Creative people think they defy convention. They believe they are anomalies — each one an intricate, complex web. They remind me of dungarees — a badge of non-conformity until everyone conforms to them. Most people in the communications industry think they are creative; except for the bean-counters. Ironically, it is the CFO’s and Controllers that have had to be the MOST creative people at the agency these days (figuring out how to conform their PPP loans).
The real problem is that true creativity is on the wane. This is not exactly a watershed era for artists, writers, poets; and not just admen and women. Where’s the work? Where’s Mona Lisa? Who’s our Beethoven? What’s the new Great American Novel? Who’s the next Jack Kerouac? F. Scott Fitzgerald? What’s the great ad tagline of this century (“We Have the Meats!”)? And what in the hell has happened to rock and roll? Does it even exist anymore? Could it have some inextricable link to technology? Does technology cause us to use our creative minds less? What will we call this creative generation? The Googlers? The Facebook Age? Generation WTF?
What I’ve learned is that truly creative people tend to downplay their “creativity.” And pseudo-Creatives tend to overplay it — even dramatize it. But this post is not about attitudes or cerebral posturing. Intelligence is relative and subjective, anyway. I believe that the smarter you think you are, the dumber you really are. Columbo always cracked the case by playing dumb. This post is about habits — proactive habits. Things creative people DO; not think.
Of the many myths about creative people, the notion of “eccentricity” is most often assimilated with creativity. Creative folks often have a peculiar trait or two, but no more so than the average schmuck. We just pay closer attention to the creative Shaman and become smitten with their oddities.
Another myth is that creative people are “deeper” — they’re heavy — more sensitive to the human condition. At least I know I’m shallow — an inch deep and a mile wide, a dilettante. I don’t confuse my one great gift with intelligence or creativity. I’m blest. Blest with what? I forgot. Oh yeah, I was born with a great memory. Fortunately, our world rewards a good, short memory.
“Curiosity” has emerged as one of those agency-speak buzzwords. Due to it’s current popularity in the creative vernacular, I’ve chosen to leave it off this list. Maybe one day I’ll write an entire post on curiosity and its link to creativity. But there seems to be enough of them out there in the blogosphere already.
Nobody asked me; but these are some of the common denominators I’ve observed in working with highly effective creative people for the past 30 years:
1. “Painters paint”– Writers write. Designers design. Singers sing. Al Jolson (maybe America’s first media “superstar”) in his dying days, would stop people on the street and tell them he was Al Jolson. When folks didn’t believe him — he would sing to them — right there on the street. True, today he would be diagnosed with dementia, but the illustration is that he had to sing. It was in his DNA. And when he could no longer sing, he died. Quickly. Effective creative people create. Constantly. They don’t talk about it. They do it.
2. Compulsive addiction to their craft — I’ve noticed that the most effective creative people can’t stop. They can’t walk away from the table. And if they do, they come back shortly. They either stay up ridiculously late at night, or rise ridiculously early to create — but they can’t rest easily because their active, creative mind won’t allow them. They do not think about getting better or improving. They just know that the more they do something, the better they will get. They create while on vacation. They wake up in the middle of the night and write down ideas. They can’t stop learning all they can about their craft.
3. Unhurried – Truly effective creative people are able to “slow the game down.” They won’t be rushed . They love what they do too much to rush it. They savor their craft like a foodie savors a meal. We sometimes confuse this unhurriedness for slowness and we bellyache when deadlines aren’t met. But effectiveness should not be confused with timeliness. In short, effective creative people are on their own schedule. And often in their own world. This is not “eccentricity” — it’s the ability to recognize and adhere to a process. It’s actually quite opposite from “eccentricity.”
4. Purity of Heart – The best creatives I’ve been fortunate to observe are purists. They reject and abhor anything that is impure as unnatural. They possess moral turpitude and a respect for the gods of their discipline. Their craft is sacrosanct. I play golf with my dentist. He’s a great dentist, the best I’ve ever seen. When on the links, he wears two golf gloves, one on each hand. His hands are that important to him. Great creatives treat their minds the same way.
5. Minimalism – Great creatives travel lightly. They are not seduced by the treasures of this world. Their treasure is between their ears. They are other-worldly. They would do what they do for free if food, clothing and energy were gratis. They see money as a necessary evil. If they collect anything at all, it’s something associated with their craft. Objects almost embarrass them.
6. Don’t understand “no” – They often ask for forgiveness and rarely seek permission.The surest way to get them to do something is to tell them they can’t do it. “You can’t write a great radio commercial for a cheap hotel chain.” Huh? Next thing you know, we get Tom Bodett. They are not belligerent about the word, “no,” there’s nothing malicious about them. It’s just not in their nomenclature. They simply don’t understand the language of “no.”
7. Laugh, cry, get goosebumps –Until this last habit, you might be getting the impression that creatives are compulsively driven Fascists devoid of emotion. I’ve found the opposite is true. Creative people are “feelers.” They laugh and cry freely and often. The world gives them goosebumps. They are eternal children. It’s how they cope with fear. It’s how they deal with success. Every day.
mikepalma.com 
I see this article as a world without women.