Creativity or Passivity?

Your success depends on how creative you are. The more creative you are, the more you will have what you want. If you are creative in your business, you will have more wealth. If you are creative in your marriage, you will have a more satisfying marriage. If you are creative in your health, you will probably feel better and live a healthier, longer life.
Creativity is about choice, while passivity is about reactivi­ty. Creative people make things happen, while passive individ­uals tend to wait for things to happen. Creativity is about shin­ing your own light onto others like the sun. Passivity is about having to reflect from the light of others like the moon, and without their light (or acceptance, agreement, obedience, etc.), there is only darkness.

Creative individuals are willing to stretch outside their comfort zone to experience something new and strive to turn a negative or neutral situation or circumstance into something positive. Passive people, on the other hand, will often allow what was once positive deteriorate into something negative.

Interpersonal creativity

In terms of interpersonal creativity, ask the question: Am I going to be controlled by the negativity of others or am I going to affect others in creative and positive ways? Interpersonal creativi­ty requires behavioral stretching. Business leaders who are poor listeners have to practice developing the listening skills necessary to their success. Managers who are quick to react may need to learn how to creatively slow down their reactions and attempt to focus more on being kind than strive to instantly get their way. Marital partners who are disconnected need to develop the courage to be closer even when in the throes of emotion.
This kind of creativity begins with “baby steps.” Experiment with new ways of thinking, behaving and feeling – creativity is about being or doing something original. See what happens when you think, act or imagine in ways that you (and others) might not have expected. Take chances. See the best in yourself and oth­ers. Make your positive energy more important than any outcome and watch what happens.

Todd Creager is the owner and director of the Todd Creager Center for Successful Relationships. His business is based on the principle that all success, both at work and at home, has to do with relationships and that the way to have a rewarding and sat­isfying life is to bring out the best in others as you find the best in yourself. He can be reached at todd@toddcreager.com or visit www.toddcreager.com