What Stops Our Creativity?

Today’s focus is on what stops creativity? Dewitt Jones, former National Geographic photographer, says one of the fastest ways to stop creativity is to believe there is only one right answer. For many of us we learned this at school and it was reinforced over and over. In photography, Dewitt says this is simply not true, in fact, it is the exact opposite. One “right” answer opens the door to the next right answer… one right answer after another. He says a photographer would never stop after only one great shot.

So What Can We Take From This?

If we start practicing the mindset that there is always more than one right answer, it can dramatically help us be more open and more creative. Think of a situation where you would like to be more effective or creative. Now notice how you feel if you think there’s only one right answer, or that you have to try and obtain perfection? And now, how do you feel if you think instead there is more than one right answer for this situation? Is there a difference?

The Key to Creativity

For me, just knowing there is more than one right answer opens up more space and expansiveness in me. If I presuppose there is more than one right answer my curiosity kicks in, and I start wondering what other “right” answers are there? This is the key to creativity: curiosity. The mindset of asking, “how would it work if we took this option… or what would happen if…?”

In the book, Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, Author Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi writes about how limits can enhance creativity. Limiting time or resources is a way to tap into creativity because we challenge ourselves to find answers, when some options are removed. Creativity opens up because of the limitations and the obvious answers are not available.

Oops…

The second thing that closes down creativity is fear of making mistakes. If we are afraid of mistakes then we can’t be open to learning. Unfortunately, many people have felt embarrassed or been shamed for making mistakes. Once this happens, learning evaporates instantly. I was shocked when Dewitt said it takes 400 rolls of film to create one issue of the National Geographic. Another statistic said out of 20-60 thousand photographs only 12 ever will see publication. And these are professional photographers!!! Wow. They clearly aren’t worried about making mistakes or getting it right the first time.

So how could adopting this perspective enhance your life?

How differently would you behave if you had no fear of making mistakes? What if it was like the movies, where a mistake just means a mis-take, and simply means you do another “take.” I know there are times when accuracy is critical but in terms of creativity, worrying about making a mistake doesn’t help.

Years ago I read The Artists Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity, by Julia Cameron. This book is about nurturing creative expression, and what some of her exercises reveal are the limiting beliefs that many people have about creativity and their own ability. Have you made creativity an exclusive thing that only very talented people possess? Are you open to viewing almost anything as a platform for creativity?

If you feel yourself resisting this perspective, I encourage you to be curious about what belief(s) are holding you back. Sometimes it is hard to know what beliefs are limiting you. Many people have asked me how to find a limiting belief. My answer is to think of all the things you would never do. Even crazy ideas will point to what you are concerned about:  safety, not being embarrassed, humiliated, failing, etc.

You will have beliefs attached to anything you care about. Take safety as an example. If this is really important to you, ask yourself, “why?” When and where did that concern come from. Often an early experience will come to mind and it is from that experience that you “locked in” a limiting belief.

In my workshop called Success Beyond Beliefs – Living with Heart,Passion & Purpose, I guide people through a process of releasing limiting beliefs and the experiences that created them. Watch for the next blog post, where we’ll be announcing the dates for our next workshop, planned for the New Year.

If you’re interested in expanding your creativity, and choose to focus on some of these suggestions, I’d love to hear about how your creativity unfolds. Leave a comment below, and let’s talk more.

Until next time…