Our Complicated Relationship with Creativity
In a recent LinkedIn post, Dillon Winspear, Sr. UX Lead @ Domo and host of the Designed Today podcast threw a question out on his feed regarding creativity. It resonated deeply with me and the result was this short article.

Dillon writes:
“Hey everyone, let’s talk about creativity. Adobe has done a ton of research on creativity in the workforce. One thing that caught my attention was the quote, “creativity is the superpower of tomorrow.”
Dillon continues by asking:
“Sooo what’s your relationship with creativity?”
Trying to break down the relationship we have with our own creativity is particularly interesting and uniquely complicated. We’re all creative in our own ways. We manifest this creativity through thoughts, actions, words, pictures, activities, talents, and millions of other ways.
When the creative juices are flowing, you get into just that…a flow. Ideas flow, words flow, actions flow. Conversely, a slump in creativity is so very noticeable. In my own experience, creative blocks make me feel sluggish, unaccomplished, unable to contribute.

It doesn’t take long for me to be reminded of the power of creativity when I simply look at my three-year-old when I get home from work. That kid is in a constant state of imagination, exploration, drawing, thinking, playing, building and doing.
He’s an unstoppable force of creativity. (and kind of a messy one)
Everything is allowed. Nothing is erased because of its flaws. His developing mind invites anything and everything to its creative playground. You are welcome to it just as much as his 12 dinosaurs having dinner with Mickey Mouse. Our positive affirmations as his parents only provide him encouragement to do more.
Creativity at this level is a superpower, the catalyst by which innovation thrives and where novel ideas are born.

Where and when do we lose that?
Do we have to lose it?
When did our fridge-worthy “great work!” take a back seat to “good work” and then slowly, sadly, become, “meh” work?
I believe the words of the author Jim Collins are tied closely to creativity and provide a much-needed reminder of why it’s important to stay creative throughout our lifetime:
“Good is the enemy of great. And that is one of the key reasons why we have so little that becomes great. […] Few people attain great lives, in large part because it is just so easy to settle for a good life.”
Ouch. That’s me. I find myself in the “good life” category far too often. That’s not to say it’s a bad life because I haven’t achieved a great one, but it begs and beckons at me that it could be so much more.
What about the apps we build and the sites we design?
What if Jim’s words went a little something like this:
“Few [designers] attain great [products], in large part because it is just so easy to settle for a good [product].”
Google’s co-founder Larry Page gives further insight into what might happen when our efforts only dabble in the mediocre:
“Lots of companies don’t succeed over time. What do they fundamentally do wrong? They usually miss the future.”
Replace the word “companies” here with “people” and notice the power of the statement:
“Lots of [people] don’t succeed over time. What do they fundamentally do wrong? They usually miss the future.”
How do we miss the future? I believe it happens when we lose our creativity. Or, more correctly — when we think we’ve lost our creativity. I’m going to give you a piece of advice today. I want you to remember it, embrace it, own it. I’ll even give it to you in ALL CAPS to further drive the point home.
Here it is:
YOU ARE CREATIVE! YOU HAVEN’T LOST THE ABILITY TO BE CREATIVE!
Like my three-year-old, who’s to say you can’t throw a cape on and run around the house punching all the furniture? Why can’t you put red Lego bricks on blue ones? Why can’t your stick figure drawing have six eyes, live on an asteroid filled with jelly beans, and be proudly displayed on the fridge?

Sometimes we just need a simple reminder. We get so wrapped up in “adulting” and forget to have fun. We are so concerned with being right or proving our next point that our stubbornness overshadows any ability we have to be creative.
Creativity doesn’t even need to come in the form of silliness or playfulness. It can come from everyday activities that we convince ourselves there isn’t time to do.
I just finished a second read-through of the book, The Creative Fight by Chris Orwig. A fantastic book for anyone looking to reignite their creative fire. As part of my own creative fight, I’ve been walking around with a “top 10” list written on a card. It sits right next to my phone in my pocket and I’m prompted to grab it when I reach for my phone.
These are the reminders I’m giving myself each day to be more creative, think of others more, and move from good to great!
1. Replace anger with gratitude
2. Substitute frustration with understanding
3. Repay kindness for kindness
4. Walk — don’t sit
5. If you have something nice to say — say it
6. Restore a relationship
7. Help someone today
8. Call or text a loved one
9. Do one thing that makes you nervous
10. Give yourself time to think

These are the ways in which I’m trying to improve my relationship with creativity. I’ll admit, my relationship with creativity is broken and in need of repair. Chris Orwig called it the creative fight and I couldn’t agree more. It’s a battle to stay constantly creative — a tug of war with our time, talents, inner beliefs and outside influences.
As with any relationship, creativity needs practice, nourishing, love, care, and time. If yours is in need of repair too, I’d love to hear what you’re doing, or what you could do to improve this relationship!
Remember:
YOU ARE CREATIVE! YOU HAVEN’T LOST THE ABILITY TO BE CREATIVE!

