Guest Author - Deborah Crawford

You see examples of creativity every day, whether you spend your time watching children play or managing a group of technical workers or driving down the road. Creativity is everywhere and I have never met a kid who was not creative, but I have met plenty of adults who loudly proclaim "I'm just not creative." That's not true, but as Richard Bach said, "Argue for your limitations and sure enough, they're yours."

I have seen creativity all out of control, too. It's kind of fun to let go and take something to the edge occasionally. How cool is it to create 1,000 colors of cookie icing? Until someone has to clean up the mess, it's a good thing. And even then, it's nothing a little hot water and soap can't fix up.

If you watch children playing, (without adult "help"), their entire mission is to create. Let's build a fort. You be the soldier, I'll be the cowboy. Here's a horse I can ride. Let's dig a well over here. Five or fifty minutes later the well is a passage to China and horse is a digging tool.

For adults, there are usually two extremes. One person cooks everything from scratch without so much as glancing at a recipe. Another needs instructions for scrambling eggs. One person creates a beautiful flower garden mixing and matching whatever is at the home supply store. The neighbor hires a landscape company.

And then, there are the ones who make a right fine mess trying to be creative without skills. Creative cooking is great, but you have to know the basics of how heat affects food or you will ruin a great steak. And, landscaping your own yard is a great experience until you plant roses under your shade tree. Knowledge is a good thing--learn how things work.

Sometimes, the goofiest ideas are the most wonderful, the most lucrative ideas. It's almost cliche that celebrated inventors and creators are at first the objects of ridicule and scorn. However, that should not encourage you to let creativity overrule your good sense. If you have a passionate belief in something, by all means explore and exploit it. However, if you are just carried away because something is "the coolest thing ever", take a nap.

Belief in yourself is a strong success tool. Believing you can fly is a precursor to accidentally killing yourself. Investing in companies whose products and philosophies you believe in is a good idea. Sinking your life savings in an investment strategy based on the letter "B" is not.

Sometimes, creativity does take on a life of its own and we do get a little "excited". That excitement is the zone where some great art and wonderful ideas are created. So, get excited and create. Then, let your ideas and projects rest for a few days or even a few weeks. A good rule of thumb is that if it involves someone else's property, any possibility of losing your money, or anyone's welfare in any way, let it wait and discuss it with someone you trust and respect before you take action.

If you would like to be more creative, you can buy The Creative Whack Pack at Amazon.com. This is a great tool for generating new ideas. It's been around for awhile, and is used by many companies, including NASA.

And, if you have children, you might want to get Kid's Play to learn how to help them be more creative and free to express their ideas.