On Being Creative.

There was a time when the word "creative" was associated with people or professions that weren't taken seriously such as artists, musicians, dancers, etc.  Creative people were considered a bit quirky and flaky. 

Lawyers, doctors, accountants, teachers or even factory workers were considered to have respectable professions and parents encouraged their children to pursue that kind of work because those were "good jobs". 

In college if you got a degree in an art related discipline it wasn't considered to be a real degree or the perception was that you somehow didn't have to work as hard as undergraduates in other programs.  But fast forward to present day: What is one of the qualities that employers look for in new recruits? CREATIVITY.  Some call it innovation or thinking outside of the box but it's really just creativity in disguise. 

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Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn't really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That's because they were able to connect experiences they've had and synthesize new things.
--Steve Jobs

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I believe there are a lot of people masquerading as "creatives" because they have a talent for doing something "artsy". But is it really creativity? I don't think creativity can be learned, taught or faked. It's an inherent trait, something that exists in a person's DNA. 

Creative people are ALWAYS examining experiences from the fringe and they are often accused of not being fully present because they are so deep in observation. The creative person's mind is always creating. They are always two steps ahead of everyone else, moving on to the next level. But artists, writers, musicians, etc. are NOT the only creatives. Creative people are solution finders. Creative people are survivors. Creative people embrace humanity. Creative people are open for new experiences and NOT tied to routines or the way "it's always been done". Creative people see things not as they are but as they can be.  But most of all creative people create.  They are constantly creating- music, solutions, words, processes, opportunities, curriculum, etc. Anyone can have an idea but only truly creative people can execute ideas.  The word "create" means to bring something into existence and that's what creativity is all about.