How to be More Creative

To be or not to be creative? This is the question. For anyone that is interested or is working in a creative field, understanding creativity is vital. Especially when we need to overcome those dry moments when we think we have lost our creative juices.

Something we have learned by observing other creative people is that each and every one of us is a potential creative genius. What sets someone apart is the discipline and training they apply to be successful.

Here are some tips from other creative industries that can be helpful in any field, as well as in photography.

Be Prolific and Follow Through

Let's be honest: everyone is creative. We all have dreams, and what are they, if not the wild expression of our imagination? One of the most precious pieces of advice a creative person can give is to follow your dream. Sounds familiar right? Well, the other bit of the secret is that you have to persist.

An easy example is to think about how kids behave. Children have vivid imaginations, but what is crucial is how we develop afterwards. Some of us are branded as less creative than others, and during the course of our lives will give up.

But the one who persists will be more adaptable to new outlets, therefore becoming accustomed to applying a creative attitude to problem solving. Creativity is mostly a matter of training and growing the seed that is inherently in all of us.

Creativity isn’t always about being realistic

The daunting feeling that our work is garbage is a demon many of us have to duel. However, allowing yourself to believe that what you're doing is good enough is crucial. Or... Not? Why must everything be good or superb to deserve its own existence? Give yourself permission to fail and try things out. They will not be the best works of art you have ever made, but they will get you there. As many people will tell you, before you get to greatness, there will be many failures behind you.

Understanding failure to be nothing more than a step to the final piece will liberate your soul. What a great teaching moment it can be to see a set back as collecting new information that will unleash the road to your breakthrough. If we do not allow ourselves to fail or to make mistakes then we will never make any progress.

The best piece of advice that we hear often and that sadly many times goes unheard is: don't be afraid. Probably the key to understanding great ideas and creative people is to admire the relentless persistence that they have toward their work. They believe in what they have to say and no matter how many times they fail, nothing will take their confidence away.

Work with others

Creatives from many fields will agree that the more you broadened your interests, the more benefits will inevitably come your way. There are different ways that you can follow this bit of advice, for example, meeting with other creative people and discussing your work.

Seeking advice from other people in your field that you admire to get an honest critique is important. One thing we often forget is to critically listen to opinions that we disagree with and take the interesting points they have that can help us improve our work.

Certainly, there are many kinds of creative people, and socializing with peers from different fields will enrich you in many ways. The exchange of ideas can spark new paths and open your mind to creative solutions.

The myth of the secluded genius working alone is very rarely a reality. One of the best ways to get creative is to collaborate with others and expand your team.

Considering the possibility that a foreign point of view can drastically improve any work is worth always being open to. Think about showing your work to your family. They will surely (hopefully) encourage you, but they could also point out aspects or details that you had overlooked.

Finally: Rest

The concept of downtime is a crucial aspect in allowing creativity to flourish. Studies have shown how important it is for us to have a proper sleeping pattern. That's because it is during this stage that most information and memories are processed by the brain.

A healthy sleeping pattern is crucial to our overall health, but resting is not only when we sleep. Experts suggest that downtime plays an important role. Intended as something, deeper than what we practice nowadays, it means not overstimulating your brain with music, videos, or podcasts, etc. If you are looking for a strike of genius, that will probably manifest when you are distracted doing something simple.

Contemporary society is constantly pumped with stimuli for our brains. That's why it is mandatory to get a moment of quiet. It is during this time that your brain, free of unnecessary noise can wander freely; ideas can form or concepts materialize, and inspirations flourish. Let them come your way, and they will develop in interesting ways.

We often hear the story of artists secluding themselves to remote areas to finish their manuscripts or record their albums; no wonder. In order to fully immerse yourself in your work, you need a healthy balance of discipline, determination, and peace. That doesn't mean alienating yourself as it would serve the opposite purpose. But it means a conscious way of managing your time to develop a fertile working structure.

Share your experience and thoughts about creativity. What is your way of working in a creative outlet? Leave your comments below.

written by eparrino on 2023-09-19 #culture #creative-juicy #creative-outlet #how-to-be-creative