Why do we resist doing something creative? More than likely, we have a past experience that jaded us and made us think creativity isn’t our bag.

Maybe you did a creative session, but didn’t think the outcome was any better.

You brainstormed, but ended up using your original idea.

You collaborated and it felt like more work than working on your own.

Or perhaps it was something earlier in life.

Someone laughed at the serious poem you spent hours on.

You were embarrassed in art class.

They told you straight up, “You’re not very creative.”

In college, I took a class in watercolor. The teacher gave me a low grade, so I asked about it. He told me, “Your difficulty with watercolor stems from an inability to draw.” I told him he was wrong, but the words hurt me. They also gave me fuel to prove him wrong. I didn’t give up. I loved working in watercolor. I kept at it and learned how to work the medium. Eventually, I launched my career as an illustrator mostly working in watercolor.

Not everyone becomes an illustrator. So, how do we overcome these setbacks?

One way is to realize creativity is not a competition. It is making connections. Eventually, you connect enough dots and see what you never noticed before.

Art contests miss this point. Art is not about getting the blue ribbon. It’s about helping others see what you noticed. Use the lens of creativity to notice something new. Then use that lens to share it with others.

When we see creativity as connections instead of a competition, it makes it more approachable… less threatening. We also see the value it creates for us and others. Hopefully, we also see it is worth trying again.