A few years back, I tried to nail down exactly what "creative" meant to me. It's a subjective question, there isn't one answer. It really is in the eye of the beholder.

But I felt like defining my own answers would help me be a better creative and understand where that creativity came from. I discovered my "5 dimensions of creativity", but there are countless others. Here they are:

1 - Creative is informed.
It needs inputs or insights.

Creative needs to come from something. For a designer, it may be audience research that goes into launching a new social media app. For an artist, it may be a strong belief in a cause that produces an amazing mural.

Whether it is external or internal, input is critical. It's the catalyst that kicks off the creative process. That much needed direction serves as validation towards defining a purpose.

Key Takeaway:

Every finish line needs a starting line.

2 - Creative is purposeful.
It solves a problem or it serves no purpose.

Are you trying to get people to click a button? Are you looking to influence people's behavior? What are you creating this for? Understanding what the purpose is helps you frame the solution and (more importantly) lets you know when you've found it.

Every once in a while I'll start working on something that I can't initially figure out a purpose for. If I feel strongly about it, I continue to chip away at it until the purpose reveals itself. But I discover in time there was no purpose, there comes a point at which I lose interest in it. Because it feels like an empty effort.

Key Takeaway:

Creations need a reason for being. Otherwise, there's no reason for being.

3 - Creative is bold.
It helps us leave our comfort zone.

Some creative people have an extra gear that lets them move out ahead of everyone else and make a statement with their art & design. Banksy is a great example of this.

His street art makes bold statements about society in a relatable way. His style is pretty straight forward, but at the same time very nuanced and provocative. The subject matter often addresses an inequity or uncomfortable societal shortcoming. And it's discreetly blended into an urban environment, which makes an already raw depiction feel more gritty and distressed.

Key Takeaway:

Big + Bright + Loud ≠ Bold

4 - Creative is transportive.
It can move you to another time or place.

One of my favorite pieces of art is America Today" by Thomas Hart Benton. It a series of murals depicting life in America in the 1920s and lives in a special room at the Met. Benton paints scenes from different parts of the country. It's meant to show how America was bouncing back from The Depression.

His style is exaggerated and there's a fluidity to the movement of his characters on the canvas. The scene that he sets in each of the panels makes me feel as if I've stepped in a time machine and walked out into the 1920s. It's magical.

Key Takeaway:

Being able to let people fly away (if only for a moment) is a gift.

5 - Creative is unexpected.
It answers questions that aren't asked.

Creativity is not limited to artists, everyone is creative. An example of that is the humble binder clip. The person who invented them expected people to organize papers. But since then, people have found much better things to do with them.

Just Google "binder clip uses" and you'll be treated to an incredible array of ways to repurpose them. Uses include toothpaste squeezing devices, phone stands, sculptures, wire organizers, shelving unit securers, picture holders, emergency cufflinks, instant money clips... and more!

Key Takeaway:

Everyone has the capability to be creative if they don't think too much about it and just let it happen.

Final Thoughts...

Whether you are a creative professional or not, write your own definition of creativity. You may see some of mine on your list, but more likely you'll add to it. The more the merrier.

There's always room for a new definition!