I find that creativity shows up almost every day in my life. Whether it’s navigating traffic in Los Angeles, cooking dinner, organizing my schedule for the day, facilitating a problem solving session, building a character idea for an opera, or thinking about how to approach my performance career. Creativity is defined as “the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.” Transcending implies that by letting go of the old you can find the new. For me the creative process is deeply rooted in tenacity.
Tenacity is the courage to stay committed to your vision in the face of obstacles. Tenacity is never seeing a problem that is too big to solve. Tenacity is not seeing problems as failures. Tenacity is using failures to help you learn and grow. Tenacity is being present for what is happening and seeing things as they are, not as you wish them to be. Tenacity is the ability to look for new ways to express yourself and your creativity. Tenacity is knowing that you are enough and trusting your own instincts to guide you rather than relying on the opinions of others. Tenacity is knowing that nothing outside of you can keep you from what you want. Tenacity is believing that you are worthy of what you want.
To me, creativity is that place where imagination and tenacity meet. It’s not enough to have a great idea, or to come up with a concept that excites you. You have to have the tenacity to see your ideas become reality. Sometimes the road is bumpy and sometimes the road is smooth and serene. The important thing is not how easy or hard the task at hand is. The important thing is that you feel like you are doing the things you were put on this earth to do. Creativity is the medium that allows you to transcend all the noise, all the pain, and your old habits. Creativity is the ultimate expression of your unique mark on this world. Creativity is infinite, it is limitless. Just like you.
