What Would Yeezus Do
It’s been said that simply believing in your own creativity enables you to be more creative. I have a feeling there might be some truth in that. What I definitely know to be true is that the second you start to doubt your ability, creative thoughts just wont pop into your head. Ideas are often elusive little things and a small knock to your confidence can be all it takes for them to scarper out of your ear.
Ken Robinson talks a lot about the fact that the current schooling system effectively educates creativity out of us. He reckons we all have an incredible capacity for divergent thinking when we are young children. Then, as we grow older and become educated, we loose this skill as we are squeezed through an inflexible system of standardised assessment and examinations. Trying to become more creative means fighting against years of being told there’s only one correct answer.
Whether it’s a result of schooling, nature or nurture – I seem to find it impossible to get through a brief without moments where I question my ability to ‘be creative.’ Moments where a little inner voice full of British reserve and cynicism pipes up and gives me a good talking to. The comments range from “this really isn’t your day,” through to “I think it’d be better for all involved if you packed this in and became an accountant.”
So my aim for the next few months is to stamp out that little voice. Or ideally, I’d like to train it to talk a bit more like Kanye West’s inner voice. I’ve never actually heard one of the conversations that goes on in Kanye’s head, but what comes out of his mouth has given me a pretty good indication. He’s the most fascinatingly self confident man alive. If I could develop an inner voice even half as deludedly encouraging as his, ideas would surely flow.
For those who aren’t aware of Kanye’s amazing narcissism, here are my top 5 quotes:
“I am God’s vessel. But my greatest pain in life is that I will never be able to see myself perform live.”
“I’m like Howard Hughes. I’m like David Stern. I’m like Steve Jobs. If anything, that’s a compliment to them.”
“I’m a pop enigma. I rock a bespoke suit and I go to Harold’s for fried chicken. I’m all these things at once, because, as a taste maker, I find the best of everything.”
“One of the problems with being a bubbling source of creativity – it’s like I’m bubbling in a laboratory, and if you don’t put a cap on it, at one point it will, like, break the glass.”
“I am my favourite rapper.”
