Creativity tip - Don't listen to other people

I hope not to disappoint those of you who came here every Sunday for a good laugh. I don't think you were too many anyway :-)

But I have decided to change my Sunday regular theme from laughter to creativity.

So welcome to the first Sunday creativity tip!

DON'T LISTEN TO OTHER PEOPLE

We all happen to have great ideas.

Or at least we think they are great ideas.

Until we talk to someone about it.

Because even (or should I say especially) our best friend, the one that loves us no matter what, can kill that great though in the bud. Floop.

Why is it that we pay so much attention to what other people think about our ideas?

We want validation.
We want people to love us.
We want them to agree with us.

We are really very, very insecure about whether this is at all a great idea and we'd actually prefer to just hand it over to someone else to test it out for us...

But real life doesn't work like that.

We really do all have great ideas. Actually, the more ideas you have, the more GOOD ideas you will have and the better you will get at sifting through the crappy ones.

But the biggest obstacle is the beginning phase, the budding  phase of our idea. Because the more we seek for approval, the more refusal we will get.

As my coach said it wisely: 'When you plant a seed, the first thing that comes up is the dirt.'

As long as we are prepared for the dirt, we're safe.
So go ahead, share your ideas with the world. Maybe even listen to people (some comments may even be valid and end up improving your idea).

But STOP listening to other people when it comes to whether or not you should go and do the think you have just come up with.

I am not saying that you should just jump up and do every silly little think you think about.
Where would we be?!
But you know what I mean by 'having an idea'.

You have this plan to change your workplace by introducing creative workshops.
You want to introduce community services to your very conservative, stockmarket focused workplace.
You have this vision of a new art project.

Yes, go ahead and use people as sounding boards.
But listen between the lines and only pick out the constructive stuff.
Sometimes you just have to ship to see what comes out of it.

Don't them tell you your idea is crap!!! Only YOU have the right to decide that!