Bill Moyers on the Creative Individual
Prior to the floods of ’08 I shared an office with our documentary division, as I often switched roles between designer and film editor. Next to my editing suite I had a beautifully written and presented quote from Bill Moyers on creativity. It served as a daily reminder of why I am who I am, and the purpose in everything I do.
The other day I desperately needed to read it again! And it is no long there. I searched high n’ low on Google for the quote to no avail.
The framed version was a gift to our Senior VP and Executive Producer of documentary film, Tom Hedges. Tom also did not know it’s origins, but still had the original water damaged version. He graciously had it photographed and sent it to me this evening.
During this holiday I find myself very thankful for all the great creative minds who have challenged, inspired, mentored and guided me through my life. I’m eternally grateful to you each and all.
Below is the photograph as well as the printed version of the quote.
Creativity… the ability to see things a new way and from that insight to produce something that didn’t exist before-something original.
It sometimes means piercing the mundane to find the marvelous or looking beyond the marvelous to find the mundane.
It can also mean making new connections between two very dissimilar ideas.
Almost all creative people are infinitely curious. They never take for granted what they’re told. That’s why they’re sometimes considered difficult’ because they’re so independent in the way they think and act.
They take risks, take advantage of the unexpected and are not fearful of being wrong.
You must never think that your most recent idea is either your best or your last. You must be willing to keep searching your imagination and intuition for new versions and variations of that idea.
Creativity is not always related to how much you know or what your educational laurels are, but how you think about things.
- Bill Moyers
Illustration by Cristiano Siqueira