Remember in school when you were told that you couldn’t color outside of the lines? I remember it vividly. I got in trouble for even questioning why we couldn’t. But I realized that conformity kills creativity.

Imagination Has No Rules

I understand the reasons for rules. As a kid when you seem most powerless against the all powerful adults who just don’t understand. I know you need to show up for class on time. Pay attention. Do your homework. And don’t disrupt the class. But when it comes to your imagination, there really aren’t any rules.

The Entrepreneurial Spirit

I always had an entrepreneurial spirit, even in grade school. But I was discouraged by my teachers to pursue it. It seems my experience wasn’t unusual.  America is the land of opportunity and entrepreneurs. But our current school system doesn’t give students the tools or the encouragement to take creative risks. Guidance counselors never gave me the option of being an entrepreneur. They kept trying to steer me in the direction of college. That was neither a financial option for me nor of any interest. I just wanted to jump into the world of entrepreneurship and find my own path.

Student Creativity

Student creativity has been in serious decline for the past few decades, according to Kyung Hee Kim, Professor of Education at the College of William and Mary. She put together a study of creative thinking:

“Children have become less emotionally expressive. They are less energetic, less talkative and verbally expressive. Less humorous, less imaginative, and less unconventional.  Not apt to connect seemingly irrelevant things, and less synthesizing. They’re less likely to see things from a different angle.”

This makes me sad for all of the children who are having their creative dreams stifled. This is before they even get a chance to blossom. It sets them up for a lifetime of conformity and a fear of failure.

Durham, NC teacher Turquoise Parker is inspiring her students to learn how to use critical thinking by asking more questions. This is a great way to set students up to become more creative and to look at everything from a different perspective. It’s a great way to get kids to consider alternative interpretations and unpopular views.

Curious Problem Solver

As a kid who insisted on coloring outside the lines, I’m now an entrepreneur and small business owner who is in a position to hire those future employees. I don’t pay as much attention to what’s on a resume. But I value someone who is curious, willing to learn, and a problem solver.

Critical Problem Solving for the Future

The job market of the future is changing, and will require more critical and creative thinking. According to the World Economic Forum’s “Future of Jobs Report”, creativity and problem solving are listed in the top three skills that employees will need by the year 2020. Critical problem solving is one of the most important attributes that employers look for in a new hire in the future. I hope I can do my part to spread the message that more creativity is needed to help kids prepare for a successful future and teach people that conformity kills creativity.