The "not creative" trap
I like posting reviews on Google Maps, especially when I’m traveling. Add a few photos, write something, maybe answer a few questions. I find it both relaxing and enjoyable, and in a way, even a little rewarding.
But every once in a while, that inner critic starts playing its soundtrack: “It’s not creative, it’s a waste of time. You’re giving your work and effort away for free to a multi-billion-dollar company.”
That last part may be true (or rather, it’s the price we pay for the “free” services). But is that really a problem? As long as I don’t attach personal value or a false sense of identity to it – and I’m aware and fine with the fact that Google could remove it all tomorrow – what’s the harm?
I write each review in my own words, expressing my experience of a place. I edit the photos in a way that feels right to me and that does justice to the visit. Why wouldn’t that be creative? Expressing something in your own way, improving a little each time, and enjoying it while you do. Win, win, win.
We often carry around this romanticized idea of what it means to be a creative person:
- The half-drunk writer on an isolated island.
- The painter who hides their art in the attic.
- The musician waiting for the world to be ready.
It’s fascinating to read those biographies and watch those biopics – but we’re all different, thankfully. There’s beauty in diversity, and diversity is what makes the world beautiful.
Posting reviews on a map won’t win you a Pulitzer or Time’s Photo of the Year, but that doesn’t make it meaningless. Don’t dismiss the small creative acts that make you happy.
If you like what you do, keep doing it.