Where is the creativity?

25/09/2026 Nilson Lattari

In the end, what is the magic formula to make someone into a creative person? Is there a magic combo that can turn my brain into a machine of creativity to touch people?
– No, I answer immediately.
My interviewer was surprised by my response and looked at me as if he did not believe my words. Why, was I saying those things! But who am I? I write, so if I write, I am creative, and I take things from nought and can get blood out of a stone, aren’t I?
Okay, creativity is one per cent imagination and ninety-nine per cent hard work, as people used to say. Maybe not. My interviewer opened his eyes and confessed that he was completely lost and almost twisted my neck – without creativity, of course – to end the discussion.
– Okay, take it easy, my friend – I said.
Finally, I asked him if it is possible to teach creativity to someone. For example, are all football players, singers or other professionals out of the ordinary people? All lawyers? Doctors? Farmers? Construction workers? Of course not.
Everyone wants to be special in life. But it is not possible to acquire talent to make some individuals different from others. When we imagine something, we must enjoy our creation. A mother raises her children and tries to make them into the best people who have ever been created. She does this because she loves them and needs to support them, by a feeling that exists only inside her. She will try to make them, her creations, into the number one – better than herself. She will support them and give attention and protection to make them the centre of attention.
Talented people who enjoy their profession make this act into pure pleasure. They will try to be the best; however, if they cannot be the best one, they will be happy while they are playing. The same thing happens with lawyers, doctors or bricklayers, and, finally, with everyone who loves what they do.
If you choose a career only for fame or money, your creativity is not part of your profession, because it will be only a search for fame and money. So, your commitment is not just pleasure, but what you can achieve with this strategy.
On the other hand, your goal may consist of ninety-nine per cent of working to make you into a dedicated and responsible individual. However, there is no guarantee that you will reach that one per cent to make you into the best football player, lawyer, doctor or a simple mason.
Therefore, if you believe someone can reveal strategies to make you a creative individual, you can trust that true creativity exists in those who try to sell you these formulas.
Nowadays, novelties last weeks, days or merely fifteen minutes, and the world will always ask for more creativity. Novelties appear, grow and die all the time, in shorter times. We are eager for novelties. At times, these novelties are mere manipulation when some people watch what is happening around on this great web that flows in the air.
We have great talents everywhere, whether visible or not, but they will always be wanted and have faithful followers to show their creativity. On the other hand, there are invisible people behind fame, and they work only for pleasure in ordinary places, to do what they love.
So, if my interviewer does not try to twist my neck, I would like to say that it is not important to be number one and become famous. In my opinion, you must do what you enjoy, and time is not important. In summary, if you are only trying to be the best among lawyers, doctors or masons, you are just special.
But if you cannot be the best, you might be the best in something that you love. Creative individuals are those who wake up early every morning to play and do what they love, and not those who wake up every morning to lament about the day that is coming.
Even those who are creative people try ninety-nine times to be the best, for only one time… because they don’t give up.
Then I left quietly and gave my interviewer something to think about.