Here is a Crayon ... Now be Creative!

"You must first understand your boundaries

if you are to color outside the lines."

                                                   - Dan King

As I continue to read Seth Godin's new book, Linchpin, I have been thinking on the topic of creativity more and more.  He says,

"In the face of an infinite sea of choices, it's natural to put blinders on, to ask for a map, to beg for instructions, or failing that, to do exactly what you did last time, even if it didn't work.  Linchpins are able to embrace the lack of structure and find a new path, one that works.

"Work is a chance to do art.  Good art is useless and banal.  No one crosses the street to buy good art, or becomes loyal to a good artist.

"If you can't be remarkable, perhaps you should consider doing nothing until you can."

Add to that a quote from Kurt Johnston's blog this week on creativity,

"A New Definition of Creativity:

Most people think being creative means inventing something out of nothing, or coming up with an idea that has never been thought of.  I like to define creativity as simply being willing to think differently and try something new.  That’s it. 

 

"When faced with a project, an opportunity, a challenge, a problem etc. most of us will typically default to our normal pattern of addressing such things; usually patterns that have found success in the past, so we assume they will bring success again, and they often do.

 

"Creativity is simply the willingness to take our normal patterns of thinking a step or two farther by thinking differently and trying something new when faced with life’s scenarios."

 I want to do more than just "good art".  I want to create the space in my life so that I can do things beautifully and masterfully different.  Not simply for the sake of doing it different, but because different can completely reshape how something is seen, understood, and received.  I want to have creativity in all that I do as a celebration of the Creator of all things in my life.
.