COURAGE FOR CREATIVITY

By Shawn Asala

Have you ever been challenged to do something creative?

A lot of times, while conversing with friends, I discovered that many people do not see themselves as creative. A while back while working in Northern Nigeria, I was sitting with friends at an open bar. We were bored and looking to have some fun just hanging out. So I came up with a kind of game where we would all take turns completing a story off the top of our heads. The game would start with someone saying “Once upon a time…”

The initial reaction round the table was, “No I don’t think I can do that, I’m not that creative”. But at the end of the day it was crazy. We had so much fun. We came up with such a mind-blowing, rib-cracking story that was out of this world.

Now I will ask you a question. Do you think you are creative? Have you ever been afraid to make creative suggestions at a meeting or brainstorming session?

I discovered that one of the greatest creativity killers is fear.

Perhaps we fear we’ll fail to create something effective. Or maybe we have unrealistic expectations of perfection? Fear of failure? Fear of success? Are we afraid of being judged, disliked or criticized? Laughed at?

Whatever the reasons, fear blocks creativity and conspires to keep our personal and professional lives adrift on a sea of mediocrity. Fear is an anchor that holds us down in business and family life.

A creative person accepts destiny by facing anxiety, fear and uncertainty with courage.

And believe me, a lot of the problems we face linger on only because we haven’t taken time to sit down, do some creative brain-storming and courageously apply the ideas we have been able to harness.

From my little experience, here are a number of ways to raise your level of creativity.

Ask questions. A lot of questions. Some of us do that naturally. (My siblings always make fun of me on that one. They expect it and I always deliver)

Read books, magazines, journals, and etcetera

Travel

Listen to music

Watch movies

Surround yourself with comedy and humor.

Look around you at society, find a problem that bothers you and determine to be a solution.

Just decide you are creative. Believe it, accept it, be it.

Well, I will sign out here. Feel free to share your thoughts on this.