Have you ever thought about it?

Why creative people wear beards and long hairs and don colourful clothes? Is their a direct connection between these outside symbols and the quality of ideas they create?

I think so. And their is a reason. In a world which is not supportive of truly creative ideas, it is important to keep reminding yourself that you are a creative one. You don't want to merge in the crowd. You want your voice to be different. And the look, feel, approach helps.

Creativity is not just about creating paintings and writing poems and making new products. It is a way of life. We live differently. We choose differently. Our evaluation parameters are different. While a financier will take a decision based on how much money he will make on a transaction, the creative person may go for the newness of an experience even if it is not that profitable in the account books. 

Creative people dream of making a better world. And they don't wait for the world to be a better place. They create a better world around themselves. They choose their surroundings based on empowerment, aesthetics and joyful experiences.

That's the reason they seem to be in an island of their own, having a laugh and enjoying life in a stressful world. 

The self image plays an important role here. We must remind ourselves that we can create our own realities. We must not get into the flow of ordinariness all around us. We must proclaim our uniqueness. That's really the beginning of our creative identity. When we believe we are creative, we take bold decisions and those bold decisions help us take uncharted paths.

So, while that beard and those pony tails may not have a direct relation on the output of a creative project, it helps tremendously.