Habits of a Creative Mind

Right-brained people are often seen as overly artistic, non-successful, and forever struggling as a “creative spirit.” But the truth is far from that. Everyone is meant to create, and the levels and kinds of creative minds vary — some of the best thinkers of all time have been right-brained, including Aristotle, Isaac Newton, and Leonardo Da Vinci.

Creativity is a beautiful thing and is characterized by many features that aren’t just an eye for art and what you love. What are the habits of the creative mind? What are the defining features of creative thinkers? What are the pros and cons of being a creative thinker?

Features of Creative Thinkers

1. The ability to look at things from a new perspective.

2. Originality.

3. Independence

4. Passionate.

5. The ability to take change in stride.

6. Goal oriented.

7. Community focused.

The Ups and Downs

Each of the habits of the creative mind has its pros and cons, and understanding the ups and downs of being a right-brained thinker is imperative to being successful as a creative thinker.

1. The ability to look at things from a new perspective

Pros: Right-brained thinkers are known for thinking outside of the box and having an affinity for stepping into other people’s shoes. Thinking creatively means taking things in stride, and sometimes challenging the norm in order to create something new.

Cons: Sometimes looking outside the box and from a new perspective can be damaging to your reputation, but not in the way you might think. A lot of jobs that are hiring these days ARE looking for creative thinkers, but many are not. Thinking outside the box sometimes means a rebellious nature among creative thinkers, which can lead to problems in a workplace which is looking for compliance and conformity.

2. Originality

Pros: Creative thinkers always bring new ideas to the table — as stated earlier, their ability to think outside the box and come up with sometimes unorthodox situations can create a fresh take on new ideas. Think on Isaac Newton, who challenged age-old ideas that were the pillars of the world, and by thinking about a new perspective, he discovered gravity and founded the three laws of motion, which are universally taught and respected to this day.

Cons: Not every idea is a good idea, and sometimes creative thinkers get carried away with their ideas. They can seem a little far-fetched or confusing to those who aren’t familiar with the inner-workings of a right-brained individual.

3. Independence

Pros: A creative mind is independent and able to work without the approval of the general population. Those who are creative minded rarely care about the opinions of others.

Cons: Sometimes, a creative mind may have difficulty listening to constructive criticism or the opinions of others. Although they can think from a different perspective, it’s possible that this perspective may be difficult to swallow if it seems directed at them. Those who think creatively can see any project they have created or tended to as a child of sorts, and they are very protective parents, at that.

4. Passionate

Pros: Creative minds do what they love, and they do it with fervor. Ad nauseam.

Cons: Sometimes right-brained people can be too passionate with what they love, and as we all know, love is blind. It can be difficult for creative thinkers to focus on something other than what they adore.

5. Taking change in stride

Pros: Right-brained thinkers take each day in stride, and this makes it incredibly easy for them to adapt to change. Changes in work, changes in life, everything. They’re ready for the chaotic storm that life brings, and they welcome it with open arms.

Con: Sometimes those who are creative are almost TOO comfortable in chaos. Organization is not the right-brained individual’s strong suit.

6. Goal oriented

Pros: Driven by their passion, creative thinkers are constantly looking to the future. They are thinking about what projects they would like to complete, how they should go about to complete them, and what that means in the long run. The finish line is the most important part of the journey, therefore they are incredibly focused on their goals.

Cons: Although creative thinkers are extraordinarily goal oriented, sometimes it’s difficult to not hop from task to task depending on where their passions lie. Focus may not be a creative thinker’s strong suit.

7. Community focused

Pros: Left-brained thinkers are not necessarily narcissistic, but many right brain thinkers have gone on to help the community and focus on the greater good. By having a natural empathy and care for others, creative minds tend to look at the bigger picture, and all whom it influences.

Cons: Right-brained thinkers can sometimes be TOO altruistic, leading to creative thinkers not focusing on self-care and themselves quite as much as they should. Putting others first is a virtue and a skill not many people have, but putting yourself first is equally as important.

What does this mean for the creative thinker?

1. Choose a job that is looking for new perspectives and someone who is willing to bend the rules a little to get a wonderful, if different, outcome. The people you surround yourself with, within the workplace and without, should love your affinity to challenge the norm, not despise it.

2. Creative thinkers need to understand that sometimes the way they present things may be confusing to those around them, and need to learn how to present their ideas in a concise, brief matter to help non-creative thinkers understand.

3. Learning to take criticism is an important part of growing, throughout your life and within your art form. When someone criticizes you, take it as a compliment. They care enough to help you work towards your goals.

4. Working to broaden your reach to new horizons is imperative as a creative thinker. Knowing that what you love is only a small piece of the puzzle, and using it to expand your horizons is important. Try new things, always.

5. Organization is a key skill that, although not many people have, is fantastic for keeping projects straight and focusing at the task at hand.

6. Learn how to take projects on, one at a time. Let yourself finish one project before moving onto the next, since multi-tasking, although sometimes helpful, can lead to unfinished work and multiple projects being worked on at the same time.

Understanding the habits of the creative mind

It’s imperative to know how your mind works, as a creative individual, and understand how to use the habits of a creative mind to your advantage, allowing you to be successful in the future and look for opportunities that will foster your learning as a creative individual. By knowing some of the most prevalent habits of a creative mind, you can recognize the ups and downs of being a right-brained individual. Remember, although some people may not understand the inner workings of a creative thinker, there are hundreds of like-minded individuals in the world who are ready to support you and help you on your creative path and encourage you to grow.