Survival of the fittest, but what about thriving?
In today’s world, it’s not just enough to survive. Yes, it’s important to survive but that will not give you the sense of fulfillment that will make getting out of bed each morning worthwhile.
One distinctive feature of individuals that are thriving in the world is creativity. The most creative people tend to also be the most successful. They think outside the box, create new ways of doing things and redefine norms in phenomenal ways.
Sure, we can’t all be the most creative person on earth. Creative people often have intrinsic talents that may be impossible to mimic. But that doesn’t mean we cannot enhance our own existence by keeping out personal creativity levels at their peak.
By maximizing your own creativity, you get to make a difference in your world – that is, the people around you. One way to do this is to learn and adopt the characteristics that set apart the successful people from the rest.
Schuyler Richardson highlights the 7 habits of insanely creative people that each of us should strive to take up:
7 Powerful Habits Of Insanely Creative People
1. Always Ask Questions
Creative people never take anything at face value. Instead of simply accepting that things are a certain way because that’s the way they’ve always been, creative people ask questions and uncover answers. While you may not always find the answer you’re looking for, the mere act of seeking can be enough to spark a new idea or teach you a new lesson.
2. Wake Up Early
It would be incorrect to say that all successful and creative people wake up early. After all, Franz Kafka, the renowned German writer, was notorious for staying up all night and sleeping in until noon. And consider that Pablo Picasso rarely woke before 10 am. While both of these men were successful and creative, they’re exceptions to the rule. Via LifeHack
This particular characteristic may come as a disappointment, but the fact remains that most highly successful people are also early risers.
As Ernest Hemmingway once said, “There is no one to disturb you and it is cool and cold and you come to your work and warm as you write.”
3. Surround Yourself with Creative People
Like birds of a feather, creative people flock together. The reason for this is that you are what you surround yourself with. If you spend your time with lazy people, you too will become lazy. Via LifeHack
A common problem for many people is that they feel intimidated by other’s success. Our egos drive us to associate with those we consider less gifted, smart or intelligent, so we can feel good about ourselves. Unfortunately, this works against our creativity by encouraging stagnation.
Well, if you spend time with innovative minds, you’ll automatically shift your thoughts and learn to think more creatively on a regular basis.
4. Expose Yourself to New Mediums
The best way to enhance creativity is to avoid limiting yourself. For example, painters shouldn’t only study other paintings. They should immerse themselves in music, drawing, woodworking, and sculpting. The more artistic mediums you expose yourself to, the more inspiration you’ll gain. On the other hand, if you suppress yourself and limit the types of art you consume, you’ll become one-dimensional.
5. Identify and Remove Barriers
Everyone has those barriers and challenges that threaten to hamper their ability to innovate. It’s up to you to identify these roadblocks and remove them from your life. This could be a toxic relationship, a less-than-satisfactory work environment, a lack of resources, or anything in between. It doesn’t matter what they are – they have to go. The longer they’re present, the more agitated and overwhelmed you’ll become. Via LifeHack
The problem with getting rid of barriers is that by the time we identify them, they have become so ingrained in our lives its literally painful to get rid of them. But that’s life! We must be willing to constantly take stock of what is or isn’t working if we are to grow and make room for success.
6. Work With What You Have
Everyone is exposed to different environments. Creative people are able to consistently respond to the situations in which they’re placed and utilize the resources they have at their disposal. If you notice one thing about creative people, it’s that they aren’t afraid to be spontaneous. They don’t plan out every minute of every day, instead they’re flexible and willing to adapt. Via LifeHack
This is a tough one for us control freaks. We have to be willing to let go of the control we think we have and the attempts to control everything around us if we are going to allow our own creativity to take form.
7. Leave Time for Leisure
You can’t be creative all the time. Your brain needs to rest and recharge sometimes. That’s why highly creative people like Benjamin Franklin, Ludwig Van Beethoven, Charles Dickens, and Mary Flannery O’Connor always set aside hours of each day for food, leisure, and rest. What you do in your leisure time is up to you, but make sure you’re taking some time to simply be. You don’t have to be doing something 24/7/365. A little R&R never hurt anyone. Via LifeHack
If you’re like me, #7 is music to your ears… Now go thrive!
Featured Image: Image Credit
“Creativity can solve almost any problem. The creative act, the defeat of habit by originality, overcomes everything.” – George Lois
— Great Minds Quotes (@GreatestQuotes) October 17, 2015
“Creativity is as important in education as literacy, and we should treat it with the same status.” http://t.co/nwspQo0NtT — TED Talks (@TEDTalks) October 16, 2015
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