What does it mean to express your creativity

In a society that challenges innovation and originality, the concept of creativity stands as a beacon through which one can express their potential towards their peers. And yet – defining what it means to be creative is no easy task. There have been many formal and informal definitions to answer the question and through such a high number of attempts only one definition stands out:

Creativity is subjective

So, then, you have to ask yourself – through which lens shall we view the creative trait? First and foremost, one must understand that being creative implies to have two other traits: vision and rationality. You would, now, ask yourself – why rationality? How would being analytical help a painter or a musician to create their work? Let us answer these questions by understanding their creative work and the process which it entails.

The artist begins their work from an idea – a concept. First, there is the plan and the primordial draft. Then, comes the second phase in the creative process: the revised draft. And finally – the completed work. It is clear, then, that to complete a creative work the effort one has to dedicate towards it does not rely on the person to be blessed with talent or to have a sharp mind on making plans. In truth, you could associate the process itself with the ebb and flow of the water; when one rises, the other lowers, in a perpetual systematic motion.

Of course, you could say that through these words my aim is to debunk creativity. And it is a fair point and a good moment to switch the focus upon the talent of the painter or musician: creative vision. And let us start off with a simple statement:

It is a voice given

At its core, to be creative implies to attune yourself to the Mind. The Mind is the creative person’s fount of power and resources through which they are granted the ability to express ideas and emotions, solutions and perspectives. By giving a tangible form to these resources, an impact upon the society quakes and seeks to leave its mark forevermore. This impact, in short, is the cultural traits that define a nation or a group of people.

Let us take as an example a group of settlers which have just set out to find a new home. In such groups, there are many different individuals which various skills, knowledge and experiences in life. Some of them are blacksmiths and tailors, others are mathematicians and investors and others are mere children which represent the future of the group. Can the thin detail be noticed, then? Each individual of this group, no matter of their background and knowledge or age and capabilities, have the potential to leave their mark – in the present or the future – on the culture that defines their group.

Thus, a society and its culture take shape and as I was listing their skills above, I was aiming at outlining the easily overlooked notion that everyone has the ability to tap into their creative resources and express them to the others. As a wise man once said, to be creative it means to be open to new experiences – learning and growing through them, it means to be inquisitive towards the unknown and it also means to be resilient when faced with ambiguity and uncertainty when debunking the veiled foreign.

In other words, one must have a sharp mind and they have to keep an open mind. On top of that, one must also be fearless when expressing their inner thoughts, ideas and to prove tenacity whenever opposition is met. It doesn’t seem to be a simple notion anymore, does it? To be creative you don’t have to have an innate talent, but you can shape one. And even if you have been blessed with tact in painting or singing, you must never allow your talents to wither away.