Every job has a role that requires creative thought. Even if you don’t know how to draw or paint a picture, you are creative. Think about it: an accountant figuring out a way to save me money on my taxes is creative. A mason that’s fixing my leaning wall is creative. A dentist that matched the color on my capped tooth is creative. How do the accountant, mason and dentist get their message out there? How do they talk to the right people, the people they want to connect with? Creativity makes us a diverse culture, keeping us connected. And we love this connection – that’s what it’s all about.
My goal is to make the world better, more interesting, more memorable, and enhance these connections. My role at TJA, one could say, is more literally a creative messenger. We are here to be creative for our clients and potential clients, to expand on their visions, concepts and ideas. We make food taste amazing, not just good, by building experiences. We give colors character and meaning. We create feelings and emotions. People don’t mind being sold to, if they enjoy the process, understand it and become a part of it.
Advertising is disruptive and rebellious in a good way – no, a great way. It creates change and drives it.
All of this may be a bit abstract, but take a moment to digest and contemplate why you’re creative.
Here are 6 reasons to ponder:
- We were all children
We’re born having to problem-solve everything and think things through in order to learn. The more “adult” we become, the more we ignore this part of our personality. Being careful is not always the answer. Find that kid again.
- We are curious
Look further, look more. Take more time to observe things. Take it in, analyze it.
- We’re all risk-takers
You will be wrong. You will make mistakes. That’s OK. In fact, that’s great! You just learned something.
- We create and destroy
We need to break things to see how they work, how the various pieces relate to each other in order to function the right way.
- We can create a basic element of life
Camp, cook or light a match. You can create fire! This skill is one of the leaps that took us into being human. Now, go play with fire.
- We have the emotion of happiness
Finding your happy place breeds creative thought and lets it thrive. Look at people who love what they do. They are happy because they love what they do.
The truly inspiring part of creativity is that it springs from whatever makes you, you. Finding what makes you happy means that you’ll also discover where your creative thought comes from, and no one is the same in that respect – everyone’s creative thought is inspired by their own uniqueness.
Our culture depends on diverse talents to keep it thriving, growing, learning and expanding. Creative thought is like breathing; it’s human, it’s life saving and everyone does it – it’s that important. How you wield and use your own unique creativity is the difference.
Now that you know I need to save money, have a leaning wall and a chipped tooth, let’s get creative: shane@thejamesagency.com
P.S.: Here is a link that has inspired me over the years. It’s worth the view: http://bit.ly/MLwKdt
– Shane Tang, Creative Director
