Child's Play
“It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.” -Pablo Picasso
We work nearly our entire lives to become and work as professionals. But I would argue that in almost every career path, the traditional schema to becoming a professional generally involves changing how you dress, changing how you talk, and changing how you think.
Essentially, when you decide to become a professional, the old you has to go! 👋 And if anything remains, it must be hidden in your personal life, which by NO means should touch your professional life. 🙄
Now, let's think about this critically. Think of a professional you admire or someone who made it in the "big leagues." What was so different about them?
If it is just someone at work that you admire and wish you were more like, is it because they openly speak their mind? Because they allow their personality to enter the workplace? What is their spark that attracts your attention when they walk into the room?
Now for those who made it in the big leagues. What sets them apart from everyone who came before them and after them? 🤔
Personally, I think the answer to both of these is the same. These wonderful people dared to be different. They dared to dream and then to say and live those dreams out loud. They didn't allow the corporate world to snuff out their lights, their creativity, or their innocence.
Yes, you should dress in a way that well represents yourself. Yes, you should be considerate of others in what you say and how you say it. And yes, you're going to have to think a little differently in the workplace than you do at home. But on the other hand, you can be well dressed, considerate, and a critical thinker and still miss every opportunity to advance.
The key to success is cultivating creativity. And how do you do that?
Think back to when you were most creative. When boxes transformed into spaceships and markers became people. That's right. ✅ Not just when you were a child but when you were playing as a child. You see, creativity requires certain brain wave frequencies, and guess what? PLAY induces a state where creativity can flow. 🤯
Regardless of your field, every professional could use a dose of playfulness to take their career to the next level. The only question you have to ask yourself now is where will you make time for play?
Painted 100% freehand in Adobe Photoshop CC using a Wacom Intuos Pro and the Wacom Art Pen, this painting was created for PPA's International Photographic Competition where it was chosen for the prestigious Loan collection and also won a Grand Imaging Award.
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