Creativity is a uniquely human gift.
But one that requires nurturing to fully flourish.
Developing intentional habits around creativity strengthens our ability to:
- Imagine
- Innovate
- Problem-solve
Creativity, like the muscles in our body, requires consistent exercise and care to stay strong and flexible.
Here are 5 habits to build your creative muscles:
1. Try New Things
Stepping outside your comfort zone and trying new creative activities forces your brain to make new connections.
Experimenting with novel creative pursuits:
- Exposes you to new perspectives
- Sparks your imagination in unforeseen ways
- Expands your creative horizons
2. Collaborate with Others
Collaborating with others who have diverse viewpoints pushes your creativity.
Forcing you out of habitual thought patterns and helping to generate unexpected connections.
Working creatively with others provides a sounding board for new ideas and directions for your creative process that you may have never uncovered on your own.
3. Limit Distractions
Distractions splinter creativity.
When engaged in creative work:
- Avoid multitasking
- Turn off notifications
- Eliminate unnecessary interruptions
Removing disruptions allows for deeper focus, concentration, and presence in the creative process.
4. Loosen Up
Overthinking and harsh self-judgment can stifle creativity.
Fool around with ideas, doodle, and brainstorm without limits.
Loosening up sidesteps the overthinking mind's tendency to shut down unproven ideas too early.
5. Persist Through Discomfort
The creative process can often be uncomfortable and difficult.
Sitting with uncertainty rather than rushing to closure allows creative ideas time to emerge.
Breakthroughs emerge when you persist through the discomfort of not knowing where you are headed creatively.
The Takeaway
Like any muscle, creativity strengthens with consistent use.
But creativity also requires rest, fuel and care for peak performance.
With care and persistence, we can unlock the full expression of our creative potential.
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2. Creative Career Playbook: A comprehensive course that teaches you the system I used to land jobs with some of the worlds most well known brands and eventually make over $100k per year as a designer.
