There is no innovation and creativity without failure.

Last week I heard Brene Brown say on Super Soul Sunday, "Unused creativity is not benign, it metastasizes into grief, rage, judgement, sorrow, and shame." That statement hit me right between the eyes. I felt like I was in an old cartoon lying on the ground with literal stars swirling around my head. In context she was speaking about her research, and that people who live wholeheartedly do creativity. For some of us that creativity is expressed in our job, for others in our family, or in the arts or hobbies of some sort. For my I relate to those feelings and emotions when I am not creative. When I am not doing something meaningful and on purpose.

What is Creativity?
/ˌkrieɪˈtɪvɪti, ˌkriə-/ Show S

1. The state or quality of being creative.

2. The ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.; originality, progressiveness, or imagination: the need for creativity in modern industry; creativity in the performing arts. 

3. The process by which one utilizes creative ability: Extensive reading stimulated his creativity.

 

For me creativity use to be acting or singing. It was leading worship in church, running youth groups, or teaching/preaching. It was caring for a patient at the bedside and doing impromptu work a rounds that provided the care the patient needed when there was no traditional way to meet the true needs of the patient. It was about sharing my gifts and talents for a higher purpose, knowing that what I was doing was meaningful to the world, or at least to someones world. It has been quite some time since I have have performed (sing/act), lectured/taught, preached or shared my story with a group. Each day I struggle with the thought that my time, talents and treasure are not being used in the most meaningful/purposeful way. Each day I have a strong desire to be consciously aware that I am bringing everything I've got to the table.

 

It is hard to feel creative in my current role as Director of Case Management. Maybe you just read that and wonder why I would need to be creative in that role... Case Management impacts every area of a health system. While I would love to say that we are the most important people there... :), the reality is we are one instrument in an orchestra. If we are off beat, flat, or miss our que for entrance in the piece, the whole concert goes bad. It is easy to get tied up in the mundane of the daily grind, to feel like your not having a positive impact on the purposes and goals of the organization. I know many of you reading this feel the same way about your job whatever that may be. Intillectually you know that you are fulfilling a purpose and are important to the goals of your organziation, but you just have not tapped into all of your gifts and talents to unleash your true creativity. And think about that... what if you went beyond what your doing now? What if you tapped into your true resources, gifts and talents to promote the common good of your company? "The only unique contributions that we will make in this world will be born of our creativity (Brown, 2010)."

 

On ward and up ward as I commit myself to living life wholeheartedly, and to give my full creative efforts to impact the world around me... my family and friends, employer and employees, and the customers that we serve every day.

 

Brown, B. (2010). The Gifts of Imperfection.Center City, Minnesota: Hazelden.