The Digital Glue Podcast

EP: 5 - Creativity Overflow …!

December 15, 2020 Episode 5
The Digital Glue Podcast
EP: 5 - Creativity Overflow …!
Show Notes Transcript

“Creativity has this amazing POWER to give you renewed enthusiasm and energy – even in the most difficult circumstances.” 

Welcome to Episode 5: Creativity Overflow!
 
Creativity is truly at the core of being human -- whether you feel you are a creative individual at heart or not. In my opinion, everyone is. It is what links your heart and your head. It is sort of a catch-all idea that encompasses so many things. It is hard to nail down, but you know it when you see it, and when you feel it. One thing it’s not is a “superpower” you are just born with. It’s not exclusive. Creativity is magical, but it is NOT magic. And anyone can tap into their creative energy to make something special with hard work, dedication to learning and a bit of luck.

Here's what we will be untangling in this episode ...

  • What it means to be a naturally creative person
  • How the new working climate demands we all shift our thoughts on creativity
  • How to structure your days so you can tap into your maximum creativity
  • Tips and tricks to learn how to release the creativity deep inside of everyone


Are you ready?
Pop in your awesome earbuds and let's dive in!

Creativity is my jam … My secret sauce (if you will!).

And is simply the use of the imagination, especially in the production of artistic work.
 A phenomenon whereby something new and somehow valuable is formed. 

We are all born with the ability to be creative. But the difference lies in whether you choose to embrace your creativity -- or not. 

Think of creativity like a muscle -- the more you exercise the muscle, the stronger it will become. And the more you use your innate creativity, the easier it is to access that part of yourself. As well as use it in all areas of your life.

Creativity is truly at the core of being human -- whether you feel you are a creative individual at heart or not. In my opinion, everyone is! It’s what links your heart and soul with your mind. It’s sort of a “catch-all” idea formulator that encompasses so many things. And sometimes, it’s hard to nail down. But you know it when you see it. And when you feel it. 

One thing it is NOT is a superpower you are just born with. It’s not exclusive. Creativity is magical, but it is also not magic. And anyone can tap into their creative energy to make something special with hard work, dedication to learning, and a bit of luck.

Entrepreneurs NEED creativity to succeed in the business world. There is a lot of competition -- and those who can stay at the very least -- one step ahead will succeed greatly with knowledge in their toolbelt. Knowledge is power.

When you unlock your creative potential -- grounded with structure for productivity -- it gives you the ability to see your business, and if service related, those of your clients, in a fresh, new light. It can remind you why you started your business in the first place. (Which honestly, we all need from time to time!)

We as entrepreneurs, strive to create MORE opportunities and provide MORE employment opportunities, especially with the world gone virtually these days. 

And one of the MOST IMPORTANT elements in this new way of living and working is creativity. 

It’s a characteristic of the entrepreneurial process known as thinking "outside the box" – even though I always highly suggest to just rid of that damn limiting box altogether. And it’s extremely important in what we do – even if one doesn’t offer creative services. 

One extremely relevant example is what we have experienced as a collective during this global pandemic. Think of the amount of creativity business owners have had to unlock within themselves in order to stay afloat during these long pandemic months alone.  

Our minds revolve around new ideas and innovations pretty much ‘round the clock. 

All the while continuously examining existing workflows and devising ways to carry out our solutions in more efficient and effective ways. Our minds work towards the optimization of business Our own and those of our clients and customers.

Basically, in short, our level of creativity is much different NOW as it leads to success by thinking the unthinkable. By melding our creative mind and our business mind as one. And through this type of mind meld, our imagination leads us to reach never before explored areas by pushing aside the practical “norms” and thinking of more interesting and innovative things that impacts our business lives and those of our clients - and of course our personal ones too! Every. Single. Glorious. Day.

(We should all take a moment to be thankful for that!)

But make no mistake about it, creativity is not just for the artists, the creators and the makers. Not even just for the entrepreneurs, designers, bloggers and podcasters. 

Creativity can and must become a part of your work life, even in a not so typically creative job, such as one maybe found in the corporate world. Especially in the ever changing climate of our working world today, in creating creative solutions for clients, in methods to evolve and adapt our businesses, and especially in telling our story through rebranding and reinventing ourselves. 

All of these concepts SCREAM for us to dig deep into our well of creativity. 

During these reinvention stages, you may even find yourself solving a problem that you never thought possible, just by switching gears in your approach. 

You may even come up with a new process for a task that has been nothing but a time-sucker in the past. So, really … If you can simply embrace the possibility of thinking outside of the box, the sky is the limit!

Okay, let’s get real for a moment …

If you’re anything like me … The answer is always “yes” to every single opportunity that lands in my lap where I am called to be creative. 

No matter the situation, I am always over the moon enthusiastic about it. 

To me, being creative and having the opportunity to indulge in those thoughts is very normal and not something I can just hide in my back pocket. I just can’t help myself when these opportunities emerge. I want to dig deep right into the work, which to me, isn’t work at all at this point. 

And it’s even better without any interruptions … kind of like a scientist with a new discovery. It wreaks havoc on my sleep schedule, the nights where I can barely shut my eyes because the ideas are coming fast and furious. But there is always something to create, invent, and always something to uncover -- which keeps our creative minds fully engaged in those moments – and even beyond them in our sleep. 

Those who are naturally thought to be creative are considered right brain dominant  and tend to have their daily creative thoughts carry over into those well-deserved sleeping hours. 

For some reason, our creativity obtains a sort of clarity that empowers our mind in those hours. It’s almost like someone pushed the pedal to the medal in our brain. And BOOM! Suddenly everything makes sense. 

That design you’ve been mulling over all day is now amazing, your website is doing interesting and uniquely fun things, that new paint colour you couldn’t decide on now makes sense and your creative writing scribbles from earlier are just plain genius! 

That special time where you can still dream yet you are fully awake.

Like Warren Berger once said “Creativity has this amazing POWER to give you renewed enthusiasm and energy -- even in the most difficult circumstances.”

But what about those of you who keep telling yourselves you’re not so naturally inclined? 

The idea of putting effort into thinking with a creative edge is challenging and different than some may be used to. It require us to show pieces of ourselves we never – or rarely – share with anyone. And that makes us nervous, shy, and vulnerable. 

And guess what else? 

It takes courage. 

Daring to be vulnerable in our work is something that that can be quite uncomfortable for many people. Especially those who may have chosen a career path that almost promised them that they wouldn’t have to put that part of themselves out there. 

And that’s ok!

Discovering new parts of ourselves as we go through our career is one of the wonders of being a human being in the working world! 

And as the ever-wise Brene Brown says, "Vulnerability is never easy and it feels terrible, but there’s no evidence that it’s anything but courage.” 

If you’ve read any of my past blog posts, or follow me on social, you probably already know she’s one of my life’s inspirations …

In one of her interviews, Brené talks about how as a culture we’re raised to believe that vulnerability is a weakness and so acting bravely is considered being strong. 

As a society, this attitude creates a bravado -- a sort of “postering and a fake bravery”. 

She shares something that, for me, has stuck with me all these years and that is, as creatives, we need to and get to, decide whose opinions matter and whose don’t. 

She then pulled out a short list of the people whose opinions matter to her, and the list is short. And written exclusively by her and her alone.

Brené also dove deep in conversation about building a support structure … Whether that’s a therapist, coach, your tribe or your community. 

Your support team is a huge resource! Even your greatest heroes relied on their communities to find and maintain success. 

Community can -- and should -- include those in your profession, those who pique your curiosity and fill you with inspiration, and even a mentor -- if you are lucky enough to find one. 

Think of your “community” as people whom you can look up to, learn from and talk to in order to inspire creativity in the work you are ever so in love with doing!  

One of my very favourite books, as one that was highly recommended to me AND I highly recommend to all of YOU, is Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. 

In Big Magic Elizabeth talks about the fear we hide behind because we are too damn afraid to show ourselves and the creativity that lies dormant within us. 

And that the things that we want to do, and show, and share, can set our purposes free into the world, as they are meant to be. And she highlights that by saying this …

“A creative life is an amplified life. It’s a bigger life. A happier life. An expanded life. And a hell of a lot more interesting life. Living in this manner -- continually and stubbornly bringing forth the jewels that are hidden within you -- is a fine art, in and of itself.”

As a creative thinker, you will more than likely …

  • Adhere to rules and principles only when they add value.
  • Be keen to experiment with new ventures and not be so afraid to lose.
  • Take inspiration from every possible area in life – both directly and indirectly.
  • Follow the rules as feel there is always room for improvement.
  • Be keen on bringing opposites together in order to create new ideas.
  • Be excited to learn new things -- whether in your industry or not.
  • Be open to feedback, as feel this creates new opportunities in order to refine old ideas and processes.
  • Be one’s own critic, all the while implementing a practical skillset.
  • Go above and beyond one’s comfort zone -- again, and again, and again -- as your confidence grows!
  • And KNOW that there is no such thing stupid questions.

Sooo …

GONE are the days when being an entrepreneur only meant analytically thinking and making decisions based solely on financials and hard facts. 

GONE are the days with the idea of becoming an entrepreneur invoked ideas of high risk and mitigating that risk with less thinking outside of the box. 

Things were then focused a lot on making risk as minimal as possible, doing EVERYTHING manually and thinking less creatively and more factually. And by thinking this way – this would keep ones businesses safer. 

But …

Today’s business leaders not only prefer to hire MORE creative individuals for their teams but are also working harder at becoming creative themselves. 

Speaking from personal experience, I feel it’s super amazing to have hands-on clients with loads of creativity and who are open and eager to use it. 

I find our work styles mesh so much better and we accomplish much more greatness during our collaborative adventure.

In fact, I am 100% certain that THIS IS THE BEST TIME IN HUMAN HISTORY to be an entrepreneur. 

You can learn absolutely anything right now thanks you to technology.

Plus, there are so many pro-level leaders out there who can – and are willing – to provide you with the knowledge you desire to learn what you need for this type of virtual lifestyle – which due to recent events, is new to most.

Knowledge can happily be attained at a minimal cost and from the warmth and comfort of your couch.

I have always been in the creative industry. 

And it’s super exciting to see how a generation concerned with the exploitation of knowledge and information is ever-changing and evolving.

So, let me ask you a few Q’s to ponder upon … 

  • Why do you feel creativity matters?
  • What role does it play in your business right now?
  • How do you think it will shape your business in the future?

 And what do you think would happen if you sit back and let the opportunities pass you by when it comes to being more creative in your way of thinking and allowing that creativity to innovate your business?

Even if you think you are not creative you can learn the skills and also learn how to harness the creativity that lives inside of you. 

Write it all down. 

Let it all out. 

Do not skip over anything, even if it seems insignificant. 

Divergent thinking generates creative ideas and giving each individual thought the attention it deserves; you will allow divergent thinking. 

And most of all, it will take you to new places, bring to light new ideas which will then take you on amazing journey’s and help your business grow along the way!

To wrap things up … Here are some of our favourite tips on becoming a more creative thinker which that can help “untangle” your thoughts on this topic. 

First up is reading. 

Part of being creative is knowing things about the world to help us understand how things work. With each new perspective you integrate into your own, the more you'll be able to connect ideas that you might not have been able to do before. 

Reading is one of the best ways to expand your knowledge base and to broaden your perspective. 

This can come from books, blogs, vlogs or even podcasts related to your business -- and sometimes even though completely unrelated to what you do day-to-day -- all of those fresh ideas will only strengthen and enhance your creative mind.  

Next up is collaboration.

(And my team and I are truly firm believers on this one!)

Conversations about problems and brainstorming with other people that acquire different ideas and viewpoints, will help an idea in your head shift around. One that has maybe even been stuck there for a while now – Taking up precious space!

So, do your best to work with people who understand the sort of problems or issues you’re trying to work through as their different ideas and perspectives will allow you to let your creativity shine as you try to solve said problem. And perhaps, in the process, you’ll help them with one too!

Next one up … Networking and communication.

STOP hiding behind your screen and TALK to new people while you’re experience something new! Take a pottery class if you never have before or join a virtual book club that will have others talking and introducing you to new ideas, new materials and new process.

Trust me … That kind of creativity is nothing but contagious!

Another idea … Explore and visit places that get your creative juices flowing. 

Places that spur your curiosity with sights and sounds and smells that will engage – and heighten -- the creative side of your brain. 

The joy that it brings you will only shine through in all of your new ideas! So, please encourage yourself to look at life in new ways, you’ll never be bored.

Here’s another one. And one that you may not hear too often …

Embrace your failures. 

I personally truly dislike the word “failure” and tend to think of this as areas of room for improvement instead. It sounds less harsh and rings with positivity.

Failure is however, a necessary component of the creative process in order to embrace learning experiences. And, embracing them is a commitment to learning from your mistakes. Every failure is an opportunity to learn, pivot, and inject some brand spankin’ new thoughts into an idea …Until you’re able to get it just right.

Because as one of my favourite clients reminds me ... “perfect” isn’t a thing. And “Perfect” isn’t done!

And sometimes it really just boils down to recognizing when your creative juices flow – and when they don’t!

So, if you happen to be a happy-go-lucky morning person … The quiet of the house before anyone else wakes is the perfect opportunity for you have time to listen to your thoughts and jot ideas down. Then is time allows, structure your day to allow that. 

However, if nighttime is your jam and you love to stay up late -- in the dark -- and let the days ideas run wild, then make it happen that way. In all honestly, whatever works for you is the way to go.

There are no right answers when it comes to creativity. 

And that’s the beauty of it!

Hearing this all may sound like a tall order -- to perhaps change our ways of thinking and our preferred, safe ways of completing the tasks our work requires. But in order to life a life of creativity and be open and interested, those concepts alone will make sure that we are moving forward in our lives and in our businesses. 

Today’s working climate demands that openness -- and even if we feel that we have arrived at a place where it seems as though there are no unique ideas left -- we can use our tools to go out and find some. 

The world is our creative oyster!

So, open yourself up … Let yourself breath … And just BE!