Creativity takes guts.

A lot of businesses today are lead by individuals whose parents sheltered them and provided everything for them. Let them live at home far too long etc. They never had to work hard for much, they follow the leader.

To do something different in your business and make a difference you have to think creatively. Once you discover a solution and sometimes it appears "out there" you now have to have the guts to do it - to take the risk.

Ever attend a brainstorming seesion? Everybody loves throwing ideas out there. Everybody likes the idea of creativity. "thinking outside of the box" is a very over-used mantra. Now try to implement that creative idea.

Watch how many reasons why we can't do it suddenly pops up. It will cost too much, it will never work, no one will buy it - blah, blah, blah.

No guts. Creativity in business, art and life in general requires the guts to put it out there and see it through.

Picasso could easily have painted sentimental scenes realistically but he chose to be creative. Guts.

Steve Jobs could have pulled a Dell and mass-produced beige products as well, but Steve chose to be creative. Guts.

Starbucks could have just served up java with cream but chose to get creative. Guts.

I don't agree that we all have the potential to be creative. It is more complicated than that. To be creative is to be a leader not a follower. We simply are not all leaders. Most of society are followers, they look to the creative thinkers for their solutions and their guts to make it happen.