[blox_row][blox_column width=”1/1″][blox_heading title=”Four capacities fuel a person to be fully alive!” size=”h3″ style=”style5″ animation=”none”][/blox_heading][blox_text animation=”none”] Whether the person is an old friend, a new mentoree, or even a total stranger I might meet on a plane ride, one of my favorite “mentoring creativity” questions to ask is, “May I ask you a question? In what ways do you consider yourself a creative person? I would welcome hearing how you might answer that.”
How would you answer that if you and I were in the midst of a conversation? To date, easily, maybe only one out of every 30 to 40 adults of all ages (teens to olders like me) may even begin to hint at a “yes!” response that they may be creative. The reasons for not being a creative person can be humorous, but most have a certain sense of sadness or incompleteness attached to them.
Pablo Picasso, whether you are a fan of his creativity or not, made a statement once that is “hugely true.” Think about the children you know, think of when you were once a child, maybe, if a parent, think of your own kiddos, or your grandkids. Go on, use your imagination for a moment. Here is what Pablo said: [/blox_text][blox_callout box_style=”blox_elem_callout_centered” animation=”none”]
Every child is an artist, the problem is staying an artist when you grow up.
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My own precious wife (of 47+ years now) is one of those who, in days and years past, would quickly tell people, “I’m not the creative one in the family.” However, to know her, you would warmly disagree. One instance of many? Just ask her what she put together for my 40th and 65th birthdays (she’s creative enough to be committed to giving me a party to remember every 25 years…the next one will be when I’m 90, and y’all are invited!).
What most people are implying when they respond to a question on personal creativity is that they are not an artist, or a musician, or a speaker or entertainer, or a dancer, or a writer, or whatever their definition of a creative person may be. Comparison, and “growing up”, way too often depletes and dismisses the creative gene, the creative spark that I sincerely believe is in each one of us from the moment we were conceived.
An author that sent my own imagination soaring as a young lad, a developing teen, was Jack London. His own history was rather colorful, as in his stories he took on issues of life at the turn of the last century. Recently I had to laugh out loud in agreement at the glaring truth of words attributed to him:
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You can’t wait for inspiration,
you have to go after it with a club.
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As we consider the 8 Dimensions of the Circle of Life, as mentor and/or mentoree, for every human in every culture, of any age, to be a person, fully alive, we need to be encouraging and nourishing four capacities in ourselves and others. You and I, whether we own this, or not, are designed, wired, capable of being
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creative
innovative
designful
playful
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Whatever “stuff” got diminished or knocked out of us as kids needs to be invited back to life again. Because every dimension of our Circle of Life Mentoring Model influences every other dimension, this dimension of being creative, innovative, designful, playful brings the color, texture, sound, taste, and smells into creative awareness. Once this dimension is set free via the whole-person mentoring we suggest, it’s “watch out world!” in a person beginning to bloom and grow beyond what they ever dreamed of becoming and doing.
You may, or may not, be like me. Too often, in days past, I’ve subverted my own possibilities and even responsibilities to be fully alive by saying to myself, “I’m not the artist that _______________ is, though I would like to be a better artist.” Or…”I’m not the thinker and writer that ______________ is, but I wish I were more like them.” Even…”Geesch, if only I were the articulate speaker and influencer that ______________ is.”
Whatever your variation is to talk yourself out of being creative, innovative, designful and playful, for whatever you may “blame” from your personal history for not being that kind of person, may I suggest a different process? If you and I were to have a whole day together, talking about this dimension within your own life, I’m confident we would end the day with you saying, “I am able to be creative, innovative, design-filled and playful in ways I’ve only dreamed about.”
It would be my deep hope that you would go to sleep on that night saying to yourself…
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I will make an intentional commitment
to experiencing the delight of inspiration, invention,
artistic expression, and originality.
I will choose to explore, develop and utilize
my imagination and talents
to enrich the lives of others and myself.
I will dare to create out of my own uniqueness.
Even better, I will dare to often color outside the lines,
to experience the freedom of one who is fully alive
in all 8 dimensions of my life.
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