3 Ways to Use Creativity

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Apple uses a provocative message to new employees. They tell them, “There’s work, and there’s your life’s work. The kind of work that has your fingerprints all over it. The kind of work that you’d never compromise on. That you’d sacrifice a weekend for. You can do that kind of work.” That quote is the essence of creativity, the second soft skill in our July series, Soft Skills Basic Training.

You may think, Wait—creativity is just for people like artists, designers, writers, musicians, or actors. It doesn’t apply to me! But that view is too narrow because we create all the time. The real question to ask yourself is: How am I using my creative energy?

Don’t Be Intimidated

Alvin Zhou started cooking out of necessity. After his mother went to China to care for his ailing grandfather, then-teenage Alvin burned up the phone lines as his mother coached him on everything from choosing ingredients to cooking techniques.

Alvin used that knowledge to make a set of pilot videos for Tasty about an internet obsession: Bacon. He invented seven different dishes, including a bacon taco and bacon ice cream sandwich. But when the bacon weave grilled cheese video went viral, hitting 32 million views, Buzzfeed offered him a job.

You might be surprised that Alvin spends most of his time in the prep kitchen, not in front of the camera. Videos like “Eight Desserts in 1 Sheet Pan” require qualities of creativity like intention, critical thinking and lots of planning—from the baking time to considering how flavors fit together to the aesthetics of the final product. His take-away advice about creativity is, “Don’t be intimidated,” and “Customize it how you want it!”

Alvin’s story shows how the various stages of creativity like imagination, strategic thinking, and planning are all deeply personal. No one has your perspective, your critical thinking, or your approach. That means you’ll get a personal result any time you apply creativity—whether you’re starting a side hustle or trying to figure out a different way to talk to your irritable kid
sister.

3 Takeaways

So, instead of having a narrow view that creativity is just for full-time artists, use creativity:

• When you find yourself thinking, I’m stuck, I’m stuck, I’m stuck. The way out of your predicament is your next big idea.
• When you approach a new project. Consider how you can add your personal twist to each phase of the process and have fun doing it, just like Alvin Zhou.
• Throughout your day. Take a creative approach to how you dress, how you speak, how you make dinner, how you work out and how you relate to others. Where could others say, “Oh yeah—their fingerprints are all over it”?

The next time you find yourself thinking, I’m not creative, replace that thought. Remind yourself, “I’m the wise CEO of my life—a Soul Boss. There’s no end to my creativity.” Channel your creative energy into powerful results.