“Creativity is the power that everyone can use to transform our lives, making them richer, more different, and more interesting,” says Elizabeth Gilbert, bestselling author of Eat Pray Love. In her new book, Big Magic, the writer invites us to take the most exciting journey of all — a journey into the world of our own creativity.
Warm-hearted, lively, sincere and open, Elizabeth Gilbert is loved around the world as one of the most distinctive and compelling voices that speak to us about personal development. In one of her TED interviews, she expresses her credo: creativity is that power available to everyone, with the help of which we can transform our lives, making it more intense, unusual and interesting. You don’t have to make art to do this — it’s not so much about creating works of art, but about catching in the net of your curiosity and courage those desires, images and ideas that are in the air around us. To do this, Elizabeth Gilbert tells us, all you need to do is not give in to your fear and allow yourself to shine.
Psychologies:«Let’s make our lives more creative!» This is what you are calling for. Why did you choose this concept, and not happiness, which is more clear and seemingly accessible to everyone?
Elizabeth Gilbert: For me, there is nothing clear and concrete in the concept of happiness. This is the word we all love, the state we all aspire to, but I’m afraid we can neither recognize happiness when we have it, nor look for it if we don’t have it. More often than not, we follow it in the wrong direction, and what is supposed to make us happy actually brings us only stress, debt and bewilderment. Personally, creativity seems to me a much more real project.
The inner life is much richer than looking at its outer side
Contrary to popular belief, it’s not about what we do with our lives, but how we look at it. Do you see your existence as a flexible and plastic material, as an adventure in which situations and plans for the future can change, in which we are entitled to several attempts?
Or as something rigid, frozen and heavy, over which you have no control? If you see it as a flexible and plastic material, then live creatively. Whatever you do and whatever you do, your life will be as wide and exciting as possible.
To live such a life, you must first immerse yourself in yourself. You puzzle the reader with the question: “Do you have the courage to acquire the treasures that are hidden within you?” What treasures are we talking about?
I can tell you quite calmly and confidently: I have no idea what treasures are hidden in you! And there is no way for me to know. This is not my job, but yours! The only thing I’m sure of is that our inner life is much richer than looking at its outer side would suggest. If you go in search of your inner treasures, you will discover many interesting things. It may not be what you wanted or expected, but you will surely find something that will make you richer.
A life built on fear cannot provide real security. That’s why I choose adventure
In this sense, the path of creativity can be compared to a spiritual quest: it always makes sense to embark on unfamiliar roads that allow us to expand our knowledge of ourselves, others, and the world around us. If I don’t have the confidence to go on that journey, I ask myself, «What if I don’t go?» Then I will live without risk — safe, but boring and cramped. And every time I draw the same conclusion: a life built on fear cannot provide real security. Therefore, I choose an adventure, knowing that everything that I discovered or did not discover along the way will help me to know myself much more than if I decided to stay in place.
You claim that we are all creative and that it is enough to give yourself permission to be a creative person. It is so simple?
The oldest work of art, or at least of what is currently recognized as art, appeared 40 thousand years ago. And the oldest traces of land cultivation are only 10 thousand years old. So, at some point in our overall evolution, we decided that creating beautiful and useless things is more important than learning how to get food regularly. Creativity is a need for all of us. We are born creators.
You, me, all of us are the product of thousands of years of people who have decorated themselves and their homes, made things, played the violin or percussion instruments, built, cultivated the land, danced, told stories … Our possibilities of self-expression are fantastically diverse. Creativity rages within us, it beats like a heart in its hiding place. Write a book, compose a song, make a movie; or paint ceramics, grow plants, travel around the country, cook food… Do you want it? Do it!
If you do not have a deep sense of belonging to the world, you will not be able to create something interesting from your own life.
To allow myself this is simply to say to myself: I do not need anyone’s permission to live a creative life. Consider that you have every right to do so. Define yourself by declaring your intent: I am a writer/photographer/cook/designer/craftsman… And if an inner voice tries to discourage creativity or make fun of you, answer it the way a negotiator would speak to a psychopathic terrorist – calmly, but firmly. Most importantly, don’t back down. Do not forget that in these negotiations your task is to save your own life.
You advise cultivating the six powers: permission, courage, charm, perseverance, trust, and a sense of the divine. Which one is the most important for you?
I think the most important thing is to give yourself permission. You can’t go down a creative life path unless you give yourself every right to do so. Many of us hate the expression “entitlement” because it sounds overconfident, arrogant, or narcissistic. But unless you have a deeply rooted sense of belonging to the world—and from that comes confidence in your right to participate in the life of the world—you will never be able to create or attempt to create anything interesting out of your own life.
Curiosity is the path leading to a creative life. And it’s available to everyone.
It all starts with permission. No one can give you this permission except yourself. You must look for it within yourself. To create is part of your human heritage, it is a human right.
What do you mean by «feeling divine»?
Roughly, I would describe it as an admission that we are not the most powerful force in the universe. You don’t have to name this force or understand it, but you must recognize that the Universe is bigger and more complex than you! To recognize the divine means for me to bow before this powerful force with admiration and gratitude. It seems to me that if one does not cultivate at least some degree of a sense of the divine, it is very difficult to lead a healthy and joyful creative life.
You also write and say that being curious is more important to success than being passionate. Why?
The key, the secret — for me, in any case — is curiosity. This is the path that leads to a creative life. And besides, curiosity is available to everyone. Passionate infatuation can be embarrassing, sometimes it seems inaccessible to us. The price of curiosity is not so high. In fact, it asks in various forms just one question: “Is there anything that interests me? It’s all the same, at least a little, even if this interest seems banal or insignificant.”
The answer doesn’t have to change your life, it’s enough that it grabs your attention at some point. This is a sign, follow it with confidence. See where your curiosity takes you. And if you spend your whole life listening and get nothing out of it, that will be enough to say: my life was full and great.