One of the biggest challenges in a formal education is the struggle between creativity and conformity. Classroom educational experiences, by design, breed conformity. We are all taught to write, think, and process information the same way. While it is good to learn basic skills, conformity kills creativity.
Picasso said, “We are all born artists. The key is to remain an artist as we grow up.”
There needs to be some conformity in the way we learn the alphabet, but when you extend it to the creative writing process, you stifle the artist inside of each of us.
It could be argued that the most creative time in our life is when we are three or four years old. We can entertain ourselves with anything that comes to hand or even nothing at all. Three- and four-year-old children can create imaginary friends, villains, and superheroes on demand. After we begin school and progress through the grades, we are required to conform to a standard more and more of the time.
The tests that we take which determine many of our future educational opportunities are known as standardized tests. Once we conclude our formal education, after high school, college, or graduate school, we go out into what is laughingly known as the real world. In this real world, the superstars are creative, unique, and out-of-the-box thinkers. These people defy standards, normality, and conformity. Unfortunately for too many people artistic expression and creativity that have been suppressed for so long become difficult to rekindle.
Even the people in the creative arts who are looking for books, music, and movies to bring to the world often say that they are looking for something different, but immediately ask the question: What’s it like? These people obviously claim to be looking for something totally original, but immediately want to fit it into a small box as they compare it to something that is already known and has already been produced.
All of us want to be accepted, embraced, and understood by those around us. The process of creativity which fosters artistic expression requires people to be different from those around them. This is hard enough to do on your own without fighting an entire educational system.
Obviously, there are times when we must all conform to the norm or standard expectations, but whenever possible, allow yourself and those around you to draw outside of the lines. You can play a melody on a piano with just one finger. You could teach a hundred different people how to play that exact same melody in the same way on their own pianos, and you would have a louder version of one person playing a melody with one finger. On the other hand, if you will allow each of the 100 people to find their own instruments and their own way of expressing themselves, you can enjoy a symphony.
As you go through your day today, understand that conformity is necessary at times, but artistry, creativity, and expression should be allowed to bloom whenever and wherever possible.
Today’s the day!
Jim Stovall is the president of Narrative Television Network as well as a published author of many books including The Ultimate Gift. He is also a columnist and motivational speaker. He may be reached at 5840 South Memorial Drive, Suite 312, Tulsa, OK 74145-9082; by e-mail at Jim@JimStovall.com; or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jimstovallauthor.
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