I have had the honor of contributing as a designer on a variety of projects. I came to the realization that the courage of the group or individual fighting the cause was a factor in every project's success. For me, having the courage to accomplish things successfully while remaining committed to my aim has been a great asset. This in no way suggests that I have arrived; rather, I continue to work for success and improvement. Success "doesn't trickle down," as T.D. Jakes noted in his book "Soar." It emerges from a heart that is driven by creativity until its gushing reverberation affects the entire community.
As an undergraduate in 2013, I conceived the idea for WHATisDESIGN (WID), "a design movement in Nigeria," which gave rise to "The Creativity in You." The concept was inspired by my outrage at the country's current state, and I pondered how design might change that status to one that is more preferred. I formed a team, and we began holding lectures to educate secondary and tertiary institution students on "The inherent nature of creativity, Mind development, and The practice of creative thinking." View event photos here. I collaborated with other like-minded people in 2016 while serving as a Corp member to create an exploratory documentary on the aesthetic qualities of the Nigerian flag, which went on to win two awards. See the complete documentary here.
The question of "how will i make this happen" accompanies every creative thought. I had a similar question, so i'll say now to start with what you already have before you talk yourself out of the idea. It can be beneficial to share ideas with people who share your interests and those you've seen accomplish comparable goals. It was an interesting experience having our first team meeting, that was the first time i had ever organized a meeting of that kind. Prior to the meeting, i was anxious, but i found confidence in my dread. When you are creative, you are likely to encounter novel and fascinating situations that will push your capacity.
No matter the external resistance, I am motivated by the certainty that God has my back. Until you take a chance, you cannot know how far you are capable of going in life. Every day, I'm more driven by a desire to support others in realizing their creative potential. Everyone is creative, I firmly believe. Your natural desire to produce, develop, and change the society is a gift from God. He has already placed within us all what we require to rise and achieve greatness in life. We have to get them to open up. French artist Henri Matisse says, creativity takes courage. Mihaela Ivan Holtz noted that “creativity and courage are intimately connected in a synergic relationship: creativity feeds your courage and your courage brings your creativity to life."
Courage takes your dreams from wish and fantasy and transform them into reality. It takes courage to express the things you are passionate about and to transcend the limits of your comfort zone or the limits of your irrational fears. It takes courage to put your creativity out into the world, to open yourself up to be valued, loved, and appreciated and at the same time, to potentially be criticized, rejected, and devalued. Yes, it takes courage to push yourself through fears, insecurities, anxieties and life challenges. And, it takes courage to stay true to what you are, to create what you believe in. You will undoubtedly accomplish great things if you dare to take the bold steps.
I'll sum up with a quote from T.D. Jakes' book Soar: “You can take action and cultivate new habits that will transform your dreams into a business unlike any other, one that uniquely reflects the variety of facets in your extraordinary personality, one that boldly dares to go where no one has gone before! We need to draw on the creativity that lies in all of us to pull ourselves up as best as we can with what we've been given to work with.”
I will next share on what it takes to keep going.
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And the more you dare and move forward with courage the less scary it gets.
I used to design consumer products, it is a different monster to tackle when it’s your own designs and art with no approval process but your own.
Thank you for sharing your insights here. I believe that the design process has many similarities to building one’s own life design.
With thanks,
Rae