Perhaps you agree, perhaps you are sure that is bullshit.
When we think of creativity, we think of performers.
We think of Broadway.
We think of movies.
We think of ballet.
The big public artistic things are what come to mind when we think about creativity.
However, as a lawyer you are highly creative.
Why do I know that?
You spend your life coming up with solutions to problems within legal frameworks. These are frameworks that are often not even meant for the people who benefit from them.
I don’t know if you remember in property law the civil rights case that held that you could not have racially restrictive covenants. In 1965 it took some serious tap dancing to get the Supreme Court to take this position.
Very creative.
Remember Lawrence vs. Texas? That case overturned Bowers vs. Hardwick, the case that allowed states to pass and uphold sodomy laws as they applied to GLBTQ folk. Lawrence vs. Texas was certainly a creative move.
If you do negotiations, you are forever coming up with creative ways to make sure that both sides get something out of a deal they can both live with, be it a real estate transaction a will, or a major merger and acquisition between two companies.
As lawyers we must stop thinking about ourselves as people who are not creative.
So how do we keep the fire under our creativity?
Consider looking at an item and using it in ways that it’s not designed for.
Cook something new for dinner.
Hand write a letter to somebody you care about (when’s the last time you saw that?).
What artists do is they practice their craft. You too have a creative craft. Make sure that you can keep practicing it. You need not do that thing particularly . . . you can do other creative things to keep the juices flowing.
Reading tarot is also creative, and I am opening spots to do a reading for you for free if you are a lawyer. Ask the cards how you should nurture your creativity.
Are you stumped by this? Hit reply and we can set up a conversation.
Blessings.