There have been many times when I have mentioned that people with Attention Deficit Disorder have bright, creative minds. It occured to me the other day that many of you might not fully appreciate the importance of creativity.
I believe that artistic expression is important for everyone, whether that art is expressed as a painting, a cake, or the perfect fast ball. The academic side of us that reads, writes, and computes mathematical equations helps us communicate with others and generally get through life.
Our artistic side is something we do for ourself. It gives us a personal form of expression, a voice, and it can bring us joy and contentment.
Artistic expression does more than just that, however; it also lets our mind go places it might not have been able to otherwise. When you’re painting a picture, digging in the garden, or working on your car (assuming these are things you enjoy), a different part of your brain takes over.
Your logical left side isn’t so much in demand, and your right side – the more creative side – comes out to play. In addition to giving your left brain a rest, you’re also allowing it some free time of it’s own; time to work out a problem that’s been bothering you, or come up with an amazing new idea.
There have been many highly accomplished people who have said that their best ideas often came to them in the shower, or while they were shaving. Now you know why.
Another benefit of creativity is that creative minds can make connections that the logical part of your mind either might not see, or would reject as illogical. Which side of the Wright brothers brains do you think was working when they were dreaming about a flying machine?
Creativity has a place in your child’s school life, just as art and music should be a part of every school’s curriculum. Make regular time for it in your child’s life, and yours, too.
In the business world, creativity = innovation. Business Week last month had a article discussing how companies with formal innovation processes or reward programs had fewer innovations or patents than companies that did not. Of course, the article is probably biased towards larger companies that have thousands of complacent, risk-averse employees and the resources to build a corporate innovation program. Smaller companies, trying to differentiate, may have a better hand at innovation.
I do see similar parallels between schools and businesses as far as creativity/innovation is concerned.
John
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