Want This Year to be More Creative? Embrace Your Fire Monkey

This week is the start of the Chinese year of the monkey. And this monkey is no ordinary primate; it’s the very special Fire Monkey, last seen in 1956.

A look at the characteristics of this blazing simian tells us to embrace an exciting creative year ahead.

The ancient Zodiac reveals that this competitive creature naturally gravitates towards leadership, and is very creative and dynamic.

Fittingly, today’s creative innovator needs to be restless, energetic, inquisitive, and never stop - behaviours that are highly attractive and, like the dazzling Fire Monkey, good at drawing people in, to join forces, to build and excel. Luckily these traits are often used to get her out of a scrape, too.

For creativity requires having no fear. 

So, be like the Fire Monkey, whose desire is to leap from tree-to-tree collecting fruit (think ideas), to the find the quickest, cleverest escape before others get to her, often seeing routes through that the more orthodox simply cannot.

Recognize the similarities?

Think how the charismatic creative pulls together the best elements, dropping the weak or unnecessary to make the beautiful happen before the naysayers come along and squash every last bit of joy from it.

Although the Fire Monkey’s love to be in control can be perceived as overbearing, it’s this drive to head to the top and stay there that makes things happen.

Sound familiar?

Yes, a true creative leader loves the detail as well as the bigger picture, and knows that to get the best of a situation you need to push, push, push, up here and down there.

But being at the top requires friends and allies, and it’s no surprise the Fire Monkey has excellent people skills and is able to nurture those under her control. This flamboyance and charming friendliness wins her a large social circle.

In today’s creative world, having a large network of friends, contacts and makers is crucial to delivering the good stuff. With so many things to consider, today’s creative needs to make myriad connections, always knowing someone who knows someone, to pull the favour, find a way and to deliver the magic.

No being is created perfect, and while our Fire Monkey sounds great so far, she is fallible. She needs to channel her aggression correctly in positive directions, or risks becoming destructive and harmful. What she also needs is patience, for herself and those around her.

For any creative dynamo, these are important life lessons; knowing when to force an issue, and when to sit back – and give the idea, the team, and the magic that little bit of extra space in order to blossom.

Our world often lauds those with a blustering passion who rush in, all guns blazing, in an appearance to be decisive - but this isn’t the only way. A wise Fire Monkey knows when to sit back, to be patient, to check yourself and then act without regret. 

I encourage you to embrace your own personal Fire Monkey. Reach inside to free your unfettered creativity and make 2016 the year when you leap where others fear to tread. Where your guile, sense of control, energy and charisma are channeled to make it all the more exciting, and a lot more rewarding.

Spring forth my gorgeous spirited ape boys and girls, for it is our time.