Growing Your Creative Potential
A 4 Minute Read
Welcome to the ninth principle in our summer series on creative thinking: “If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room.” This wisdom, attributed to both Jeff Watson and Confucius, serves as a powerful reminder that growth and learning come from being challenged, not from being the best.
I’m paraphrasing here, but Matthew Turner put it another way:
“The smartest person in the room is the only one who is incapable of learning.”
So, how can we make sure our creative journey is one of constant growth, curiosity, and challenge? After all, creativity, by definition, is “the ability to make or bring into existence something new…whether a new solution, method, device, or artistic form.”
Why Being the Smartest Person Isn’t Always a Good Thing
Let’s face it: it feels good to be the best. It’s comfortable to be the person who knows all the answers. But comfort doesn’t encourage growth; it encourages stagnation. If you’re already the most knowledgeable or skilled person in your circle, where’s the motivation to improve? How do you push beyond your boundaries when everyone around you is following your lead?
The reality is, staying the “smartest” limits your potential. Creativity thrives on fresh perspectives, challenging ideas, and pushing beyond what you already know. If you’re not being challenged, your creative growth is likely stunted.
My Experience: Learning as a Core Value
Learning is one of my top strengths, and it’s a value I hold dear. I love being around people who know things I don’t, who push me to think differently, and who inspire me to explore new creative avenues. Even if learning isn’t one of your natural strengths, surrounding yourself with people who challenge you can be transformative.
I often align myself with individuals and groups who are doing what I want to do or have achieved what I want to achieve. It’s not about competition; it’s about inspiration. Seeing others succeed in areas I’m passionate about expands my thinking and pushes me to action. It gives me hope. It helps me see what’s possible and encourages me to reach for more.
How This Applies to Your Creative Practice
Whether you’re a painter, a pattern designer, a mixed media artist, or a writer, creativity doesn’t flourish in a vacuum. It grows when exposed to new ideas, practices, and viewpoints. For example, if you’re a painter who only surrounds yourself with other painters who work in the same style and at the same level as you, your growth might plateau. But if you venture into spaces with sculptors, textile artists, or digital designers, you start to see how different mediums and approaches can inspire new techniques or ideas in your own work.
Similarly, if you’re into sewing and pattern design, being around other designers who like different style choices or who explore fashion history could spark fresh ideas and ways of thinking about your own designs. The key is to step out of your comfort zone and be open to learning from those who bring something new (and something better) to the table.
The Importance of Challenging Your Creative Boundaries
Creative thinking is about challenging our perceptions, concepts, and boundaries. To do that, we need to surround ourselves with people who can offer different viewpoints and challenge our own in a positive, constructive way. Think back to Principle #2, where we talked about challenging what you think you know, and Principle #6, the Both-And Principle, which encourages considering multiple perspectives.
By putting ourselves in environments where we aren’t the “smartest” or the most skilled, we open ourselves up to growth. It’s about finding people who lift you up, inspire you, and hold you accountable. Being around those who push you to think differently forces you to stretch your creative muscles in new ways.
Practical Steps to Find Your “Right Room”
Ready to find the “right room” for your creative growth? Here’s an exercise to help you:
- Evaluate Your Current Environment: Make a list of the places (both virtual and physical) where you spend most of your time. Rate the level of challenge and inspiration you feel in each space on a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being low and 5 being high.
- Identify Areas for Growth: Look at the spaces where the challenge level is low. These are likely the places where you are the “smartest” person. Think about how you could change this. Where could you go that would expose you to new ideas, techniques, or skills?
- Seek Out New Groups and Opportunities: Consider joining a new creative group, taking a class outside of your usual genre, or attending workshops that push you beyond your current expertise. It could be as simple as joining a new Facebook group or attending a local artist meet-up.
- Network with Those Who Inspire You: Who do you admire in your field or related fields? Reach out to them, attend their workshops, explore their work, read their website, or engage with their content. Filling your circle with those who have already achieved what you want can be incredibly motivating.
- Stay Curious and Open-Minded: Remember, the goal isn’t to be the best but to learn and grow. Stay curious about how others have manifested a fulfilling creative life, and let that curiosity guide you to new opportunities.
Embrace the Challenge
This principle isn’t about diminishing your accomplishments; it’s about understanding that growth comes from challenge. To keep expanding your creative potential, make a habit of seeking out new people, places, and experiences that push you to think differently and grow.
Remember, The Creative Space and The Pattern Studio here at VLS are here to support you in finding your “right room” and growing creatively. Keep challenging yourself, stay curious, and embrace the journey of continuous learning.
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