Where does creativity come from?

[smescrater]

 

 

 

I start to wonder if it is something akin to geology in that it requires pressure and time. When I was working full time and had limited time, I found I daydreamed about putting fingers to keyboard and unleashing the power of my mind. There were books, business plans, games and all manner of things I was going to create and bring into the world. I enquired about working part-time so that I could work on these side projects, however I was told no. Working part-time was the preserve of those who had to care for others. To work part-time to create and make things was not allowed.

Now, I am the opposite, I have a surfeit of time yet I find my creativity has dried up. I sit and stare at the screen and wonder where the myriad worlds have gone to. I wonder if the creativity was a fantasy, and in fact I am just another grey person in a suit kidding themselves.

Perhaps ideas are like diamonds. They require great pressure and ages to form. Perhaps the key is to mine them out in the odd moments between tasks. Yet this doesn’t allow for people who have made the transition and create full time and put fingers to keyboard, pen to paper and post-it note to whiteboard in the name of getting their idea out there.

I do wonder where my inner critic fits in. It seems as though they have had years of working out at the mental gym and now resemble a body builder at the top of their game. Whereas my creative has been starved and forced to work on things in the office that do not inspire and so they have wasted away and do not feel able to fight the critic.

How then do I feed my artist, or teach them judo so that they may use the bulk of the critic against itself? What does one feed an inner artist and inspire them to create, unafraid of critique, willing to put things out into the world?

I think the key is not to be afraid. To accept that I cannot produce perfection on my first run. To put things out there and to learn from what is said and make the next thing better. Actually sod unafraid, just accept the fear and do it anyway. Know that actually creating and releasing is terrifying and doing it for the sheer balls of it. To be creative I must actually create.

The time for hesitation is gone, it’s time to actually get out there and do something!

(This rambling message brought to you by FTL, late nights and tea!)

Mirrored from Never a dull moment. Please leave comments there thank you!