At Your Creative Best

"The most gifted members of the human race are at their creative best when they cannot have their way."

-- Eric Hoffer

It's great to get your own way! But sometimes it's great when you don't, too. Getting your own way is a nice, easy groove -- easy to slide into, easy to get stuck in. Not getting your own way forces you to reevaluate, look again, create new pathways, try innovative options.

In that sense, not getting your way can be seen as a gift, as grace. "Thank you, God, for not giving me my way," will probably never become the world's most popular prayer, but it's definitely got its uses.

Think back on your life. Can you remember times when you didn't get your way, and thus you were forced to invent more creative alternatives? I hope so, because that means you may be well on your way to joining Eric Hoffer's Most Gifted Club. Feel free to nominate yourself for membership at anytime.

But past uses of this strategy are not nearly as important as present and future uses. Imagine looking at each thwarted desire, each unfulfilled dream, each washed out road, each unraveled best-laid-plan as an opportunity to exercise your creativity muscle. Damn we've got alot of opportunities! So use at least some of them.

Starting today accept, and maybe even enjoy, the challenges that not getting your own way gives you. Make a game of it -- the Creativity Game. Start by accepting, by being grateful, even, for what is. Then you at least have a chance of moving forward. Sometimes the most interesting thing you find is that what you thought you wanted in the first place is not really what you want at all!

Acceptance, creativity, self-discovery. OK, they're not exactly the Holy Trinity, but, hey, you play the cards you're dealt. Here's to hoping you have a wonder-full game!