5, May, 2012

Action, Creativity, and Genius


img0242_1You don’t have to be born a genius, a gifted person, in order to be creative, but you do need to develop your own creative genius. The key to creativity is action. A person who thinks of innovative, exciting ideas, and then doesn’t act on them, is an imaginative person, but not a creative person. The act of creation brings something into being. Creativity and genius are the product of thousands of hours of action — practice, study, training. And the amount of encouragement, motivation, and opportunity you receive influences your creativity and your product.

Allow yourself to let go of limitations — open yourself up to opportunities — in the moment. Throw your brain a curve ball — try something new: make changes in your daily schedule, drive a different route to work, rearrange your furniture, wear different colors or clothes. Learn a new language. Shake things up. It cuts you loose, so you can think outside the box. Avoid negative statements or self-talk that can slap a bummer on your brain. Instead, make affirmations such as, “I am creative,” or “I’m the funniest person in the room.” These are self-enhancing statements that build confidence and switch on creativity and charisma. Let it happen. Banish any negative thinking that stifles fun and inspiration.

When it comes to unleashing your creativity, sometimes it’s good to simply let yourself go — “crazy.” The primitive part of the brain speaks of fear, listing all the “shoulds and shouldn’ts,” and the “ought to’s” and “could have’s,” so that creativity is blocked. Often the “crazy” idea, the one most feared, is the one to embrace. Try embracing the things which anger you, or the things you’re inclined to immediately reject — you may discover a a creative wellspring which will feed your productivity. Allow your imagination free rein, never giving in to the desire to impress others. Know who you are and what you want, staying loyal to yourself and your goals.

Whatever you think, whatever you believe, you become. So believe in your creative abilities and motivate yourself daily. Procrastination is the enemy of creation and productivity, so make sure you don’t fall into that pattern and burn out. Sometimes staying motivated means taking one or two baby steps per day. Other times, you’ll accomplish much more in a day. The key is to stay in the game. Keep chipping away at your project and it will take shape before you know it. Your genius will emerge, one day at a time.

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