Archive for the 'The Nature of Creativity' Category

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The Body Connects to the Mind

Do you feel stuck? Are you ready for some unique insights?

In my coaching and consulting practice I use different assessments, each designed to measure something specific. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator measures one’s preferences in fundamental daily action. The FourSight measures where you like to play in the creative process. And on and on. There are hundreds of assessments, each with varying degrees of research behind them.

A new tool that I am really excited about is called the Focus Energy Balance Indicator™. We just call it the FEBI.

The FEBI comes from the work of four remarkable women. Dr. Josephine Rathbone, a kinesiologist working the the thirties, identified four basic patterns of movement and established that certain patterns are easier for us than others. Thirty years later Dr. Valerie Hunt validated the patterns with sophisticated lab equipment. Betsy Wetzig, a dancer, connected the patterns to personality and called them “Coordination Patterns”. Dr. Ginny Whitelaw developed the instrument to capitalize on the theory and research. If you’re as fascinated as I am by this work checkout her book, Move to Greatness.

Physiologically, there are four fundamental patterns of movement (did I tell you I have an undergraduate degree in Exercise Science?). These physical patterns connect to our temperaments:

The Driver (Thrust pattern)

People who thrive in the Driver pattern love to direct and tend to stay focused on the issue at hand. They challenge ideas and enjoy being the winner.

The Organizer (Shape pattern)

People who thrive in the Organizer pattern tend to be steady, disciplined and enjoy taking one step at a time.

The Collaborator (Swing pattern)

People who thrive in the Collaborator pattern like to have fun. They are engaging influencers and are comfortable with improvising solutions.

The Visionary (Hang pattern)

People who thrive in the Visionary pattern like novelty. They are open to new ideas, let go of the status quo and enjoy thinking big.

Fascinating, Maggie. So what?

Perhaps you’ve noticed that you are really natural and effective in some activities. And there are other things you do poorly or never seem to get to? Chances are that you thrive when you are in your “Home Pattern”.

For example, I have client who is an Idea Machine. She thrives in ambiguity and she is extremely social. Her dominant patterns are Swing (Collaborator–very playful, comfortable with give-and-take). But her inability to put some discipline to her ideas keeps her from leveraging her talents.

Another client is an Execution Machine. He runs his unit, his life like an efficient factory and nothing slips through the cracks. But he has trouble partnering with leaders in other business units and can’t move to a more strategic point-of-view.

Both of these people want to capitalize on their strengths and they know, ino order to do that, they need to become more versatile. In another post I’ll describe how the insights from the FEBI and some enhancements to a personal practice is helping them create some breakthroughs.

Published on July 10, 2009 in The Nature of Creativity and Your Creative Practice. 0 Comments

You Can Have It All

Recently I was coaching a new manager at a large corporation. The promotion was a big stretch and she was peddling hard to keep up. She and her husband were also parenting two pre-schoolers. She was alternately overwhelmed and excited. Toward the end of the session she wistfully added that it had been years since she had picked up her paintbrush. I understood her nostalgia. Flash back 15 years and that was me. I had a full-time job, I was working on my master’s degree and we were adjusting to our newly divorced family. I careened from one work project to another and one paper to another. There was barely time to feed my excellent children (they will tell you they fed themselves most of the time). There was no time for creative expression.

If this sounds familiar I extend the same words of comfort to you as I did to my young coaching client:

You can have it all…..eventually.

My wise friend, Janet, is fond of reassuring me that, “Life is long”. She doesn’t mean that I can squander my time unconsciously. She means to reassure me that there will be time for the important things. And I believe she is right.

Eventually, I did graduate and life settled down and now I have multiple creative pursuits. That young manager will return to her painting when her job is more familiar, when her children are older. Or she will find another outlet for her creativity.

I know this because it has been my privilege to find role models who are proofs of the concept. Diane Lou is one dear friend who is having the unexpected time of her life. On her blog she writes of her art and delight in learning new things.

So, please stop beating yourself up because you haven’t yet written that novel, started that blog, sewn that purse, finished that woodworking project, picked up your guitar…..

You WILL…or find something even better.

Published on June 30, 2009 in The Nature of Creativity and Your Creative Practice. 0 Comments

I Don’t Wanna, You Can’t Make Me

Dancing was an early love for me. I studied ballet, then tap and jazz, even baton twirling. For many years I made my living performing, teaching dance and choreographing. Then I ‘went corporate’ and mostly stopped dancing. Happily, in the last few years I have started moving again and especially love NIA classes. The movement is so free and expansive.

Imagine my disappointment then when I arrived at class this morning and a tiny woman walked in and announced she was our sub and we would not be doing NIA. Instead she would offer us a kind of ‘ballet barre’. Yuck. Ballet is tight, disciplined, serious. I almost left immediately as did two other women. But, dag nabbitt, I needed to work out and I reeeeelly hate the elliptical machine.

pointingballetfeet2 Sure enough, we did plies, tendues and other tight, controlled things. Every few minutes I thought about leaving. I haven’t done ballet in 20 years and I haven’t missed it. Hold yourself erect. Extend your arms. There is definitely a right way and a wrong way to do ballet.

Still, I stayed with it and my muscle memory responded. I used to love ballet. Performing those classic movements was nostalgic. Persisting with the class reminded me of the value of pushing through to greater skill. I was also reminded that sometimes we’re served exactly what is needed in the moment. I’ve been feeling a little untethered and the structure of the ballet steps had a grounding effect.

The discipline and structure is exactly what I need right now. To read more about the mind-body connection and how to use it for breakthrough performance, read this.

Published on June 18, 2009 in The Nature of Creativity. 0 Comments

Stocking the Pond

trout pond I grew up at the foot of the Rocky Mountains and trout fishing was a popular activity (not popular with me, mind you, although I do enjoy eating trout). There’s nothing yummier than fresh-caught trout fried over an open fire. Many in my family enjoy fishing and once we made it a part of a family reunion. My aunt’s ranch, south of Jackson, Wyoming, includes a little pond and stunning views of the Tetons. The pond didn’t have many fish so my aunt and uncle thoughtfully stocked the pond so that we could all enjoy fresh fried trout for dinner.

This week I was traveling for a little business and a lot of pleasure and it got me thinking about Stocking the Pond.

Deep Reflection

One morning of my trip I sat in the lobby of the Waldorf Astoria hotel and spent two full hours making notes about my business:…ideas…next steps…lots of lists. The last time I meandered the hallways of my imagination like that was waaaay too long ago. That deep reflection was quite foreign. Usually, I’m just reacting. Sitting there in my comfy chair I was very patient and my Brain responded with some intriguing ideas that I hadn’t reached in my normal routine.

Stimulating the Imagination

The first night in the city I saw a cabaret show at the Algonquin Hotel and the next day I saw Blithe Spirit with Angela Lansbury. I visited the garment district–including Mood where Project Runway shops (!)–and I bought back issues of graphic design magazines at a shop across from Bryant Park. A poor understanding of the city’s address system took me the extra-long way to my intended address and I saw neighborhoods I’d never visited before. Aside from the design magazines none of these had any direct correlation to my work. Yet my Brain was firing with ideas triggered by the novelty I was encountering. “Ooh, I haven’t seen that before” said my head as I wakened her from the typical home patterns.

Overfishing Lowers Creativity

In a time of global overfishing I believe that we are also overfishing our own ponds. When was the last time you gave yourself the gift of empty space? If it’s been a long time I suggest you make a date with your Brain. Make it a surprise and don’t tell your Brain what you’ve got planned….otherwise she may try to break the date so that you can do something you should do. Take yourself someplace new. I recommend hotel lobbies, neighborhood libraries or, best of all, a coffee shop in another town. Bring a blank pad of paper and do some Deep Reflection. Take an hour. Take two! Then go for a walk on a street you don’t know. Notice what you notice. Notice what your Brain likes.

The next day you may find that dis-engaging from your routine, even for a few hours, has the net effect of greater productivity.

Oh wait. I think that’s what they used to call a ‘day off’.

Published on June 17, 2009 in Health and Creativity and The Nature of Creativity. 0 Comments

Creativity for Life

Media Report on Creativity for Life. Practical Advice on the Artist’s Personality and Career from America’s Foremost Creativity Coach, by Eric Maisel, PhD.

Introduction

Maisel, a recognized authority in the field of creativity, is the author of more than twenty creativity books. This book is a holistic look at ‘lifelong creativity’. It is organized in four parts:
I. The Challenges of the Artistic Personality
II. The Challenges of the Work
III. The Challenges of Relationship
IV. Strategies and Tactics

Strengths

Maisel Model Creativity Maisel’s definition of creativity is one of the most useful I’ve seen: ‘People are artistically creative when they love what they are doing, know what they are doing, and actively engage in art-making. The three elements of creativity are thus loving, knowing, and doing; or heart, mind, and hands…’. Part Four is filled with thought-provoking lists for how to commit to your creativity practice. He uses many stories to illustrate his ideas and principles.

What Bugged Me

Mr. Maisel has a PhD but he plays it fast and loose with the research (there is none). Statements like, “But all creative people appear to be on the introverted side and as a rule prefer solitude to social interaction’ are made without any evidence. He goes on to link the introversion with poor social skills and the inability to form community: “we are struck by the fact that each artist will bring to the group his or her inability to relate.’ HUH?! I’m sure these things are true about some artists but Maisel seems to be stuck in the old paradigm of ‘creative people are tortured and weird’ and frequently cites Van Gogh as an example.

Bottom Line

This book is a deep dive on the creative process for artists. The earlier chapters focus on issues of Blockage and Resistance in useful ways. Maisel offers many options for understanding yourself if you feel bogged down in your creative work. The latter chapter on Transitions and Choices provides a thoughtful nine-step process to honor our creative selves and move toward a more creative life. He also includes an Artist’s Ten Commandments which may inspire you to write your set of Commandments.

The fundamental model is so simple and provides a great framework for understanding the nature of creativity. Do you love your creative work? Do you know how to do it? Are you actually creating?

Well, are you?

Published on June 17, 2009 in Book Reports and The Nature of Creativity. 0 Comments