Some creative people are nervous about taking a creativity assessment. It’s an emotional topic, right? Some of my clients have joked: I hope this doesn’t prove I’m a psycho. One guy said: God, now they’ll have proof I should have gone to law school. We think there’s something wrong with us (because we’re creative) and we’re afraid people will judge us/label us.
Creativity despises structure – except for those who crave it. We need time to think – or we have the idea, and get out of our way. We often wonder about our creativity. Why can’t I be like her? What does he have that I don’t have? Am I talented? Am I gifted? Yeah, but in what way? Most of us see our faults quite clearly, and miss or underestimate our talents.
Creativity assessments label creativity. Some by degree – from very creative to not so much – and some by style – splitting the world into thinking styles. And those labels are intended to help people see their creative ability, understand their own creative contribution and value where they are unique and strong.
But wait, wait… Labels are b-a-a-a-a-ad, right? Weren’t many of us labeled when growing up? Not as “creative” but as “disruptive” or “daydreamer” or “disorganized” or “lazy.” And those labels definitely got us down. Many labels have a chilling effect on creativity. I don’t disagree. And yet part of our creative angst is that yearning for a label, a name for how we do/what we do. Stealing from Betty Friedan, we’d like an end to “the problem that has no name.”
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Naming is the first step toward understanding and resolving some of our creative issues. Decoding Creativity offers two of the great creativity assessments as part of the Creative Selfie. Both offer the taker great insight into how their own creativity works.
- Foursight – assesses creative thinking styles and process strengths
- Figural Test – assesses creative fluency, originality, elaboration, openness (from TTCT)
I’m an author. A creativity coach. A mother. An ideator. An optimist. Labels are what you make them. I’m not the kind of person who labels things, Even in a file cabinet, I’m a haphazard labeler, at best. But when you can label and define your own creativity, you really have something.
- You have clarity. You can begin to see clearly where you have energy for the creative process, and where you don’t. You can strengthen your abilities or seek/invite in help.
- You have less conflict. You can officially stop beating yourself up for things you’ve always hated to do. It’s not (just) because you’re lazy. <smile>
- You are more productive and powerful. You stay in your genius work, happy as a clam. Your things get done. Your satisfaction soars.
- You’re more talented. Period. It was Edison who said “Creativity is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.” When you’ve labeled your creative process and your own style within it, you know where you belong, where your gift is, where your “99% perspiration” is a worthwhile, investment.