Courtesy Adobe Stock

What characteristics do creative people cultivate that others do not? In my own life as a writer, author, and musician, these five characteristics have served me well:

1. Curiosity. Creative people are often curious about the world around them and are constantly seeking new knowledge and experiences to fuel their imagination. They are not content with the status quo and are always looking for ways to explore.
2. Persistence. Creative people are willing to put in extra time and effort to bring their ideas to life. They take risks, try new things, and are not easily discouraged when achieving their goals.
3. Open-mindedness. Creative people tend to be open-minded, independent thinkers and willing to consider new perspectives and ideas. They are not afraid to think differently, challenge the establishment, and push societal boundaries.
4. Flexibility. Creative people adapt, pivot, and change course quickly when faced with setbacks. They are not rigid in their thinking and will try alternate approaches when necessary.
5. Collaboration. Creative people thrive when working with others and are willing to collaborate on creations. They recognize that diverse perspectives create more compelling, unique, and remarkable creations.
6. Focus. To maintain focus, creative people remove distractions from their lives—anything that isn’t inspiring, encouraging, motivating, or challenging. They avoid ruts like social media, doomscrolling, episodic content, and other time sucks that limit their attention and output.

I’m sure there are more, but those are the ones that stand out to me. If you wanna be more creative this year, consider fostering one of the above. Good luck!