What is a Creative Spark?

Most people describe a creative spark as a feeling that is a significant but non-obvious point in time. “Non-obvious” to most people, but to you it’s that moment in time where everything seems to make sense. When people picture it, they think of when an artist is painting on a canvas, and they get the urge to create. My definition is the combination of what people describe and picture it to be – a significant but non-obvious point when you have the urge to create.

To figure out how to be more creative, we must know where it comes from. Inspiration. A powerful combination of imagination and motivation.

So where did my inspiration come from? I grew up in a time when we didn’t have cell phones until we were 16. This meant we didn’t come home until the streetlights were on and our days were spent outside the house but inside our minds. Where whole streets became kingdoms and bike rides were journies to new worlds.

From there, reality set in and I realized I had to start becoming a person with responsibilities, opinions, and my own mind. I was forced into someone else’s story. I lost my sense of self as I was being groomed for the “real world”.

My creative spark came from opportunities, I was one of the lucky ones. I accidentally found myself in marketing and advertising at a young age. This developed my curiosity for people and the way they think. I could see my childhood self through the cracks of who I was becoming. My mentor and teacher saw something in me. The next thing I knew, I was managing a print shop that was part of a new school program at a charter academy. With a whole shop to myself with brand new equipment that no one knew how to use - half of my school day was spent teaching myself how to use the equipment and how to design for them.

I developed my professional skills after I joined DECA, a club for marketing students, where I excelled winning first place in the state and the top 20% in the world. I saw my potential for the first time. After this, I self-sabotaged with a mix of fucked up people. I lost myself again, but that’s for later.

I spent my entire childhood growing my imagination and building the foundation to create.

If we don’t build the proper foundation for imagination, find an outlet, and feel comfortable expressing ourselves… we’re fucked. So let’s start finding your creative spark by building a proper foundation.