Monday, October 20, 2008

Creativity Myths Exposed - Only A Special Chosen Few Can Be Creative

There are many myths around creativity. These are general beliefs that are thrown around by people often enough that others start to believe them, just because they’ve become familiar and heard often, not because there’s actually any truth in them.

One of the most powerful, widespread and damaging is the creativity myth that there are only a chosen special few who can be creative.

The rest of us just have to look on in a state of frustrated envy.

It’s a myth that’s rife in society, from schools upwards.

But it simply isn’t true!

Everyone has creative abilities, everyone has their only unique set of creative talents that no-one else in the world has. It’s up to us what we do with them.

Where the myth is so damaging is that it causes us to completely overlook the talents that we have.

Even if we do create often and abundantly, if we believe this myth that there are only a chosen few that can create, we dismiss our own creative work.

We say things like:

“Oh yes I do create, but it’s not proper art, I’m only dabbling, I’m only messing around really.”

“I can create some things pretty well. But you’re only a true artist if you can paint like Michaelangelo, dance like Nureyev, write like Shakespeare and sing like Aretha Franklin. All at the same time. ”

“I admit I’m a prolific artist. But I make very little money from it. I have to have a day job too so I can’t consider myself a real artist.”

All of these limiting, damaging beliefs stem from a preconception of what a “real” or “genuine” artist is and that’s it’s only the very few that live up to this ideal that we can consider truly creative. Everyone else is completely discounted.

How much does this Creativity Myth effect YOUR life?

How often have you said things like those above, disregarded and dismissed the wonderful art you create because it – or you – don’t meet some impossible ideal about what a real artist is?

It’s crippling to your creativity to believe these kind of myths.

There are millions of people who show up and create everyday. It’s highly likely you’re one of them.

Just browse the internet for terms like “Creative Blog” or “Creative Artist” and see literally how millions of people – no more or less creative than you – are creating, finding their best ways to create.

You can join them in dismissing this destructive myth and realising your own unique, valuable creative talents.

And, I'd like to invite you to take the next positive step to increase your creativity today by downloading your free copy of the powerful and practical "Explode Your Creativity!" Action Workbook at http://www.CoachCreative.com

From Creativity Coach Dan Goodwin

1 Comments:

Anonymous Lin C/rhodyart said...

this is absolutely what I have been experiencing. I am amazed when people actually respond to the things I make by calling me an artist and I demur and say I'm really not, I just play. But it IS art. Thank you for reaffirming what I am learning to understand.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008  

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