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 A conversation I had with a one of  my closest friends last evening set me thinking.

Most of us, as adults today, have corporate jobs, or are doctors or accountants or lawyers or home makers or other such things. On the face of it, we all fit into Society's concept of  'successful adults'. By 'successful' I mean, 'well adjusted' or in other words, 'boxed-in'.

Why is it that we have very few creative thinkers? How many of us can claim to have done something original? By creative, I don't just mean creating a work of Art .(Not everybody has an inclination or an aptitude but my firm belief is that every single person can be taught  Art if they have a willingness to learn, even if you cannot draw a straight line. But more on that perhaps in a later post.)

By creativity I mean originality of thinking. I quote the following  from this  site

What is creativity?

Creativity is the bringing into being of something which did not exist before, either as a product, a process or a thought.

You would be demonstrating creativity if you:
  • Invent something which has never existed before
  • Invent something which exists elsewhere but you are not aware of
  • Invent a new process for doing something
  • Reapply an existing process or product into a new or different market
  • Develop a new way of looking at something (bringing a new idea into existence)
  • Change the way someone else looks at something

Creativity is the very essence of being. Yet most educational systems kill creativity.I agree completely with Sir Ken Robinson. (In case you have not heard of him, this talk by him is truly worth watching. It will take approximately 20 minutes)

As adults, many of us seem to lead 'dead lives'. We study hard, get great grades (or aspire to), get a job (which we sometimes crib about) , earn well, get married (sometimes to the completely wrong person), have kids, provide for the kids, happy when the kids grow up (and we pat ourselves on the back if they have managed to get a coveted degree--MIT, Yale.Havard, (on the presumption that education matters to most parents)), we grow old, we die.


But my question is have we really lived?

Where is the passion in your life? If you were to die tomorrow would you be satisfied? (If you have answered yes read no more, this post is not for you. If you are happy and content exactly the way you are living, good for you! Read no further :))

Would you be content having led the life you have led?

What are you doing with your life?

I truly believe that it is creativity and passion which can make all the difference between existing and truly living. An excellent book which I just finished reading is "I will not die an unlived life" by Dawna Markova. 

It is definitely  not a book for light reading and I do not think very young people (By very young I mean those below 25-26) or people who are just starting out their lives  (new mothers, ones who are just getting married or those who have just got their first job)  might appreciate it at this stage in their life. (But then again I may be wrong.)


Be Creative. (yes you definitely can if you open your mind to new possibilities, new opportunities and think beyond what is. It really is not too late ,no matter how old you are)

Find your passion.

LIVE.
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 Addendum:
This post seems to have ruffled a lot of feathers, judging by the comments I have got. :-) (Apologies if you were offended) .

Obviously what I have said had disturbed a lot of people, made them uncomfortable, made them think.I have enabled comment moderation for this post simply because of the large number of  'comments from disturbed people' I have received :-)

Most people who wrote the above comments do not even seemed to have watched the video I talked about or even seem t have bothered to find out what the book is about (unless you read how will you know?) and have dismissed it as 'modern bull sh***' without even considering there can exist an alternate view point or a different way of life.

Since I spend time in individually  replying to comments, I felt it was best I answer the 'disturbed souls' here rather than saying the same thing over and over to individual comments.If you are happy leading the lives you are leading who am I to ask you to change or who am I to question?! If you are happy so be it! Good for you!

If my saying the life is 'boxed-in' offended you , go ahead and label the creative souls as 'crazy' :-) I don't mind :-)

Dawna Markova does not ever say that you have to do 'something great' to be 'creative'. Her book is so magnificently written, so inspiring and very humbling.Her writing is sheer poetry. Unless you read you will not even know what I am talking about.

But thank you for taking the time to write the comment,. Hope I have answered what you have said and apologies if I have not published your comment.

Comments

  1. very inspiring.. co-indecently have been thinking upon similar lines for past couple of weeks and been practising it.

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  2. It's wrong to assume or think that "boxed-in" people or those with routine jobs are not creative at whatever they do. Maybe they find a new way at their work, which eases processes. It doesn't always have to be something grand or big.

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  3. Inspiring post.
    I feel the most difficult thing is finding your passion. It might seem so obvious after finding it but when you don't know, you keep thinking what is it that you would love to do and enjoy doing it !

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  4. Inspiring post.
    I feel the most difficult thing is finding your passion. It might seem so obvious after finding it but when you don't know, you keep thinking what is it that you would love to do and enjoy doing it !

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  5. Encouraging..most of us think on these lines and leave the world...but how creative are we?very few get that opportunity or make effort to lead their life in a challenging way!!
    I personally believe in living life at its best ...but it needs xtra effort and guts too!!
    :)

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  6. Thought provoking post! Many of us seem to lead 'dead lives'. How true! We rather live or do something that is planned, rather than breaking the boundaries and going beyond. It becomes a routine and there is no passion and joy attach to it. (speaking for myself) I think to some of us, the word creativity just don't seem to apply, we rather lead 'dead lives', probably because some of us are tied down with responsibilities especially to our parents. I feel that a child's destiny is crafted from the very day he/she is born ( e.g your parents would have planned what would become of you-a doctor, engineer, etc) and you grow up in the same line, but somewhere down the journey you develop your own interests and you develop passion for something, that sometimes is difficult for you to pursue due to the gratitude you have for them. Anyway, loved this post, lot to think about=)There is this book by Jim Donovan 'Life is not a dress rehearsal' which talks on something similiar, wanted to share with you if you are interested. Have a blessed day ahead.Tc.

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  7. the talk by Sir Ken Robinson is so nice .. very inspiring blog ..this post has made my day .

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  8. Each of us expresees our creativity in the choices we make on a daily basis. To live "to find your passion" is a modern contrived concept which, in my opinion stunts our inherent creativity.

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  9. hi preeti di... its been a long time n i jumped exactly to this post - an invigouratin one if i may say...

    "If you were to die tomorrow would you be satisfied?"

    nope - i surely wdnt be satisfied - though i wouldnt mind dying... its not the fear of death but it surely is a great feel when we do create something b4 that hey na... am waiting for my day :)

    but i have a doubt when you said - "By very young I mean those below 25-26)"

    well, i dont know the contents of hte book but from the look of it n from what you have said - it should be of a lot more use to the ones in take off stage (as well) hey na... cos man i really need one - but guess this one post of urs wil carry me thru the day... ;)

    Heres to Creativity` :)

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  10. Hi Preeti,
    A very thought full post, i guess most of them who read this post would be spending next couple of minute and few would spend a lot more time in asking the question again and again
    What am i... and Why am i...

    I guess the blame would mostly go to Globalization, as many say it has made our life easy at time its other way round... we have become so depended on applience, most of our creativity has taken back seat.

    Have a nice weekend
    Cheers

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  11. Truly inspiring post.

    The first few years in a "top" GOVERNMENT medical college were probably the most depressing years of my (short\young :P) life. Everyone who was a senior to me was treading a robotic, lifeless, already paved out path. Then I decided to look beyond college to a world outside, found out time for myself, started a blog and cultivated interests.

    I had always thought becoming a doctor would automatically be a challenging process since cracking the entrances was one! It took me two years to figure you need to work at being on the edge if you like challenge and now things are looking up :)

    Great video! Will make Dad read the book and then pick it up myself :P

    Very Nice post Preeti :) (I still haven't figured out what to call you: didi? ma'am? :P I guess the name works!). The definition of creativity should be on the front desk of every corporate "box" person :)

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  12. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  13. Very thought provoking post....I can see why you would have received many disturbed comments - all I can say is they are shallow thinkers!

    I do consider myself creative....I fit into more than one bullets you have listed....and I would not regret much if I were to die tomorrow....however, having said that, this post is great coz we are not perfect and we can do so much more everyday....each one of us should keep learning and growing and help others grow.

    I read your blog coz you precisely help me do that :)

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  14. A simple post, but truly inspiring, and a sort of wake up call! Thanks for sharing. The video was great too! He had some lovely points, as how "we grow out of creativity, and not into it!"

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  15. Amazing poat! I and my brother often discuss the education system and how success can have different meanings to different individuals. The most creative person i know is my boss :)

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  16. Dear Preeti,

    Its OK to let the negative comments sail through as well. Moderating them out makes you seem defensive which I don't think your objective is.

    As for creativity and passion - we perhaps overestimate it at times though they definitely add a zing to life.

    Recently read - Jaya - by Devdutt Patnaik and I think it finally gave me a small window into what Mahabharata has been trying to say all along but not managing to get through my thick skull :)

    Read it if you can lay your hands on it.

    Cheers,

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  17. hi preeti di!!! gues what??

    .
    .
    .

    well - no idea hanh?! :/

    1stly i dono if u remember me but i told u waaaaay back - long long ago that i will surely buy your book 4m landmark if i ever go via that route... n that came true today - yay!!! rt now its jus 2 feet away 4m my desk - now thts excitin... wil get back soon... byeee`

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  18. Ruffled someone's feathers? I don't see what's offensive in this post.. IT's true that sometimes we get limited to what we have been lead to the perception of living.. I mean there are people who are not as rich, not as famous and not without as great a girl as the other but are still happy and content. There are people whom I know who can't draw, or write or sing but they are AWESOME at their jobs, who took up problems at their work and got around to to a completely new POV nd kicked in the groin.. Creativity is not limited to anything specific

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  19. Anonymous9:03 AM

    Hi preethi
    There is creativity in designing a bridge to q cooking shortcut mom came up, to save time. There is creativity in every kind of job, as man by nature is a creative animal. Not one day is same as the other and man is continually asked to be creative about juggling his time and priorities. It just not artists or composers or choreographers who enjoy creativity. It is everywhere.

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  20. one of friends said the other day when we were chatting: "you are creative na so u r always upto something" ... i never considered myself very creative coz i know my limitations but most of my friends say tht n after reading the article i feel mayb i am one though not a genius...

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