Stop Being Afraid of Being Wrong. It'll Ruin Your Creativity.

I was watching a YouTube video today in which Sir Ken Robinson was describing the creativity of children.  He said, in short, children are creative because they are unafraid of being wrong.  It is only after they have been taught that being wrong is something to be avoided that they lose their creativity.  Creativity involves risks.  It involves taking chances.  It involves being okay with being wrong sometimes.

I believe Sir Ken is correct.  Perfectionism is so often the nemesis of creativity, of free thinking, of imagination.  I believe we need to begin with children.  We need to nurture their creativity instead of forcing perfection.  But we cannot stop with children.  As adults, we need to re-think our own perspective, re-discover our own talents.  Write, paint, draw.  Be willing to make mistakes.  Not only this, we mustn't hide our mistakes.  So many times when I write, I just write.  I don't think about what it says.  I pour my feelings out.  And then before I can change my mind, I publish it somehow.  Maybe here.  Maybe on Facebook.  Maybe in a conversation that I'm having with someone.

Perfection is not necessary. In fact, I would dare say perfection is not needed nor wanted.  It is so much more important to be real.