Our culture has long viewed creativity in ways that don’t serve us. On one hand, we view it as frilly and unnecessary—something we do for fun in our free time. And on the other hand, we think of it as a tool to help us build careers, make more money, and establish a name for ourselves in the marketplace. Neither approach is helpful.At its heart, creativity is neither an amusing play activity nor a tool. According to many psychologists, creativity is a form of human intelligence.

Creativity Is Serious Business

Creative intelligence—the ability to come up with new ideas—is one of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0521278910?ie=UTF8&tag=gregooscicen-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0521278910">three main types of intelligence</a>, alongside the ability to get along in different contexts (practical) and the ability to evaluate information and solve problems (analytical).All three modes of intelligence are important for success and well-being.To creatively flourish and produce our best work, creativity requires the same thoughtfulness, time, and attention as other kinds of intelligence.

The Real Definition Of Creativity

Although we live in a world that prizes instant gratification, deep creative work still requires focused attention.If you have unfinished projects and unresolved things that are consuming your mental energy, you’ll need to clear those up before your creativity can flourish. If something is on your mind, take care of it before diving into new creative work.You don’t necessarily need a physical room in your house, but you DO need some sort of physical space, even if it’s just a picnic table at the local city park.

Creativity Needs Space, Both Internal and External

Our best creative work is most likely to be <a href="https://hbr.org/2012/04/balancing-the-four-factors-tha-1">intrinsically motivated</a>, rather than motivated by extrinsic rewards like money.When we’re intrinsically motivated, we do an activity because it’s inherently satisfying, not for an external result. In the case of creativity, we’re inspired to act for the fun or challenge involved rather than because of external pressures or rewards.

Creativity Is Intrinsically Motivated

Your loves and passions are what inspire you to produce great things. Your passion is what keeps you going when you encounter resistance or difficult people, or experience setbacks or rejections. Valuing your heart’s longings will give you the courage to try out new directions and bravely explore new terrain. When your heart is moved and inspired, you’ll be a force to be reckoned with.

Passion Is Powerful

Our minds often get anxious when diving into new and unknown things, but research suggests that this is precisely when creativity has a chance to flourish.For example, in several <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/48660127">different</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1509/jmr.13.0499">studies</a> involving video games, participants were more creative when the game was open-ended rather than defined. When tasks, projects, and visions are open-ended—when we allow ourselves to dream—we are free to explore, experiment, follow intuitive hunches, and learn from what presents itself.

For Your Creativity to Flourish, It Wants Your Biggest Vision

Nurturing environments (and people) inspire the creative. Natural and beautiful environments “feed” the brain and support the production of new neurons, while ugly, unstimulating environments stop the brain’s generative process.If you’re procrastinating, unmotivated, or generally “blah,” ask yourself this: When was the last time you surrounded yourself with beauty? The power of beauty is real. Dwelling in it will shift your mood and inspire you.

Creativity Is Nourished and Fed by Beauty

Your deep creativity is subversive. It doesn’t care what your mother thinks, what your friends believe, or the institutional norms of your career. Creative terrain lies OUTSIDE of the institution that you work for, the social system that you grew up in, or what’s currently trending on social media. Many highly creative individuals spent time in their childhoods creating their “own worlds,” which the authors termed “paracosms.” In these made-up fantasy worlds, these future creative geniuses were free to create new languages, rules, and social systems.

Creativity Is Subversive

The essential starting point of artistic consciousness is acknowledging that something is “more than I can possibly know.” “Knowing” is not a creative state. It’s when we don’t know that we’re open to new information, ideas, and experiences in ways that we aren’t otherwise. Our minds want to “know” so very badly. But let’s give ourselves permission to not know.

Not Knowing Is the Starting Point for The Creative

Only when he no longer knows what he is doing does the painter do good things.

Creativity is a lot more than we ever imagined.

Unlocking your creative potential starts with setting up your environment and cultivating the right attitude.

Stashed ideas

Six Ways to Break Your Creative Blocks

Nearly all great ideas follow a similar creative process. Understanding this is important because creative thinking is one of the most useful skills you can possess. Nearly every problem you face in work and in life can benefit from innovative solutions, lateral thinking, and creative ideas. Anyone can learn to be creative by using these five steps.

For a More Creative Brain Follow These 5 Steps

Uncovering your creative genius requires courage and tons of practice.Creative thinking is not about generating something new from a blank slate, but rather about taking what is already present and combining those bits and pieces in a way that has not been done previously.Most important, the ability to generate new combinations hinges upon your ability to see the relationships between concepts. If you can form a new link between two old ideas, you have done something creative.

The 5 Stages of the Creative Process

At first, you learn. During this stage you focus on<ul><li>learning specific material directly related to your task and</li><li>learning general material by becoming fascinated with a wide range of concepts.</li></ul>

1. Gathering Material

Thoroughly work over the materials in your mind. During this stage, you examine what you have learned by looking at the facts from different angles and experimenting with fitting various ideas together.

2. Intensely Working Over the Material in Your Mind

Step away from the problem. Next, you put the problem completely out of your mind and go do something else that excites you and energizes you.

3. Stepping Away from the Problem

Let your idea return to you. At some point, but only after you have stopped thinking about it, your idea will come back to you with a flash of insight and renewed energy.

4. Allowing the Idea to Come Back to You Naturally

Shape and develop your idea based on feedback. For any idea to succeed, you must release it out into the world, submit it to criticism, and adapt it as needed.

5. Testing Your Idea in the Real World and Adjusting It Based on Feedback

Being creative isn't about being the first (or only) person to think of an idea. More often, creativity is about connecting ideas.

Remember

“Creativity itself doesn't care at all about results - the only thing it craves is the process. Learn to love the process and let whatever happens next happen, without fussing too much about it. Work like a monk, or a mule, or some other representative metaphor for diligence. Love the work. Destiny will do what it wants with you, regardless.”-Elizabeth Gilbert

Creativity Quote

This article explains the creative process all brilliant ideas have in common. Anyone can learn to be creative by using these five steps.

For a More Creative Brain, Follow These 5 Steps

Fusion is the future. The mixing of ideas. The two lunch tables working together. Humanity…we’re 1 people.

We were born into a broke world, and were like the clean up crew.

I can be vilified. I can be misunderstood. I didn’t come here to be liked. I came here to make a difference.

We have to understand that we’re not each others enemy.

People are so scared to fail and lose that they don’t even try. Like one thing people can’t say, they can’t I’m not trying. And, that I’m not trying my hardest to do it the best way I can with what little information I have.

I think there are school teachers who are on the exact same mission as me.

The dinosaurs are remember only by their bones. What will we be remembered for with humanity?

People don’t stand up and protect their dreams because they get spoofed in a way.

I’m not going to sit inside of a corporation for 20 years. The time is now. The time is now to express yourself. The time is now to believe in yourself.

People always tell you to be humble, be humble, be humble. When was the last time someone told you to be great. To be amazing. To be awesome.

People in this world shun people for being great, for being a bright color, for standing out. But the time is now, to be OK with being the greatest you.

We’re not always in the position that we want to be at. We’re constantly growing We’re constantly making mistakes. We’re constantly trying to express ourselves and actualize our dreams.

These Kanye West quotes will give you a glimpse into the billionaire’s mindset.

Kanye West is an American rapper, music producer, fashion designer and newly minted billionaire, according to Forbes.

Kanye West Quotes on Life, Love & Billionaire Status

Kanye West quotes about the world, love & creativity

Creativity is intelligence having fun.

Permission To Be Creative 

We're all a little suspect of our own talent. Most of us really want to offer the world something of quality, something that the world will consider as good or important. But that's the enemy, because it's not up to us whether what we do is any good. If we look upon the history it will taught us that the world is extremely unreliable critic. You just have to ask your self 'Do human creativity matters?'﻿

What Is Creativity?

If you're an artist for example people can make fun of what you do. People can consider you as an idiot and your production as useless. But you should know that it's your job, you have to play the fool. Most of the people around the world have to go to the job all day long. To make money then return home to their family. And whatever you do is your job and Play the fool.

Find Your Calling

When the life doesn't go the way we want, when someone really close to our heart dies. All of a sudden you're desperate for making sense out of this life. You started thinking "Has anybody ever felt this bad before?" And "How did they come out of this cloud?"Or when the inverse happens you meet somebody and your heart explodes. You love them so much that you can't even see straight. You know, you're dizzy. Now you think "Did anybody feel like this before?" And "what is happening to me?"And that's when art is not luxury it's actually sustenance. We need it.

Art Is Not Luxury It's Sustenance 

When you ask what is art? Well Human creativity is manifest in us. When you truly love someone you find that your lover is pretty beautiful. When you look at your children playing on their own, jumping and running around the house doing anything. You feel that's so beautiful. That's why kids are so beautiful because they don't have any habits. They don't care if they're any good or not. They just throw themselves at whatever project you put in front of them. Whatever they do they try to impress upon you their individuality

Human Creativity Is Manifest In Us

We are here on this star of space to help one another. At first we have to survive and then we have to thrive. And to thrive, we have to express ourselves and to express ourselves we have to know our selves.In knowing ourselves we start searching what we love and when we get close to what we love who you are is revealed to you. And it expands. When you expand you start to see how connected we all are. We realise art is vital.

It's Vital...Art Is Vital

It's the way we heal each other. In poetries, novels, musics, dancing, acting. In telling our story, in inviting you to say. "Hey, listen to me and I'll listen to you", we're starting a dialogue and the healing happens and we're coming out of our corners, we start witnessing each other's common humanity. We start to assert it. If you want to help your community, your family, your friends, your loved ones you have to express yourself. And to express yourself you have to know yourself. You just have to follow your love.There is no path till you walk it and you have to be willing to play the fool

Play The Fool

Don't read the book you should read, read the book you want to read. Don't listen to the music you used to but come out of your comfort zone and try another genre

Do The Odd

We often ignore that we all are creative in some way. All we have to do is to find the calling and follow our love.

Learning 

Give yourself permission to be creative.

William H. Gass was a boundary-breaking experimental writer, as well as a critic, essayist and philosophy professor. Most importantly, Gass was a reigning master of the art of the sentence, and every one he wrote, he wrote with singular purpose. “If I am anything as a writer, that is what I am: a stylist,” he said in an interview. “I am not a writer of short stories or novels or essays or whatever. I am a writer, in general. I am interested in how one writes anything.”

A Writer Interested In How One Writes Anything

”If someone asks me, ‘Why do you write?’ I can reply by pointing out that it is a very dumb question. Nevertheless, there is an answer. I write because I hate. A lot. Hard. And if someone asks me the inevitable next dumb question, ‘Why do you write the way you do?’ I must answer that I wish to make my hatred acceptable because my hatred is much of me, if not the best part. Writing is a way of making the writer acceptable to the world—every cheap, dumb, nasty thought, every despicable desire, every noble sentiment, every expensive taste.”

“Put All Those Nasty Thoughts You Have To Use”

“I was turned down for ten years. I couldn’t get a thing in print. My writing went nowhere. I guess you have to be persistent. Talent is just one element of the writing business. You also have to have a stubborn nature. That’s rarer even than the talent, I think. You have to be grimly determined. I certainly was disappointed; I got upset. But you have to go back to the desk again, to the mailbox once more, and await your next refusal.”

“Be Stubborn, Even In The Face Of Rejection”

“Getting even is one great reason for writing. The precise statement of the motive is tricky, but the clearest expression of my unwholesome nature and my mean motives appears in a line I like in [one of my books]: the character says, “I want to rise so high that when I shit I won’t miss anybody.” […] I also take considerable pleasure in giving obnoxious ideas the best expression I can. But getting even isn’t necessarily vicious. There are two ways of getting even: one is destructive and the other is restorative. It depends on how the scales are weighted. Justice, I think, is the word I want.”

“Get Even (Get Justice)”

“Even an ideologically driven artist who is working well has got to do that. Oh, he can create a character who speaks brilliantly from a half-baked point of view, but he cannot create a drama of conflict between points of view unless he can imaginatively put himself in two positions… Any work of art is going to be dangerous to a point of view. If you are an artist, you have to see not only why you can’t walk on air, but also why people who think you can, think so. Art objects are inhospitable to secure truths. People who are fearful of protecting their own truth can’t have them around.”

“See Around Your Subject”

“I write slowly because I write badly. I have to rewrite everything many, many times just to achieve mediocrity. Time can give you a good critical perspective, and I often have to go slow so that I can look back on what sort of botch of things I made three months ago. Much of the stuff which I will finally publish, with all its flaws, as if it had been dashed off with a felt pen, will have begun eight or more years earlier, and worried and slowly chewed on and left for dead many times in the interim.”

“Revise, Revise, Revise”

“I don’t think much about the reader. Ways of reading are adversaries—those theoretical ways. As far as writing something is concerned, the reader really doesn’t exist. The writer’s business is somehow to create in the work something which will stand on its own and make its own demands; and if the writer is good, he discovers what those demands are, and he meets them, and creates this thing which readers can then do what they like with. Gertrude Stein said, ‘I write for myself and strangers,’ and then eventually she said that she wrote only for herself.”

“Don’t Write For Anybody”

“I don’t believe in the novel that teaches. When you’re teaching, you’re engaged with something other than yourself. When you’re writing novels, you’re bringing things mainly out of yourself. You may be trying to make something that’s not autobiographical or self-reflective, but it’s made out of your character like a cake from flour. The consciousness it constructs may not be your everyday consciousness; nevertheless, it comes from your depths and not someone else’s. Whereas when you’re teaching you’re engaged with texts; it’s a different kind of thing.

“Don’t Write To Teach”

“Try to remember that artists in these catastrophic times, along with the serious scientists, are the only salvation for us, if there is to be any. Be happy because no one is seeing what you do, no one is listening to you, no one really cares what may be achieved, but sometimes accidents happen and beauty is born.”

“Don’t Despair”

Works of art are meant to be lived with and loved, and if we try to understand them, we should try to understand them as we try to understand anyone—in order to know them better, not in order to know something else.

...yes, words were superior; they maintained a superior control; they touched without your touching; they were at once the bait, the hook, the line, the pole, and the water in between.

The true alchemists do not change lead into gold; they change the world into words.

Thoughts on creativity, creators and their creations, three things that we have come to consider consubstantial, coincident and coexistent, but that are fundamentally separate and disparate. 

Six Ways to Break Your Creative Blocks

For a More Creative Brain, Follow These 5 Steps

Kanye West quotes about the world, love & creativity

Give yourself permission to be creative.

William H. Gass’s Advice for Writers

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