What does it mean to be “creative”? Is there such a thing as a “creative personality”?<\/p>\n
I’ve wondered about this for many years, probably because I’ve always been a bit strange and over time I’ve realized there are other people out there who are a bit strange in the same way. (Some of you may be even be reading this blog.) They are determined to write, paint, act, dance, draw, play music, etc., whether or not they ever have any success at it. True, some may eventually get so discouraged that they give up their creative callings, but then they often become miserable human beings.<\/p>\n
Most other folks don’t really understand where these “creative” types are coming from, and I’ve rarely read a good psychological profile on the subject. You’ll see articles offering tips on “how to be more creative,” or profiles of artistic geniuses, but seldom any analysis of what makes the average creatively-motivated person tick, for better or worse.<\/p>\n
The closest thing I’ve ever found was in the book WHO ARE YOU, REALLY? by Gary Null (yes, the natural-health crusader) who suggests there are seven types of personalities, and one is “Creative Assertive.” <\/p>\n
Excerpt from his profile: “A true Creative Assertive HAS to paint, make films, dance, do stand-up comedy, write, sculpt or whatever. The need is nonnegotiable, really, and sometimes it gets in the way of ‘normal’ functioning.”<\/p>\n
(It sure does.)<\/p>\n
He also talks about the energy cycles of the creative person, the highs and low that comes with feeling you’re onto the best idea in the world, then afterward looking at your interpretation of it and thinking it’s pure, unadulterated crap. In most “creative types,” that’s not biopolar–it’s all part of the process, swinging back and forth between the spontaneous and critical sides of our brains.<\/p>\n
Another wonderful quote along this line comes from George Bernard Shaw: “A true artist will let his wife starve, his children go barefoot, his mother drudge for his living at seventy, sooner than work at anything but his art.” <\/p>\n
You’ll notice, Shaw doesn’t claim that this artist’s work is necessarily brilliant, just that he can’t not do it! That’s the tough part. If you’re more practical than Shaw’s artist, you may make a living at something else and take excellent care of your family, but there will always be a second or third shift in your day as you try to fit in the work you need to do for your soul.<\/p>\n
Finally, I’ve wondered if there’s an ethical flaw in this kind of single-mindedness. Creativity often means spending much time alone, mining your private fantasies for usable material. Are such people inherently selfish? Or is the work they’re doing a form of “giving back to society” in itself? (And does that depend on whether anyone’s buying it?)<\/p>\n
I’d really love to hear from some other folks about this — those who may identify with this description as well as family and friends who care about and put up with them. Please comment! <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
What does it mean to be “creative”? Is there such a thing as a “creative personality”? I’ve wondered about this for many years, probably because I’ve always been a bit strange and over time I’ve realized there are other people … Continue reading