Creativity Vs. Creativity

Some time ago, I put out a tweet asking if those who were in creative fields would be open to dating someone who was also in a creative field.

I could not have anticipated the response I got back.

My notifications went crazy with so many different viewpoints being rendered. Of course, me being me, I had to ask follow up questions. I'd say approximately 70% of those who responded said 'yes' because that they saw value in being with someone who understood their somewhat chaotic lifestyle. The other 30% said 'no' for pretty much the same reason- that two people having the same lifestyle would end up driving them further apart than bringing them closer together. I get it, who actually want to talk shop under the sheets too? Increasingly it became clear to me that people saw stark differences between those who work in creative fields and those who did not- and those differences extended beyond just 'lifestyle'. These differences were mental more than anything else. Apparently non-creative people aren't able to, and I quote, "think outside of the box", "be spontaneous" or have "compassion" enough to understand their partner's creative craft.

As you can imagine, I was completely but-hurt when I read all these comments. I am not traditionally a 'creative', which is extremely ironic because I'm a talent manager who works with creatives. I, however, don't think it's that simple and so I want to draw your attention to the differences between small 'c' creativity and Big 'C' Creativity.

👉🏾 Lil 'c is for what you do, Big 'C' is for how you do it

The essential truth is this, you can be creative without being a creative. You don't have to be a photographer, graphic designer or artist. Creativity runs deeper than the industry you're in. It's more to do with how you work, not so much what you're working on. I personally see creativity manifesting in my everyday life particularly through problem-solving. My clients come to me with all sorts of problems and it's my responsibility to come up with a solution. So, how do I go about it? I challenge myself to think outside of the box. Heck, I've tried so many of those brainstorming hacks that I don't even need to grab a piece of paper anymore, I just do it mentally and I have a great solution within minutes. The point is that creativity is not the singular skillset we once thought it was, but it is actually a means of elevating your mental capabilities to new heights.

👉🏾 Lil 'c is for sticking to the rules, Big 'C' is for having fun with it

Creatives can be very contradictory at times because a lot of them claim that the corporate world was draining on their very existence, but I honestly do wonder how some of them have turned into the very same thing that they dread. The better you get as a creative, generally the easier it gets to do certain things. On the one hand, this is really good and perhaps makes them more efficient. However, on the other hand, some creatives have become so rigid with things that their work isn't even nearly as creative as it could be. I'm speaking from experience here. Sometimes I go to hire someone but then the difference between the ideas they are pitching me and what I saw on their portfolio is too great for even me to take a bargain on. Big 'C' Creativity is all about remaining experimental and being fresh with the ideas you put forward. Only way to do this is to ensure that you're keeping up with trends, so you can put your own unique spin on it.

👉🏾 Lil 'c is for short bursts of motivation, Big 'C' is for consistency

My TL is littered with upcoming creatives because that's the way I like it. However, because of how my timeline is, I notice when people are MIA. I get the occasional taking of time away from social media (which we all should do from time to time), but some of the creatives I follow can be gone for months at a time. This is the issue I see that a lot of people have, in that they experience burnout a lot, so they always take time away. The problem is that the time away doesn't resolve any of the issues that caused them to experience burnout in the first place. This means their problems are waiting for them exactly where they left them. Big 'C' energy is all about finding creative ways to better enjoy what you do. Stop turning to short-term fixes and look to see what can help sustain you in the long term.