As we get older, we desire to be creative, but also become conscious of our environment and seek to fit in. While we preach the need to stand out and be unconventional when necessary, we subtly desire our ego to be caressed by acceptance and approval, but does a child really care?
The most vocal of humans are children; they are oblivious to the demands of the society and express themselves in ways they deem fit. A child’s only desire as he expresses himself is to have his needs communicated to the mother. Whether he has to pull the mother’s hair or stamp his feet to express his hunger, his aim is to make the mother realise that he is hungry and needs to be provided with food.
Creative Thinking and Expression
The glorification that creativity is relative and can be expressed based on human preference is not always true in its literal sense. While there is a thin line between thinking outside the box and thinking out of mind, we subtly fear that society will not appreciate our initiative or creativity. This fear is valid. Your idea is not designed to be enjoyed by just you and your family members. You have identified a problem, and are desirous to solve it, but you will not want to be a saviour who is not considered as one by the people he has come to save.
In a system that places a scale on your creative expression, how do you strategically express your creativity and get your messages passed without the fear of being hushed?
Do it afraid!
“Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”
No one holds this word truer than a child who is desirous of the attention of his mother who stands before an audience of fifty thousand persons to give a speech. If he desires that she comes down from that stage to attend to him, he will cause her to do so. Just keep him in the room where she speaks.
This should be your mantra as a creative: you can achieve whatever your mind conceives. Be a child, express your thoughts, and share it with the world. Do not be afraid of rejection.
What is rejected here can be the glory of another vicinity. Find your space!
What is rejected now can be the glory of tomorrow. Improve on your ideas!
When your idea is rejected, it does not mean that the worst has occurred. In most cases, you have learnt means through which such an idea may not be appreciated. Go home and do your homework, and come back again.
Creative Expression Like a Child
Express your creativity just like a child will express his thoughts freely and unashamedly.
Children are masters of play. They turn a cardboard box into a spaceship, and a pile of sticks into a drumstick. This playful spirit aids experimentation and allows them to try out new things without fear of failure.
Children are naturally curious. They constantly ask “why” and “how.” This insatiable curiosity helps their exploration and learning.
“Think Like a Child, Act Like a Strategist.”
5 Ways to Remain Creative
Learn the Art of Storytelling
Children are natural storytellers. Weave a narrative around your creative idea, explain how it solves a problem, makes life easier, or fills a void. People connect with stories better than dry facts. This right here is a strategic child-like attitude, but unlike a child who tells a story for fun, you – a creative person – have an expected result from your storytelling.
Become a Master of “Why?”
Children constantly ask “Why?” because they want to understand the world around them. Ask yourself and others, “Why is this important?” or “Why would someone care?” This deepens your understanding and helps refine your message.
Embrace the Power of Iteration
Don’t expect your first attempt to be a masterpiece. Children learn by trial and error. Be willing to iterate on your ideas, gather feedback, and refine them based on the response.
Recently, I met a woman who had identified a problem in her vicinity and offered a solution to the problem, but she’s faced with the issue of the non-acceptance of her solution.
Sometimes, it is not your idea or solution that has a fault, it is how you present the idea, the strategies you put in place or the time of the release (implementation) of your idea. After a long conversation with the woman, her eyes got open to some necessities she should consider while offering her solution.
Before Offering a Solution, Study Your Audience or Market
Ensure that you are aware of their needs and pain, and can effectively communicate how your solution benefits them in a few sentences. Most importantly, you must learn the art of strategic answers, especially when you discern that a question is not directed at the efficiency of your solution but a subtle taunt of your ideas.
Moreso, beyond understanding the pain of your audience, you must understand what their hook is. For instance, if you have an audience of young persons between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five, your hook liners for these ones will be on the issues around relationship, affluence, wealth, skincare, music, football, dating etc. Just think of anything your audience is easily drawn to that can be a means through which they are attracted to appreciate your idea.
Define your exploitive advantage
There is something that distinguishes you from your competitors. It may be your carriage, gait, physique, excellence, accent etc. There is something that you possess, which if tweaked well can hit your audience’s soft spot and make them gaga to have your solution. Take time to identify this.
Final Note
Becoming like a child who does not take NO for an answer is a good way to stay creative and relevant. I hope you have learnt something today. If yes, kindly leave a comment below.