When do labels stop serving us?
I’m thinking in particular of “right brain” vs. “left brain”. I don’t feel like “right brained” is a good label for me, at all, although I suppose it sort of fits on the surface. I’m something of both worlds when it comes to the right vs. left brain issue. Intuitive yet analytical, creative and also organized as hell. About the only trait I have that sits firmly in the stereotypical right brained camp is that I’m an intensely visual person (no surprise with my love of aesthetics & style, right?). I learn much faster if I can see something laid out before me, and if possible, actually touch and play with it and all of the parts, than by attempting to read a manual.
Aside from all of this, and the fact that I know others who are much more of “whole minds” than “left brainers” or “right brainers”, the whole right vs. left brain issue has come under scientific scrutiny:
An article was published this week in the venerable (and reliable) psychology journal Psychological Bulletin, which synthesized 67 brain imaging studies of creativity. Among other things, it showed that creativity is not especially a right-brain function. In fact, two of three broad classes of creative thought that have been studied seem not to depend on a single set of brain structures.
What we call “creativity” is so diverse that it can’t be localized in the brain very well.
(via)
I have to wonder if some people aren’t boxing themselves in with these labels, unintentionally or not. I hear creatives proudly crow that they are disorganized, that they thrive in chaos, that they don’t need no stinkin’ organization! And maybe this is true for some – I’m not accusing anyone of having flaming pants, here. But I wonder if it’s true for everyone. Me personally, my creativity thrives in an organized environment, and I know I’m not the only one. When I’m disorganized, I lose ideas, I lose inspiration, I feel like a mess. Point being: maybe some people are shooting themselves in the foot with preconceived notions of what does & doesn’t work well with creativity, and the labels that go with them.
Labels are easy, quick, convenient; they afford us a way to sum everything up in a word or two. Who doesn’t like the ease of that? And almost every label can be twisted to be used as an excuse – someone could call themselves a Scanner or Renaissance person (one of my own labels, thanks very much!) when they’re really just a flake with no follow through. They can be used with a sort of cutting self-deprecation to keep us from living up to our potential; “Oh,” you say with a little laugh, “I’ll never be good at math, I’m just too right-brained for that!”
Labels are much like stories in that they should be regularly scrutinized to see how true they actually are and if they’re serving us or if we’re serving them. And if you do realize that you’re serving it instead of vice versa, it can be incredibly hard to shed that label – we attach so much to them. But in the long run, it’s worth it, because the wrong label (even if it’s only something you say in your head & not out loud – especially so, in that case) will weigh you down faster than a pair of concrete shoes.
Psst, go check out my guest post today at Kind Over Matter – and leave a comment to enter to win a copy of Take Back Your Creativity!
