The Dreamer
Dreaming ignites.
Dreaming activates.
The Thinker
Thinking ideates.
Thinking meditates.
6 Types of Creatives
Category: creativity
Be Childish, I Double Dare Ya
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In order to make anything a reality, you have to dream about it first.
~Adora Svitak
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We love you TED Talks. We love your geeks, your smarts, your innovation . . . and your childishness.
Recently, I cozied up to a speech by Andora Svitak (video below) and though she was 12 at the time she made the talk she stirs the controversy pot. See if you agree with her in your quest for creativity.
Age Has Nothing to Do With It
Agreed. Can anyone make a difference? Can anyone be creative? Sure. You betcha.
Ten Commandments for Creatives
Ten Commandments for Creatives
1. Give space, time and energy to your creativity.
If you don’t, your space, time and energy will go to things you don’t value.
2. Creating is an act of worship. (Tweet this)
Not creating is self-centered and selfish.
3. Your creativity is a gift given to you.
Share gifts.
4. Date your artist.
Most of your best ideas come unexpectedly.
5. Don’t be an expert.
The minute you believe you’re an expert, you stop learning from others.
6. Jealousy is the death of creativity.
Celebrate others.
Setting the Stage to Experience Flow
[box options]Today’s guest post is by Jason Mundok at The Wood Stove House. I enjoyed working with him on a recent project, The 24 Hour Plays. Enjoy![/box]
I was recently turned on to the psychology term “flow.”
It’s a mental state where a person is so completely immersed in an activity, they enter into a state of pure focus and concentration where time has no meaning and bodily needs are essentially ignored. I’m familiar with the concept from the more common descriptions like being in the zone or in the moment.
For creatives, “getting there” can be very challenging, and the lack of “being there” can prevent any motivation to engage in the creative process. But when it happens, hours slip by and productivity skyrockets. Stuff gets done and it feels great! I’m lucky enough to experience it occasionally, but like other creatives, I’d love for it to be way more often.
Between Start and Finish
Beginning. Middle. End.
The basics of story in three words.
Actually… the basic plot of life exists in those three words as well.
Beginning.
Middle.
End.
So where do we spend most of our time?
The Most Important Word of 2012
A single word haunts me.
I hear it bellowing the halls of the dormant recesses of my mind.
It calls me to action.
It begs me to commune with others, love better and grow creatively.
It wants me to start and finish that project I’ve always wanted to produce.
I haven’t revealed the word to anyone until now. Partly because if I shared it, I would be accountable to all it entails. Alece from Grit and Glory started a new community called One Word 365.
Community provides bravery. So, here goes. . .
Nontroversy: Let Your Words Be Few
+It’s when the news makes a big deal out of stuff that’s not really a big deal but they make it seem like a big deal. What’s the word for that?
Nontroversy.
(For more nontroversy visit John Ridley’s Top Nontroversies of 2011 article on NPR).
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Communicating succinctly, whether in speech or in writing, is paramount. If our listeners/viewers must wade through superfluous wordiness (wordiness intended) to decode the intent of our words, we’ve lost our audience. To accomplish to-the-point-speech (could’ve used the word ‘succinct’ again, but that would be pedantic) we have to make up a few words which don’t exist.
The list that follows is by no means exhaustive. Share your own word shortcuts in the comments for us all to benefit…
Inside Your Creative Brain: One Minute Movie
Creativity, ideation and innovation from the inside out. . . Hollywood style.
Do you love getting an idea? What barriers do you have to push through to make the idea a reality?
Creativity and Comfort Zone
Your contribution to this site energizes and inspires.
Recently, your fellow creatives wrote several fantastic post-worthy comments in response to a post about creativity and comfort zones (original post and comments here).
Here are a few notables…
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From Scrollwork:
You asked two questions: Can we create in a comfort zone? Aren’t there ways we MUST be comfortable to create?
For me, as a writer and indie clothing designer, the creation happens twice, first in my head, then in real life. I get images or phrases in my head as I awaken or shower—definitely comfortable states. I am still in non-judgmental mode.
You and Spike Lee are Weird
“Spike Lee was weird.”
A few days ago a business acquaintance of mine relayed this information about Lee; they’d lived in the same dorm while attending Clark Atlanta University.
He described Lee as a lanky, geekish type. Apparently Spike’s name was the only cool thing about him.
It got me thinking.
What is ‘weird?’
Who determines what is or is not ‘weird?’
What formula causes people to get out the ‘you’re weird’ stamp of mild disapproval?