When you read a typical list of the characteristics of a creative person, you sometimes have to wonder if it’s a complement.
Some of them are attributes I admire now … but maybe not so much when I was growing up.
Certainly some of these elements were not welcome in some of the more conservative places I’ve worked.
But, when I take a step back … this is a terrific – and accurate! – list.
Here are the 10 characteristics of a creative person, first published in The Creative Mystique: How to Manage It, Nurture It, and Make It Pay (New York: Wiley, 1985) by John M. Keil.
Which characteristics of a creative person are you?
1. Bright but not necessarily brilliant.
Often quoted: IQ>120. However, creativity is not directly related to extraordinarily high intelligence.
2. Good at generating a high degree of different ideas in a short period of time.
In creative philosophy, it’s known as being “fluent.”
3. Have a positive image of themselves.
They like who they are. In fact, they often have a large ego.
4. Sensitive to the world around them and the feelings of others.
This isn’t mentioned in the book, but word that comes to mind is empathetic. I believe they also ‘see’ things other people miss.
5. Motivated by challenging problems.
Or, as Nana Eklund said (as I think all grandmas did): when a door closes, a window opens. Also, something I learnt after I moved to Australia. When a person has less resources, they become more creative.
6. Able to withhold the decision on a problem until sufficient facts have been collected.
In other words, they don’t judge immediately. In fact, being creative means they’re also constantly learning.
7. Value their independence and do not have strong needs for group approval.
I believe the widely used phrase is: They march to beat of their drum.
8. Lead a rich, almost bizarre, fantasy life.
If I can paraphrase, they have a thrilling imagination. They can envision the future, which is where all ideas live.
9. Flexible as opposed to rigid or dogmatic.
This one is funny to me as my mum used to say I was too rigid with my flexibility.
10. More concerned with the meanings and implications of a problem than with small details.
To me, this is almost the first one because all good creative ideas solve a problem.
Any other characteristic you’d add? Please add your thoughts and comments below.
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