Cultivating Creativity

Can creativity be cultivated?

The short answer is: yes! Experts can pay it forward to unleash creativity in the next generation.

Emily Falvey is a gifted songwriter, but without James Tealy, she may not have become a recognized name in the music industry.

Her story begins with her writing songs as a young girl of seven or eight. She dreamed of becoming a famous songwriter and set off for college at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. When she arrived, she was just like the other students in her program, who also had a unique gift for writing songs.

She was overwhelmed and almost gave up on her dream until she met her first mentor, James Tealy, a professor and writer/cowriter of more than 100 songs. He saw something in Emily that she didn't see herself. He told her, " Emily, you realize you can champion other people's talent in the writing room, right? And you have what it takes to be a writer." His insight was her "Aha!" moment. It changed everything for her because he was able to guide her into the field and the career she dreamed of but didn't have the confidence to pursue. Emily's creativity exploded.

When we mentor someone, a chain reaction of events in the mentee's life is set off. Magic unfolds for the recipient. The person passing the torch may never see what happens beyond this point, but generally, a pivotal moment occurs for the recipient. For Falvey, her creativity was moved from back stage to main focus. James Tealy cultured her musical ideation, using his expert insights and talents to help her see she had the capability to make it as a songwriter.

Most of us can relate to moments in our lives when we are just oozing self-doubt. Sifting through possibilities is difficult when we don't see a clear path forward. Mentors help us to do this, and they can infuse confidence into our psyche and guide us along. Falvey could have easily given up on her dream, and her life would likely be very different. But she pivoted and used her mentor James Tealy's guidance to get on track with songwriting.

Here's how Tealy's mentoring unfolded for Falvey. Her Aha! moment launched a torrent of creativity. She continued to pursue songwriting in college and took opportunities that came her way through internships, and she surrounded herself with other mentors who continued to guide her along where Tealy left off.

By the time she was a senior in college, she got her big break. Falvey signed an exclusive contract with SmackSongs, a worldwide music publishing company. Success came quickly. The song she penned for singer MacKenzie Porter became Canada's #1 country music hit. Many people have mentored Falvey along the way, but her first mentor unleashed the creativity she was hiding from herself and the world. She pursued the opportunities on the creative path he illuminated for her.

What do the mentors get out of it?

When mentors and mentees come together, it is a two-way street. Mentees give to mentors by doing what their mentors taught them. The mentee is an active participant, accepting the guidance and showing the mentor how they are using the skills, knowledge, advice, and values being passed to them. Tealy, was a talented songwriter himself, and when he opened Falvey's eyes to her skills and guided her to become a songwriter, he was given the gift of seeing her become a songwriter as she dreamed and he was. Falvey carries a piece of her mentor in all her work, and his legacy lives in her.

What's midlife got to do with it?

Midlife is when many individuals begin to strongly desire to give back through volunteering, mentoring, and philanthropy. Experts can pass on many concrete skills to the next generation, and they can also cultivate creativity in music, art, writing and film. Although artists, like athletes, may have an innate ability and affinity for their talent, a mentor can identify and enhance aspects of the mentee that they may never have noticed or felt they had the ability to capitalize on. Falvey's music has a piece of her mentor living on in every song.