This week, I’m attending an arts conference and creative think-tank. A lot of the attendees are calling themselves “creatives.”

Now if you don’t work in marketing or advertising, you may not have realized thatcreative can be a noun.

So, what is a creative?

A creative is an artist. Not just a painter or musician or writer. She is someone who sees the world a little differently than others.

A creative is an individual. He is unique, someone who doesn’t quite fit into any box. Some think of creatives as iconoclasts; others see them as rebels. Both are quite apt.

A creative is a thought leader. He influences people not necessarily through personality but through his innate gifts and talents.

And what, exactly, does a creative do?

Good question; sometimes they don’t even know.

A creative creates art. Not make a buck, but to make a difference. She writes to write, not to be noticed or to sell books. She sings to sing, for the pure joy of making music. And she paints to paint. (And so on…)

A creative colors outside the lines. On purpose. In so doing, she shows the world a whole new picture they never would have otherwise seen.

A creative breaks the rules. And as a result, he sets a new standard to follow.

Why we need creatives

The truth is that we need more creatives in positions of influence — to color the world with beauty and life.

Creatives craft poetry in a world that is otherwise content with prose. They bring art to areas where there is only architecture.

Creatives help us see life in a new light — to perceive a new dimension, a deeper way of encountering what we know. And we need more of those kinds of leaders.

Don’t you agree?

Are you a creative? What’s your definition for a creative? If you’re on Twitter, use the hashtag to #acreativeis.