Awakening Creative Intelligence

What is it? Where does it come from? Why is it a “thing”?

Creative Intelligence is just an interesting name for whatever it is that gives us the ability to think, and feel and do stuff. It is, I believe, what animates us and allows us to be aware of how we experience the world and our place in it. You can think of it as the “thing” that differentiates us from the rest of the animal kingdom—the quality that makes us uniquely human. It is an abstract and illusive concept to visualize precisely because it is Not a “thing”. We may argue about what to call it or if it’s “real” or how to define it, but anyone who considers themselves an artist or creative in any way certainly knows that creative intelligence by any name is a THING.

Where it comes from is an even stickier subject to think about. The musician will tell you that the inspiration and direction for a song sometimes seems to come un-asked-for in a dream, or will drift into awareness in some quiet moment and in nearly complete and finished detail. The initial concept for a speech, or film, or invention sometimes will show up by surprise, seemingly from nowhere. It is an internal, subconscious welling up of the fragment of a thought or image that slowly builds into a complete and actionable impulse.

Out of the Nowhere and into the Here, so to speak. . . It is a mystery, but it happens in the minds and hearts or all of us multiple times each day in ways large and small. We have our own explanations about what creativity is and where it comes from. But in the end we must admit that it just simply IS, and that it makes us better humans.

That is Why it is a “Thing”!

Creativity Explained from an abstract artist’s point of view. . .

The other day I was thinking about creativity as applies to original abstract artwork and what it means. We say that all artists are creative. So writers, actors, musicians, painters, sculptors, film makers are some of the people that we agree are creative. They make (create) something new for us to listen to, look at or read, etc. We may not all agree that what they have “made” is universally enjoyable but it is considered art nonetheless.

But what about those of us who also “make” something new in the normal course of moving through our day? How about the car mechanic, or the mechanical engineer, or railroad worker who thinks of a new way to fix a particular challenging problem? Or the educator who “discovers” a fresh point of view that helps their students learn and understand something in a more meaningful way? Think of all the small and enormous things that are discovered and come to life each day by regular people that were not apparent before that moment. Because they have discovered and “made” something new, we can say that they have created something and so they are creative, right? Aren’t they then also artists? Aren’t we all artists in some small or large way?

Every time we think of something we haven’t thought of before we are “creating” a thought, an idea, a point of view. Isn’t this how all great and small achievements get born—by someone imagining an idea or a goal and then acting it into existence? Don’t we all have creative power that gives us momentum in our lives, that moves and drives us forward? I believe that acknowledging and embracing this creative force in ourselves is key to building a more positive and successful future for ourselves and others.

Imagine what life might be like if we were more in touch with our innate Creative Intelligence and able to apply it to whatever goals and aspirations we may have. We could be happier, more productive, more confident and more contented, don’t you think?

In the words of Albert Einstein, “Imagination is Everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions".