Naysayers, Failures and Other Terrors
[by Jenna Close]
As a young actor I used to think of creativity as something innate. You were either born with it or you weren’t. People would say to me, “Oh, you’re so creative!” as if it were something wonderful I was given but didn’t earn, like long legs or a charming smile. Because it appeared to be something out of my control, I never actively tried to improve or shape it. I just did what I wanted to, and if that was ‘creative’, well, great.
While working on this blog I realized that my perception of creativity has changed. I’m pretty sure that everyone is creative, but I’m also pretty sure that some people can access their creativity more readily than others. Why? Because those people work every day at turning their backs on fear. As a kid, I was unconcerned with failure or being judged. That’s why being creative seemed effortless. I had an unencumbered belief in every idea that came into my head.
I deliberately work at being creative now. Still, I often catch myself bickering with my insecurities. Giving in to these types of worries can kill an idea even before one realizes that’s what it is.
As I prepare for another season of conscious creativity, I’ll leave you with a link to a great TED talk…the story of how a missing box of paints opened the door to creativity. What’s most important is that the artist saw the open door and fearlessly went through it….that’s the only way to step outside the box.
http://www.ted.com/talks/janet_echelman.html
In 6th grade Jenna Close performed an interpretive dance of Rapunzel for her entire school. While it was an epic failure, she’s remains happy with the attempt. Jenna is now at www.p2photography.net.
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Great post, Jenna! And thanks so much for sharing the Ted Talk; just the kick in the pants I needed today!