There is a misconception that creativity is only for the crazy ones, those mavericks who are able to take life by the lapels, shake it up and leverage their supernatural sense of wonder into a coveted eureka moment. These artistic alphas are able to pluck ideas from the fringe like the creativity gods have charmed them. While we sometimes get lost trying to find even the most elementary connections in the world around us, artists seem to see these connections in plain sight. But the reality is that few of our creative endeavors are wholly unique.
August Rodin said, “I invent nothing, I rediscover.” After thousands of years of artistic expression, most ideas have been used. A brief glimpse around the current creative community seems to back this up. Remakes and re-imaginings dominate print and screen, built on the bones of Homer and Shakespeare. But many artists have taken the bonanza of creative capital that came before them and used it as a foundation to produce both brilliant and popular works of art.
This can be a lesson to all of us who rely on being inspired, whether at the office or at home. You don’t have to wait to be bewitched by the creative muse before you can create. You can draw inspiration from those who have already cast their dragnets into the creative spaces. And this is freeing in a way. You are no longer under the pressure to create from scratch. The key is to make your art your own. You can’t simply borrow ideas from other artists. You must build on them, using your medium to spin and shape the ideas into something that is uniquely yours. That is the key to creating lasting works.
Identify your passions. Build off the works around you until you find your own style and allow it to blossom. And whatever you do, create. Every day. Good or bad, you need to work. Don’t feel awkward if your initial efforts are a little weak. There is no password to unlocking creativity. Like everything else, it takes time and dedication. Believe that you will improve, keeping working and allow the creative wildfire to take over.
By the way, to get the creative juices flowing, see if you can find the 28 TV show titles that are hidden in this blog post. Then, quit goofing off and get back to work!