A memo on creativity.
I never thought I was ‘creative’.
The word is open to interpretation.
My definition of ‘creative’ is someone who pursues and produces expression.
Coming from a traditional Japanese background, creative expression was not my main priority. Pursuing academic excellence and ranking through the education system was the priority.
As a child, I recall drawing my dream house and drawing hour plans for them.
I was never exposed to the ‘arts’ until post-high school. It was after I met a girl that things changed (as most stories do). I spent a lot of time in galleries, creating posters in Photoshop, and helped with some design at work.
One year down the track, I was stuck on ideas for a marketing project and told my manager. His response shifted my self-limiting beliefs on what creativity meant.
“Tom, you are actually pretty creative. What are you talking about..?”
No longer was the word subject to the societal expectation of drawing or playing the piano well. But in the way, we shape our ideas and put them out for the world. Every action. Every movement. Every expression we produce in this world is creative expression.
So now I don’t put a bound to what is creative.
I have so much self-belief and create what I want.
One day it can relate to my writing.
Another for design.
Other days, the lines of code I write and anything in between.
It’s a beautiful realization that everyone is creative. If all individuals thought and expressed the same way, life was very boring and dull.
Keep pursuing your life with excellence and expression.
P.S. Thank you Clay, Daniel, and Matt for the constant encouragement.
