Creativity can be nuanced and layered, but it doesn’t have to be mystical or overly complex. We’ve rounded up the six most harmful myths about creativity that are floating around and busted them for you so that you don’t face any roadblocks on your creative journey! Let’s get started:
MYTH #1 — CREATIVITY IS INBORN:
“You either have it or you don’t! You’re either born with it or you’re not! And no matter how much you try, hard work can only go so far! Even if you try your absolute best, you will still never be as good as Steve Jobs or da Vinci!”
REALITY — CREATIVITY IS FOR EVERYONE:
You might have heard this sentiment thrown around a lot, especially in things that embody more of a ‘tough-love’ message, trying to get you to be ‘realistic’. However, it’s completely false. You may have heard the saying, “success is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration”. And it is absolutely correct in every way. You just need a spark to get started and you can take it the rest of the way. Besides, you don’t need to be Steve Jobs or Da Vinci — you just need to be the best you that you can be!
MYTH #2 — YOU MUST CREATE SOMETHING OUT OF NOTHING:
“You have to make something that is 100% original, entirely from your mind! You can’t build on something that already exists or take elements from many things and combine them — that’s copying!”
REALITY — CREATIVITY COMES FROM EVERYWHERE:
Nothing can just come out of the blue. Everything that exists was built on something that came before. Even Albert Einstein said, “I have seen so far only from standing on the shoulders of giants.’ And Steve Jobs put it best when he said, “Good artists copy, great artists steal.”
MYTH #3 — IF YOU CAN’T MAKE MUCH PROGRESS AFTER A WHILE, GIVE UP:
“Don’t waste your time! It’s clearly not working out! This just isn’t right for you. This is a dead end. Give up and start fresh with something else.”
REALITY — PERSISTENCE IS THE KEY:
It’s true that sometimes you need to know when to stop and when it may be time to pivot in a different direction or channel your energies somewhere else. But more often than not, you start to get these thoughts at the exact point when you just need to push a little bit harder to get through to the end. Calvin Coolidge, a former US President, famously said, “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”
MYTH #4 — YOU NEED TO WAIT FOR INSPIRATION TO STRIKE:
“You can’t just get great ideas out of thin air! You need to wait until it comes to you, only then will it be natural and organic!”
REALITY — YOU CAN BE CREATIVE ANYWHERE, ANYTIME:
Creativity isn’t like lightning, which will only strike at some locations during certain times. In fact, it’s more like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. The stronger it gets, the more you can use it. And so on and so on!
MYTH #5 — COMPETITION OVER COLLABORATION:
“You need to be a lone wolf! Do it all yourself, that’s the only way it can be authentic and true to you!”
REALITY — THE MORE THE BETTER:
We are undoubtedly stronger together! You might go a little faster if you go it alone, but you will go farther in a pack! A strong and well-organized team is essential for great success!
MYTH #6 — EVERYTHING MUST BE PERFECT:
“What’s the point of doing it if you’re not doing it right! Make it all totally perfect or it’s all pointless!”
REALITY — GETTING IT DONE IS MORE IMPORTANT:
Don’t let the best be the enemy of the good! You might slave away trying for 100% pure perfection may never come. Remember, absolutely nothing is that perfect and sometimes, beauty is in fact to be found in the imperfections!
So, those are six creative myths that we felt we had to bust for you to free you up on your creative journey! Hope it helps and let us know if you want to see more!