What is creativity? What does the word creativity mean?

I use the word creativity a lot. I write about creativity – as well as creative inspiration, ideas and how they become reality, being in flow with our work and embracing our uniqueness.

But I acknowledge that creativity means different things to different people.

Painting, sculpture, pottery. Writing, design, photography. Cooking, gardening. Knitting, crochet, sewing.

I agree that those are “creative” things. But there is much more to creativity than that.

Ideas

I’d say that “creativity” is also about ideas. It’s about having them, capturing them, playing with them, figuring out what to do with them, making them happen and/or sharing them.

(“Creativity is intelligence having fun”, as the quote goes.)

Creativity can also be about connecting ideas, noticing themes, rearranging thoughts, putting together information in a new way, doing something new with what already exists, allowing yourself the freedom to think differently.

People and projects

It’s about people, who we have around us. Some people have the big ideas, others take those ideas and make them happen – whether by direct contact with the source of the ideas, or by being part of a team that is directed to do some tasks that are needed.

We are all involved in “creativity”, whether we’re at the start of the process or add value to an idea later on. It is of course more obvious that we’re part of creativity if we’re in the business of creating a specific item – a book, a website, an image, a video.

A communications campaign or initiative, a course or a workshop also involves creativity – someone had the idea in the first place in response to a problem they observed.

And ideas can also be innovations – new ways of doing things or new inventions.

Inspiration and energy

There’s the inspiration that feeds into creativity, whatever shape that takes. People, places, objects, thoughts that pop into your head.

There are the rhythms, rituals and cycles associated with a creative life. Figuring out how and when to harness your creative energy. Working out the best places to do different parts of the creative process. Understanding that rest and space are also important to percolate ideas and untangle challenges.

Noticing the world and understanding ourselves

I think that an important precursor to a creative life, to embracing our own creativity, is finding or rediscovering the little bits of joy in our everyday lives. The inspiration from the outside world, and the activities that bring us joy.

It’s about knowing ourselves and understanding our connection to the world so that we can fully express our unique selves and work with others in a meaningful way. Being curious about the world and about new things. Using our talents to contribute to the creative process, wherever we sit within it. Adding little unique touches to our work.

So what?

So these are my thoughts on creativity and what I mean when I talk about it or write about it.

But what do you think? Do you relate to the word creativity in a similar way? Or do you think about it from a different angle?

Image copyright: Nina Lenton