25 Things Creative People Do Differently:

1.    They work when the work comes to them…meaning that they only paint, draw, write, sew, dance, or write out business plans when they feel like it. Creative people know the mind performs best in small bursts of concentrated work.

2.    They probably don’t have a “normal” job. The creative spirit feels dampened by a job in which it doesn’t get to roam free and do as it pleases. Many creative types turn to entrepreneurship to make money, because it fulfills their soul while still allowing them to get paid.

3.    They see inspiration in everything. Creative spirits become inspired by anything and everything, from an unusual pattern on a leaf to the bright lights of a city at night. They see the world as their oyster, and have a knack for finding inspiration in the most unlikely of places.

4.    They never stop questioning. The creative mind always wonders and always wanders; creative people have highly active imaginations, and ponder the big AND small questions in life. They want to know it all.

5.    They aren’t afraid to fail. They don’t even see failure as a bad thing, because they know that the only way to grow in life is by putting yourself out there and making mistakes.

6.    They are very independent people. They don’t like being told what to do or when to do things. They work best alone and feel totally confident walking their own path in life.

7.    They are risk-takers. Creative people don’t just love doing new things, they actually seek out dangerous or uncomfortable opportunities because this makes them feel alive. It unlocks new doors of creativity, and might even give them insight into previously undiscovered talents.

8.    They use their pain to fuel their passion. Creative people have likely been through very hellish and traumatic experiences, but these experiences give life to their work. They feel inspired by what they learned from their setbacks, and transmute the negative energy from the pain into something positive.

9.    They practice self-development. Imaginative people know that a foggy, unproductive, negative brain will block their creativity and not allow them to express themselves fully. They read self-help books, practice mindfulness, meditate, do yoga, and say positive affirmations. They know that a positive attitude is the cornerstone of achieving a high level of creative success.

10. They daydream. Creative people let their minds wander, and don’t ask any questions until later. They simply enjoy traveling to new lands and thinking up new concepts through their imaginations, and know that daydreaming can lead to the most profound, unparalleled ideas.

11. They enjoy spending time alone. Most creative people are seen as loners or misfits, and never really fit in to any stereotype or clique. While this may not always be the case, creative people usually feel most comfortable in solitude because they do their best work in their own company.

12. They aren’t afraid of being different. They know they’re different, but they wouldn’t have it any other way. They own their uniqueness, and feel honored to show it off.

13. They only want friends who uplift and inspire them. They don’t want to be around people who don’t have big dreams and visions – they seek out friendships with people who they can bounce ideas off of and who truly understand their soul.

14. They often act before they think. Despite the stereotype of creative people, most of them actually take huge leaps of faith without going through all the scenarios in their minds first. Why? Because they know that they must live it, not just think it, in order to reach their goals.

15. They do things most people aren’t willing to do. They don’t give up easily, they put themselves out there, they fail over and over again but see it as growth, and they put in hard work even when they’re tired. Creative people are troopers; they have a strong will and don’t let anything stand in their way.

16. They have a “yes” mentality. They say yes to life, because they know this will create more opportunities for them. They do things even when they’re scared or unsure – they realize that momentum coupled with a positive attitude create the perfect mixture for exciting things to happen.

17. They have a strong work ethic. They might work fifteen or more hours a day, depending on how they feel. They know that dreams don’t work unless they do.

18. They are complex people. They might feel that no one understands them, but they don’t care. They have an intricate web of personality traits and deep emotions, but they feel proud to have so many layers. They think this makes them a more interesting person!

19. They get bored with the same old routine. They thrive off of new experiences, and actually cringe and feel caged in by doing the same things at the same time, day in and day out.

20. They move around a lot. They don’t like staying in the same place too long, because their creative energy thrives off of new places, faces, and activities.

21. They are highly emotional, intuitive people. Most creative people identify with being an empath, or highly sensitive person. They feel things very deeply, and let out their emotions through their creative work.

22. They may have a hard time falling asleep. Because of their active brains, they might stay up into the early morning hours some nights, either working or just thinking.

23. They take care of themselves. They realize their creative energy can’t move through them if they don’t keep their mind, body, and soul healthy. They likely care about their diet, exercise often, and meditate daily.

24. Life means nothing to them if they don’t follow their heart. They don’t relate to people who see everything as a means to an end. To them, their passion is both the means AND the end.

25. They live life on the edge. They know that they must always feel excited and challenged in life in order to live to the fullest. They want to live a life that is anything but ordinary.

The One Interview Question Most People Are Not Prepared For!

Any job hunter or college interviewer would be wise to seek out common interview questions and think about his answers beforehand, but what about the questions that haven’t made it onto the lists yet?

One question I’ve heard asked is some variation of, “Tell me something I wouldn't know from looking at your CV/resume” or “Tell me something no one else knows about you.”

This question seems to be becoming increasingly common, but it’s still not one that job applicants are routinely preparing for. That means it’s a good place for you to shine.

What is the recruiter/committee looking for?

Of course, I can’t say exactly what any specific they are looking for when they ask a question like this, but I can give you some possible ideas. They might be looking to see:

1.    How do you organize your thoughts? If you’re telling an anecdote or story, is it well thought out and well told? Do you connect topics and events linearly, or jump all around?

2.    Can you think on your feet? Because this is a less common question, the interviewer may be trying to get you away from canned, rehearsed answers and see if they can get a glimpse of the real you.

3.    What do you consider most important for the interviewer to know? What comes out as an answer to this question could say a lot about you? Do you tell a story about your philanthropy and charity work, or about your many awards and accolades, or about family and hobbies?

4.    Are you able to relate the story back to the job? It’s a nice indication of higher-level thinking if you can tell a personal story but relate the points about you back to why you would be a good candidate for the job.

5.    Are you saying anything you shouldn’t? This isn’t to say that interviewers are trying to trip you up, but they will always be listening for things you shouldn’t reveal about current or former employers, or anything personal that might make them question your qualifications for the job.

Remember, their job is to find the best candidate, so it makes sense that they want to move you away from more rehearsed speeches into more authentic territory — even if that authentic territory doesn’t put you in the best light.

How to prepare for this question?

As with all interview questions, it’s important to think about how you might answer, but don’t compose your answer and memorize it word for word — any savvy interviewer will be able to tell.

Since this is an open-ended question, your answer is an opportunity for you to highlight aspects of your qualifications, history, or skills that might not be immediately noticeable in your resume.

• Keep your core strengths in mind. Go into every interview with a good idea of the core strengths you would bring to the job, and then take the chance to highlight those skills with your answer. For example, if you want to emphasize your organizational skills in a particular interview, you might tell a story of how you organized an elaborate fundraiser at your child’s school, or how you were the president of a particular club at university.
• Think about intangible strengths and soft skills. Your resume should highlight achievements and metrics, but this is your opportunity to highlight your best soft skills. If, for example, your resume says you exceeded your sales goals by a certain percent, you could elaborate by explaining that you were able to do that because of your excellent people skills or your dedication to following up with your leads.
• Share something personal. If the question comes towards the end of the interview, and you feel you’ve already been able to make your case for your job skills, you might choose to highlight something from your personal life that reflects well on your character. Consider sharing only personal things that are universally accepted as positive, like being an avid chess player or enjoying mountain climbing, rather than anything that could be considered controversial, like volunteering with a political cause or being involved in a counterculture.
• Explain why you want the job. This is a great place in the interview to explain why you are particularly passionate about the job. If something in the job description excited you or any personal connection for the field. For example, I knew a young woman who was practically falling out of her chair to apply for a marketing position with a Parkinson's charity because of the work they had done to help her father. This kind of personal connection can demonstrate that you would bring extra passion and energy to the position.

Figuring out how to answer these more open-ended and personal questions is like solving a riddle; the answer should show how you fit into this new job opportunity. As important as it is to think about these questions before you go into the interview, it’s equally important that your answers sound friendly and conversational, not memorized and rehearsed