Summary
We can make creativity so grand and important that it becomes heavy and actually stifles us. Here's a simple first step to enjoying the creative process.
I’ve always loved the topic of creativity. Where do great ideas come from? Is it from inside of me or outside of myself? Either way, in my opinion, it’s a mystical thing.
It’s that mystical quality that often compels us to put creativity on a pedestal. We can make creativity so grand and important that it becomes heavy and actually stifles the creative process. As an extension, we may perceive what we’re creating to be the only or most vital thing going on in the world, and that can weigh us down and steal our joy. We get so focused on our creative endeavors that we lose sight of the fact there’s eight billion⏤with a B⏤people on the planet, each with unique creative capacity.
Once we’ve managed to create the thing, we may continue treating it as a more of a burden than a joy by questioning everything about it. “What if no one likes it?” “Will friends and family think I’m crazy?” “Who am I to be doing this?” These are just some of the questions that can pop in our heads. Honestly, imagine how freeing it would be if we truly realized that no one’s thinking anything at all.
With clients, I always like to name that negative voice that overthinks creativity. I’ve found that once that voice is named and made tangible, somehow it turns down the volume so people can press on more effectively and keep creating with more enjoyment, even though those heavy thoughts are coming in.
Do you need to name your negative voice to free up your creative process? Simply ask yourself “what does this voice look like?” “What does it sound like? “What’s its name?” Once you name it, you can claim it, and then, you can begin to tame it.
I should check in and say that I’m not implying that a dream or goal doesn’t mean anything. I’m only saying that finding a healthy perspective around these ambitions only helps us move forward. Obviously, the sun will still come up tomorrow if we don’t write that song, start that business, or reach that exercise goal.
I’ve found that who I become during the creative process makes the endeavor worth while. Crossing the finish line is just icing on the cake. However, in my experience, when I focus on the destination, and don’t enjoy the journey getting there, it can be a real letdown once I arrive.
In a nutshell⏤let’s stop taking ourselves so seriously and have fun along the way. Who’s with me?