justplainbil

Just Plain Bill

Creativity

Transmitter or Transformer?

From my early years as a corporate trainer, teaching adults in a business setting, I remember something that a psychologist named Timothy Leary said about creativity that has stuck with me for over 50 years:

Everyone is creative - 

–    They’re either a transmitter, one who serves as a conduit, a communicator for something unique, or

–    They’re a transformer, one who changes a process or object, finding a new way to combine existing knowledge into something new.

(A loose expression of what I heard Leary say, as I’ve not been able to find the exact quote.)

For most of my life, I’ve confidently believed I favored the transmitter end of the motivation spectrum, as I am inclined to talk a lot. (Since some have even used the term “rambling”, perhaps I possess an inclination of talking too much?) While this quality has often led to robust discussions and solutions to challenges, I’ve found myself assessing my later-in-life ability to take action to what I talk about and I now see myself as a transformer.

I’m now making a conscious effort to “do more of what I’ve talked about”, following ideas through to conclusion. (In the words of my inspiration, master marketer Seth Godin, to “ship”!)

One prominent example of this change is the weekly writing of this blog, Just Plain Bill, now in its 60^th week of posting. I am now committing to completing my “Thrive at 65” website by year’s end. Progress reports forthcoming!

*Timothy Leary, an American psychologist and writer, shared a great many philosophies. He popularized the phrase "turn on, tune in, drop out", promoting his advocacy of psychedelic drugs, but also possessed a keen sense of humor as confirmed by his view that “women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition.”