Can everyone be creative?

The biggest question I have regarding the skill of being creative is whether or not every individual has the same potential for creativity. Not every human is in the proper circumstances to be creative, as explained in my previous post, but does every human even have that intangible ability in their soul to create something unique?

My own answer to this question is yes — I believe every human can be creative. In fact, I think this ability to be creative is what makes one truly human in the first place. And after doing some research on this topic, it seems that science also backs up this hypothesis.

A group of Russian filmmakers being collaboratively creative

Renowned British psychologist Dr. Michael Kriton demonstrated through his research that every human is capable of being creative but in their own way. He believes that humans can be divided into two categories: adapters and innovators. Kriton notes that the human brain works by solving problems on a continuum of styles, ranging from purely adaptive to purely innovative.

An adaptive individual prefers a structured problem-solving method. In other words, an adapter is more likely to be creative by coming up with something unique within an already existing system, rather than coming up with a new system altogether.

An innovator, on the other hand, tends to create a new system altogether. Innovators are the true risk takers in terms of creativity because they may even ignore the positive aspects of a system that is already in place just so they can create something new. An example of an innovator is Kanye West. He has taken great risks in terms of music and fashion at the risk of failure and ridicule. However, his creative decisions have paid off and greatly influenced the future of both industries.

Kanye West and Adidas partnered to make the innovative Yeezy Boost line of sneakers

Since these two types of creativity fall on a spectrum, there is an infinite amount of combinations of the two that an individual can have. Thus, each human can be creative but in their own unique way.

Finally, Kriton suggests that there are three primary ways to fully utilize one’s creative potential.

1. Have access to the right tools: This is essentially the culture and environment aspect explained in my previous post. An individual must first be in a situation where creativity is promoted and beneficial in order for the right side of the brain to be activated.
2. Adopt a repeatable framework: A repeatable framework is a set of guidelines a person can follow to consistently be creative. This framework consists of four steps: define the creative opportunity (e.g. an unsolved problem), discover ideas and alternatives, develop the ideas into solutions for the opportunity, and demonstrate the previous steps in a creative outcome.
3. Embrace diversity: No great creators have come out of complete isolation. Instead, they coalesce their life experiences and inspirations from other creators into creations of their own style. In order to be creative, an individual must do the same. In addition, they must appreciate other styles of creativity and understand why each person’s own unique style is the most effective for that specific person.

Ultimately, every single human is capable of being creative in their own way. It is simply up to them if they can realize that potential and make use of it in their lifetimes.

Creativity Is Everywhere and for Everyone. Retrieved March 2, 2018, from https://www.leanmethods.com/resources/articles/creativity-everywhere-and-everyone/