CLAIMING YOUR CREATIVE STRENGTHS

           Copyright 1994 Marcia Yudkin.  You may reproduce this
           entire electronic disk and pass it on as shareware.  All
           other rights reserved.  Excerpted from THE CREATIVE GLOW: 
           HOW TO BE MORE ORIGINAL, INSPIRED & PRODUCTIVE IN YOUR
           WORK, Volume I, #2.

               In my favorite scene of "The Wizard of Oz," the Great
           and Fearless Oz, unmasked as a mortal, certifies that the
           Scarecrow, the Tin Woodsman and the Cowardly Lion had all
           along possessed the strengths they had sought through their
           perilous journey with Dorothy. Similarly, I've noticed that
           many people diminish themselves by labelling certain
           idiosyncrasies of theirs weaknesses. Though I'm equally no
           wizard, I've devised a process that demonstrates that what
           you presume is a shortcoming may instead function as a
           strength.

               For example, in one of my workshops a social worker
           identified as one of her writing obstacles the fact that
           she got easily distracted. After she had briefly sampled
           several writing exercises, I asked if she had had a hard
           time concentrating while she was writing. "No," she said.
           "For ten or twenty or maybe even thirty minutes I'm OK.
           After that I have trouble." By the end of the process that
           followed she had learned to acknowledge that she was
           actually very good at keeping away distractions for about
           twenty minutes at a time. She also understood how to take
           full advantage of that capability in her creative process.

               To claim your creative strengths, first make a list of
           what you view as your weaknesses. Complete these phrases
           that point toward things that give you difficulty about
           writing: "I can't ..."  ("I cant come up with ideas when I
           need them"); "I can only ... when ..." ("I can only write
           dialogue when I'm in the shower"); "I can never ..." ("I
           can never make paragraphs flow smoothly"); and "I always
           have to ..." ("I always have to look words up in the
           dictionary"). Notice the negative aura of all these
           formulations.

               Now imagine that each problem statement on your list
           represents a talent masquerading as a problem. What is the
           hidden skill in each? Ask yourself what is different about
           you compared with those who do not possess each
           characteristic. Then write a sentence expressing the
           concealed strength.

               Enlisting friends to help you flip your viewpoint makes
           this part easier, and fun. One friend of mine, discouraged
           with how things were going for her, started a list of what
           she'd accomplished in her life with a bitter "spent my
           quarter-of-a-million-dollar inheritance." "Hey," I said, "I
           couldn't have managed to spend that much money completely. 
           You're good at spending money." We both laughed hard.

               Some examples:
           Problem: I can only finish when I have a deadline.
           Strength: I finish very well when I have a deadline.

           Problem: I always want to go in twenty directions at once.
           Strength: I am blessed with an abundance of ideas.

           Problem: I can't stop worrying about what people will say.
           Strength: I know how to anticipate reactions to my work.

               Once you've formulated your key reversal, ask yourself
           how you can truly capitalize on each strength. One fellow
           wanted to create musical plays, but could only write the
           words, not put them fetchingly to music. He phrased his
           peculiarity to himself as "I'm very good at librettos," and
           a way to take advantage of his true talent flashed on him.
           He teamed up with someone who was very good at creating
           melodies, and together they conquered Broadway.

               Unlike "positive thinking," in which you ignore reality
           in favor of a vision of what could be, this approach
           encourages you to value what you already really do have. 
           If it helps you get in the mood, close your eyes, click
           your heels together three times and repeat, "There's no
           place like home."