You Are Capable of Greatness!

I was once told I am not creative because I cannot free paint.

Anyone that knows me, knows that I asserted a very strong argument against that statement.

First, I have taken a strengths survey annually for the last four years. It has told me every year that my top strength is "creativity." Second, I am an excellent process and performance improvement professional. It takes great creativity to accomplish making processes and performance optimized. Third, I have had a challenging life with many sharp turns that required a lot of creativity to keep moving forward.

Why did it bother me so much that I was told I was not creative?

I do not think the statement is what bothered me. I think it was the assertion that I could not accomplish certain things because of  a narrow belief that our talents, personality, and thinking style determine what we can accomplish. I do not subscribe to such a belief.

Let me share a story with you.

I recently attended a parent engagement activity that asked parents and children to draw a picture of each other and write adjectives to describe the person. As I focused on my drawing while my daughter flitted around, a boy sat down next to me staring at his blank paper. My daughter finally sat down and began drawing. Her teacher walked by and remarked "I see where Charlie gets her creativity from." I giggled because I know she meant artistic ability to which I do not have. My daughter is constantly drawing and she is really good at it for a fourth grader. Me, I am more of a coloring book person with a system for finishing a page in an efficient manner.

As I was focusing to systematically finish my project as directed, the little boy looked at me and said "I wish I could draw a person. You are so good at it." I felt this was an important moment in that little boy's life. I looked up from my drawing, looked him in the eyes, and shared my secret with him. I told him that the only reason I am able to draw people is because the way my grandma taught me was a system with steps made up of shapes. I went shape by shape, step by step with him. He felt like he could draw by the end of it. Guess what, he could!

********************

I think we get so focused on assigning traits and talents to people to determine what they are capable of. If I wanted to be a painter, I damn well could be. I may have a different way of going about accomplishing the task, but I would because I decided so. We have to look at our talents, abilities, styles, strengths, etc and use them to accomplish things. I believe there is no right way to do something. Allow people to accomplish tasks-at home, work,  or school-in the way that makes sense to them. As long as they are not violating rules or not meeting the end state, who cares.

We need to stop telling people what they are or are not good at just because they do not do something the way we were taught it should be done. I think meeting people where they are and helping them to accomplish things their own way is so much more powerful. We are all unique and capable of greatness!