Recently I read a list of attributes about people who identify themselves as creative. Not sure if it was a creative person who wrote this or someone who observes and watches the so-called creative folk…anyway this is the list:

• Easily bored
• Risk takers
• Colour outside the line
• Think with the heart
• Make lots of mistakes
• Hate the rules
• Work independently
• Change their mind a lot
• Have a reputation for eccentricity
• Dream big

Now whilst I’m not taking this list too seriously, I have been thinking it over and frankly it niggles me somewhat…yes, actually makes me a bit envious that some people can operate with such licence and all in the name of creativity. So in order for groups in our society to behave as above there is a group who have to do the reverse…isn’t that how it goes? Otherwise who would be taking responsibility for getting things done whilst the creatives are off being bored and changing their minds?

I have big dreams also but for some reason reality gets in the way of acting on the dream/s or is it maybe that I use reality as an excuse for not acting? You know, it’s safer to complain that there is never time or always others to consider…imagine if (and this is where I get cold feet) I threw responsibility to the wind and embarked on a wild project, a dangerous journey or even a way of life that held unknown consequences…and then if I didn’t pull it off…? It’s not worth thinking about…! So you see I’m not much of a risk taker, sometimes I’m all talk but when it really counts I hide behind responsibility.

Yes, responsibility I think, is a function that is difficult to discard once it’s inherited and well practised. Envy rides high along side this state, envious of others without the need to be or feel the need to ‘do the right thing’ or ‘get it right’ or make sure those wretched ducks are always lined up…

So why then do I get so worked up when I see others thinking freely, making mistakes and walking away, not following through because another a more ‘interesting thing’ happens along? I guess it’s because for every truly creative person who floats between the rules and changes their mind at whim (and gets away with it) there are ten other responsible people who pick up the pieces, keep the ‘normal boring things ‘ that keep our world functioning, happening. Sometimes it also gets tiring and boring being a responsible person, there is a lot expected from RP’s…so my drift is this.

I suspect, that at times there or people who relate and identify the above list for ‘creative people’ as a bit of a cop out…as if being creative is ranked as a higher order human condition which automatically excuses and privileges some people to behave outside the square, whilst most of us have to conform and keep the world functioning…

Maybe I’m being too harsh on our creative friends and colleagues or maybe I’m just plain jealous that I have to remain responsible (self-inflicted of course) and write a few lists to tick off from time to time. Of course one of the reasons for sticking to the rules (not the creative rules) is that if I don’t I feel incredibly guilty and anxious…so could it be that if I didn’t carry guilt and didn’t operate with a fair degree of anxiety? I would happily be a person who lives by the creative list rules…oops not rules, creative people hate rules?

So, now that I’ve sorted that for myself I’m about to embark on being less anxious (not sure how? but…) and I’m about to ban guilt from my thinking (now that will be extremely difficult) and existence for a week, just to see how it feels…Then it seems I will be free to be a creative list person. I may or may not check my emails for a week, I have several functions and meetings to attend, I’ll just might miss one or two, see how I feel on the day as I might be thinking about a bigger more interesting issue. Now, of course I might change my mind about all of this so don’t expect me to do any of what I say…I’ll just wait until I feel like I want to act on something, you know, ‘think with the heart’…already I feel a surge of creativeness…watch out, who knows what might come of this new state of mind…

Almost relaxed (just a tad anxious, don’t want to fall of this blooming book shelf…) eyes straight ahead, thinking outside the square, creative risk taking…(how long do I have to keep this up?) Think I liked the old rules better…!