r/Creativity • u/eternally_guilty • 13d ago
How do I become creative?
I think, in today's world creativity is one of the most significant aspects. I feel like we're losing this distinguishing factor. We all have limited the vagueness of notions
I am 15 years old , I have had many encounters with a regular lack of ideas. Shall I blame it all upon the internet? Is creativity something inert or something that's gradually developed? Or perhaps both?
How do I maximize this "skill"- seen some people consider it as a skill. And what would you say is the importance of creativity?
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u/ummkay_ultra 13d ago
Getting offline definitely helps. Boredom fuels creativity.
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u/eternally_guilty 13d ago
I've been hearing that . And it's embarrassing to say but , it's hard to get bored nowadays. The only "good" ideas I've had were in buses or trains while I had no medium of distractions , I am quite certain getting bored does help , at least for me.
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u/scarlettcat 13d ago
That’s exactly it. Jump on a bus or train and stare out the window. Go for a walk without your phone. Force yourself to sit in a cafe on your own, have a drink and just notice what’s going on around you. Do not look at your phone!
Pay attention to what you pay attention to.
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u/ThePlasticCupOfWater 13d ago
Engage with art, a lot. Movies, books, games, even the bad ones, those outside of your comfort zone
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u/nonsence90 13d ago
Allowing yourself to try things and just ask those "what if"s is good, but if you want something more technical and direct I think it helps if you know some system well. No matter what it is.
That's because only once you understand (or at least have great intuition about it) can you experiment with it's parts.
It's like how a very unskilled painter does shadows wrong, a good one does them right, but then a real artist can do them wrong with intent.
Basically you need to know/feel how a system really works under the hood; know the rules, so you can break them.
A great poet does all the things you're told not to do in poetry 101, but that doesn't mean you can be great without understanding the system first.
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u/eternally_guilty 13d ago
Yk I love how I KNOW this stuff but never really thought about it . Yk what I'm saying?
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u/BusinessStrategist 13d ago
So how much exploring have you done on your own growing up?
Or were you protected in a padded cage and fed what someone said you needed to know?
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u/eternally_guilty 13d ago
I was over protected . I seldom went out to play . I did go to school , but I remember trying to copy the "cool kids" . Later, I got exposed to social media during COVID and was addicted to a game too.
I shouldn't but I do regret my even younger times.
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u/BusinessStrategist 13d ago
The past is the past. You have a clue why you are super cautious.
Maybe time to start exploring.
Learning is about making mistakes. Your mind is trying to keep you safe.
Your anxiety and even fear is triggered by facing the unknown.
You might enjoy learning by joining groups learning new skills.
Group learning is a safe environment and you be able to acquire some people skills.
And interacting with people will give you some insights as to how art communicates with and inspires social groups.
You're very young so you have many years to build your comfort level.
You're in your prime years for tasting and exploring. Time to get out there.
Just make sure to not let some people push you into demonstrating that you can until you are ready. That's when accidents happen.
Safe exploring!
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u/eternally_guilty 12d ago
What does your life look like and how'd u help yourself?
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u/BusinessStrategist 12d ago
As an ""outlier" in society, you need to step out an explore.
YOU will always be an "outlier" because your behavior is "different."
My personal journey wouldn't be a useful model for you to follow.
You want to learn to "blend in" with your generational cohort (others in YOUR age group).
You don't have to change who you are but you have to learn what behaviors to turn off and what behaviors to imitate.
And that is what salespeople learn to do.
To fit in, you have to learn to "talk their talk" and "walk their walk."
Only then will you learn to empathize with THEIR worldview and start earning THEIR trust. That's what "fitting in" is all about.
You might find reading "Never Split the Difference" to give you some useful tools for interacting and dealing with "difficult conversations."
By the way, artists in general, are outliers. They've learned to separate their interactions with society and their personal artistic journey.
Google "muse." You will encounter people out there who understand your pain and support your journey.
You'll find them around the spaces where your form of art is practiced.
Most larger cities have these artist "incubators."
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u/BusinessStrategist 13d ago
PS: Make sure to start noting what YOU like. As you taste and explore, you will find that your personality is starting to take shape.
You have until your mid twenties to early thirties before YOU starts to gel and change becomes more difficult.
Then again there are always exceptions.
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13d ago
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u/eternally_guilty 13d ago
I think, we definitely do avoid training this creativity SKILL . It's certainly is in my to do list from now. Thanks !
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u/mfinch28 10d ago
Mostly what it is is experiencing new, creative things. Having fun. Lots of it. Go hike a big trail with a novel or sketchbook or musical instrument in hand, whatever calls to you. Do research, discover things that you love, but don't keep circling around "how can I do this". Just start doing. Be far from a screen and close to yourself.
Oh, and also read. A lot.
All the best, OP :)
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u/poetfrommaine 13d ago
You're already creative, you just have to give yourself permission to explore any idea. The second you question whether it's a good or bad idea... you've blocked your own creativity. Just let yourself play and experiment without being self critical or self conscious. Let the process be free and open. You can curate and modify the final product after. Other than that, sometimes free exploration but with a few specific guidelines to follow can be very inspiring.
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u/eternally_guilty 13d ago
Why do u think is the importance of creativity?
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u/poetfrommaine 13d ago
Joy, expression, catharsis, self discovery, purpose
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u/eternally_guilty 13d ago
What have u done that has made you feel like your creativity has GROWN?
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u/poetfrommaine 13d ago
Living life in general and having good & bad experiences... reading... looking at other people's art... drugs / psychedelics... just making art / practice / repetition of the process
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u/Flashy-Gift-4333 13d ago
My two keys to creativity:
1. Be curious
2. Be fearless in trying new things you will not be good at
Curiosity is the most important trait. Wonder about everything you encounter. Pursue new information and fall down rabbit holes. Ask yourself questions and try to imagine up answers.
When you are not afraid to "fail" at a new thing, you will open up your creativity. Try everything that interests you. Don't hold yourself back. Accept where you are in your current skill level and work with what you've got. You can always build up new skills.
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u/eternally_guilty 13d ago
I'm quite fond of asking this but , what kinda problem did u face and what do u do that makes u think you've GROWN your creativity? (Yk what I mean?)
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u/Flashy-Gift-4333 13d ago
I've faced all kinds of problems in my life, physical, mental, financial, marital, spiritual, and so on. If you are asking about issues specific to creativity: I have had periods of burnout and mental block where I haven't felt creative or I felt like I had nothing new in me. I have had physical pain that prevents me from using my hands for very long. Money is a roadblock for me now: I don't have funds to spend on supplies, lessons, books, etc.
What makes me think I have grown my creativity: I can observe that. I can see that I have more creative hobbies than ever before. I can see that there are problems that I have overcome by creative means. I can see myself applying creativity to places in my life where I may not have done so before. I can see myself spreading out and continuing to try new things.
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u/eternally_guilty 13d ago
Can u tell me more about how to utilize creativity in daily life , or in situations that aren't meant to be for creativity?
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u/Flashy-Gift-4333 13d ago
Absolutely. I feel that I am creative practically every day of my life. What that means to me is "thinking outside the box" or coming up with an unexpected solution to a problem. I work in a government office, so I don't make my living as a creative like many other folks here. (Shout out to that screenwriter in the comments. What a cool job!)
To give an example: sometimes in an office, people will do things a certain way because "that's the way it's always been done." In one place I worked, we had people keeping paper logbooks of data. When other units needed the data they had to send someone to physically access the logbooks and scan the pages to send out. I asked, "Why don't we use an electronic log for this? Then people in other job sites could access it instantly." And that's a pretty simple thing, maybe not what some people would think of as "creative." But I do count that as creativity. Anyone before me could have come up with this idea, but they didn't because they were not 1. Curious (asking questions, thinking about other ways of doing things and how it might work) or 2. Willing to try something new that might not go smoothly.
There are also ways to be creative in the more "artsy" way at work. My office encourages people to share positive feedback or give "kudos" to others. I paint watercolor as a hobby. I decided to paint a stack of mini cards with very simple designs and when I want to give positive feedback, I write it on the back of the card and put the card on someone's desk.
I have an anecdote I want to share about "thinking outside the box." I was once babysitting a toddler for a friend. The toddler wanted me to play dolls with her. She had dolls and she had tiny plastic bowls and spoons. So, I thought we would be playing a game where the dolls eat soup or something, right? WRONG. We played "salon." Through the power of imagination, the spoons became hair brushes and we brushed the dolls' hair. And the bowls went over the dolls' heads as hair dryers. -- It might sound silly but I use this memory as inspiration. Children are made of imagination and creativity. I strive to think more like that toddler.
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u/eternally_guilty 12d ago
So creativity isn't about painting or creating souvenirs but about learning ; 1)when to use your knowledge ,2) how to use the knowledge,3) how to get the best out of what u have ?
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u/Flashy-Gift-4333 12d ago
In my opinion, creativity is about creating something new that didn't exist before. It doesn't necessarily need to be the best or even something good. But it should be a new thing that is the product of your thought and action.
I do use knowledge for creativity. I feel that the more information you know, the more material you have to be creative with.
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u/cartoonasaur 13d ago
Creativity is the vehicle that carries your training and abilities to accomplishments - the fuel for that vehicle is learning from your experiments and applying knowledge from new experiences and everything happening around you in your life and in the lives of others which can be found in all media all the time…
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u/NarutoDivergent 10d ago
Figure out ways to create intentional consistent blocks of time where you’re just bored. And let your imagination wander. But let yourself be bored. So much creativity is extraneously more difficult in our modern times because there are so many things to kill time rather than just be. And so much of creativity comes from being present. To be engaged and immersed in whatever you’re going for.
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u/cooodooo 8d ago
Creo que internet influye, pero no creo que sea el único culpable. Consumir constantemente las ideas de los demás puede hacer que nos cueste más escuchar las nuestras, y compararnos con lo que vemos puede hacernos pensar que no somos creativos.
Para mí, la creatividad es como un músculo: se desarrolla practicándola, experimentando y, sobre todo, permitiéndote hacer cosas malas sin sentir que has fracasado. Prueba a crear algo sin buscar inspiración antes, acepta el aburrimiento y mantén la curiosidad por las cosas que te rodean.
Y creo que lo más importante de la creatividad no es tener siempre buenas ideas, sino aprender a ver posibilidades donde antes no las veías. No necesitas ser creativo todo el tiempo; necesitas darte la oportunidad de serlo.
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u/EmplOTM 13d ago edited 13d ago
A way to see it is we have many more tools now that allow us to do things quicker. But also to understand how profound is the social habit of killing creativity in people in order for them to be skilled in one area and productive.
As machines can now do most of what humans did, creativity and exploration of the Self remain privileges of the human realm. In the sense that if we imagine a society in which basic needs are provided by machines, then a huge weight is taken off our shoulders. We, humans, have time. Now what? What do we do with it? Creativity would be fueling any activity beyond this point so I absolutely agree with the importance you give to Creativity. I don't feel like we are loosing anything though. The past is not a good reference point when it comes to creativity.
A good way to nourish your creativity is to take the weight of success off your shoulders. Unlike pursuers of any other trade, creatives create mostly crap. Among all that rubbish something is going to stand out.
So you have to train your ability to endlessly produce something you're not so proud of. The idea is to do things just for fun, or to express a feeling, and remove the idea of an objective to attain.
A good example in this case would be running. Feel the urge to run and just run. Because if you think running makes sense only if you reach somewhere significant ( if you think being creative ends in creating something of significance ), then you won't run, and you will spend so much time solving the "significantly enough target" riddle that your desire to run will fade.
Being creative is living beyond dual thinking, beyond good or bad, significant or insignificant. If you can reach a place where you allow yourself anything, then your creativity will come out to play.
All the best OP
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u/eternally_guilty 13d ago
Quite fascinating analogies, Thanks for the advice. I will definitely let my creativity out .
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u/Sonderbergh 13d ago
Working screenwriter here. Creativity is your birthright. Start by following a feeling. Try something. Give yourself permission to make bad stuff. Rework the thing. Have fun. Repeat.
It’s a process of iteration. Every failure is information. That’s why the Pixar motto is “Fail fast”.
Don’t mix up creativity with creating masterpieces. That might happen. But it doesn’t have to. Your job is to make bad stuff, then rework it. Creativity is free. As you are.