11 Qualities of Highly Creative People

As a child, the creative fields like drawing, painting, DIY crafts used to attract me, and I was fairly good in all of them.

I grew up in the 90s and it was pre-internet era, and there was not much around to look for guidance.

But I used to experiment a lot with the limited resources that my pocket money could allow.

Every time, I started a creative project, very soon I would be too engrossed in it……..so much so that I would lose track of time and any sort of external distractions would fail to hinder my activity.

This heightened state of effortless concentration is known as the “flow state” or when you are “in the zone.”

Things changed, as I grew up.

Social judgements and worldly expectations, forced the artist in me to take a backseat. The mundane noises suppressed the inner creative impulses.

Now I’ve re-started my journey of self-exploration and discovery, and have vowed to live a richer and more colorful life.

Coming back to the topic of this article, let me share with you the “Traits of Highly Creative People”

1. They get lost in their work

The ability to enjoy what they are good at, getting lost in their work and going with the flow helps them to create at their highest level. The “state of flow” becomes an active form of meditation.

2. They follow routines that work for them

“Early to Bed, Early to Rise

Makes you healthy, wealthy & wise

Vaise baat to sahi hai,

Lekin, Kya Karen jab……..

Inspiration strikes at midnight.

As the world becomes quiet,

There is no-one, no-where to bother,

Slowly, the external noise decreases,

And you can listen to your inner chatter.

Miraculously, productivity rises,

And concentration peaks,

Tasks get done quickly,

And all struggles appear to cease.

So, my dear friend……..

If you’ve fallen in love with the silence and calm of night,

Don’t worry, you’re not alone,

Welcome to the Creative Club,

You’ll find many here, similar to your own.”

Above are a few lines I’ve written in respect to the erratic work schedules followed by creative individuals…….they do their work either late at night or early in the morning. The silence and solitude of these odd hours help them to concentrate better on their works. They like to work in the hours when their minds start warming up, and plan out their days accordingly.

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3. Self-Expression is important to them 

Creative individuals don’t shy away from expressing themselves. They have a strong desire to express their uniqueness through their creative works. They often have issues with useless rules that stop them to express themselves freely

4. They Daydream

Day Dreaming is not a mindless activity. It helps the mind to meander around and come up with creative solutions to difficult problems. Many creative individuals enjoy this state where one is allowed to let go of the present and imagination is allowed to reign free.

5. They are observant

When they are not daydreaming, these creative individuals are observing the world around them, soaking in the finer details. They draw inspiration for their works, from people and situations around them. To the world, these individuals may seem withdrawn, but creative people are hyper aware of their surroundings and are curious observers.

6. They follow their passions

They create what comes from within and express themselves without any fear of judgement or social standards. Their objects of creation is a result of undying passion for their work, they rarely create for perks, recognition or social media clicks. All these things automatically become the by-products of their work. Their content goes viral as it connects with the audience at a deeper level.

7. They need personal space

Artistic and creative people are often seen as loners, but this is because they need solitude to dwell on their ideas. They need personal space to think and create their best works. It is difficult to express your inner creativity in the rush of everyday life.

8. They are open to new experiences

Creative individuals are open to learnings and are not afraid to fail. They like to experiment, take risks, fail and learn from their mistakes.

9. They don’t work through one single medium

Oftentimes, you may find that a graphic designer is good in mural painting, and has an exemplary taste in interior décor also. This is because their overactive minds need multiple outlets to express themselves creatively.

10. They know their good and not so good works

It is seen that creative individuals have high expectations from themselves and are often perfectionists. They judge their work, at times too harshly. And when they don’t find it up to the mark, they get frustrated and sad.

11. They are curious

They are constantly trying to find a higher meaning and purpose in life. They are not afraid to ask questions, that too the right kind of questions.

While there are no “fixed” creative characteristics, the above traits are most commonly found in highly creative people.

At the same time, one should remember that creativity works in the most paradoxical and mysterious ways, oftentimes inspiration striking at the most odd hours and ideas fail to come to us, when we need them the most.