If I was to mention ‘creativity’ what would spring to mind? Most people would think of paintings and sculptures in a gallery, beautifully composed music or masterpieces of writing like Ulysses and Pride & Prejudice. Creativity is often associated with the arts – painting, writing, music, dancing.

If I was to mention ‘talent’ what would come to mind then? Many of the same things mentioned above, I would imagine. Once again, most people associate talent with the arts. A talented painter, a talented singer and so on.

It’s no surprise then, that these two concepts, creativity and talent, seem unattainable for many of us. What creativity? I can’t paint? What do you meant talent? I could never write like James Joyce. Creativity, it seems, is a wondrous thing reserved for those lucky few who have been born with talent.

Creativity for the masses.

Let’s consider what creativity actually is. It can also be referred to as inventiveness; it’s the use of imagination or original ideas to create something. To create something. Not a painting or a piece of music specifically, but something. And that something doesn’t necessarily have to be a physical thing, like a painting. It can be something less tangible, like music.

Every single one of us has the ability to be creative by simple virtue of having a brain and free will. You can choose to be creative in small and big ways whenever you want. You’re probably already doing it without realising.

Creativity is incorporating broccoli into your cooking in a new way so that your 5-year-old will actually eat it.

Creativity is planning a holiday that will be enjoyable to both your adventure junkie friend and your sit-by-the-pool-with-a-cocktail friend.

Creativity is finding ways to be active without having to go to the gym.

Creativity if finding a new, more efficient way to do something at work which has remained unchanged for years.

Creativity isn’t reserved for the elite few who happen to be good at painting. It can be used by all of us in our day-to-day lives.

Using creativity to embrace your talents.

In the same way that we are all born with the ability to get creative, we are also all born with some talents. Yes, for some people, this means a natural affinity towards things like painting and writing. But you can be talented in many different ways.

You can have a talent for numbers and math. You can have a natural ability to connect with children. You can be talented at motivating others. You can have a talent for gardening. You can be talented at learning languages.

Talent comes in many different forms and they are all incredibly important. Imagine what the world would look like if we all worked in jobs which utilized our natural talents more.

Creativity is naturally associated with talents because we need creativity in order to be able to use and develop our talents. Thinking about our natural talents in new and inventive ways can help us to find practical and meaningful ways to incorporate our talents into our home and work lives.
To find out what your natural talents are, check your ph360 profile. What’s something practical you can do to develop and use some of your natural talents?