Thank you for choosing and making the time to take the What's Your Hidden Creativity Potential? Quiz. Based on the information you’ve shared in the quiz, the category that best reflects where you are on the path home to your full potential is
IT'S OFFICIAL! (As declared by neuroscience.)
Even if your experience so far may be saying, “I doubt that! Unlimited?”
Maybe you can or can’t write or draw that well or do anything people usually think of as creative.
Maybe you can, and you know its value for you, but you’ve been so short on stress-free, obligation-free time for nourishing such things that it’s not feeling like you’re that creative in the ‘arty’ sense.
But when it comes to making things happen in day-to-day life, you can see what others can’t and are very creative in how you do everything you take on... with style. That’s creativity!
And you’re well known for it!
Your style is unique and inspiring to others, and you are likely a go-to source when friends and colleagues are looking for new angles and inspired ‘no-nonsense’ solutions.
The dream?
You know – from flow experiences you’ve had when engaged intensely in an activity, e.g., in art, sport, singing, gardening, communication, cooking, anything really – that there is much more to you and your creativity.
And deep down, you would love to experience the full truth of that. Especially the 'arty' part!
The good news is that it’s not that hard to unlock and let free limitless hidden creativity!
This quiz aims to add fuel to the fire in you that wants to experience all that you can be, i.e., to strongly follow the natural impulse to self-actualize that Abraham Maslow spoke about.
In all of us, there’s much extraordinariness waiting patiently, since early childhood, to be invited out to play again!
Hi - I'm Jan Cross, Creativity Change-Maker and founder at Extraordinary Mind Project.
Over more than three decades - in what has turned out to be my life's work - I’ve helped several thousand people reconnect with hidden creativity that they didn’t know (or remember) they had.
As it evolved, this brain-aware pathway has proven transformational for people no matter how creative they seemed to be, or not, before knowing this information.
It has massive potential to raise the level of creativity in our world, which led me to create the quiz.
You love art and what you can find in yourself and produce through the fun of exploring creativity. A deep wish is for depths of expression and mystery, e.g., choosing a thought or feeling and having your work speak it and touch others without saying a word. It's within your realm!
You’re all about freedom! Imagine, e.g., drawing without worrying about how it looks or if it’s good enough and being able in a very short time to transform your drawing ability to such an extent that you see yourself and what’s possible for you in a new light!
And like what you see!
A whole life awash with aliveness, clarity, inspiration, growth, a sense of having 'come home' to your natural state of creativity. It's a place of joy and calm and safety, a ‘living in the question’ and at each turn curiously wondering what exciting else, beyond the usual, is possible.
You consider yourself more of a logical bent (or creative, but lost connection when young).
You would love to have the empowerment of long-hidden creativity and readily find new solutions to old problems, and to achieve goals in life that you never thought possible.
You need some reclamation from an environment that doesn’t have much creativity in it!
Or something else?
Why not pause for a few minutes and listen for what’s calling you home to your creativity right now?
When in this fast-paced world, you’re just too stressed out and time-poor to even think about quieting down and focusing into a magically calming art, or other, creative session.
Stress is well-known as a creativity killer and can sap the inspiration of even the most creative person. On the other hand, for many people creativity is a fantastic tool for reducing stress.
A brain-aware approach can quiet down just enough stress to unwedge the door into stress-banishing creative fun. (Some tips are coming to your inbox!)
When you would prefer less input from your inner critic. Over 80% of people in our classes say they receive more advice from their inner critic than they would like. (It’s just doing its job of taking care of you!)
As it turns out, you don’t have to fix your inner critic.
There’s a brain-aware way its harsh tones fade away, for it to become more gentle, optimistic, and excited for you, without you working at making that happen directly.
When, and if, you do have an opportunity to do some art, e.g., a painting, and you’re left feeling flat, even though others might tell you what you’ve done is great.
There's not much inspiration in it for you, however. Because it’s a repeat, you’re pretty much stuck in automatic, having done this, or something very like it, before.
What’s missing? Surprise, delight, and exhilaration from experiencing something beyond what you’ve been able to do before. And the feeling of being alive in the moment that comes with the flow state. And for all of that to be lighting up your work (and you!).
When you’re stuck or at a standstill in some area (art or non-art), feeling especially frustrated because you've tried everything you know to solve the problem.
That's the problem! Generally, people spend way too long trying to solve the problem with the knowledge and methods they already have - before deliberately ‘getting out of the way’ to allow the brilliant new-connection-making creative subconscious in to do the work!
Because creativity is not about fixing things, it's about slipping past the problem and what you know – to go exploring in a new space for a new solution.
Intuitively you know there is a way out! That's what's so frustrating.
Some simple brain-aware information helps you find it!
When you have to wait for the muse to visit, for inspiration, for a perfect subject or thought, before you can start a project.
You don't have to. As it turns out, practical brain mechanics-wise, creativity is a choice! Your choice. Empowering, yes? More about this in a bit.
When leaving your comfort zone is very unappealing. As a young child, ‘not knowing’ was your default state, was your comfort zone, and you were in it during most of your waking hours.
Ready for some comfort outside of your comfort zone?
When you think of yourself as being more of a logical than creative bent. Perhaps the path through school and into adulthood led right away from your creativity.
What if your conscious, logical, analytical thinking is the key to cracking the code to accessing the brilliant creative subconscious' new-connection-making magic?
When a judgemental authority figure has hurt precious young creativity. Far too many people tell of a childhood experience of being judged talentless in something they loved doing. And closing down.
Time to find out that it just wasn't true?
“I would never have thought I could make such a huge change in ability. No more apprehension about trying new things in other areas of my life. A more balanced view of life. How do you thank someone enough for making it possible to realise a lifelong dream? Thank you, Jan” ~ Hazel C.
It is hard to reconnect with hidden creativity, to find your way home to the whole of your potential!
The most common - and the most unknown - reason for both creativity to become hidden, and for it to be seemingly difficult to reconnect with, is on a practical brain mechanics level.
Let me explain, though, how
And it's remarkably fast and easy to open up way more possibilities!!
WARNING: This is about to get nerdy!
In practical terms, from our outsider/owner’s point of view, our brain is designed with two very important functions on the subconscious level that happen to be in opposition.
ONE SUBCONSCIOUS FUNCTION is to take you safely through your day by matching incoming data against the patterning of your past experience. It very efficiently has you repeat what you already know – automatically, instantaneously, and perfectly!
So if, for example, you are a stick-man level drawer and you have a piece of paper, a pencil, and a subject to hand, your brain knows exactly what’s required . . . stick-man level drawing!
It will have you do it perfectly, and continue to do so, unless and until you find out how to intercept patterns that are holding you, hostage, at stickman level.
In fact, it repeats past patterning so well that it can leave you believing that it’s the whole picture of what’s possible, or not, for you to achieve and be.
And this is the biggest mistake that people make: to believe this!
Of these two subconscious functions, this past-based one is dominant and so you can see how easy it is to
THE OTHER SUBCONSCIOUS FUNCTION is, of course, your creativity!
Your ‘born to explore’, breaking out ability!
The breakthroughs happen in hours of working with this information, not in weeks and months or over years.
Some post-course transformations people have experienced when using the same brain-aware approach in non-drawing areas are included.
“This provides you with the tools and brain knowledge, and the permission, to explore your own creative abilities." ~ Murray D., schoolteacher
"Very different to other courses. Feel more potential in life, other abilities.” ~ Mina J., medical doctor
There's something magical about this!
"I know it was me [who just drew that], because I was here!" ~ Nola O.
"I feel like I can do anything. I really do!" ~ Naomi A.
"Jan takes you from nothing to something. It's a beautiful experience!" ~ Frank S., engineer
In a ”Creativity-In-Waiting” world such as yours, the biggest secret to the limitless unfolding of creativity is having ‘at will’ access to the deepest, most hidden, reaches of it.
For this to happen, more practical information about the mechanics of your brain, and how to work with it, is beyond beneficial.
Happily, there is now a practical and fast small step-by-small step – and this is the important bit – brain-aware path to take to your patiently waiting hidden creativity.
Right now, here’s what you can do to start opening a deeper connection with it than is common.
TRY THIS: No matter what level you are now at, can you stop yourself in your patterned belief tracks for a moment and stand . . . open to the thought that:
The truth is: your creativity is limitless!!
A TIP: Do you think of raising your creativity level as a way of
THEN TRY THIS . . .
Because, as you know, the essence of the creative flow state is to lose all sense of self, i.e. to transcend the self and its limiting opinions and expectations. and to come out surprised, seeing yourself and what you can do in a new light!
Following is an example of someone changing how they see themselves and what they can do . . . from one drawing (centre) to the next (right)!
Between the 'before' drawing (left) and the breakthrough drawing (centre) is the 20 hours of brain-aware information and exercises that make this possible.
Note: exponential unfolding is the norm. It's available to everyone, no matter what level you are currently at.
A simple idea: creativity is a choice!
Just keep actively choosing the new, choosing to explore, choosing curiosity,
Because otherwise your subconscious brain - it's designed that way - will keep you efficiently repeating your whole life pretty much as you know it.
Including hampering you from being as creative as you sense you deep down want to be.
Happily, we're also designed, especially made, for creativity!
But you have to choose it! Time after time. SO powerful! And what a joy!
“Creativity is a central source of meaning in our lives … most of the things that are interesting, important, and human are the results of creativity… [and] when we are involved in it, we feel that we are living more fully than during the rest of life."
~ Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, legendary creativity researcher, author of the book “Flow: the Psychology of Optimal Experience,” and the first to popularize the concept of “creative flow”.
The simple actions mentioned above – choosing to be open to the idea of limitless creativity within you and choosing creativity often – underlie the success of this brain-aware pathway.
By approaching drawing exercises in a brain-aware way (not right brain/ left brain – this is up to the minute ‘whole brain’) you can, in effect, re-wire your brain for direct, on-demand access to your true potential. And know how you did it! That's important!
Along the way spinoffs include
among others.
I’m excited for you and urge you – if you don’t already - to think of flourishing your creativity as part of the change that the world’s waiting for.
Best
Jan Cross.
Be on the lookout for new angles, and key ideas arriving in your inbox. They've been several decades in the making and are full of aha opportunities for you, too! You can unsubscribe at any time.
Come to an informative, transformational, and fun free workshop. (No obligation.) Spend 2.5 hours immersed in curiosity, while exploring the idea of limitless creativity within, and what tapping it could mean for you.
Can't wait? There’s inspiration and further information findable here at Extraordinary Mind Project!