How 'Not' to Become a Creative Person

A lot of people don't feel they are creative have never tried to act or think creatively or have tried to be creative and stifled by a critic. Being creative is not about spending time getting into the mindset of being creative as much as it is about choosing a creative outlet pouring your heart into getting better at your craft.

Sure there are people who gifted with a natural ability to be creative but you cannot judge your creativity against theirs. You are a creative person. You just don't know ti yet. Remember practice makes perfect.

Every one who is creative had a moment in their lives when they said to themselves, "Wow I am musician", "I am an artist". They realized they were creative and then set their minds to being the best they could be at their craft.

Some however never had the aha moment because they do not see themselves as creative for one reason or another. Here are five reasons people are 'NOT' creative as they should.

Another way not be creative is to procrastinate. Being creative is all about picking up a paint brush, sitting at a keyboard, or doing whatever creative activity you choose. The problem with many of us the fact that whenever we ready to start the process of being creative we think of a million other things we could be doing at the time. As Nike states in one of their commericals "Just Do It"

One of the chief ways to stifle creativity is to think to logically. We have all heard of the left brain right brain way of thinking about things. In order to be more creative I have found I must learn to let go of all rational thinking and get fully encapsulated by whatever artistic activity I am involved in. In other words I try to turn off the critic in my mind and just get to work.

Creative people see things outside the proverbial box. I am my most creative when I throw logic to wind and just start putting the pieces together. The nex.t thing I know inspiration has struck and I can move forward

Another way not to be creative is by letting internal and external critics get to you. Internal critics are those voices in your head which speak out saying things like, "You can't," or "You never will be able to...because you are not creative." Giving into these voices will stop you cold in your tracks and smother any creative spark you may have.
The same is true of external critics who are well meaning people who offer their advice on your artistic career. The problem is many times these people are harsh with their words and may cause you to second guess if what you're doing is right for you. Some external critics are editors, newspaper reviews and even family and friends who are looking out for your best interest.

The best course of action is something I learned way back in the seventies, keep on, keepin' on. In other words move past the critics and keep being creative. Practice makes perfect. Also you may want to find a mentor who can help you grow in your craft.

One of the quickest ways to kill creativity is to make the word "NO" a big part of your vocabulary. The word "NO" to me is simply a cop out or a way of getting out of all the work involved with the creative process.

Instead of saying "NO" next time someone asks you to try something creative like taking an art class or writing a poem or maybe even taking an improv acting class push yourself to try. The one thing to remember is every creative venture needs a beginning, a time to turn away from "NO" and say, "Why not, I,ll give it a try."

I have found being creative is hard but the end result is worth the process Being creative takes a lot of time and effort but the hours spent in the process are fun and rewarding. There is no greater joy then seeing the what you create up on a wall, written down in a book or article or hearing the notes come out of an instrument. But in order to smile you have to get past all the obstacles you put in the way of your own creativity. Here's to being more creative in life.