Art is Not A Skill
Stop Telling Yourself You’re “Not creative”
It’s no mystery that art makes us feel good. If you’re not a creator, ask any creator ever if they love what they do — they’ll give you a resounding yes!
Why do we make art? To tell a story, to make a point, and to get whatever is inside of us are the leading reasons. The last one should give you pause.
Art is Not a Skill
A skill is something you do in exchange for something in return. Art is not a skill meant to be honed until you get paid for it — art is what we humans are naturally inclined to do.
You may have been to a club, and said, “Oh no, I don’t dance.”
But when you were three years old, you probably danced. You also probably finger-painted, or sang, or any number of other things that children naturally do all the time.
That’s because art, and expressive actions at large, are part of who we are. And creativity is something that doesn’t just happen when we try — it happens because it’s how we’re wired.
Sit down at a table with a pen and paper for 15 minutes, and you’ll find something to write. It doesn’t have to be for anyone else but yourself. After a while, you’ll realize you’re creating.
We Are Not Born Uncreative
There is not a human on this earth that is incapable of creating. What makes us incapable of creating is believing we don’t have it in us.
At some point between childhood and today, many of us adopt the notion that we’re not “creatively inclined.”
That means you would have to agree that children — when they’re coloring, painting, dancing, singing, and god knows what else — are not being creative. And that’s just simply not true.
So, if you’re one of those people who says “I’m not creative,” it truly means you aren’t trying. That being creative isn’t worth your time. We’re born with the ability to put ideas together.
When you’re trying to find an alternative route to work, you’re being creative. When you’re cooking something new, you’re being creative. When you’re debating with someone and trying to convince them to adopt your view, you’re being creative. We actually can’t help being creative all over the spectrum of our lives, so stop holding yourself back.
All You Need Is Time
There is no guarantee that you’ll make millions from being creative — in fact, it’s very unlikely. But, why then would you deny yourself the benefits of creativity on our mood, our personality, and our well being.
The only thing you need to be creative is time. What tools you choose, what vocation you decide to take up, and what you want to create is completely up to you.
If you feel you are not creative, I’ve got six tips you can try to reveal to yourself that you are in fact creative.
- Set Aside Some Time — Whether it’s 15 minutes, or an entire weekend, block off time to yourself.
- Choose Something — Think of something you’ve always wanted to do, and obtain the tools to do it.
- Remove Distractions — Creativity is what happens when our brains take two or more ideas and combine them together. We do this naturally, but it’s incredibly rare that a creative can make something with additional noise taking away from their attention.
- Be a Child — Children don’t create to impress you, or anyone else. They do it because it’s natural them, and because it makes them feel good. Tap into what evolution gave all of us, and accept that you can create simply for the joy of doing so. If a child can do it, so can you.
- Don’t Be A Hero — The moment you think about how other people will respond, you’ve lost half the battle. Keep your intentions within you, and create only to get what is in your head outside of it.
- Do It Again — Once you’ve finished whatever it is you’re working on, set it down and come back at some future time. I promise you’ll be surprised when you find your brain works almost automatically to make something up, edit your work, or tell you to work on something new.
Consider this a challenge to you — take these six tips, and try to make something, anything, that didn’t exist before.
And if you need more convincing, read what Joseph Gordon Levitt taught me about flow, creativity, and what it means to make something here.
