Creativity and Theft

[bekkilyn]

@bekkilyn, Thanks. I'm pretty sure I am in the wrong job. I think I need a career coach. One who know how to place autistic people. I keep hoping to use my gifts for employers, and find that they do not want them. This is possibly because people with autism have a huge problem finding jobs. Only 20% are employed and many of those underemployed like me. God can make this happen if he wants to. I hope he wants to.

It looks like there are some out there. I googled "career coaches that place autistic people" and got a few results.

 

[Heissonear]

Jon: like you I grew up having fluid intelligence.

I recognized inherently continuous improvement, where most everything is in a state of change: cars, engines, electronics, ...... etc.

I retired 2 years ago, after generating 88 U.S. Patents during the latter part of my career.

Jesus has a plan for each of us. In many ways we cannot see into the future, but we can put complete trust and dependence in Him, in what He would have us do, according to how He made and matures us physically and spiritually.

 

[AlexDTX]

I can't seem to stop creating. I am a very creative person. Ideas pour out of me like water. And they are not part of my job. I spend a lot of time on my job creating instead of doing the work I've been assigned. I can't stand not creating. And I know this is theft. It is a sin. What do I do? The things I create could be valuable to millions of people. I have created major breakthroughs in my field. And yet I do not get to use most of these on my job (I do get to use a few). I just keep creating.

Should I look for a new job? If I do, I have Asperger's and I have done this many times and have never found a job that uses my creativity, so I keep stealing no matter what job I get. I could brain damage myself and stop creating, but that wouldn't do anyone any good. I think God created me to create and yet I don't see a way to do it without stealing. What do I do? What should I even pray for?

At least you are not viewing porn on the job, or gambling online. I think you are being too hard on your self.

 

[archer75]

I can't seem to stop creating. I am a very creative person. Ideas pour out of me like water. And they are not part of my job. I spend a lot of time on my job creating instead of doing the work I've been assigned. I can't stand not creating. And I know this is theft. It is a sin. What do I do? The things I create could be valuable to millions of people. I have created major breakthroughs in my field. And yet I do not get to use most of these on my job (I do get to use a few). I just keep creating.

Should I look for a new job? If I do, I have Asperger's and I have done this many times and have never found a job that uses my creativity, so I keep stealing no matter what job I get. I could brain damage myself and stop creating, but that wouldn't do anyone any good. I think God created me to create and yet I don't see a way to do it without stealing. What do I do? What should I even pray for?

How exactly is this stealing? If you're completing your job stuff, what's the issue?

 

[aiki]

I can't seem to stop creating. I am a very creative person. Ideas pour out of me like water. And they are not part of my job. I spend a lot of time on my job creating instead of doing the work I've been assigned. I can't stand not creating. And I know this is theft. It is a sin. What do I do? The things I create could be valuable to millions of people. I have created major breakthroughs in my field. And yet I do not get to use most of these on my job (I do get to use a few). I just keep creating.

Should I look for a new job? If I do, I have Asperger's and I have done this many times and have never found a job that uses my creativity, so I keep stealing no matter what job I get. I could brain damage myself and stop creating, but that wouldn't do anyone any good. I think God created me to create and yet I don't see a way to do it without stealing. What do I do? What should I even pray for?

Why does your Aspergers-induced creativity come before doing what you were hired to do? We all of us have things we feel strongly about doing but know we shouldn't, but being an adult, being a follower of Christ, means often that we don't do them. It isn't unfair, or unreasonable; it's just right living. So stop making excuses for your "stealing" and do the work you agreed to do when you were hired to do it. Remember, you are an ambassador for Christ even - or especially - at work. Don't behave in a way that gives your employers or fellow employees good cause to despise Christ and the Christian faith.

 

[LoricaLady]

I wonder if getting more of an education in some field related to your creativity could lead you to a more productive work experience.

 

[mreeed]

I would suggest perhaps talking to a (creative!) career coach to see if you can put together a portfolio and turn what you're doing into something more entrepreneurial or consultant-like. It sounds like at least some of the ideas you have are useful ideas, since they have been adopted by multiple companies you've been employed by already. Find somebody to work with that can help you sell your ideas to other companies, and spend your time creating new ones. Are any of these ideas revenue-generating or time/effort/cost-saving? Try to find ways to quantify what you are doing to help you pitch the value of what you are creating. If there is not incentive enough for the company to pursue some of these things, maybe you could try to gauge interest from customers, or find customers' specific pain points that you believe you would be able to address (if you have any way to access this info). Maybe as LoricaLady mentions, some of this might also take more education.

In the meantime, try to just jot down your ideas instead of following through on them; then you can always work on them later on your own time. In the past I've also gotten ideas on worktime on occasion (usually in the form of biblical insight, or simply ways to do my job more precisely when others may have cared less than me about that precision), I understand the joy and frustration; since I was on salary, I just worked late to compensate. I worked alot of late hours anyway, with lots of work, feeling I was not productive enough, and being somewhat distracted sometimes during the workday.

These ideas seem to be a gift from Him, but the key is to use them ethically and wisely, to bring glory to His name, and not dishonour.

 

[Strong in Him]

I can't seem to stop creating. I am a very creative person. Ideas pour out of me like water. And they are not part of my job. I spend a lot of time on my job creating instead of doing the work I've been assigned. I can't stand not creating. And I know this is theft. It is a sin. What do I do? The things I create could be valuable to millions of people. I have created major breakthroughs in my field. And yet I do not get to use most of these on my job (I do get to use a few). I just keep creating.

Should I look for a new job? If I do, I have Asperger's and I have done this many times and have never found a job that uses my creativity, so I keep stealing no matter what job I get. I could brain damage myself and stop creating, but that wouldn't do anyone any good. I think God created me to create and yet I don't see a way to do it without stealing. What do I do? What should I even pray for?

It's not clear how you think being creative is stealing from your job. Do you mean that you're sitting at your desk drawing/having ideas/designing instead of doing what you are supposed to be doing?
Presumably your work gets done somehow, otherwise your boss wouldn't be happy and you'd be out of a job.
Do you mean that whatever work you're given, you find a new way of doing it, or a different approach? If so, this may not be a bad thing and may even benefit the company.
Or do you mean that you actually steal money/equipment to take home and use for your creations? If so, this IS stealing, and if your boss knew, you would have to look for another job, because you'd probably be sacked.

I don't know much about Asperger's', but could you contact a helpline or Asperger's charity, explain the problem and ask for help, ideas or for them to contact your employer and explain the situation? Could you get a job with an Asperger's charity, or designing things for disabled people to improve the quality of their lives?
Have you given any of your "world changing ideas" to manufacturers? If they thought there was a chance of making money, I'm sure they'd be on it like a shot.

God is our Creator and we are made in his image - so it's not surprising that we create. There's nothing wrong with creating, but if it takes over your work and you find you'd rather be doing that than working, that is not good. Maybe it is an indication that you are in the wrong job.

 

[Phil.Stein]

I can't seem to stop creating. I am a very creative person. Ideas pour out of me like water. And they are not part of my job. I spend a lot of time on my job creating instead of doing the work I've been assigned. I can't stand not creating. And I know this is theft. It is a sin. What do I do? The things I create could be valuable to millions of people. I have created major breakthroughs in my field. And yet I do not get to use most of these on my job (I do get to use a few). I just keep creating.

the word theft gets bandied about a lot, but not everything is theft, or stealing. i disagree that creativity on the job is theft. maybe it is a sin of being a lazy servant, or perhaps even like the shrewd manager who was commended in luke 16.

usually, an employer will pay you to do a job, based on your abilities, experience, work ethic etc. if its not stealing for an employer to underestimate your abilities, why should it be stealing for them to overestimate (e.g. work ethic, or diligence to the job)?

all above said, we are to work as if for the lord, so while i disagree this is theft, probably something to work on, as you see.

 

[Mountainmike]

But what is it that you create?

I can't seem to stop creating. I am a very creative person. Ideas pour out of me like water. And they are not part of my job. I spend a lot of time on my job creating instead of doing the work I've been assigned. I can't stand not creating. And I know this is theft. It is a sin. What do I do? The things I create could be valuable to millions of people. I have created major breakthroughs in my field. And yet I do not get to use most of these on my job (I do get to use a few). I just keep creating.

Should I look for a new job? If I do, I have Asperger's and I have done this many times and have never found a job that uses my creativity, so I keep stealing no matter what job I get. I could brain damage myself and stop creating, but that wouldn't do anyone any good. I think God created me to create and yet I don't see a way to do it without stealing. What do I do? What should I even pray for?

 

[Te're'sa]

Assuming you're not stealing the objects you've been hired to sell, whether using work time for other activities might not be that big of a deal. My sister, during high school and college, worked in a convenience store. She mopped the floors, sold food and lottery tickets, stocked the shelves, and made sandwiches. If none of those needed to be done at the moment (like, when there were no customers in the store), she'd work on her homework, or on art projects (including a portrait of one regular customer; when the old man saw it, it brightened his day.) Her boss was fine with this, because all of her assigned work had been done, and she never blew off a customer because of her side projects.

That said, I wonder what you believe you're being paid for, while at work. My sister's boss hired her to complete specific tasks. But maybe you're working for a larger store or company, where if you "run out" of things to do, you're expected to find something else that needs to be done in the store anyway, and going off to do your own thing "makes the company look bad (eye-roll)". If that's the case, then I'd agree with the people saying you are in the wrong line of work.

 

[CGL1023]

I have repented of stealing many times. I am unable to do the job I was hired to do because of my probable autism. Being on the job is part of what inspires me to create, so creating at home is sort of out of the picture. I get to see the needs people have when I am at work.

I think that out of my repentance, God has me on a path to discovering that part of my problem is that I am autistic and certain environments break my ability to do work. I think he also has me on a path to getting a firm diagnosis, and then use this diagnosis to find a job that supports a person with autism rather than breaking an autistic's ability to do work. My next appointment is with an autism diagnosis specialist on the 27th.

I repent and I repent and I repent, and then I get to work and the fear of action overwhelms me, and I can't bear to multi-task which both seem to be a symptoms of my condition, and then my creativity kicks in to replace the fear with joy and the joy of creation is sinful in this circumstance.

Repent means to completely turn from what you are repenting of. If you didn't do that, you didn't repent.

 

[NeedyFollower]

Dave-W, I have learned through hard experience that telling employers of my creativity results in negative consequences. Generally I either get ignored, criticized, or shown the door. I have not told my current employer much. I have just gotten worn out trying. I am currently compiling a list of ideas I have had, have added to or considered while on this job. I'm up to about 80 mostly world changing ideas so far and I am nowhere near complete. It may be a very good thing to do to send him the list when it is complete. At least I will be being straight and upfront about it.

Hi Brother ...Paul's physical gifts was tent making ..I am sure he was very creative . But when we are weak , then God is strong . Pray about this and I think it different than many believers would counsel but despite my creative abilities , I do manual labor . I can think on things of the Lord , pray for others and still be a benefit . You do not have to multitask ...Many people will say " Oh , you should use your God given talents . " I reject that ...God does not need me , I need God . Unless the Lord build the house , they labor in vain . Be less so that Christ may be more. Just an idea . ( If you want self glory , then pursue creative endeavors but be for warned , people will flatter you . ) Grace , peace and wisdom in Jesus name .

 

[fat wee robin]

Shark tank

Yes a HUGE shark of 108 Years old according to the profile .

 

[fat wee robin]

And you were all taken in !!!!