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rocketsocks
03-04-2014, 21:51
Does this sound like you? I've often thought that the majority of hikers fall into this category of Creative, call it a hunch, what say you? Does this article describe the way you tick.

For the most part I'm asking this Rhetorical, but answer if you like.

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18 Things Highly Creative People Do DifferentlyPosted: 03/04/2014 8:48 am EST Updated: 03/04/2014 5:59 pm EST
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MORE:Creativity (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/creativity/)Distilled Perspective (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/distilled-perspective/)Scott Barry Kaufman (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/scott-barry-kaufman/)Brain Creativity (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/brain-creativity/)Habits of Creative People (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/habits-of-creative-people/)Psychology Creativity (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/psychology-creativity/)The Third Metric (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/Third-Metric/)Creativity Secrets (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/creativity-secrets/)Creativity Boosters (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/creativity-boosters/)Creativity Habits (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/creativity-habits/)Healthy Living News (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/Healthy-Living/)


Creativity works in mysterious and often paradoxical ways. Creative thinking is a stable, defining characteristic in some personalities, but it may also change based on situation and context (http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/an-easy-way-to-increase-c/). Inspiration and ideas often arise seemingly out of nowhere and then fail to show up when we most need them, and creative thinking requires complex cognition yet is completely distinct from the thinking process.
Neuroscience paints a complicated picture of creativity (http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/beautiful-minds/2013/08/19/the-real-neuroscience-of-creativity/). As scientists now understand it, creativity is far more complex than the right-left brain distinction would have us think (the theory being that left brain = rational and analytical, right brain = creative and emotional). In fact, creativity is thought to involve a number of cognitive processes, neural pathways and emotions, and we still don't have the full picture of how the imaginative mind works.
And psychologically speaking, creative personality types are difficult to pin down, largely because they're complex, paradoxical and tend to avoid habit or routine. And it's not just a stereotype of the "tortured artist" -- artists really may be more complicated people. Research has suggested (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-barry-kaufman/creative-people_b_829563.html) that creativity involves the coming together of a multitude of traits, behaviors and social influences in a single person.
"It's actually hard for creative people to know themselves because the creative self is more complex than the non-creative self," Scott Barry Kaufman, a psychologist at New York University who has spent years researching creativity, told The Huffington Post. "The things that stand out the most are the paradoxes of the creative self ... Imaginative people have messier minds."
While there's no "typical" creative type, there are some tell-tale characteristics and behaviors of highly creative people. Here are 18 things they do differently.
They daydream.
http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1419077/thumbs/o-DAYDREAMING-CHILD-570.jpg?6
Creative types know, despite what their third-grade teachers may have said, that daydreaming is anything but a waste of time.
According to Kaufman and psychologist Rebecca L. McMillan (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/03/mind-wandering_n_4024852.html), who co-authored a paper titled "Ode To Positive Constructive Daydreaming," mind-wandering can aid in the process of "creative incubation." And of course, many of us know from experience that our best ideas come seemingly out of the blue when our minds are elsewhere.
Although daydreaming may seem mindless, a 2012 study (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/03/mind-wandering_n_4024852.html)suggested it could actually involve a highly engaged brain state -- daydreaming can lead to sudden connections and insights because it's related to our ability to recall information in the face of distractions. Neuroscientists have also found (http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/beautiful-minds/201102/why-daydreamers-are-more-creative) that daydreaming involves the same brain processes associated with imagination and creativity.
They observe everything.
The world is a creative person's oyster -- they see possibilities everywhere and are constantly taking in information that becomes fodder for creative expression. As Henry James is widely quoted (http://public.wsu.edu/~campbelld/amlit/artfiction.html), a writer is someone on whom "nothing is lost."
The writer Joan Didion kept a notebook with her at all times, and said that she wrote down observations about people and events as, ultimately, a way to better understand the complexities and contradictions of her own mind:
"However dutifully we record what we see around us, the common denominator of all we see is always, transparently, shamelessly, the implacable 'I,'" Didion wrote in her essay On Keeping A Notebook (http://www.h-ngm-n.com/storage/didion%20-%20on%20keeping%20a%20notebook.pdf). "We are talking about something private, about bits of the mind’s string too short to use, an indiscriminate and erratic assemblage with meaning only for its marker."
They work the hours that work for them.
Many great artists have said (http://www.amazon.com/Daily-Rituals-How-Artists-Work/dp/0307273601) that they do their best work either very early in the morning or late at night. Vladimir Nabokov started writing immediately after he woke up (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/17/the-first-thing-these-suc_n_3588482.html) at 6 or 7 a.m., and Frank Lloyd Wright made a practice of waking up at 3 or 4 a.m. and working for several hours before heading back to bed. No matter when it is, individuals with high creative output will often figure out what time it is that their minds start firing up, and structure their days accordingly.
They take time for solitude.
http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1651136/thumbs/o-SOLITUDE-570.jpg?6
"In order to be open to creativity, one must have the capacity for constructive use of solitude. One must overcome the fear of being alone," wrote the American existential psychologist Rollo May (http://books.google.com/books/about/The_Courage_to_Create.html?id=Q1UsFy7cNKkC).
Artists and creatives are often stereotyped as being loners, and while this may not actually be the case, solitude can be the key to producing their best work. For Kaufman, this links back to daydreaming -- we need to give ourselves the time alone to simply allow our minds to wander.
"You need to get in touch with that inner monologue to be able to express it," he says. "It's hard to find that inner creative voice if you're ... not getting in touch with yourself and reflecting on yourself."
They turn life's obstacles around.
Many of the most iconic stories and songs of all time have been inspired by gut-wrenching pain and heartbreak -- and the silver lining of these challenges is that they may have been the catalyst to create great art. An emerging field of psychology called post-traumatic growth is suggesting that many people are able to use their hardships and early-life trauma for substantial creative growth. Specifically, researchers have found (http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/beautiful-minds/2013/05/06/turning-adversity-into-creative-growth/) that trauma can help people to grow in the areas of interpersonal relationships, spirituality, appreciation of life, personal strength, and -- most importantly for creativity -- seeing new possibilities in life.
"A lot of people are able to use that as the fuel they need to come up with a different perspective on reality," says Kaufman. "What's happened is that their view of the world as a safe place, or as a certain type of place, has been shattered at some point in their life, causing them to go on the periphery and see things in a new, fresh light, and that's very conducive to creativity."
They seek out new experiences.
http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1034187/thumbs/o-SOLO-TRAVELER-570.jpg?6
Creative people love to expose themselves to new experiences, sensations and states of mind -- and this openness is a significant predictor of creative output.
"Openness to experience is consistently the strongest predictor of creative achievement," says Kaufman. "This consists of lots of different facets, but they're all related to each other: Intellectual curiosity, thrill seeking, openness to your emotions, openness to fantasy. The thing that brings them all together is a drive for cognitive and behavioral exploration of the world, your inner world and your outer world."
They "fail up."
http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1385526/thumbs/o-RESILIENCE-570.jpg?6
Resilience is practically a prerequisite for creative success, says Kaufman. Doing creative work is often described (http://vimeo.com/24715531) as a process of failing repeatedly until you find something that sticks, and creatives -- at least the successful ones -- learn not to take failure so personally.
"Creatives fail and the really good ones fail often," Forbes contributor Steven Kotler wrote (http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenkotler/2012/10/11/einstein-at-the-beach-the-hidden-relationship-between-risk-and-creativity/) in a piece on Einstein's creative genius.
They ask the big questions.
Creative people are insatiably curious -- they generally opt to live the examined life, and even as they get older, maintain a sense of curiosity about life (http://www.fastcompany.com/3024779/dialed/how-curiosity-cultivates-creativity). Whether through intense conversation or solitary mind-wandering, creatives look at the world around them and want to know why, and how, it is the way it is.
They people-watch.
http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1646750/thumbs/o-PEOPLE-WATCHING-570.jpg?6
Observant by nature and curious about the lives of others, creative types often love to people-watch -- and they may generate some of their best ideas from it.
"[Marcel] Proust spent almost his whole life people-watching, and he wrote down his observations, and it eventually came out in his books," says Kaufman. "For a lot of writers, people-watching is very important ... They're keen observers of human nature."
They take risks.
Part of doing creative work is taking risks, and many creative types thrive off of taking risks in various aspects of their lives.
"There is a deep and meaningful connection between risk taking and creativity and it's one that's often overlooked," contributor Steven Kotler wrote in Forbes (http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenkotler/2012/10/11/einstein-at-the-beach-the-hidden-relationship-between-risk-and-creativity/). "Creativity is the act of making something from nothing. It requires making public those bets first placed by imagination. This is not a job for the timid. Time wasted, reputation tarnished, money not well spent -- these are all by-products of creativity gone awry."
They view all of life as an opportunity for self-expression.
http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1655383/thumbs/o-SELF-EXPRESSION-570.jpg?1
Nietzsche believed that one's life and the world should be viewed as a work of art (http://www.nytimes.com/1986/01/19/books/the-world-as-a-work-of-art.html). Creative types may be more likely to see the world this way, and to constantly seek opportunities for self-expression in everyday life.
"Creative expression is self-expression," says Kaufman. "Creativity is nothing more than an individual expression of your needs, desires and uniqueness."
They follow their true passions.
Creative people tend to be intrinsically motivated (http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=d1KTEQpQ6vsC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=psychology+study+creativity&ots=Fr4_0fyjyZ&sig=XfXr2RcSmcY***t2RyQlaIFi0xg#v=onepage&q=intrinsic%20motivation&f=false) -- meaning that they're motivated to act from some internal desire, rather than a desire for external reward or recognition. Psychologists have shown that creative people are energized by challenging activities, a sign of intrinsic motivation, and the research suggests (http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=d1KTEQpQ6vsC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=psychology+study+creativity&ots=Fr4_0fyjyZ&sig=XfXr2RcSmcY***t2RyQlaIFi0xg#v=onepage&q=intrinsic%20motivation&f=false) that simply thinking of intrinsic reasons to perform an activity may be enough to boost creativity.
"Eminent creators choose and become passionately involved in challenging, risky problems that provide a powerful sense of power from the ability to use their talents,"write M.A. Collins and T.M. Amabile in The Handbook of Creativity (http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=d1KTEQpQ6vsC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=psychology+study+creativity&ots=Fr4_0fyjyZ&sig=XfXr2RcSmcY***t2RyQlaIFi0xg#v=onepage&q=intrinsic%20motivation&f=false).
They get out of their own heads.
http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1655337/thumbs/o-CREATIVE-WRITING-570.jpg?1
Kaufman argues that another purpose of daydreaming is to help us to get out of our own limited perspective and explore other ways of thinking, which can be an important asset to creative work.
"Daydreaming has evolved to allow us to let go of the present," says Kaufman. "The same brain network associated with daydreaming is the brain network associated with theory of mind -- I like calling it the 'imagination brain network' -- it allows you to imagine your future self, but it also allows you to imagine what someone else is thinking."
Research has also suggested that inducing "psychological distance" (http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/an-easy-way-to-increase-c/) -- that is, taking another person's perspective or thinking about a question as if it was unreal or unfamiliar -- can boost creative thinking.
They lose track of the time.
Creative types may find that when they're writing, dancing, painting or expressing themselves in another way, they get "in the zone," or what's known as a flow state (http://www.ted.com/talks/mihaly_csikszentmihalyi_on_flow.html), which can help them to create at their highest level. Flow is a mental state when an individual transcends conscious thought to reach a heightened state of effortless concentration and calmness. When someone is in this state, they're practically immune to any internal or external pressures and distractions that could hinder their performance.
You get into the flow state when you're performing an activity you enjoy that you're good at, but that also challenges you -- as any good creative project does.
"[Creative people] have found the thing they love, but they've also built up the skill in it to be able to get into the flow state," says Kaufman. "The flow state requires a match between your skill set and the task or activity you're engaging in."
They surround themselves with beauty.
Creatives tend to have excellent taste, and as a result, they enjoy being surrounded by beauty.
A study recently published in the journal Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts (http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/2013-44713-001/) showed that musicians -- including orchestra musicians, music teachers, and soloists -- exhibit a high sensitivity and responsiveness to artistic beauty.
They connect the dots.
http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1651060/thumbs/o-DOODLE-570.jpg?1
If there's one thing that distinguishes highly creative people from others, it's the ability to see possibilities where other don't -- or, in other words, vision. Many great artists and writers have said that creativity is simply the ability to connect the dots that others might never think to connect.
In the words of Steve Jobs (http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/4.02/jobs_pr.html):

"Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn't really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That's because they were able to connect experiences they've had and synthesize new things."

They constantly shake things up.
Diversity of experience, more than anything else, is critical to creativity, says Kaufman. Creatives like to shake things up, experience new things, and avoid anything that makes life more monotonous or mundane.
"Creative people have more diversity of experiences, and habit is the killer of diversity of experience," says Kaufman.
They make time for mindfulness.
Creative types understand the value of a clear and focused mind -- because their work depends on it. Many artists, entrepreneurs, writers and other creative workers, such asDavid Lynch (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/28/5-tips-from-david-lynch_n_4849537.html?utm_hp_ref=tw), have turned to meditation as a tool for tapping into their most creative state of mind.
And science backs up the idea that mindfulness really can boost your brain power in a number of ways. A 2012 Dutch study (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120419102317.htm) suggested that certain meditation techniques can promote creative thinking. And mindfulness practices have been linked withimproved memory and focus (http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/05/study-meditation-improves-memory-attention/275564/), better emotional well-being (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/11/mindfulness-emotional-stability-sleep_n_2836954.html), reduced stress (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/31/mindfulness-meditation-cortisol-stress-levels_n_2965197.html) and anxiety (http://www.livescience.com/42361-mindfulness-meditation-anxiety-depression.html), and improved mental clarity (http://newsdesk.gmu.edu/2013/04/new-study-shows-meditating-before-lecture-leads-to-better-grades/) -- all of which can lead to better creative thought.


ALSO ON HUFFPOST:

WingedMonkey
03-04-2014, 22:07
I see no connection.

In my circle of friends some are creative types, artists, musicians, some of them well known.

I have no artistic or musical skills.

None of them hike.

Lone Wolf
03-04-2014, 22:11
I see no connection.

In my circle of friends some are creative types, artists, musicians, some of them well known.

I have no artistic or musical skills.

None of them hike.same here. way too much to read too. hikers are type A neurotics

rafe
03-04-2014, 22:26
The world's first "religions" of any sort were nature-worship. Over the course of history we (humans) shifted over to the god-in-the-sky paradigm and lost that bond to the earth. MacKaye felt that loss perfectly, and it's why he wanted the trail to happen. He thought of the mountains as "oxygen" for the soul. There's something very basic and elemental that you feel in the woods. The web of life. On any mile of the AT you can see the struggle of life and death played out a thousand times over, in all its beauty and brutality.

I am in no way a religious person, but alone in the deep backwoods some times I get a sense of vastness, awe, humility, eternity, heartbreaking beauty and peace. When sharing camp with other hikers I sometimes get a sense of the fundamental goodness of humankind.

"Remote for detachment, narrow for chosen company, winding for leisure, lonely for contemplation, it beckons not merely north and south but upward to the body, mind and soul of man" - Myron Avery

Tuckahoe
03-04-2014, 22:40
The article and the traits describe me pretty well. I certainly see myself in so many of them (except I do not feel I have ever had to suffer any hardship), but much more so as a smith than a hiker. In a sense I can escape the creativity when hiking.

Dogwood
03-05-2014, 02:17
The traits in that article exactly describe me!

daimonpaul
03-05-2014, 03:57
The "seek out new experiences" part is definitely true to every hiker, otherwise they would be content just staying at home on the couch like any other average person

Sierra2015
03-05-2014, 04:07
Pseudoscience heavy petting.




But I know this is for fun.

Meriadoc
03-05-2014, 06:50
Where is the science behind this? How were these traits determined? What constitutes 'having' a trait? And to get a better feel for the validity of the hypothesis we should be asking how many hikers DON'T fit these traits.

All that said, I read the article and it fits me to an S, not quite a T. All but one or two. I'm more interested to know how many self identify as having few of these traits. From my point of view these traits are pretty basic components of living as a balanced human.

Tuckahoe
03-05-2014, 08:24
The "seek out new experiences" part is definitely true to every hiker, otherwise they would be content just staying at home on the couch like any other average person

I do not like being out of my comfort zone or routine. When I am hiking, I have never thought that I was out seeking new experiences.

q-tip
03-05-2014, 09:11
I am writer, so virtually all of the traits in the article apply to me (somewhat surprised). But my expeience as a competitive athlete has much more to do with my hiking success (1,000 mi GA-WV) than my creativity. One thing I found interesting, a scientist that wrote a book after thru hiking asked the question about introversion/extroversion. (Introverts get their energy from within/extroverts get their energy from others--generally) In the general populaton, extroverts 75%-Introverts 25%. With thru hikers- extroverts 25%-introverts 75%. In many ways thru hiking is a solitary experience.

HikerMom58
03-05-2014, 10:26
I'm not a highly creative person at all. I'm not artistic or musical. I'm not very athletic. I'm a people person. I long to have an understanding of what make people tick. lol

I like to create/make things happen but it's all straight forward.. sew an adorable costume for a halloween party or create the perfect holiday meal complete with the perfect home decor.

I have to know and understand the basic questions of life. I don't like to daydream or wonder about many things... just give me the facts.

I like to be in control but there's so much in life that's out of my control. I've come a long way, baby! ;)

I'm always up for an adventure. I'm up for trying new things. I'm spontaneous. If it sounds fun, let's do it, but I'm not reckless.

I love to explore new places. I like meeting new people.

My favorite quote is: Wherever there's a will, there's a way. If I can't figure it out myself, I'll find someone who can... :p

I don't relate to many things in the article, RS.

I could never be a long distance hiker. (I feel exactly like Buzz) I'd want to stop when it wasn't fun anymore or I'd get bored, one of the two or both. I like to change things up. Can we do something different now?

Do I want to hike/see experience the entire AT? Yes, I do!! I'm excited to see/ experience every inch of the trail. I like to finish things I've started. I love being outside enjoying God's creation. I appreciate the beauty & I can't get enough.

Sierra2015
03-05-2014, 11:40
I'm not a highly creative person at all. I'm not artistic or musical. I'm not very athletic. I'm a people person. I long to have an understanding of what make people tick. lol


I like to create/make things happen but it's all straight forward.. sew an adorable costume for a halloween party or create the perfect holiday meal complete with the perfect home decor.


I have to know and understand the basic questions of life. I don't like to daydream or wonder about many things... just give me the facts.


I like to be in control but there's so much in life that's out of my control. I've come a long way, baby!


I'm always up for an adventure. I'm up for trying new things. I'm spontaneous. If it sounds fun, let's do it, but I'm not reckless.


I love to explore new places. I like meeting new people.
Thanks Mom, you have given me the courage to say this! Lol.


Everyone wants to be creative and creativity is so prized in our society. If you're working creatively then you have the best job possible. Your lifestyle is enviable.


My most recent roommate spends hours everyday doing something creative. Paints hours a day. Or writes or beads or makes goofy hats. Hours. Absolutely hours spent at the kitchen table working on a wooden slab listening to music or streaming a show.


I like think all my creativity is funneled into productive pursuits. I don't watch much TV.... I find it boring. I know I'm strange. I'm sorry. I don't go to the movie because I think it's a waste of money. I'm sorry. I don't buy music because I have a radio and I don't use a radio unless I'm driving. I read tons but I don't enjoy Hitchhiker Guides to the Universe books.... I don't know why I'd much rather read something psychologically thrilling or educational.


I enjoy people! I want to hear your life story. I want to know why you did this or that or what you think. (And of course I want to talk about myself.) I love projects! I want to build that bookcase, I want to cook that meal, sew that skirt for that event, and crochet that hat because it's cold and I need a hat.... I enjoy logistics and planning. I don't like twiddling my thumbs....


I can cook nearly every meal from scratch. For a long time I baked my own breads, made my own pastas, crafted my own sauces, and mixed my own spices. Whenever someone would say, "Wow, you must really like cooking." I would get uncomfortable. Because I don't really like cooking... I enjoy doing things well and efficiently.


I'd much rather spend my life as plumber than as an artist....


Mom, I agree to much with you and I'm honestly relieved to read you feel just about the same way.

4eyedbuzzard
03-05-2014, 11:51
... I enjoy doing things well and efficiently.


I'd much rather spend my life as plumber than as an artist....


Mom, I agree to much with you and I'm honestly relieved to read you feel just about the same way.

:sun The trades and art often cross over and share so much. Look at large sculpture, kenetic art, etc. and the mechanical expertise involved, or the vision that any artist or carpenter or plumber or electrician must have before commencing work, or a finely crafted piece of furniture. As to doing things well: A person either takes pride in work that "has their name on it" - or they don't. :)

Mags
03-05-2014, 12:08
My dad is a retired sheet metal worker. As mentioned above, it involved creativity in getting the theoretical designs into the real world. He is also is a great cook, enjoys poetry and reads a lot.

My late grandfather also worked construction. His creative output was his flower gardens. Amazingly beautiful in not only the flowers but also the way he planted them. Dad is also a whiz with the landscaping and design.


Creativity and the trades are not mutually exclusive.

Tuckahoe
03-05-2014, 12:13
I like think all my creativity is funneled into productive pursuits. I don't watch much TV.... I find it boring. I know I'm strange. I'm sorry. I don't go to the movie because I think it's a waste of money. I'm sorry. I don't buy music because I have a radio and I don't use a radio unless I'm driving. I read tons but I don't enjoy Hitchhiker Guides to the Universe books.... I don't know why I'd much rather read something psychologically thrilling or educational.


I enjoy people! I want to hear your life story. I want to know why you did this or that or what you think. (And of course I want to talk about myself.) I love projects! I want to build that bookcase, I want to cook that meal, sew that skirt for that event, and crochet that hat because it's cold and I need a hat.... I enjoy logistics and planning. I don't like twiddling my thumbs....


I can cook nearly every meal from scratch. For a long time I baked my own breads, made my own pastas, crafted my own sauces, and mixed my own spices. Whenever someone would say, "Wow, you must really like cooking." I would get uncomfortable. Because I don't really like cooking... I enjoy doing things well and efficiently.


:sun The trades and art often cross over and share so much. Look at large sculpture, kenetic art, etc. and the mechanical expertise involved, or the vision that any artist or carpenter or plumber or electrician must have before commencing work, or a finely crafted piece of furniture. As to doing things well: A person either takes pride in work that "has their name on it" - or they don't. :)

+1
Much the way I feel. I hate reading fiction. I'd rather read an archeological paper or report or something historical/non-fiction. I love to cook, sew and knit and of course I love beating on hot iron. I know I can get very creative in the shop and at times a bit artsy but I am happy to call myself a tradesman before an artist.

rafe
03-05-2014, 12:23
Creativity and the trades are not mutually exclusive.

+1 on that.


+1
Much the way I feel. I hate reading fiction.

Oh, how sad. I mean I've heard people say that, but I just can't relate.

Sierra2015
03-05-2014, 12:49
To clear this up:

I don't think the trades and creativity are mutually exclusive. In my case I feel like my creativity is funneled into productive activities and I would much rather be a plumber than an artist. (Musician, painter, actor.)

Mostly because I enjoy spacial puzzles more than playing sheet music.

Pedaling Fool
03-05-2014, 13:03
I don't believe in Astrology, but I have to admit that the description of Libras, which I am, is pretty good, especially on balance and justice. I want everything in balance and not just for human rights and justice, but everything, including inanimate objects.

I'm the crazy guy in the gym always organizing the weights, not only putting them in their proper place, but there must be an equal number of plates on each side of the stand. I can get quite fanatical in this and eventually I have to force myself not to look at them or else I'll go crazy and start organizing the entire gym (and it's a big gym) going from one stand to the next...It's a sickness ...:D

It's probably why I think nature is not fair.

Tuckahoe
03-05-2014, 13:04
Oh, how sad. I mean I've heard people say that, but I just can't relate.

Not sad at all. There is that which I enjoy -- I love Poe -- but I think much of what comes out since the early 20th cent is garbage. I find myself entertained reading the writings of men (and ladies) that have accomplished something rather than badly written make believe.

Sierra2015
03-05-2014, 13:25
Maybe I'm getting hung up on the word "creative". I like to think I'm a problem solver. I'm good at figuring things out. I'm also super type A. Not a lay-about day dreamer. My thoughts are more racing than dreaming.

In my mind... creativity without a purpose is madness.

4eyedbuzzard
03-05-2014, 13:42
Maybe I'm getting hung up on the word "creative". I like to think I'm a problem solver. I'm good at figuring things out. I'm also super type A. Not a lay-about day dreamer. My thoughts are more racing than dreaming.

In my mind... creativity without a purpose is madness.

It is interesting that some of the greatest artists in history were quite mad, but others quite practical and sane problem solvers. I don't think the two traits are mutually inclusive or exclusive.

Just Bill
03-05-2014, 18:00
I agree with the basic premise Socks. Although the article was HIGHLY creative people, perhaps why most people are agreeing with some reservations.

Long story short- not a perfect fit for all, but I would imagine every hiker can identify with several if not a good portion of those items.

Long story long-
The trades are a good comparison IMO. I think of backpacking more as a craft and we can all practice it to some extent. I think many outdoorsfolks are similiar in this regard and tradespeople are very creative folks in general.

Putting around the house makes you a handyman, doing it for a living makes you a craftsman, and mastering your craft makes you an artist. When you see a mastercraftsman at work few people would have trouble appreciating or recognizing it for what it is. Perfection is beautiful, whether it's sweating a perfect joint, walking in to town with one peanut left in your food bag, or painting the Mona Lisa.

Depending on what level you care to take the comparison too, it is very similar and the independence, creativity, adaptability, visualization and practical application of ideas is common in the trades or the hiking community. Backpackers and tradesman alike have to do more with less, deal with adversity, think on thier feet and independantly solve problems. The truly intellectual trades, art, poetry, literature, music seem to have no practical purpose and are harder to identify with but when taken to thier highest forms transform our lives in a very real and tangible way.

Daydreaming is just that and looked upon negatively by most. On the other hand, when that daydreaming has real life results and applications as it does for the inventor, tradesman or artist then the practice is very useful. Many of my best ideas come from daydreaming- which is really just another way of saying spending time deep in your mind. It's only useless if it turns out there's nothing at the bottom of that well.

Like Dogwood I personally think that list fits me perfectly. DW is a landscape architect and deals with both sides of the brain as well as dealing with purely artistic/conceptual ideas that must also have a literal get your hands dirty application. I have a very similiar profession that is hard to explain. Those types of folks are rare. The list provided was for highly or extreme versions of creative people. I can tell you that the list was not all positive and as you can see from Dogwood's behavior and my own- not always an enviable mind to have or get a harness on. As other's mentioned, some of these folks mail thier ears to people and some find balance between the creativity and the practical like DaVinci. If you're not one of these people be glad, it's often little fun.

In that article there was a link to a TED talk about flow. That concept I have written about before and I think that it is the main reason I am attracted to hiking and the ideal I seek when travelling. This concept goes hand in hand with the more spiritual aspects as well. Whether speed hiking, writing, or working entering a flow state is something I think many hikers understand very well. That video if you missed it-http://www.ted.com/talks/mihaly_csikszentmihalyi_on_flow

Good topic Socks!

Sunshine82
03-05-2014, 18:31
It's amazing how the solitude makes your and nature makes your senses so much more alert.i feel way more intelligent and alive out on the trail than in society

bamboo bob
03-05-2014, 18:36
I do not like being out of my comfort zone or routine. When I am hiking, I have never thought that I was out seeking new experiences.

Me too. I just like to hike and be in the woods. I don't understand all that other stuff at all.

rafe
03-05-2014, 20:13
It's amazing how the solitude makes your and nature makes your senses so much more alert.i feel way more intelligent and alive out on the trail than in society

Something like this... is what I was trying to say earlier. There's just something primal about being in the woods, and I can believe that the attraction is nearly universal. I can believe that it's suppressed and buried deep, in a lot of humans.

I'm not convinced that hiking correlates with creativity (vague as that term may be) though I'd guess it does relate to risk-taking, self-confidence, financial and physical health, free time, etc.

Abatis1948
04-10-2014, 11:26
Hikers are just good observers and learners. If you have been following the 2014 trail journals, you have found folks who have started completely unprepared with clothing & equipment. Some of these adapted and are still on the trail while others are -- well the AT provides proof of Darwin's grand idea of natural selection. Why they are unprepared is anyone's guess and lies in their psyche. Good Luck to us all!