Raul Cuero: Creativity

Raul Cuero - who came from a life of poverty and limited opportunities - made the most of what was given to him. He used his athleticism to gain a scholarship to play basketball in college; however it is when he was given the opportunity to study, he made the most of it by exhibiting and manifesting his creativity and intelligence in a tangible manner. One of Cuero’s concepts concerning creativity that stuck out the most to me was that of observing and taking everyday life and implementing it in your passions and goals. He used this as an example to when he was talking about his curiosity of science arose when he saw cockroaches in his childhood home and was curious about their movements and behaviors. Something as simple as seeing what’s in front of you and using it as a launchpad to what you really want to achieve in life is pretty solid advice. I tend to apply the same methodology to my writing and graphics design work by at the very minimum using the emotions and feelings from life into my work because that is when you achieve the most authentic product possible. However, taking inspiration from real life is only valuable when you can mesh it with individual imagination that creates something wholly new and refreshing. 

Another interesting concept that seems worthwhile to start implementing in my creative process is this idea of universal consciousness that Cuero talks about. Cuero is very adamant that nature is the key to creativity and surpassing all of our limitations.This process of transcending our limitations is rooted in the observing nature, perception of nature, understanding your place in the world all while experiencing what the world has to offer. This smorgasbord of nature’s elements sets up humanistic and hedonistic values in our own process to whatever we are creating because it is only by understanding the world we are surrounded by can we even begin to create a world that comes from our mind. In some shape or form, if I want to create - simply the execution of creating - I have to take from the world around me and use it as a reflection or at the very least, a base for whatever manifests.

However, the most important concept Raul Cuero discussed is the idea of persistence in the form of process. I am a stickler for perfection in my creative work; so much so that it limits me from even attempting to create things that I don't believe should see the light of day. But, the process of creating is far more important than the end product because if the process is not sought after - and enjoyed - then my creativity is not used to its full potential. I have to proceed to just bring every idea out from my mind and put it onto paper, no matter how dumb or not ideal I believe the product is; it will only help the eventual end product by exhausting every possibility. Cuero’s ideas of creativity are profound, but real; they are not these lofty goals that are virtually unreachable. His idea are simply a product of persistence, practice, and positive thinking; all of which I have to actively work on implementing in my own work (and life for that matter).