The Creative Workout

Creativity is like a muscle - it needs a workout in order to strengthen and grow. Much like physical exercise if we wait till we “feel like it” we’ll never get around to it.

What am I supposed to do now?!

After graduating from college I found it difficult to continue with the creative process and habits I had developed while in school that were necessary to complete assignments. I felt lost in life without direction. For so long I had, had the structure of parental expectations and school. Growing up there was a template for how my life was supposed to unfold and in school there were assignments with specific requirements and deadlines. Once I left school I began to realize that if I was to find direction I had to learn to set my own goals.

Freedom isn’t free.

I (unknowingly) got a small taste of what life after school would be like while working on my senior design project. For the first time my classmates and I weren’t given any specific directions, requirements, or parameters. We were set loose to pursue whatever ideas we might fancy and execute a design project by the end of the semester. There was a sense of excitement - we could do anything we wanted! Free to pursue any interest or possibility we forged ahead. It soon became apparent though - with great freedom, comes great responsibility. Without the pressure of deadlines, procrastination set in. And because anything was a possibility it was hard to settle down and focus on one idea... We had to learn the art of self discipline by creating our own deadlines and goals.

Creativity has the power to change the world and save lives!

Goals, parameters, and deadlines are a crucial part of exercising our creative muscle. We need them to direct our focus and get us going. You’ve most likely heard the saying, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” This often refers to the way in which difficult situations inspire ingenious solutions. Real life problems and frustrations provide some of the best ways to inspire and exercise our creativity. In the coming weeks I plan to share some of the ways I exercise my creativity in hopes that it will inspire you to do the same. Let’s get creative!