Hands up if you’ve ever said, “I’m not creative.”
When you hear the word “creative,” what comes to mind? A painter? A dancer? A writer? A musician?
It’s easy to believe creativity is reserved for artists, people born with a ‘gift’. But honestly, you don’t have to be an artist to be creative. Creativity is not a secret skill; it’s a natural part of being human. If you try thinking in a new way, solving problems, expressing ideas, or making connections – YOU’RE CREATIVE!
Creativity is EVERYWHERE!
Creativity is the secret sauce behind how we adapt, express ourselves, and make life more enjoyable. I’m sure you can find something relatable in the list below, which means… you’re creative!
- In cooking: when you swap ingredients, experiment with spices, or plate dinner like it’s a Michelin meal.
- In travel: You rearrange your suitcase like a game of Tetris to fit just one more outfit
- In tech: You curate the perfect playlist for a friend or a mood.
And let’s not forget the people who design board games, write marketing emails, build Lego castles, or plan surprise parties. All creative!
Creativity is your superpower!
When I first started looking at ways to develop my creativity more, I read the book Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon. I had two big takeaways from the book:
- Don’t wait until you know who you are to get started
- Start copying
Reading that first point took me back to my master’s in Educational Leadership. I was part of a great cohort, full of experienced, successful peers. As the youngest and least experienced, I often felt out of place and doubted myself. But I wasn’t alone, our group often talked about our uncertainties around stepping into leadership. It was comforting to know that even those I admired and looked up to had doubts too. One of my colleagues once said: “fake it till we become it!,” a twist on “fake it till you make it,” like Kleon mentions. We used it to cheer each other on, even when we weren’t sure where the degree would take us, we started anyways. That phrase came back to me while reading the book, reminding me that I don’t need all the answers about my creativity, I just need to start… “fake it till I become it!”
The second point that really resonated with me was the idea of starting by copying. At first, I thought, copying? Really? A book is actually telling me to copy? But Kleon made a compelling argument. As kids, we didn’t come into the world with a fully formed style or voice—we developed them by mimicking our heroes, by copying what inspired us. And to be clear, this isn’t about plagiarism. It’s about practice. When we copy what we admire, we begin to understand it on a deeper level, and over time, those borrowed pieces evolve into something uniquely our own.
I would definitely recommend reading Steal Like an Artist. It’s a quick, fun, and easy read that really can give you the push needed to start something new!
My Weekend Doodling Practice
Over the long weekend, I tried to take 10-15 minutes each day to doodle something in my notebook. To be honest, I was overthinking it. I couldn’t decide what shapes to start with, designs to try, should I add color? I’m sitting here writing about creativity and just trying new things but I found myself frozen about what to actually begin with! I felt like I had a lot of ideas – but where to start? So instead of choosing, I came up with a way to try out a few things. Four different squares and they all had to be different. You can look at my process and final creation below. Once I finally started moving my pen and having a go, it became easier. Did I mess up, of course. Do I think I could do better, sure, but there’s no way to improve without actually doing it! So, after indecisiveness and hand cramps, I actually created something!
What do they say – the hardest part is starting! Happy doodings!
Takeaways:
- You don’t have to be an artist to be creative
- Creativity is EVERYWHERE!
- Don’t overthink – just start!
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