The Creative Personality Paradox

This week we will continue to explore traits that are common among creative people- these in particular are part of a category that scientist Mihaly Czikszentmihalyi believes exist in a uniquely, diametrically opposed way. What interests me in this research is partially these qualities as innate to the creative personality, but also this paradoxical tension between naturally occurring opposing forces within.  The idea of this as unique to the creative personality speaks ultimately to the drive and power I feel when working with creative people. Without further ado, let’s explore the traits (adapted from “Creativity” by Mihaly Czikszentmihalyi):

1. Creatives have a lot of physical energy, but can also be at rest. They can work for extended periods of time and maintain their enthusiasm which might even be a genetic advantage. They may also sleep “a lot.” This alternation between periods of intense productivity and intense rest can be normal for creative people. Be careful- this may be a tough one to navigate and require monitoring to keep healthy.
2. Creatives are smart, yet naive. Sometimes described as “IQ” or even “g” as in “genius factor,” creative people are smart.  Part of this is their ability to think in divergent ways, or “against the grain.”  This requires some naïveté as a byproduct but also contributing to the curiosity driving the thought pattern of discovery and investigation. 
3. Creatives view things both playfully and seriously. They have playful perspectives and new ideas, but are also diligent and perserverent in their work. Creative people are willing to “lighten up” to look at something differently, but are also known to take and defend strong points of view.
4. Creatives are imaginative and concrete. They need both of these things to imagine new things while referencing the here-and-now and/or historical events (i.e. becoming an expert in their genre so they can innovate). They may be very talented from studying and practicing the technique or media of their choice, and springboard from this concrete skill set the imaginative process to innovate.
5. Creatives are often both introverts and extroverts. Many people fall on one or the other side of this scale. Creative people often embody both, depending on other variables (e.g. introverted becoming energized by new work, extroverted when sharing their work with others, etc).
6. Creatives are both humble and proud. They are awe-inspired, interested and humbled by the work of other artists and the world around them, while simultaneously passionate about their own work.
7. Creatives often escape gender norms. This is an example of how creative people sometimes revel in shades of gray- their default thinking pattern is to look for exceptions to a rule rather than follow them- gender norms both in themselves and their work are frequently investigated as a part of this process. 
8. Creatives are both rebellious and independent, as well as conformist and cultured. Something seems to drive the creative personality to question and explore their own path, but they may also find they enjoy aspects of culture, routine and conformity.
9. Creatives are both passionate and objective.  They tend to be able to look at things with strong emotional reactions, as well as take a step back to analyze them. This is an innate skill that may not come with control, but for which control can be learned making it a very valuable tool for them. 
10. Creatives suffer and enjoy immensely. This is something on which I build my Creatively practice.  I tell creatives often that part of their personality is to feel deeply. This means stronger highs and stronger lows. What makes their ability to see the world so special is the capacity to tap into its beauty and pain and translate this into something visual that others can also experience.

So, creative, does any of this sound familiar? Most of it? All of it?  Let’s talk more about how these qualities exist within you, and how you can harness them to create your best life.​

(C) 2018 Creatively, LLC