Creativity

“Despite the increased role of data and AI, it still takes a human to be creative. It’s crucial that creative individuals are employed by companies to invent, imagine something new and dream up something better. The modern workplace demand new ways of thinking and human creativity is critical to that.”  Human Resources Online

When I was teaching, my students would say “Mr. V, I’m not creative.” I’ve worked in a number of fields and would hear adults tell me “I’m not creative.” Stop it. Seriously, right now. Stop that talk. If you keep saying those things, your brain is going to start believing it. And, we don’t need to feed the brain any more garbage.

Listen, you are creative. I know you are. Believe me: You. Are. Creative. You are creative in your own way, on your own canvas, in your own passion. We just have these stereotypes that have been fed to us of what a “creative” is. Those images, those ideas are wrong. 

Are you an engineer? Guess what, you’re creative. In that world of engineering. 

Are you a nurse? Hey, you’re creative. Who else could calm a child when administering a shot.

Are you an actuary? A claims adjuster? CEO? Janitor? Anything in-between? Own it - YOU ARE CREATIVE! 

I also have trouble with the idea that “a creative” works alone, in a silo, all by themself. It’s like the evil scientis in a James Bond movie - they don’t exist! We see images of the Writer alone at the typewriter. We never see the copy editor, editor, publisher, or writer groups that are all working together. While we may have bursts of creativity individually, we can have a raging thunderstorm of creativity as a group.

Improvisation teaches us to be creative. Not as an indiviudal, but as a group, team, or ensemble working together. I’m often asked “how do you rehearse improv?!” We work on our skills of listening and acceptance and building and… Nevertheless, the rehearsals, the practice, the studying all combine to allow a troupe to work together to be creative.

Have you seen live improv? (If you haven’t, you should!) Have you seen Who’s Line Is It Anyway? They make it look easy. Jokes, songs, and even full-length plays, all created off the top of the performer’s heads, leaving the audience in awe. They make it look easy because they’ve practiced. They know how to be creative, both as individuals and as a team.

We’re here to create, to express, to share your gift. Take some applied improvisation classes to give your creativity the spark it needs. Creating together, we invent something new, something innovative, something the world didn’t know it needed. Until now.

You are creative

In your unique way!