4 reasons kids are better at creating than most grown-ups…
If you’re like me, then you long to be creative. You want to do creative work, but you feel scared and stuck.
For some of us, creating is a hobby, and others a profession. The end goal doesn’t matter; what matters is that you want to create, but something is holding you back.
I’ve found a few creative breakthroughs when considering four reasons why kids are great at creating. Maybe these will help you too.
Kids aren’t afraid of being bad
I don’t know why we grown-ups feel the need to be good at everything, but we do. A willingness to be bad at something (at least at first) is a willingness to learn.
And for that matter, kids don’t think of themselves as “good” or “bad” when it comes to creating. They simply show up and give what they have to give. And they learn as they try stuff.
Kids aren’t trying to self-actualize
Creative work is inherently self-expression. You can’t create something without expressing something about yourself.
Kids enjoy expressing themselves. It’s a chance to make their own choices. A chance to say, “you know what, I like the color green, and I’m gonna use it.”
But you know what kids don’t do? They don’t hang their identity on their creative projects. Their self-worth and potential aren’t wrapped up in today’s coloring pages. Tomorrow they will simply make something new and likely forget what they made today.
We grown-ups have this annoying tendency to think that one piece of creative work will define us.
Yuck. That’s a lot of pressure we put on ourselves and our creative projects. I’m trying to stop doing that and simply work on what’s in front of me today.
Kids are usually making gifts
When my kids share their creative works with me, they say nine times out of ten, “Daddy, I made something for you.”
What a powerfully freeing way to think about sharing creative work.
You know what’s scary? Trying to be impressive is scary. Sharing our work and hoping people will think we’re awesome is terrifying. Oh, and it’s empty. Being impressive doesn’t create a connection, and connection is what we really desire.
I’ve found that when I’m making gifts for people, it’s fun to share what I’ve made.
When creating, kids are playing
Kids make stuff because they want to make stuff. Success for them is the joy of doing the work.
Being creative is “worth it” to kids simply because they like doing it. There isn’t a need for this thing to make financial sense.
I’m a grown-up with scary bills and a need to provide for others. So, I’m a big believer in being smart, wise, and savvy. And I’m made my full-time living doing creative work - so I’m not saying creativity should stay in the realm of hobby.
But I’ve had a few big breakthroughs in my creativity when I stopped worrying about what made the most “sense” and, instead, played with the creative work that seemed interesting to me at the time.
For these lessons from kids to help us level up our creativity, we have to ask ourselves some questions.
Am I willing to suck at something? (At least at first)
Can I do today’s work and then move on to tomorrow’s work, no matter what happens?
How can I turn what I’m making into a gift for someone?
What would make this creative work more fun?
One of these questions will likely help you get mentally unstuck so you can move forward in the creative work you long to do.
