Creativity: Connecting the Dots
I can think of no better way to start the year than by talking about creativity. In a dark and difficult time, I think finding opportunities to be creative is even more important.
This doesn’t mean that we become world-class painters or write the next great novel overnight. There are opportunities to be creative each and every day, if only we dared to take advantage of them!
We use creativity when troubleshooting a problem.
We use creativity when baking a cake or cooking dinner.
We use creativity when telling a story or reading our favorite book.
We use creativity when putting together an outfit or remodeling a room.
Each day is an opportunity to be creative.
I love what Steve Jobs once said:
“Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That’s because they were able to connect experiences they’ve had and synthesize new things. And the reason they were able to do that was that they’ve had more experiences or they have thought more about their experiences than other people. Unfortunately, that’s too rare a commodity.”
I included that whole quote because it’s so common to all of us. Your mind, your life experiences, and your vision all qualify you to be a creative human being. You are more creative than you might think, and you use creativity more often than you realize.
Reflection
What do you think about the idea that creativity is simply connecting the dots?
How do you connect the dots in your life every day?
