I’ll be honest. I don’t like the mental picture associated with the word “creative.” It sounds like a job description or yard decoration. But during the MEJO 577 The Branding of Me class with Professor Gary Kayye, I finally understood what it means to be a truly creative person. Creativity is to think, function, live, and interact without limiting yourself. This is completely different from self-control, moral standards, religious beliefs or rational judgement. I’m talking about how we perceive the world.
Creativity is a catalyst for change. The key to reach groundbreaking results is to finish something once, then do it better the second time around. When our results become faster, cleaner, smarter or more precise, we learn to master the responsibilities we have.
Creative people take this one step further. Instead of thinking one step beyond a task, they aim this principle towards life in general. Every thought process begins with “I know we do it this way, but what if we did this instead?” Look at any inventor or game-changing leader, and you’ll see what I mean. Without this hunger for new solutions, we wouldn’t have inventions like electricity, 5G network, toilet paper rolls, or folding tech screens. You know it’s a good idea when the concept sticks. And it sticks by making a method more precise, groundbreaking, or efficient.
Few people dare to enter the world of uncertain potential because it feels overwhelming, but that isn’t the right perspective. Our world is constantly changing. The way we live our lives now will alter in the future. So look at your routines and ask, “is this the best way? What if I reordered my schedule, or planned a campaign pitch differently, or reverse solved my math homework, or folded my clothes in a different way?”
Being creative takes immense energy because it fights the flow of common thinking. Asking questions when others assume answers requires courage. Limitless thinking is precious, invaluable, and incredibly rare. It means you have enough curiosity to think beyond the moment into the unfathomable. It appreciates what we have and pulls us forward.
Go ahead and fold your clothes differently, find a different route to work, and wear a different outfit. If we constantly change to face each season in life, why should our approach not change as well? Sometimes routine is necessary for safety and ethical reasons. Other times a revolutionary idea hides around the corner. Dare to question differently, without the limitation of assumption.
