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That #@%$ Box – Being Creative About Creativity
March 19, 2008 | Leave a Comment
I’ve been working with clients
who are in all sorts of
transitions. They’re looking for
ways to develop greater
mindfulness in order to live
more creatively.
And there’s a certain phrase
that keeps popping up. In fact,
it’s gotten to the point where
every time I hear or read it,
I cringe. It’s one of those
phrases that has become
ubiquitous.
I’m talking about “Think outside
the box.”
This phrase was first coined
back in the late sixties by
Edward de Bono (I love him!)
when he developed the concept
of lateral thinking. It became
very popular among management
consultants in the nineties and
has been used extensively as
a marketing slogan for numerous
companies.
Don’t blame Edward–
he was being original–but “think
outside the box” has become a
buzz phrase tossed around by
everyone who wants to sound
like they’re clued in to creativity.
But the premise of creativity is
being different, original,
unique–right? And so it seems
particularly preposterous to
hawk creativity by using a term
that EVERYONE ELSE has
been using for a decade!
I find it curious that the
majority of trainers and coaches
are using all the same
language and tools. You know—
creativity by the book.
Hmmm. Can’t we teach creativity
in, um, CREATIVE ways? Shouldn’t
those who are trying to inspire
others to play and invent develop
their own approach? In other words,
how come the creativity coaches
of the world aren’t more creative?
It’s one thing for business tools to
be adopted universally. But the
point of being creative is to bring
originality to whatever you’re doing.
You can take what works but still
bend the edges and turn it sideways
to reflect what you’ve learned.
If you’re feeling that your life isn’t
as creative as you’d like, start with
the basics–learn something
you’ve always wanted to learn,
mix up your schedule, mingle with
new people, whatever.
But don’t stop there! That’s where
people tend to get bogged down–
they say, “Well, I’ve been doing
all the things the creativity trainers
say we should do.”
Precisely the problem.
Drop the “should”. Skip the rules.
Run around with abandon and then
settle down and grab hold of
whatever draws your attention!
Signing up for painting classes
because it’s listed as one of the
“top ten ways to get creative”
won’t work for you UNLESS
it’s something that pulls YOU
personally.
The point is to pay attention. You
won’t go wrong if you slow down
your world enough to really notice
what inspires you, what tickles you,
what makes you want to stay up
all night, and what makes you go
“hmmmm.”
You don’t need to “learn” how to
be creative. You simply need to
pay attention long enough to see
that you already ARE creative–and
then make time to let it burst
forth.
It’s hard to feel original when
you’re playing the same game
as everyone else. But just
because you’re doing the
same things doesn’t mean you
can’t shine. You ARE original–
you’re just not paying attention
to your shiny spots!
Get creative about being
creative. Be a creativity
anarchist by NOT following
the general guidelines for
“finding your bliss.” (Ooh,
there’s another one.)
Repeat after me:
“I’m outrageously creative
and I see my shiny spots.”
Then PLAY in your own way.
Maya Frost has taught thousands of people how to pay attention. Through her company, Real-World Mindfulness Training, she offers playful, powerful eyes-wide-open alternatives to meditation. To read her free tips and tricks for everyday awareness, visit http://www.Real-WorldMindfulness.com
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