Here are some odds & ends I have observed in creative-expert-genius types:

Direction of Motivation: creatives move toward what they want in all areas of their life while the clods move away from what they don't want.

Time Orientation: creatives look forward to completion. Clods look backward at how they have been unable to do it and assume future is also failure.

Memory Management: creatives look toward constructed imagery combining the new with the old to create. Clods rely almost exclusively on eidetic imagery of the past for repeat type solutions.

Time Distortion: creatives get in a groove and time goes zip. Clods drag out time for almost any project.

Perceptual Positions: creatives use a 1-2-3 way of processing info where 1 represents self, 2 is other and 3 is observer. They move in/out of these various frames of reference to gather info not available to any single position. Clods are rarely aware of anything but position 1, limiting themselves to only one frame of reference for everything!

Perceptual roles of dreamer-critic-realist. Creatives remain in dreamer mode for decades and use the critic role to make dream better and the realist mode as final preparation for making dream come true. Clods kill dream almost immediately by allowing the critic/realist into the show before dream develops enough to have a life of it's own.

Exaggerated sense of worth/potential. Creatives believe they are more capable than their peers or family think. Clods accept limiting beliefs of those around them as accurate.

Self talk [inner dialogue]. Creatives talk in a powerful confident manner about the thrills & delights of getting it done while the clods talk to themselves in self defeating and deprecating ways about why they can't.

VAK's: creatives visualize in large, color, 3-D the future with a fantastic sound track and how wonderful it feels to be doing it. Clods see tiny b/w pix with screechy voices and soundtrack and feel discouraged.

Beliefs of elite performers:

1. Everything happens for a reason/purpose and it serves us.

2. No such thing as failure just results or feedback for next step. Or the only failure is in quitting.

3. Take responsibility for where you are and who you are.

4. People are our greatest resources. We need each other. The interdependent paradigm.

5. Use everything now. You don't need to wait til you know everything. Get help for details.

6. Work is play. Our vocation is a vacation. Do what you love.

7. It's not what happens to you that matters but what you do about it.

8. Persistence...keep on keeping on

Clods believe none of the above, frequently challenging the list as not applicable to them.

The Success Formula of high performers:

1. Decide what you want.

2. Take Action. Do something...NOW!

3. Notice what works, do more of that. Notice what doesn't, do something else.

4. Repeat above as long as necessary.

Clods do none of the formula or give up quickly.

Michael Dimas is a performance consultant, workshop leader, speaker, coach who will teach you how to empower your body, mind and spirit. He can be reached at michael@selfchangetechnologies.com or on the web at http://www.selfchangetechnologies.com