I have been using the term new age creatives in my posts for some time. Recently when someone asked me what I meant by them I realized it may not be a widely used term and I might have invented it for my own understanding.

I did a quick google search. That came back with a video series documenting the stories of artists and entrepreneurs to educate and inspire the next generation. Very relevant, but not exactly on the terms I have been thinking about when I was referring to them in my posts – How new age creatives are not only surviving but thriving, What is art, We are all artists, and How to be an artist in the new age.

So I decided to do a list of the characteristics of new-age creatives. Here are ten, I came up with.

1. New age creatives take their imagination seriously

They nurture it. They feed it by constantly learning. They find ways to stretch it usually by challenging the status quo. Think of Janet Echelman here.

2. New age creatives know creativity is a way of life

They know creativity is not an occasional strike of the muse but a way of living their life. They adopt it like with the ardor of an artist. Think Elizabeth Gilbert here.

3. New age creatives are idea catchers.

They know ideas are bubbles and they vanish in thin air as quickly as they form. They build mechanisms to capture them and to follow them until they become something tangible or die a natural death. Read James Altucher’s Ultimate Guide to Becoming an Idea Machine.

4. New age creatives have a platform

They build a platform to share their ideas. They know that the world needs their ideas and the power of an idea lies in sharing it and gaining energy from the universe. This is why Ted Talks has become such a phenomenon. Listen to Robert Tercek’s Ted Talk to understand the power of a personal platform.

5. New age creatives are a part of a scenius.

They are like a node in a matrix of creative individuals who generate and nurture great ideas. Listen to Brian Eno here.

6. New age creatives are focused on the process rather than the product

They understand that the product appears as a result of the process. It is as imminent as day follows night. Better the process, the better will be the product. So they invest their energy in refining the process. Listen to Austin Kleon here.

7. New age creatives are financially savvy.

They don’t burden their creativity to earn them a living. They either minimize their needs or figure out alternate ways to make a living until their creativity bring them abundance beyond their wildest dreams.

8. New age creatives are resilient

They are not afraid of setbacks. They know in their way of life the failure is as common as is euphoria. They develop the ability to get up after each fall. Their strength is in their faith and persistence. Think Hugh Macleod here.

9. New age creatives are friends with fear

They play with fear. Sometimes they dodge fear other times they let it beat them because they know it will bring the best out of them. Think Tim Ferris here.

10. New age creatives are generous

They are generous with their time, their knowledge, and their products. They give them freely because they know there is more from where this has come from. Listen to Seth Godin here.

I hope this list and listening to the innovative ideas help paint the picture of New Age Creatives in your mind as it has in mine.