Our ignorance often accelerates us. So much of what we know of motion propelled by what we don’t know about impact.” ~ Michael Schmeltzer

Do you ever start a project full of passion and creative vision only to find that when you try to flesh it out, you are brought to the realization of how much you don’t know about the subject? There is nothing like the rush of inspiration. It’s an addictive drug all on its own. But, the actualities of all that is required to bring the vision to life sometimes cause us to crash hard as our thoughts filter back into reality.

Continuing our study of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s list of 10 qualities that creative people have in common, we come to:

2. Creative people tend to be smart, yet naive at the same time.

Let me say to you Creative one, this quality is a gift. More systematic thinkers will undoubtedly dampen my opinion, but if we didn’t have this eternal optimism that our ideas could be brought to life, we would never attempt to make them happen. Call it what you want – idealism, optimism, naivety, faith – but when venturing out into new territory, let it have its proper place.

I am highly idealistic. I tend to see what should be, or what could be, and I live as though it is. I am married to a logical, rational, systematic man. Let me just say, we approach life from completely different angles. If I am being honest, most of the time, we are not even on the same playing field. However, my “just the facts ma’am” husband said something to me several years ago that made a great impact on our relationship. It showed me that he understood the processes that I go through when truly inspired and that he valued them. His words were, “I know when God is working through you because you become very passionate and intense. You are “all there.” Most of the time when you get like that, it brings about good things.” Then he said, “I wait for that process to be over and then I talk to you about details.” Can I just say, that’s a wise man. Why? Because if I have to start with details, I feel defeated already.

However, if I can dream it, and see all the possibilities, it gets into my soul. Once it is in my soul, I can’t let it go. It’s already alive and real in ways that just need to be brought out into the open. At that point, the details are part of the creative process that drive the idea into existence. They are necessary stages of a formation process that can’t be ignored. It seems like the loving, caring thing to do in order for the idea to have its best chance at fulfilling its desired purpose. Have I had a few “crash and burns” along the way? – absolutely! Have I learned to allow the more systematic voices to have their say in my ventures? – yes! But I also embrace the gift of idealism at the onset of the creative process. Without it, it is difficult to see that we can truly make a difference in this world, and if we lose that, we lose hope.

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” Proverbs 13:12