“The truly creative mind in any field is no more than this: A human creature born abnormally, inhumanly sensitive. To him… a touch is a blow, a sound is a noise, a misfortune is a tragedy, a joy is an ecstasy, a friend is a lover, a lover is a god, and failure is death. Add to this cruelly delicate organism the overpowering necessity to create, create, create — so that without the creating of music or poetry or books or buildings or something of meaning, his very breath is cut off from him. He must create, must pour out creation. By some strange, unknown, inward urgency he is not really alive unless he is creating.”
The biggest scam is out there selling you what you already possess.
That is, more of this, not that, this. Having more is not until you’re satisfied.
It’s not even what you don’t need, or don’t have, but worse.
It’s selling you your very soul.
And shorting you in the process.
Creativity doesn’t come in fancy hardbacks.
You won’t find it attending $80 online seminars that promise you’ll “discover and unleash your true purpose in less than a week.”
You don’t need to consult an expert to help you find out if you have what it takes to be successful.
The fact that you’re here is enough.
The rest is guaranteed.
Just because you can’t hold a tune doesn’t mean to you aren’t capable of developing your skills as a poet, a writer, or an actor.
Making art with your hands is more than molding clay. Architects, interior designers, and computer programmers are all expressing themselves in different ways, each of which is saying “Yes, I can” instead of the invariable no.
Don’t let those 4th grade still lifes hold you back. You might not have been great at sketching boring ol’ baskets of fruit, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t able to reach inside the creative shell and find the pearl.
You don’t even need to make things to be creative. Just think outside the box. Test your limits- you know, the mental boundaries you set for yourself. Question authority -that inner voice that demands to control every situation. And stop with the constant imitation- let it be. Who cares what others think. Reinvent the wheel by not repeating yourself, not thinking what you’ve always thought about as a problem, and consider the other side of an opinion you’ve held to be a certain truth. Think what if not. Other or?
Still confused. Well then, step into a puddle and scuff up those designer jeans, ask to hand wash them in your neighbor’s sink (do it!), and then give them to somebody less fortunate than yourself. Now, how does that make you feel? Weird right. Make new moments. And stop being so shy.
Being creative is being what you already are.
Already here. Absolutely now. The always in the moment and everywhere you go. Still it’s with you, and still without you. The I and ill are two too close to distinguish which belongs and which do not. Prefer the latter and trust you’ll find your first.
Have you forgotten?
Do you not recall your liberation is being created and destroyed in this very moment?
Don’t fear. All that dies lives.
What’s truly stunning is rarely do we stop to appreciate this enormous insight. Physically, our cells die and regenerate; mentally, thoughts come and go; and so it seems the battle is, to put it mildly, remembering that we are constantly being emptied and filled with experience.
Someone else isn’t going to change the fact that you aren’t acting upon your innate creativity, you are.
It’s okay to look at rustic antiques and appreciate modern art.
It’s okay to read pop-psychology books written by your favorite authors and understand the craft behind craft beer.
It may even be stimulating to attend a local symposium on artificial intelligence or why machines will rule the future.
But let’s be realistic.
No one’s helping you be more creative than you already are.
Especially, if you are spending all your time gobbling up everyone else’s maps, how-to-guides, and following their not-so-creative advice. Stop reading lists of the top ten ways to lose weight and gain a fortune. Shortcuts are for phonies. Stop day trading your day away and look into the distance of one day.
When will it be time to start your own artistic adventure?
Now always now.
Make your own map, leave the travel guide at home.
Don’t confuse being creative with becoming inspired.
Where the latter fulfills you, actually being creative leaves you exhausted, put out, and somehow weirdly excited for more.
A general rule of the creative thumb is:
The more time you take inspiring yourself, the less time you spend being authentically creative.
You don’t need anyone to help you find what you already are.
Just sit down (or lock yourself to a chair if you have to.)
Burn your inspiration. Every thing.
Light the creative flame by hiding your cell phone (or throwing it out the window), unplug your router, and start by staring into the blankness of a page, the emptiness of a canvas, or the subtlety of space.
See nothing for once and all truly begin, this time, it’s real.
Dance wildly in expression to ignite the spark you are looking for.
Now you’ve begun.
This is the fire you were born to make.
EThe creativity is there, I promise.
You just forgot how to use it.
Stop consuming everyone else’s creative productions.
And start enjoying the process of creating your own.
Discover creativity by hiding from every. thing. else.
This. always works.
