 Hey Psych2Goers and welcome back to another video. Your love and support have enabled us to send your way another wealth of everyday psychology and we want to thank you for that. Now, let's begin. Do you daydream often? Are you good at thinking outside the box? Perhaps you're a highly creative person. Most people believe that creativity is inbuilt, a natural talent or a rare skill. However, research shows that creativity is actually learned and may be more common than you think. While we still have a lot to learn about creative and imaginative minds, there are a few myths that have been debunked in recent times. Perhaps you can relate to a few of them. Here are six surprising traits of highly creative people that you may not have known. 1. They're open to new experiences. Do you enjoy seeking out new experiences? Are you more likely to give them a try, whether it be a new activity, perspective or meeting new people or trying different methods? Research shows that the desire to try new experiences actually leads to and benefits the quality of creative work. According to James Kaufman, an American psychologist, openness to experience is consistently the strongest predictor of creative achievement. In his research, he found that highly creative individuals enjoy three types of engagement that make up openness. Whether it's intellectual engagement including problem-solving, effective engagement using empathy and compassion for others, or aesthetic engagement in appreciating art. Highly creative people use these opportunities to gain larger-than-life experiences. Which engagement do you relate with most? Perhaps you're more creative and open to new experiences than you previously thought. 2. They love to express themselves. Have you ever written a song about a personal experience or painted a piece that represented a particular emotion you felt? Creative people often want to find ways to demonstrate their inner beliefs and interests through creativity and self-expression. In doing so, they usually end up learning more about themselves. Even the smallest of things such as buying a curing or shirt you like can be a sign of your love for self-expression. Only through self-expression can highly creative people embrace who they are and celebrate their differences. Similarly, researchers agree that self-expression actually helps them to work more effectively too, creating more innovative work. 3. They learn and persevere from their mistakes. Do you believe in trial and error? Are you easily disheartened by defeat at just the first attempt? Highly creative people are some of the most persistent and determined types of people. Why? Because they resist giving up after each failure. Knowing that each failure leads to more improvement each time. Perseverance is one of their most valuable skills. They don't take the hits personally and they keep it moving. They regard hard work and dedication as the key to success. 4. They aren't afraid to be alone. Loneliness is often the harbinger of sadness, right? However, creative people find it slightly easier to be alone, preferring to work by themselves to focus more easily. Being alone doesn't always bother them, and in fact helps them to reflect and think about new ideas. Research has shown that when we focus on the outside world, our imagination network is typically suppressed. Instructive use of solitude can actually improve your creativity. That's why it's important to give yourself time and space to breathe every once in a while. It's healthy, and you may find yourself more creative with your inner thoughts. 5. They're interested in people. Do you enjoy talking to other people out of a sense of curiosity? Do the inner workings and thoughts of other people interest you? Highly creative individuals are compassionate, empathetic, and curious, wanting to understand others better. They have fulfilling relationships and are empathetic towards their loved ones. Their empathy and compassion is usually taken for granted, but is a vital component in their personality. In fact, research has found that there is a positive relationship between empathy and creativity, suggesting that this may be because empathy paves the way for creative problem solving. 6. They are intuitive. Intuition is actually the basis of creativity. It's following your heart, not your brain. This can often lead to creative people taking giant risks, whether the outcome is positive or not. Highly creative people often don't follow the norm. They follow their gut, helping them and their creativity. Going with the flow and creating something out of nothing is exactly what creativity is in the first place. Intuition helps build that foundation of trust in yourself and your inner feelings, not flawed thoughts. We hope we were able to give you a little insight into some of the signs of highly creative people. Do any of these apply to you? Let us know in the comments below. If you found this video insightful, be sure to hit the like and subscribe button and share it with someone who might benefit from it. As always, thanks for watching and we'll see you soon.