Creativity, yes. Talent? Well...
by Lynn Marlow
 A few years ago, when I first started exploring my creativity, I had no idea whether or not I had talent. I just knew that I wanted to do some things that stretched the limits of my life, that gave me an outlet, and let me just play. I wanted to see what I could do.
As I tried more and more new things, new ways of expressing myself, I found that I had some talent for some of the things I was attempting. It was undeveloped, but I could tell that I had gifts. But the more I played and experimented and exposed myself to different kinds of creative expression, the more I came to appreciate that creativity and talent are two very, very different things.
Creativity is a natural energy flow that resides within you, within me, within everyone on the planet. Creativity is gut instinct, out-of-the-box problem solving, thinking on your feet. Creativity is free expression of your emotions, your urges, your truth. Everyone has it, but some people trust their creativity more than others do. They learn to listen to the voice of intuition, telling them what needs to be done, whether it seems logical or not. They learn to put their work out there, trusting in their own vision, and often not really caring what others think.
Talent is something different. Talent is a natural ability, a gift for music, or writing, or drawing. You can have a talent in any of thousands of different things, and everyone has a talent for something. Talents are our strengths, the things we’re particularly good at. If you know yourself well, you know what your talents are.
But talent means nothing without the surging flow of creativity. Talent without creativity is wasted. Talented people who haven’t tapped their creativity haven’t found ways of expressing and nurturing their talent. They keep themselves closed up, afraid to risk, afraid of being judged. And, no matter how talented they are, those talents aren’t recognized. They atrophy
Creativity can exist, and often does, without talent – but even without talent, creativity is an energy to be reckoned with. It is juicy, it is passionate, it is fun. Creativity has the power to connect you more vividly and more passionately to your life. It is only through awakening and unleashing your creativity that you can even reveal to yourself what all your talents are.
Are you ready to face the challenge of setting your creativity free before you know whether you are talented or not? I hope you are.
Did you ever watch a small child creating something? You can’t help but noticed how completely involved they are in the process, how engrossed in their work, and oblivious of the mess or outside distractions. They stay elbow deep in it until they’re done. And then, when they’re done, they announce what they have created. And whether or not you can really see the dinosaur in that scribble of purple and green, you know that they see it. And you can feel the pride, the pleasure, the passion that they feel for what they’ve created. For a small child, the free expression of creativity is a vital element of discovering who they are, and learning how to express themselves, and present themselves to the world.
At some point along the way, usually in elementary school, we lose our passionate connection to the creative fountain inside us. We start worrying about what others will think, about whether or not what we’ve created is good enough. Watch an older child create something, and often you will see the anxiety, the hesitation, and, finally, the need for praise and acknowledgement.
As adults, we often never grow out of that childhood fear and insecurity when it comes to being creative. We still worry what others will think, to the point where we don’t even allow ourselves the freedom to express our creativity if we aren’t completely sure it’s going to be good enough.
There’s nothing sadder than watching someone stifle their own creativity because they thought they didn’t have talent. We’ve all seen it, and most of us have done it. How many times do you see someone get all excited about a new project, or an art class, or a new hobby. You see the light in their eyes, you hear the excitement as they tackle this new venture. Then, after a while, you don’t hear about it any more. You ask, and they say, “I realized I’m just not very good at this. I’ve stopped doing it.”
How sad. Especially because the joy, the energy we feel at the start of a new creative adventure has nothing to do with talent. It is about passion, the urge to do something, to be actively awake and participating in the process. But when you get hung up on outcomes, on whether your work is “good” or not, then you lose sight of that process. You lose touch with your joy. You build a dam in front of the creative flow.
Here's the Coaching Bit —
The first step to awakening your creativity is to be a child again. Go back to a time before you work was judged, and before you learned so well how to judge yourself. Rediscover the charm and joy of play. Open up the dam, and let your creativity flow through you while you splash around and get it all over you.
Strive to express creativity without talent. Seek it out. Pick up a hunk of clay and sculpt the ugliest female torso you’ve ever seen. Write the worst poem, or song, that anyone has ever heard. Slap colors on a piece of paper and call it a dinosaur. Write a terribly first draft of your novel’s first chapter. Revel in the process of letting your creative energy fly without judgment, and with no expectations. Don’t think about goals or outcomes. Just be a child, elbow deep in mud. Creating a galaxy between your hands.
What you do with your work after all this play has come to an end is completely up to you. Please feel free to toss it in the trash and just cherish the memories of the experience. Like the monks who create intricate sand mandalas, only to have them blown or washed away hours later, the joy, the meaning, is in the creating, not in the product. Or keep your work in a safe, secret place where you alone can look at it, and enjoy this wild expression of your passion. Date it, and have it mark this time in your life when you are embarking on this terrifying, exciting creative journey.
Or you may choose to share your creation with those you trust and love. But know always, in your heart, that what they think of it is none of your business. Whatever you create, it comes from you, and that makes it worthwhile. Your goal is not approval. It is only to share a piece of your heart with someone you cherish. And that’s always beautiful. Send
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