I personally believe creativity is not really about painting a picture or playing an instrument or writing a song. Those are all creative endeavors, but creativity isn’t necessarily art.
Instead, I believe creativity is about looking for a third option when it appears there are only two. In fact, I’m getting a chance to present this concept at a conference in Detroit in September.
But how does this creative thought help you in your life? I think of marriage. Imagine a guy is having trouble with his marriage, feeling like things just aren’t working with his wife. What are his obvious options?
- Hope his wife changes.
- Divorce his wife.
Neither of those are good options. His wife probably won’t change. And divorce is devastating. Unfortunately, these are the only two options most people can see when things aren’t working out.
But the cool thing about creative thought is to see the hope in the situation. Maybe there’s a third option out there. And that third option is this:
- He changes.
That’s not only a creative option, it’s the right option. But it’s only through getting past the obvious decisions that you come up with the creative decision and often the best one.
The third option usually requires a bit more work, but it is always worth the extra effort.
So this is my encouragement for you today: Look for the third option in the conflicts in your life. I guarantee, once you push back the obvious first few options, you’ll make a great choice.
