Mothers of invention

Possibly the scariest responsibility anyone can have is that of raising a child. In addition to your conscious choices, things you can't control--the words that just slip out, your facial expressions, your energy level--also shape your child.

So over the years mothers (and fathers too, of course, but it's Mothers Day) have discovered the creative part of their brain and used it to ensure that whatever they do, however they respond, whatever happens in the outside world, their child is shaped primarily by love.

Creativity turns a harsh word into a warm, "I'm sorry" moment. Creativity takes a bad year at school and turns it into a way to see family conflicts through a child's eyes. In a mother's hands, creativity turns milestones into memories, fear into courage, sadness into hope.

You could have replaced the word "creativity" with love in all of those sentences.  Love is the motivation, creativity is the engine, and a strong, hopeful child is the vision.  For Mother's Day, let's all express our gratitude, and also gain inspiration from our unique, persistent, and creatively willfull mothers. 

Thanks, mom; we love you, too!

The astonishing creativity of the real world

Creativity is not (necessarily) about fantasy; in fact, the real world is the most astonishing creation anyone will ever encounter.  From gorgeous nebulas, the birthplace of new stars, to the mysterious micro worlds of quantum physics, our minds are simply incapable of taking it all in.

What we can do is use our creative minds to perceive, explore, and invent.  When we embrace our confusion and use it as fuel for learning, we are both humbled and exalted.  Reality is so much grander than anything we can imagine!

Even when we create fantasy worlds in fiction, film, or daydreams, we are using the miracle of our brains to do so. And everything we dream up has been sparked by something real.

The awesome depth and scope of reality is all around us; even a speck of dust is a world if you look through the right lens. Look for inspiration even among the minutiae of your life, and you will never run out of creative ideas.

Mirror, mirror: what you create defines you

(A somewhat serious topic for today's blog, inspired by events of the past days and months.)

Creativity is a capacity, but what you create is entirely up to you.  In fact, one reason I believe so strongly in active, intentional creativity is that being passive can lead to unintended consequences.  We are moral beings, so at least when we form intentions we have a chance of shaping our impact on the world.

And yet, it is always possible for someone to choose to create pain, suffering, aggression, or injustice.  They can easily do so in the name of goodness, believing in their own cause to such an extent that all morality is left behind.

The creative process uses all of your varied abilities to perceive, imagine, plan, and execute your vision of the world.  The only consistent element will be you--your vision, your ethics, your will.  When you create, you express who you are in the most profound way. 

My own values teach that the end can never justify the means, and that shapes every aspect of my creative process.  Whatever you believe, be sure you are conscious of how your values mesh with your vision. Only then can you create a world you wish to live in.

Creativity and the White Queen

'When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast." (The White Queen, Alice in Wonderland)

Using your imagination requires a little bit of madness, perfectly exemplified by Lewis Carroll's characters in Alice in Wonderland.  Not coincidentally, Carroll was a mathematician; sophisticated mathematics can create seemingly impossible scenarios, where 2 + 2 only equals 4 on alternate Tuesdays, for example. So he knew that believing impossible things was an indispensable creative skill.

The idea is to imagine what the world would be like if the impossible were actually possible.  In general it's best to treat this as a thought experiment--out of concern for my readers I wish to emphasize that you can't really sprout wings and fly.  On the other hand, you can use your creativity to find a workaround; inventing the airplane, for example, is a real-world way of sprouting wings and flying.

Here's a quick example of how you could use this as a creative exercise.  How could it be both cloudy and clear at the same time?  Come up with imaginary or realistic scenarios, it doesn't really matter.  The idea is to force your brain through the looking glass to a world where more things are possible.

Creating a habit

Did you know that, linguistically speaking, you create when you "construct" things, as well as originate something new? In other words, if you have a creative hobby--like landscaping your back yard, building bird houses, knitting, playing an instrument, baking exotic cookies--that's defined as creating, even if you are just learning and following ideas originated by other people.

From your brain's point of view, what really matters is that what you are doing is new to you. If you are learning a new skill or technique, your creative brain is operating.   

That's why creative hobbies are important.  When you use your creative brain on a regular basis, you form a habit of creativity that is very good for you and the world around you.  Sooner or later, you may need to use your creative skills on something riskier or more stressful. Your habit will give you the confidence that you know how to use your creative brain to learn new things, solve problems, or just make lemonade out of lemons.

Another possibility is that while you're using your creative brain to learn a pattern or skill, you may come up with an original idea or solution.  Why not?  Your creative brain is really good at all things new.  The key is developing the creative habit.

Using creativity to cope with change

Whether change arises from a choice we've made, or is forced upon us, it is stressful (if you don't believe me, check out this Wikipedia article). Then again, stress can be managed.  When you take on a rigorous exercise program, for example, that's stressful.  Yet, if you eat well, stretch well, and rest up, the stress you put on your body will actually be beneficial. The way you handle the stress makes a big difference.

The mental version of eating well and resting up is using creativity to manage change. Even if an unwelcome change is forced on you, if you know that there is a defined path to follow, and even better, a path that is pre-programmed in the human brain, you will not be overwhelmed by change-related stress.  You may even learn to see change as a fresh chance to get more out of the talents you were born with.

When faced with an unwelcome change, take a deep breath, accept just a little consolation, and then prepare to ride the wind:

1. Frame the change as a creative challenge: e.g., go from, "X just ended" to "what next?"

2. Mull things over for as much time as you have.  Don't make any sudden decisions, because if you act too soon you will still be locked in past patterns of thought. Widen your perspective. Let your imagination roam free. Capture any insights or ideas that arise without judging them, and discuss your ideas with people you trust.

3. Define an "insightful challenge". Sketch out what challenges you, your insights about the challenge, and what motivates you to move forward. Try to narrow it down to a simple sentence: Based on insight X, I choose to do Y, motivated by Z.

4. Mull over your challenge, applying your expertise and that of others you trust.  What resources will you need? How can you overcome obstacles?

5. Make a plan--don't just dive in, get organized. That way, you can see your progress and identify potential problems. If problems arise, get creative and solve them!  Don't give up.

For help in managing change, please see my book, Actively Creative: A Guided Process.  It's short, practical, and rooted in real-world experience.  I wish you all the best!

Tom Sawyer and Creativity

When I was a kid, one of my favorite stories came from Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer. Tom, a born politician, was given the boring task of whitewashing a fence. Clever Tom decided to act as if it was the most fun task in the world. Laughing, whistling happily, he intrigued the other boys into wishing they could be the ones painting the fence.  Within a short time, they were--while he watched.

Though they don't have to pretend that what they're doing is fun, creators need a little bit of Tom Sawyer's salesmanship. Getting support from those around you, whether experts in your field, your colleagues, or your family, is a crucial skill. Positive feedback, helpful critiques, and emotional encouragement are all important elements of successful creative projects.

It is, of course, possible to create entirely on your own.  It's just harder, scarier, and (without feedback) often less successful.  Here are a couple of ways you can be more like Tom:

• Smile while you work.  I know, I keep saying that.  But it is honest-to-goodness true that if you share your happiness and excitement and let people know when things are going well, both you and your social circle will be more energized by your project.

• As you plan your project, think about what others care about or enjoy.  Make some space in your plans for everyone from your boss to your pet; what could they get out of it?  It doesn't have to be much more than a sense that they are important to you.  But it is important that they have a stake.

• Learn to distinguish between positive and negative criticism, and help those around you to learn the distinction as well.  Frame any request for feedback to increase your chances of getting the right kind!  For example: "Based on your experience, what's one thing you would change to help this be more successful?" is a much better question than, "Do you like my idea?"

Go out and share!  We humans thrive on attention and support. Embrace your social environment and you could be much more successful with your project.