The 5 Cups Of Creativity

Creativity refers to the ability to formulate innovative ideas, knowledge and skills. It helps you to understand your true potentialities.

For the last couple of decades, Iโ€™ve devoted myself to helping people discover and use their creative gifts. In my various roles as a teacher, musician, writer, and editor, Iโ€™ve become convinced of one truth: we find the most joy, and we help the most peopleย when we are doing what we are born to do.

However, there are several barriers that prevent most of us from living and creating at our full potential. These barriers result from confusion:

  • We are confused about theย PROCESSย of creativityย because we lack a systematic way to develop our creative potential. We bounce between various books, courses, resources, habits, and systems, never truly committing to any of them, and only frustrating ourselves more along the way.
  • We are confused about theย NATURE of creativityย because we misunderstand the creative process. We tend to believe that only highly gifted or talented people are truly creative.
  • We are confused about theย ACTIONS of creativityย because we suffer from information overload. We are consuming too much content, listening to too many voices, and not taking decisive action on what we do know.
  • We are confused about theย PURPOSEย of creativityย because we arenโ€™t clear about our own gifts and goals in life.

Over the past few years, Iโ€™ve been on a search to understand more about these barriers and how they prevent us from being more creative. The more I studied, the more I began toย see that there was a clear process for developing greater creativity. This process revealed itself as I studied the lives of some of the worldโ€™s most creative people, and it also rang true as I thought about the ups and downs of my own creative life.

Related: 7 Inner Archetypes That Cripple Your Confidence and Self-Respect

This process (you might also call it a template or pathway) gives you a framework for understanding and developing creativity in your own life. I call itย The 5 Cups of Creativity.

In order to be open to creativity

The Origin of the โ€œ5 Cupsโ€ Theory

Over the last few years, I began to look at my own life and wonder why I hadnโ€™t seemed to reach my creative potential. I knew I was capable of so much more than what I was producing. The more I studied the subjects of success and creativity, I began to see patterns emerge in the lives of highly creative people, such as the Pixar team, Steve Jobs, Leonardo da Vinci, Coach John Wooden, Abraham Lincoln, Stephen King, and so many others.

It all seemed to click when I came across this quote from Walt Disney:

โ€œSomehow I canโ€™t believe that there are any heights that canโ€™t be scaled by a man who knows the secrets of making dreams come true. This special secret, it seems to me, can be summarized in four Cโ€™s. They are curiosity, confidence, courage, and constancy, and the greatest of all is confidence. When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly and unquestionable.โ€ โ€“ Walt Disney

Disneyโ€™s statement seemed to summarize everything I was learning about creativity. I took this as a starting point and made a couple of adjustments youโ€™ll see in a moment.

So how do you, as Walt Disney said, make dreams come true? How do you unlock your creative potential and begin to pursue what you were born to do? This framework of the 5 cups of creativity is a great starting point.

The 5 Cups

Letโ€™s dive into the 5 cups. But before we do, keep in mind that these do not work in a linear fashion. You donโ€™t necessarily work on clarity first, then move on to confidence. Creativity is more nuanced and individualized than that. These โ€œ5 cupsโ€ are like the parts of a car (engine, wheels, body, etc.) that all must be working for the car to go anywhere.

Ready? Letโ€™s dive it.

1. Clarity

Creativity is like a river, and clarity is the right and left river banks. When you have clarity about your gifts, your goals,ย your purpose, and your audience, it allows your creativity to run faster, deeper, and in the right direction.

Related: The Power of Mind Mapping for Clarity

2. Confidence

When you believe in yourself and your abilities, you can accomplish more than you ever thought possible. A person who lacks confidence will always beย timid and fearful, doubting themselves and their direction.ย Confidence gives you the momentum and courage to tackle obstacles and reach for higher goals.

3. Consistency

Almost anyone can create something worthwhile on occasion, butย a true professional approaches creativity like a workman. As William Faulker said, โ€œI only write when I am inspired. Fortunately, I am inspired at 9 oโ€™clock every morning.โ€ย Creativity requires consistent, daily effort to accomplish anything worthwhile in the long run.

4. Curiosity

This is the desire to explore new subjects and find connections between things that donโ€™t seem related.ย The curious person values learning for its own sake, not just as a means to an end.

Curiosity is the impulse that allowed Leonardo da Vinci toย invent so many marvelous machinesย and make so many contributions to our understanding ofย anatomy, architecture, science, and many other areas. Likewise, Disney was an endlessly curious person who literally changed the world throughย storytelling, animation, and theme parks.

5. Community

Creativity is not a one-man (or one-woman) show. You need a team, mastermind, small group, teachers, peers, and mentors who will help you soar further than you can on your own. Your community will make you sharper and better.ย No one is a self-made man (or woman).

As we go further in this series, we will explore each of these areas in more detail: what each one is, why we need it, how to get it, and how to overcome theย barriers that so often derail us.

With Apologies to Walt Disney

Earlier, I mentioned a quote from Walt Disney that was so helpful in summarizing creativity for me. Disney mentioned four key areas:ย curiosity, confidence, courage, and constancy. You might notice that my areas are a little difference than his.

I kept Curiosity and merged Courage with Confidence because they are similar. I changed Constancy to Consistency because itโ€™s a more up-to-date term. But what about my other two areas, Clarity and Community?

I added Clarity because we need it now more than ever. With so many opportunities today, and so many distractions, it is vital for any creative person to have a clear understanding of their gifts, direction, purpose, goals, and audience. If you read any biography of Walt Disney, youโ€™ll see that he was clear on what his gifts were, and what he wanted to accomplish.

I also added Community because almost any artist who accomplishes anything noteworthy does so with other peopleโ€™s help. This was certainly the case with Walt Disney. He employed a small army of artists, designers, musicians, and other creatives to makes his vision a reality.

So with my apologies to the great Walt Disneyโ€“an artist I deeply respect and admireโ€“I made a few changes to the well-known quote I cited above and used it as a basis for this 5 Cups of Creativity template.

Related: 6 Ways You Can Better Your Life With Self-Curiosity

Why Use Cups as a Metaphor?

Finally, you might wonder why Iโ€™ve used cups as a metaphor for these five creative habits. There are several reasons:

  • Cups are PORTABLE. Over the years, Iโ€™ve read various ministry and business books that use โ€œbucketsโ€ as a metaphor. But when it comes to creativity, a bucket is not a good metaphor because no one takes buckets with them. However, we take cups everywhere: the car, the office, and pretty much everywhere else. Creativity is something you take with you wherever you go.
  • Cups need constant REFILLING. You have to keep your creative cup filled up because it regularly runs dry. No one else can fill it for you; you must take responsibility for filling it yourself.
  • Cups contain FUEL. If youโ€™re a coffee drinker, you probably see it as a cup of fuel that helps run your day. Creativity is the fuel that feeds your passion and work, just as caffeine does.
  • Cups represent FULLNESS. When you live an intentionally creative life, you create and live from a sense of fullness, not emptiness.
  • Cups represent SHARING. We intuitively think about getting coffee with a friend or going out to dinner with people we enjoy. Cups represent sharing, relationship, and community. Creativity is meant to be the same way.

As we explore this series, weโ€™ll go much deeper into the 5 Cups and how to incorporate each of them into your life. For now, consider these five areas and think about where you are doing well, and where you could use improvement. I invite you to share in the comments below.

Therefore identify your inner potentialities by investing on yourself.


Written by Kent Sanders
Originally appeared on Kent Sanders
The 5 Cups of Creativity
the cups of creativity pin

— Share —

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Up Next

Things People Learn Too Late In Life: 7 Eye-Opening Life Lessons

Things People Learn Too Late in Life Eye Opening Life Lessons

Life is full of unexpected events and sometimes there are things people learn too late. Though some lessons come with age and experience, as time goes by, we often wish we had known some important truths sooner.

These moments of truth can be very shocking as well as transformative, they help us live authentically, appreciate what truly matters, and make the most of our time. Below are seven crucial life lessons people learn too late and can still change the way they approach life.

7 Things People Learn Too Late In

Up Next

Anger and Emotions: What’s Really Setting Us Off?

Anger and Emotion Whats Really Setting Us Off

Ever wonder whatโ€™s really fueling your anger and emotions? Discover how a mindful approach can help you regain inner peace in your life!

Taking a mindful approach to exploring why we are angry.

Key points

Anger is a secondary emotion.

Anger is a warning sign that lets us know there is an issue to address.

Knowing what we are feeling will help us to address the source of our anger.

Anger can hit us when we least expect it. There are some people who get angry and not know what they are angry about. The

Up Next

How I Hacked My Personality: Steps To Be The Better Version Of Myself

How I Hacked My Personality

Can we truly reshape our personalities for lasting change? Discover Dr. Shannon Sauer-Zavala’s article “How I hacked my personality” and learn how small shifts in mindset and behavior can lead to meaningful transformation in your life.

A Personal Perspective: Science-backed strategies for intentional trait change.

Key points

Research suggests that personality changes over time.

We can speed up personality change by taking intentional action.

Changes that are reinforced by the environment are easier to maintain.

Up Next

Women Empowerment: The Rebecca Effect in “Ted Lasso”

Rebecca Effect In Ted Lasso Women Empowerment

Can women turn negative experiences into empowerment? Discover the โ€œRebecca Effectโ€ from Ted Lasso and transform your personal trials into powerful self-acceptance!

Personal Perspective: Empowering women to transform shame and betrayal.

Key points

“Ted Lasso” inspired with imperfect, endearing characters whose trials and transformations mirrored our own.

The โ€œRebecca Effectโ€ is the empowerment and transformation possible when we have been oppressed or shamed.

The “Rebecca Effect” is the process through which women embrace themselves in totality.

Up Next

The Healing Power of Emotional Tears

The Healing Power of Emotional Tears

Ever wondered why we shed emotional tears? Tears serve a healing purpose. Explore how it plays an important role for our well-being.

Emotional tears are an expression of our shared humanity.

Emotional tears, expressed by children, teens, and adults, are a universal experience observed across the globe. Emotional tears play a healing role, leading to our emotional and physical well-being. This post explores the value of emotional tears and the importance of presence and support from family and friends during unexpected

Read More Here: โ€œWhy Am I Always On The Verg

Up Next

10 Important Weekly Reflection Questions You Need To Ask Yourself

If you feel stuck and want to keep track of your goals every week, then weekly reflection questions can really help you. Weekly reflection questions can help you check in with yourself and make sure youโ€™re headed in the right direction. These are the questions you need to ask yourself every week to keep growing and moving forward.

Have you ever had a week with so much going on that you end the week feeling overwhelmed and exhausted? I know I have been there. Sometimes, the week goes by so fast that itโ€™s over before I know it, and there is no time left to process it.

A weekly reflection can help evaluate if what you are doing is working. It fosters self-growth. So, pull out that weekly reflection journal and answer the weekly reflection prompts below.

Up Next

Why Is Lying Wrong? Morals Are Not The Only Reason

โ€œI must not tell liesโ€œ, this famous line from Harry Potter is more than just a dialogue. Dolores Umbridge, made Harry Potter cut these words as a permanent mark on the back of his hand. But if asked โ€œWhy is lying wrong?โ€ The answer is always moralistic, which is subjective.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

We have all received punishment