Some people drag themselves out of bed every morning to spend at least eight hours at work doing something they do not like. Each day brings stress and anxiety because they cannot stand the thought of returning to the same place on the following day. Speak of earning miserably! On the same hand, some are wasting their lives not knowing what to do with themselves. They spend the day in self-pity, thinking there is no hope for them. What these two groups of people have in common is that they are not aware of their creative strengths or, maybe they do not know how to apply them. For now, our focus is on the former.
We all have it in us to live happy and productive lives at the same time. The main problem is that we have been wired towards a formal path promoting the idea that some gifts are more important than others and creativity is only valuable if it has had a touch from some institutions. The truth is, if we were to have similar gifts and apply them the same way, the world would be imbalanced and, some parts of our lives would suffer. At the same time, some people are doing great with just raw talent. With that in mind, we need to understand that everyone is born with a unique set of strengths and, a creative application of those strengths completes life regardless of how insignificant we assume of them. There is greatness waiting on the other side of undermining and lacking confidence in our creative ability.
Creativity is about using your imagination to bring something unique to life or find unobvious solutions to problems. It sets us apart from the rest and helps us live a uniquely satisfying life. Creative strengths, therefore, are character traits and cognitive capabilities that shape or guide one’s creativity. Simply put, they are gifts or talents that give one unusual, valuable insights. They include but are not limited to intellectual courage; being introspective, inventive, objective, open-minded, optimistic, a creative writer; and risk-taking. Knowing our creative strengths makes it easier for us to identify areas of life where we can be more productive or effectively use our creativity without much of a struggle. It helps us choose the best careers for us.
The following can help you identify your creative strength;
- Pay attention to skills that come naturally – we often take what comes naturally for granted. We assume that since we can do it without a struggle, then it is not special and, anyone else can do it. Consequently, we push it aside without giving it the necessary attention to see how creative or productive we can be if we put it to use.
- Be confident and content with yourself – a lack of confidence and contentment can drive you to envy others. It often results from assuming that other people’s creative strengths are better and more valuable than yours. Maybe almost all of us have watched people who are doing well and wanted to follow in their footsteps. But what they are doing could be working for them because they believe in their creative strengths. It may not work for you. Recognize your strengths and, you might be as successful.
- Pay attention to compliments – one of the easiest ways to identify your creative strengths is by paying attention to other people’s reactions to your performances, line of thought, and more. Some will be direct concerning the area of life they think you would fit well.
- Try different things – you may never know what you are good at if you haven’t tried to create a variety of things. Even when you think you are okay where you currently are, you could still learn that you have more creative strength than you realized.
- Do personality tests – a personality test will help you discover more about yourself. Self-awareness makes identifying strengths associated with your personality easier. The test may not always be accurate or give conclusive results but, they will be a starting point.
- Think of your younger self – remember the things you enjoyed doing as a child. The games children play and what they pretend to be when playing often comes from pure hearts. That is sometimes what children think would make them happy before pressure drives them into something else.
- Read, watch and listen– in some cases, people underestimate or do not bother to identify their creative strengths because they are ignorant. They are not aware of how much their creativity can contribute to the world around them. Being intentional as we read, watch and listen to the works of others will help us understand how what we sometimes consider as a mere part of who we are is a life-changing gift. There are different creative ways of using your talents that you can learn from others. Just remember to add your unique touch to it.
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash