Creativity is not a gift, it is a skill that trains and develops throughout life. We all have the seed of creativity, only as we grow up, some cultivate and care for it while others simply let it die.
However, in times of crisis, creativity is a great ally and can mean the difference between the most sensational success and total failure.
The good news is, it's never too late to develop creativity. In fact, a study conducted in the United States found that the prototype of the successful entrepreneur is not the young person who leaves the university career (although these are the most publicized cases), but rather 38% of the people who have started a successful original project they did it when they were over 40.
There are many examples, just think of Arianna Huffington, who was 54 when she founded the Huffington Post, or Carol Gardner, who founded Zelda Wisdom at age 52, a company listed over $ 50 million.
What sets creative people apart from others?
- They daydream. For creative people, daydreaming is not a waste of time, on the contrary, they are aware of the importance of this process. Letting your mind wander freely, without limits, is an excellent training that allows you to prepare for the creative moment and get used to abandoning the patterns. Furthermore, it is not the first time that a "daydream" leads to the solution of a problem or generates a brilliant idea, because at this stage the imagination takes over.
- They are careful observers. Contrary to what many believe, creative people are not always with their heads in the clouds, they are rather attentive observers who constantly look at the details and gather information with respect. Nothing escapes their watchful eye. Thus, when immersed in the creative process, they can draw on different sources of information and use the data in an original way to shape an interesting project.
- They enjoy solitude. Beyond the myth of the tormented artist or the misunderstood genius, the truth is that creative people enjoy solitude and seek it. Alone with themselves, in those moments they can leave the mind free, something difficult to do when constantly surrounded by people or perpetually connected through technology. Creativity implies, above all, getting in touch with ourselves, with our thoughts and emotions.
- They are constantly looking for new experiences. A brain that does not feed on new experiences just languishes, it succumbs to habits. New experiences stimulate intellectual curiosity, allow us to glimpse new aspects of reality and encourage us to break with paradigms. Creative people are aware of this and are looking for different ways to increase their intelligence. They are also used to making radical changes in their life, which take them away from monotony.
- They accept problems and challenges. While for most people a problem equates to an obstacle for creatives it represents an opportunity to test their skills, an unresolved challenge. This shift in perspective allows them to face challenges with a more positive attitude and without being blinded by negative emotions.
- They are persistent. Creative people know that not everything works on the first try, but they don't give up on the first failure, they get back to work right away. They learn not to take mistakes too seriously and persevere. In fact, while for most people a mistake is a reason to abandon the project, for the creative it becomes an incentive that gives him strength.
- They take the risks. Creativity means creating something different, something no one had dared to do before. Therefore, it always assumes a risk. Creative people are usually not afraid of criticism or detractors, they keep going on taking the necessary risks simply because they believe in their work.
- Important questions are asked. Often the key is not in the final result, in the product, but in the beginning, in knowing how to ask the right questions. Creative people question every aspect of their life and constantly wonder if they could improve or do it differently. In many cases, identifying and asking the right questions is the key to finding the right solutions.
- They get passionate. Creativity comes from within, from passion, from the desire to know and go beyond conventions. Creative people often don't seek social recognition or reward because their work is motivating enough already. Therefore, they can dedicate a large part of their life to a project without ever getting discouraged.
- They know how to combine all loose garments. This is probably one of the most important characteristics of creative people: their ability to connect seemingly unrelated points to each other and establish new relationships where no one had glimpsed them. In fact, many argue that creativity is nothing more than being able to connect things that were previously disconnected from each other in order to create something different.
