most creative are not creative just sporadically or occasionally–they are habitually and predictably brilliant.

So this is what I came up with: I’m going to practice. You can’t have creativity without creating something. It’s the fundamental action. Solve problems. Write down those crazy ideas that usually flit away to neverland. Put them to use for free for someone who is willing to hear you out. Listen, really listen, to the most creative teachers, speakers, planners, and leaders I know. Creative people surround themselves with other creative people; it’s sort of a way to keep inspiration near by. What it comes down to is truly engaging the mind then acting in some way. What you come up with might surprise you.