Shed & Shine â Riff Episode: Do You Know You Are Creative?
00:00:00 - 00:00:11
Gino Wickman
Hello and welcome back. This episode I call "Do You Know You Are Creative?" Oh, I'm so excited about this one.
00:00:12 - 00:01:26
Gino Wickman
So, I have a belief, it's a belief that I don't share too often, but I have a belief that we are here to serve three purposes that I call freedom, creativity, and impact. I really believe that's why we're here. And it came to me 20 years ago, and it's just kind of one of my guiding principles, if you will. And so, freedom means that we are here to free our True Selves, to remember who we are in our souls, and to fully be ourselves in the world. Creativity is the subject of this riff, which I'll come back to in just a second. And impact means that we are here to make an impact. I really believe that is why we are all here. We are here to elevate and evolve human consciousness, make an impact. Whether that's on one person in your life or a million people in your life, it doesn't matter. I think we're here to make an impact. And to call on a previous episode: we are here to be an upward force in the world, not a downward force.
00:01:27 - 00:02:18
Gino Wickman
So, with that said, with the stage set, we're going to talk about creativity and what that means. And it is the reason I chose the words to describe this episode: "Do you know you are creative?" Because you are. We all are. So I believe the focus, the audience for this podcast, are driven people. And I believe all driven people are creative. And it's just that we, for-profit people, it's strange to think of us as creatives. It's strange to think of it as artists, for lack of a better term. And so we're going to start to hopefully make my point and convince you that you are creative and create clarity for what you are here to create.
00:02:18 - 00:02:46
Gino Wickman
I'm going to read a poem that I wrote to you. This is the third time I've now read one of my poems. I wrote this poem about a year ago, and it says it all. So bear with me as I share this. And this is also the longest poem I've ever written, but it's not too bad. So hang in there with me and just kind of sit back, hear this, feel this, and let me know if you can relate. Here goes.
00:02:47 - 00:04:56
Gino Wickman
"When most of the world hears the word 'creative,' the default thinking is what artists, writers, and actors are made of. Please suspend disbelief as I add one more to the list. You forgot about the entrepreneur. Please humor me with this. They build something from nothing and create value from thin air. They burn the candle at both ends, never rest. It's so rare. They solve some of the biggest problems that most ignore. When they are at their best, everyone wins. We all get more. If you are an entrepreneur and don't see yourself as creative, you are underestimating your potential and what you are made of. You don't think like most. You see what most can't see. You're capable of creating tremendous value in the world. You must set it free. You've only scratched the surface on why you are here. It's time to embrace your gifts and abolish the fear. You must get out of the fray and rise above so you can be a true visionary and solve problems from love. By applying love to your gift for creating value in the world, you will rise to another level and lift us all unfurled. So go get to work, and with this clarity, make a huge impact. This is why you are here. Just please keep your ego intact. You were born with the soul of a visionary, driven entrepreneur. If no one will say it, I will. I'm grateful for you. So let down your guard, open up your heart, and you'll see the massive impact on the world you'll have because you set your creativity free. Even though it might sound and feel quite native, like it or not, accept it. You are a creative."
00:04:57 - 00:05:14
Gino Wickman
There it is. So I have two questions for you now. What do you create? You've already created something, so think back, or think about right now. What do you create? And then question number two is, what do you want to create?
00:05:15 - 00:05:51
Gino Wickman
And so in business, you might run a department, and creativity is creating the most amazing, productive, impactful department of people that all row in the same direction. It might be a company that you're going to create. It might be a product, a service, a better way of doing something, a spreadsheet, an app. It might be a speech that you need to write. So these are all for-profit ways that we create that typically don't get a lot of credit, but it is a blessing that we get paid to do what we do.
00:05:51 - 00:06:22
Gino Wickman
There's also a lot of non-profit things. It might be simply a better situation out there in the world. It might be a better community that you want to build. It might be a piece of art that you want to create, a garden, a book you want to write, even a playlist, a collection of 20 songs that pull you out of the doldrums, lift you up, or do something else for you in your life. It's all creativity. You get to choose.
00:06:22 - 00:06:51
Gino Wickman
Now, on this subject of creativity, there is an amazing book out there, and I referenced it a few months back because it was life-changing when I read it six months ago. It's called The Creative Act by Rick Rubin. It's been out for a while, and I finally got a chance to read it. Rick Rubin is the music producer, and this book is truly a masterpiece. And what it defines is the creative act, the exact process for creativity. And so I urge you to read it.
00:06:52 - 00:07:45
Gino Wickman
And as I read it, it defined the exact way that I created EOS, one of my creations. But it defined the way I created everything, all the books that I've written, the companies that I started, the programs I've created. It is incredible how it is a true science. And as I wrote this most recent book, it's called The Synchronicity Pocket. It comes out next year. Just sent it off to the publisher. From the book, I grabbed about eight or nine guiding principles. And I would read these eight or nine guiding principles about every month during the one-and-a-half-year process of writing this book, and it just kept me in the most creative state and just kind of let it fly and flow. And it was just so, so, so enjoyable. So it defines the process is my point there.
00:07:46 - 00:08:22
Gino Wickman
With that, within the process, you've heard us talk about downloads. And so one of the many Disciplines we've taught you, one of them is stillness. And in stillness, you will receive downloads, creative downloads that are insights, winks from the universe that help you create whatever it is that you're trying to create. It opens you up to receive these downloads. And so the process starts with you deciding what you want to create. And then from there, if you open yourself up to receive, you will receive these downloads.
00:08:22 - 00:08:56
Gino Wickman
And so what it reminded me of is there's the new Michael Jackson movie that just came out. It is so, so well done. But there's a scene in the movie where Michael Jackson is hanging out in the pool with his brothers, and he's floating in this raft, staring into space. And his brother asks, "Hey, Michael, what are you doing?" And Michael says, "I'm channeling. If I'm not here to receive the idea, God might give it to Prince," who was one of his competitors in the industry. And then he goes on to say, "I'm not going to let that happen."
00:08:56 - 00:09:27
Gino Wickman
So it makes the point. And obviously, Michael Jackson is one of the most creative people that have ever walked the planet. But now I bring you back to the book, The Creative Act from Rick Rubin. Because Rick Rubin says in the book, "Ideas need a clear vessel, and your most important instrument is you. You are the vessel to receive these downloads to help you create whatever it is you want to create in the world. Because, if I haven't mentioned it yet, you're creative."
00:09:28 - 00:09:57
Gino Wickman
And then going back to the Michael Jackson story, he was worried that his competitor Prince would get the download. The same thing goes for all of us. We are all here to create. There are lots of downloads coming, and some of us open ourselves up to receive them, and some don't. And the ones that don't, sadly, miss the opportunity. And then ironically, I now bring you back to my new book called The Synchronicity Pocket, which is all about teaching you how to create that opening to receive the downloads when they come.
00:09:58 - 00:10:50
Gino Wickman
So I'll now add another logical business principle that helps create creativity. And so there's a great quote in business called "We must systemize the predictable so that we can humanize the exceptional." It's from the founder of Four Seasons. And the point in that is, in business and everything in life, by the way, but in business, when we look at all the repetition in business, our job is to systemize that, capture those processes so that everyone can logically follow the process. And when you do that, you create a routine that creates an opening to free up human creativity to deal with exceptions. Systemize the predictable so you can humanize the exceptional.
00:10:51 - 00:11:22
Gino Wickman
One of the things you do every day is take a shower. I hope. But that's where I get some of my best ideas because I'm going through that same routine every morning, very logical. And in that place, there's an opening that's created, and that's where I get some of my best ideas. Sometimes in my sessions, I get these incredible downloads. Sometimes driving in a car. And so the idea is to free up, create an opening for your creativity to kick in.
00:11:23 - 00:11:46
Gino Wickman
So with all of that said, all I ask is that you consider it. Try it. What do you want to create? What have you always wanted to create? What is one thing you can start the process on right now? Give it some thought. Write something down now. Hit pause if you have to.
00:11:46 - 00:12:10
Gino Wickman
And then I urge you to put a stake in the ground. I'm going to create this thing by this date. Putting a stake in the ground is not always necessary, but for me, it's very profound. Because when I put that stake in the ground, and so let's pretend I'm going to write a book in a year and a half, or I have to solve a major problem by tomorrow at noon. When I put a stake in the ground, it opens me up, and the answers appear. The answers come.
00:12:11 - 00:12:37
Gino Wickman
So think about what you want to create, put a stake in the ground, and then open yourself up and let it in and just simply see what comes. And I urge you to do it for the joy, the passion, and the pure love of doing it, and for no other reason. And let the outcome be what the outcome is. And so with that, I wish you happy creating.
00:12:38 - 00:12:51
Gino Wickman
Thank you for listening in today. We truly appreciate you taking the time to spend with us. And please tune in for the next episode. Until then, we wish you all the best in freeing your True Self. Stay focused and much love.
