Ep.83: Imagination vs. Logic... Where Creativity Goes To Die

Ep 83 Logic vs Imagination under one roof

Einstein said logic will get you from A to Z, but imagination will get you everywhere. Today, I want to talk about the blessing and the curse of logic.

You need logic, but you also need to balance it with imagination and creativity in certain times of the creation process and allow the two to flourish and find their moments for them to shine.

And I'm going to talk about balancing the two and what to do when one spouse or partner is the voice of reason or logic and the other is the flourishing, imaginative, creative one and how to balance both. In this episode

I'm Priscilla Pfeiffer. Welcome to Spark your inner fire a podcast artists, performers and closet creatives. You bring a lighter, and I'll bring the fuel, it's time to the Spark your inner fire.

Full disclaimer before I get into the nitty gritty of this episode.

My husband is one of my biggest supporters. He's my biggest fan and he's also Captain literal.

He's got the logical brain between the two of us as where I tend to veer towards more making decisions off of intuition, going with the flow or the mystery of imagination.

We are polar opposites when it comes to the Myers Briggs personality quiz. I don't know if you've heard of that, but I am I am I.N.F.P., which stands for introvert, intuition, feeling and perceiving, and he is E.S.T.J, which stands for extroverted, sensing, thinking and judging.

So there's plenty of ways you can take the actual quiz online to see what your personality type or profile is.

But if you want a super quick bird's eye view of it right now, we're going to do it right now. Why not? We're going to do it in under five minutes so you can kind of identify which one you are. And maybe we can see if you tend to relate more to my husband's point of view or my point of thinking and view. And I'm going to actually post this in my resource arsenal so you can go access this.

If you if you're driving and you didn't get a chance to fully grasp all the different questions, then you can go back and do it later. You can access that for free when you go to Sparkyourinnerfire.com and subscribe.

So out of the four questions, I'm going to list characteristics that fit within one or the other. This isn't crazy in depth and it may not be exact, but I'll allow you to kind of see where you mostly fall. So let's have fun. So question number one, which is extroverted or introverted, which is your most natural energy orientation. Characteristics of extroverted would be act first, think, reflect/later, talk more than they listen.

Seek being the center of attention, feel deprived when cut off from interaction with the outside world, enjoys wide variety and change in people and relationships and tend to think out loud. My husband's always thinking out loud, so if that's more like you, then your first letter would likely be an E.

Now the introverted characteristics are think/reflect first and then act. Listen more than they talk. Avoid being the center of attention. Regularly require an amount of private time to recharge the batteries, prefer one to one communication and relationships and tend to think things through inside their head.

So if that's more like you than your first letter would be, I second question is sensing vs. intuition. Which way of perceiving or understanding is most automatic or natural? So sensing characteristics would be trusting what is certain or concrete, liking new ideas if they are practical, value common sense and realism, they like to hone already established skills, tends to be more specific and literal and give detailed descriptions. They like to present information in a step by step manner and lastly are oriented to the present.

So if that sounds like you, then your second letter would be an S. The intuitive characteristics are they trust inspiration. They like new ideas for their own sake. They value imagination and innovation. They like to learn new skills and get bored after mastering skills. They tend to be general and figurative use metaphors a lot, present information in a roundabout manner and lastly are oriented toward the future. If that sounds like you, then your second letter would be an N.

The third category is thinking vs. feeling. So which way of forming judgments and making choices is most natural? A person with thinking characteristics would be searching for facts and logic in a decision situation. They naturally notice tasks and work to be accomplished, easily able to provide an objective and critical analysis. Accepts conflict as a natural, normal part of relationships with people.

They value logic, justice and fairness & one standard for all, and are motivated by accomplishment. So if that sounds like you, then your third letter would be a T. For the feeling characteristics: they instinctively employ personal feelings and impact on people in decision situations, naturally sensitive to people's needs and reactions. They naturally seek consensus and popular opinions. They're unsettled by conflict and have almost a toxic reaction to disharmony. They value empathy and harmony and see the exception to the rule.

And lastly, are motivated by appreciation. If that sounds like you, then your third letter would be an F.

The fourth and final question is judging vs. perceiving. So what is your action orientation toward the outside world and how do you structure your life for someone with judging characteristics... And we're not talking about the judging, like, don't judge me, stop judging me. This isn't that. I could just see it now. People are like, I don't want to be judging. I don't want that to be my letter. This is completely different. Someone with judging characteristics, they like knowing what they are getting into.

They focus on task related action, complete meaningful segments before moving on. They work best and avoid stress when able to keep ahead of deadlines. They naturally use targets, dates and standard routines to manage life. Are happiest after a decision has been made and are satisfied most from finishing a project. So if that sounds like you, then your fourth letter would be a J. For someone with perceiving characteristics, this person is comfortable moving into action without a plan.

They plan on the go. They like to multitask and have a variety mix, work and play. They're naturally tolerant of time, pressure and work best close to the deadlines. They instinctively avoid commitments which interfere with flexibility.Freedom and variety.

Are happiest leaving options open and lastly, are satisfied most from starting a project. If that sounds like you, then your fourth letter is a P. So which one are you? So I'll give you a little background of what that looks like in a relationship when you've got two people that are polar opposites when it comes to sensing, intuition, thinking, feeling, judging, perceiving and my favorite creativity.

So let's talk about logic. We need logic, but logic can smother the oxygen out of a creative person. It can smother the creative spark and it can extinguish a creative fire shining within.

So, I noticed early on in our marriage, every time I had a new idea, I wanted to share it with him and it could have been fresh that day. Like I just thought of it hours prior and I would share it. And what I wanted was for him to collaborate. What I wanted is for him to help me dissect it and make it better, things like that. But with my logic, risk management, sensing, thinking, judging husband, brain, he wanted to fix the problems that this idea could create in the future.Before they were even there. He was seeing what could happen "if" to protect ourselves, to make sure I'm making the right decisions.

And he was doing all this in love. Like I said, he's a huge supporter in my life. He is the biggest supporter of everything I strive to do. So it's just the way he thinks. I didn't realize this early on because I get really sensitive about the topic. And I would often we would have these conversations about about my creative ideas and I would end the conversation crying.

It was terrible. And he didn't want that. It was just a difference in communication. I started to recognize the difference in the way I felt after I shared a new idea with him.

I felt myself like abandoning those ideas dead in their tracks before they were allowed to reach their various destinations with all the sights and sounds and reroutes and detours and discoveries of new planes on on its way to the destination. It's like I pulled the emergency brake, never allowing the idea to take flight on a new track because logic was entered of the "what ifs". And logic is where I learned is where my creativity went to die. I know I'm dramatic, but it's how I felt.

So as I began to recognize this pattern of creativity kill, I began to look back and and kind of examine my past creative successes.

Pre- husband, lol before I had these creative discussions with him. So I dissected the origin, the development, the completion, the various tweaking and adjustments along the way. And I observed, at least in the beginning stages, the lack of logic, believe it or not. Now, I'm pretty confident in my common sense and solid sense for distinguishing my mediocre ideas from the solid ones that deserve my time and energy and my dedication and, you know, I'm only human.

I'm not always spot on. But this mix of sort of common sense and intuition mixed with ruthlessness, not caring what people think sort of took the place of logic. And as I looked back, I wonder what endeavors I may not have pursued if too much logic was allowed to enter in the beginning stages of the creation, in the beginning stages of the idea when it was just a baby that hadn't grown roots yet, it wasn't grounded, and that's when the idea is so fragile.

So I looked back on my various endeavors and I'm like, OK, let's start with the first time I really said I want to be a dancer for a living. I want to dance for a living. Now, this is what logic would sound like. But what about when you get injured? What about insurance?

Most dance jobs don't give you insurance, pension, retirement, and you can't dance forever. What will you do?

The second one, I want to dance with snakes. They're so mesmerizing.

But what if you get bit? What about the cost involved with caring for them? Don't they need consistent heat?

The electricity bills will be through the roof, which they were. What about when you travel or go on tour? It's not like you have a dog. And lastly, I want to learn fire. I want to learn how to perform with fire. But what if you burn yourself? I hear the fire permits are a nightmare, which they are.

The chemicals in the fuel. Isn't that dangerous? What if you get chemical pneumonia? Aren't you scared? Aren't you scared? What does that sound like? That sounds like fear. And that's where the common sense portion comes in, because common sense says, well, don't jump off the cliff where there's a bunch of rocks just for the heck of it. Versus fear, which says you shouldn't swim in the ocean because you might get bit by a shark.

What if, what if, what if, so when you put it that way and all the what ifs that I could have said when I had all these crazy ideas to start learning these different specialty acts, if too many of those thoughts were allowed to come in early on, early on, in the stages of that ruthlessness to try something new, being OK with failure because you tweak and adjust along the way, just like that train I talked about earlier, when you're on that train of creation, you're going to take detours, it's going to be rerouted.

It's going to find a new track. But along the way, it's going to see new sights. It's going to discover new territory that you would have never seen if you pulled the emergency brake.

If those thoughts were allowed to enter, I would I probably would be like, well, my gosh. Well, if you put it that way, I may as well just stop now. I may as well just give up. That's just a crazy idea, right? So what if I had stopped? Where would I be? I wouldn't have this career that I love. And along this career journey, I met so many people along the way.

I learn new things along the way. I failed, a lot and I tried again rerouting and rerouting.

And I'm pretty sure I'm going to get some pushback from my logic thinkers like my husband.

But hear me out. What about the first guy who tried an oyster? He picked up this shell, got a rock, cracked it open and swallowed it straight, even though it looked like snot. Oh, God bless his courage or fish eggs. Caviar now enjoyed as a delicacy around the world.

What brave soul tried that for the first time? But what if logic entered there? "Hey, Bob. But what if you die or get really sick now?"

I'm not telling you to go start trying undiscovered berries in the wilderness. That's not the point of this. They probably have all sorts of technology for that now. But I do dare you to imagine bigger, and to allow your imagination to tip the scales of logic during the creation process, because those what ifs are going to get in the way and kill creativity.

There's a time for logic. And in my case, of course, logic had to be entered in the picture at some point in a certain time of creation. The logic part of my brain had me get the proper insurance for my fire performing and proper licensing for my acts before doing it professionally. Logic had me learn the market prices to understand what I should be charging. Logic had me start thinking about marketing and etc. Logic is needed and I'm not saying I don't use it.

Of course I do. I'm just. Careful how much I allow it to enter when the idea is fresh. If I would have started thinking about permitting and insurance and licensing the beginning stages of learning, just learning fire, just learning the art of it, I would have been overwhelmed. Talk about creative burnout. You allow too many of those things to enter too soon. You're going to get burnt out real quick. And furthermore, you may even discover that it's not something you even want to do.

I talked about the last episode with my interview with Chris Ruggiero that at one point I thought I wanted to do cake decorating. Then I started learning everything there was to learn about cake decorating. And then I realized I don't really I don't really want to do this as a business, it's really stressful. But as I was learning the art of decorating these cakes, if I had thought about oh, well, I need a website.

Oh, well, what about insurance's? How does that work? How would I get the cake to the venues? That sounds stressful. It would have sucked every ounce of happiness out of that creative thought and idea. That beautiful time of creation, the beginning where you're learning and you're fresh and you're open minded to these new possibilities, it extinguishes that spark. And my husband didn't know any better.

I actually told him I was going to tell this story on this episode. And he actually said he's like, yeah, I learned that there's times that there's listen to Priscilla conversation or help Priscilla conversation.

Do I need to listen or do I need to help?

And he said it took him a few years to figure that out. And now I truly feel like I can share my ideas with him because he understands that boundary now. He understands that sometimes I just need to say it out loud. I mean, have you ever had an idea and it sounds great in your head and then you say it out loud and you're like, it sounded a lot better in my head. Sometimes you just need to express it, let it bounce off the wall a couple of times.

And if you even have one friend in your life that gets you that gets this concept of idea collaboration and brainstorming, it's a blessing. I'm blessed to have a friend like that that I can collaborate with me, that I that will tell me the truth.

Someone who will say, "I don't think that's a I don't know about that", you know, with their own creative intuition.

And I don't always follow it directly sometimes like. No, let's explore that more. I really have a good feeling about this and allowing to explore those ideas further.

And that may be with a spouse, your partner or a friend. But regardless, even if you don't have that, understanding the beautiful differences within the relationship and that those opposing views don't have to be a hindrance if you communicate it.

There was a time that I finally explained to my husband the way I felt, and it was furthest from his intention. Here he's logic minded, wanting to mitigate risks, not invoke fear. That wasn't his goal. And through those conversations, I also learn how he thinks. And I'm so grateful to have someone with an opposing view to look at and see things that I wouldn't see and in our relationship. He said that I've helped him see things that he wouldn't have otherwise seen.

So I would encourage you to be careful with the logic side of your brain trying to enter too early in the creative process. Have fun with it, explore the idea, get curious it.

Like when you when you were a kid and you were learning something new. What would that feel like? What does that do? What would happen if you put these things together? All the things we did as kids with that creative curiosity, focus on that and learning the new thing. As for mitigating the risks involved, my husband's favorite. As long as you use your common sense, you can deal with the rest later.

So in case you were driving while you were listening to this and you couldn't really pay attention to what your Myers Briggs personality profile is, I'm going to post it in my resource arsenal, which has a bunch of different resources that I talk about on this podcast. They're free to access. Just go and subscribe on my website, Sparkyourinnerfire.com it'll be in the resource arsenal. And I have a description of the 16 different types of personalities at a glance, because within those four different questions, you can get sixteen different combinations.

It's a lot quicker than doing, there's a ton of questions if you do the actual Myers Briggs, I wanted to simplify it so go check that out. And remember to keep imagining allow your ideas and thoughts to go down the train track of possibilities, seeing new sights, going on detours and discovering things along the way. Don't pull that emergency brake.

Let that creative spark shine. It's Priscilla Pfeiffer, I hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please subscribe, leave a comment so I can reach more people like you, and go to Sparkyourinnerfire.com I have a special gift for you. Go check it out.