Gary Bloomer | SHAKING THE TREE # 252

The art of being creative, such as drawing or being a potter, is part of our DNA.

Creativity is one of the most enduring traits of humanity.

We see the evidence everywhere—from the ancient hand axe shaped for a better grip to rousing symphonies that stir the soul. For hundreds of thousands of years, our default mode has not been to just consume the world, but to shape it. This isn’t a special gift for a chosen few; it’s our collective inheritance. It’s practically hardwires into our DNA.

But why? What is this deep, universal drive really about?

I believe it’s because creativity is humanity’s original tool for building a better world.

It’s the engine of progress, connection, and meaning.

And understanding this can unlock the creator within you.

We create to build bridges, not to build fences and walls. We all have rich inner worlds—unique thoughts, feelings, and perspectives. Creativity is the generous act of building a bridge from your world to mine.

When you write a song, share an idea, or start a project, you’re offering a part of yourself. You’re saying, “This is what I see, hear, or feel. Do you recognize it too?”

In that moment, we do something extraordinary: we connect.

We understand each other better. We feel a little less alone in the universe.

We create to turn chaos into clarity. The world can be a noisy, complicated place.

To create is to take that chaos and random uncertainty of life and to carve out a space of order, meaning, and validation.

Whether that’s a business plan that charts a clear course towards the next quarter’s earnings, or planning a garden that follows a beautiful design, maybe it’a telling a story that makes sense of human emotion and experience? Either way, and whether we know it or not, we are natural-born architects of understanding.

Creativity means we don’t simple face the world or exist in it; it means we’ve chosen to actively make life more comprehensible and more beautiful for ourselves and for others.

We create to leave a mark of hope. At its core, creation is an act of profound optimism.

It is a declaration that the future matters and that no matter what, we have something of value to contribute to it. To create something—anything—be it a family, a community, a piece of engineering, a new vaccine, or a piece of art—is to believe that our idea, thoughts, actions matter—that they and we have ramifications and a part in the world. In this way, creativity becomes our way of whispering into the future, “I was here, my contribution mattered and made a difference, and I believed in adding something good.”

What you unlock when you create

The reward for creating isn’t just a finished product; it’s a transformed state of being. You tap into a profound sense of agency.

It seems to me that more and more these days we feel increasingly like content consumption passengers. But by being creative, we regain control because the act of being creative—of doing something, the act of leaving our mark—is the ultimate antidote to apathy, indifference, and helplessness.

The simple act of making something—anything—reminds us of our own power to influence, to build, and to change our corner of the world.

That feeling—the spark of bringing something new into existence—is your birthright. It’s the hum of your own potential.

So, the next time you feel the urge to create, don’t dismiss it as impractical or doubt your ability. That urge is your human heritage calling. It’s the same impulse that led to every innovation, every solution, and every work of art that has ever enriched humanity: every poem, every novel, every building, every machine, every work of art or recipe.

You don’t need permission to be or to express your creativity, and no matter what, when you DO express yourself, never let the voice of an unqualified critic stop you, slow you down, or deter you.

You already have the blueprint within you.

The world is your raw material. Now, go build something.

As always, thanks for reading.

—Gary

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P.S. If you found this useful, share it with another creator who needs an ego check (in a nice way). Want more unfiltered takes on content creation? Join my newsletter. No fluff, just the stuff that works.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Originally from the U.K., Gary Bloomer is a writer, branding advocate, marketing specialist, and an award-winning graphic designer.
His design work has been included in Creative Review (one of the UK’s largest design magazines). Since 2009, he has answered over 5,000 marketing and business questions in the Know-How Exchange of MarketingProfs.com, placing him among the top 3% of contributors. He lives in Wilmington, Delaware, USA.

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