Permission to play

One of the greatest gifts we have as humans is our creativity - to use our ideas and imaginations to create meaning, build connections, innovate, and to solve problems of all shapes and sizes.

But the tricky thing about creativity? It’s fragile in the face of fear. It instantly suffers when FOPO (fear of other people’s opinions) sneaks into our perspective, leaving us feeling stuck, uninspired, or doubtful of our potential.

If you’ve ever heard or said “I just haven’t got a creative bone in my body,” it might just be a sign that a sneaky belief has entered the conversation.

Because more often than not, it’s here that we’ll find our inner critic with a negativity megaphone, stopping us from embracing play and curiosity in an effort to stay ‘safe’ from failure or rejection.

Believe it or not, creativity exists within everyone.

Because we all know how to play. We did it as kids, and we can do it again! Exercising our imaginations, trying new things, asking ‘what if’ questions or just being silly is so much more than ‘child’s play.’ This is the stuff of creativity and the way we continuously unlock discoveries in ourselves, our jobs, and our relationships.

It all comes down to our perspective, and whether or not we give ourselves permission to play in all areas of our lives.

New ideas and strategies are always up for grabs, but we have to be willing to wade into the unknown. To prioritise questions over answers, and to let go of the need to have it all figured out.

In the words of the legendary John Cleese:

“You cannot be playful if you’re frightened that moving in some direction will be wrong.” 

Here, there is no such thing as a mistake, only creative exploration, which can lead to powerful breakthroughs, deeper connection, or a chance for a great belly laugh.

Finally, it’s worth remembering that bad ideas in any creative or problem-solving process are often the gateway to brilliant ones.

And that ‘bad’ is sort of subjective anyway, as the Monty Python team discovered!

Without enough budget to pay for real horses in the making of The Holy Grail, John Cleese reports that it was Michael Palin's suggestion to bang coconuts and mime their noble steeds. Imagine if this seemingly ‘bad idea’ was never shared, or tried on for size?

We'd all have been robbed of one of the funniest skits in comedy history:

So, if you need a little reminder today, whether you’re facing a daunting task or digging deep to find motivation…

Forget ‘creative bones’ and throw out the rule book.

To unlock our most creative selves, maybe all we’ve ever needed is a little more play.