Your creativity is on loan

The TED Conference (Technology, Entertainment, Design) is a conference where basically  famous/successful people from all areas and disciplines give keynote speeches.  The theme of the conference, according to wikipedia is "ideas worth spreading." These conferences are usually held in a Palm Springs or places like that.

[[A lot of the talks available for your viewing pleasure online.]]

The first talk I listened to and found talk enlightening was by Elizabeth Gilbert entitled: A different way to think about creative Genius.  While I don't agree with everything she says I think her ideas can stir up a good discussion between artists.

She just had an extremely successful book and she is now worried, and reminded by people that she may never have another successful book.  So she went on a search for creativity.  Here are some notes:

• The Greeks and Romans believed that creativity was given by a magically divine, and disembodied entity.  The Romans called this Entity a Genius.  This protected people from taking the glory/blame for creative ideas.
• The Renaissance brought the idea of creativity being from self.  People began to be called Geniuses.  This brings pressure to artists.
• She said this better explains the capricious creative process.  It is unpredictable.
• She continued to give examples of successful people who believe in this genius.
• We should think about our creativity on loan.
• We should continue with our human mule like stubbornness to continue to go to work.

This is talk is an answer to a prayer of mine.  I spent almost all of Saturday trying to debug one of my projects.  At the end of later during my quiet time I questioned whether or not wasted my time, especially because I made almost no progress.  I do believe that all of my success thus far is not of myself but of God.  I find a lot of things whether programming, sports, attaining positions - I will complete then look back and see that was unexpectedly easy.  Then on the other hand when I am stuck on something I will stay stuck on it, and If it gets unstuck I won't be able to tell how it because unstuck.

It's like opening a jar.  You try and twist and twist and it wont open, so you hit the edge of the jar against the door a bunch of time, but that doesn't seem to work.  Then at one point you twist and the jar inexplicably opens.  You don't know which of the times when you hit is the jar actually became loose, you just know  that the jar was once closed and now you are able to open it.

We will probably never know the exact moment or what in particular caused us to pass certain thresholds.  We will achieve things and look back and not really understand why.  So the times when we are struggling we should not give up or loose hope.  2 Timothy 2:15 says to "Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed..."  Also, Colossians 3:23 says "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men..."  

Below is the Video: