Creativity.
It’s kind of like a sport but one where we can all win. I’m not really talking in the competitive sense but rather the ‘you need to practise to improve sense.’ Get that muscle memory going. The hand mind connection.
It’s something that needs to be worked on, even though I believe the gift of creativity has been given to us all. It may always simmer under the surface but to to set the furnace ablaze, you need to sink your teeth into it.
And why wouldn’t you want to? It’s fun. It’s you being you. It’s a release. A game. Made for play.
But also made for serious business.
To really have that competitive edge you need to embrace creativity and learn to use it in all it’s forms and for every aspect of your business. There really is no limit to what creativity can do for you.
To discover your own creative voice and your own unique way of expressing it, you’ve got to ‘work it baby,’
“The most important thing about art is to work. Nothing else matters except sitting down every day and trying.” ― Steven Pressfield, The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks & Win Your Inner Creative Battles
Now if you do feel stuck, or are not sure where to begin, you can always:
Go back over your journal (or start one if you don’t have one already) – go back and look for new ideas within your journals. or just read over to get a sense of who you are and where you’re going.
Recall a memory, write it down and get into that State of Mind. Once you get into that place, once you start to ‘feel’ creative more often than not other ideas will flow. Your imagination will get a kickstart.
Remember what inspires you. And go seek it. Immerse in it. Collect it. Find joy in the things around you. Fill yourself with all the things you love so you have something to draw from when you need it the most.
Get moving, motion creates ideas, stimulates the creative pathways. – You might like to try something as simple as colouring in. When you have your hand moving and you’re not focused on the problem, and instead doing something that feels more like play than it does work, your imagination awakens and the creative process can begin again.
Give yourself a break. Sometimes you just can’t force things. You need to step back from it all. You need to go and do other things. Even mundane chores or take a bath or go for a ride. If you think of your imagination as a muscle, it gets stronger the more you work it, but it also needs rest to grow.
MOVING CREATIVITY FORWARD
However, there are a few more things to remember going forward.
Creating a daily/weekly routine. (whether diary writing, or finding new things to learn, you do really need to have some kind of creative routine or ritual if you will. And stick to it. Know what you’re doing each time you sit down. you might start each session with a memory to recall or a quick drawing. Whatever it is remember to use what you have learnt to find what works best for you in keeping to a routine, so that you never let your creativity take a back seat.
Finding consistency. The best use of creativity is to do it on a consistent basis. If you continue to work at it you will gain momentum, become unstoppable and improve exponentially. Being creative isn’t something you just do once and you’ve nailed it. It’s a journey, a practise. Treat it like you’re aboard a runaway train, just keep going with it. And don’t go jumping off halfway through. Breakthroughs happen when you push through to trying times.
Practise your craft. – whatever you do, make sure you do it for fun. Practise and play. Don’t feel the need to get it perfect. Find new ways of approaching things. Whether in art or music or business.
Never stop learning – ALWAYS be looking for new ways to do things, for new approaches. Study what other people are doing, what others have done. Have many sources to draw inspiration from. Seek out new artists, or writers or entrepreneurs and learn from them. Explore and experiment for discovery. Keep those L plates on and enjoy the ride.
Do things your own way – It’s one thing to learn from others, but the real key to creativity is your voice and expressing that in new ways. Be a sponge but don’t simply regurgitate what others are doing or have done. That’s not being creative. Creativity is taking ALL you have learned and doing it your own way.
Work hard – Being creative is a process. It’s a never ending journey in discovery. It takes time to find your way and it takes time to get good at things and there is always more to learn and you can always improve. To really be great at something you need to work for it. But it should be a pleasure not a chore. You need to work hard but if you’re doing what you love it should feel more like play.
We’re all pros already. 1) We show up every day 2) We show up no matter what 3) We stay on the job all day 4) We are committed over the long haul 5) The stakes for us are high and real 6) We accept remuneration for our labor 7) We do not overidentify with our jobs 8 ) We master the technique of our jobs 9) We have a sense of humor about our jobs 10) We receive praise or blame in the real world”
― Steven Pressfield, The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks & Win Your Inner Creative Battles