Creativity For The Win (Odd Socks #14)
Creativity For The Win (Odd Socks #14)
Recent survey suggests Americans want creativity, not fame, to be their legacy... National Pencil Day is Saturday... and more.
Welcome to Odd Socks Issue #14
I write about stuff that interests me, puts a smile on my face, or could use some clarity amidst the noise. Each issue includes two original articles plus bonus sections. Enjoy!
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Creativity For The Win
I’ve written some in Odd Socks articles about creativity, creatives, and the need (drive?) for all of us to be creative in some fashion. My insight: creativity is good for the soul, based on how I feel and the happiness factor when involved in some creative pursuit. While I’ve been aware my whole life that I have an innate creative need, my speculation about others has been (until now) a “sense” more than any data-driven reasoning.
Until now.
A recent poll asked U.S. adults what mark they want to leave behind to honor their lives resulted in a somewhat surprising answer: not fortune or fame, but for their creativity.
31% would rather leave their mark through creativity, than through wealth (14%) or humanitarian efforts (10%).
Some stats from those results:
79% consider themselves creative; 5% saying they do not
~72% wished more engagement in creative activities (and more often)
Creativity outlets that help de-stress a lot of respondents: 14% creative writing, 12% painting, and 10% drawing or doodling
The 31% who preferred to be remembered for their creativity shared these motivators for becoming more creative:
27% – share with the world
24% – bonding with friends/family
22% – help relax or de-stress
Regardless of how respondents categorized themselves, 77% admitted they’d be more likely to explore their creativity if they were more confident in their abilities.
So what’s stopping them (or you!) ?
77% hesitate from lack of confidence in ability:
44% of those need encouragement from people they care about
43% of those want/need more practice
36% need more products to help them become more creative
20% of all those polled engage in creative activities daily (18%) or weekly (37%)
“It’s inspiring to see just how many Americans consider themselves creative, though it’s clear that there is more creativity to be unleashed.” – Gina Lazaro, VP Brand Management.
The small data sample from this poll is, of course, not conclusive for the population, but is an indicator of sorts. I did not have access to the full survey results, but it would have been interesting to see all the creativity activities surveyees shared. After all, “creativity” is a broad term for an emotional, cognitive, and tactile experience humans pursue.
Still, it shouts loudly to anyone that if you’re not pursuing or engaging in frequent bouts of creative activities, you probably should! And sooner than later.
National Pencil Day
This Saturday, March 30, is National Pencil Day.
Not exactly shattering news… unless one is a confirmed pencil geek. (Um… that would be me.)
My usual response to these honor days is a meh and YAHH (yet another Hallmark holiday). Not that I think there’s anything wrong with bringing attention to such milestone days to remind us. But over the years, there’s been so many days established, ostensibly, to sell Hallmark cards.
Every so often, the simple pencil makes a cultural comeback and we’re at that time again. As people digitally detox and discover the tactile joys of using hand-held analogue objects, some fall back in love with that simple batteries-not-required wooden pencil. It’s long history of faithfully rendering human thought into words and images on paper is a testament to this old technology’s lasting power.
The pencil’s evolution as a common object came started after the discovery of graphite (plumbago) used for a pencil’s core, combined with inventions expanding mass production capabilities.
A few fun facts illustrate the pencil’s enduring power and usefulness:
An average pencil can be sharpened 17 times, write ~45,000 words, or draw a line ~35 miles long.
The average cedar tree supplies enough wood for ~300,000 pencils.
Over 14 billion pencils are made world-wide each year (laid end-to-end, they would circle the Earth 62 times).
Manufactured pencils are ~160 years old, while erasers are ~100 years (teachers thought erasers encouraged mistakes).
Pencil cores never contained lead. They have plumbago (graphite), a crystalline form of naturally occurring carbon.
So find and sharpen your favorite pencil this Saturday and spend some quality time writing, doodling, sketching, or finally starting a bucket list or whatever list helps you be who you aspire to be and go where you want to go.
Nota bene: I’m having a National Pencil day sale at my online Notegeist shop this weekend. Jump over and check it out, and it just might be the start of some glorious analogue adventures for you!
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Need some cool stationery items? Visit my shop – Notegeist.