“Anxiety is part of creativity, the need to get something out, the need to be rid of something or to get in touch with something within.” ~ David Duchovny
“Creativity - like human life itself - begins in darkness.” ~ Julia Cameron
“Creativity is a great motivator because it makes people interested in what they are doing. Creativity gives hope that there can be a worthwhile idea. Creativity gives the possibility of some sort of achievement to everyone. Creativity makes life more fun and more interesting.” ~ Edward de Bono
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I love doodling... it’s something I do all the time when I’m on the phone. It helps my concentration. It seems a rare occurrence these days to have someone’s undivided attention – even your own! Everyone is multitasking and in a hurry. What impact does this have on your creativity?
This short video shows that sketching and doodling improve our comprehension -- and our creative thinking. And this provides encouragement to use simple drawings as a way of stretching yourself.
In his recent newsletter, Jurgen Wolff asks what do you need in order to do anything creative?
“Talent helps, of course, but a few other elements are important, too. In a recent interview in Investment Advisor, creativity expert Michael Gelb pointed out the one thing that may be our biggest challenge these days:
Both daVinci and Edison were deeply contemplative. Leonardo said, 'Men of genius sometimes work best when they work least.' Here he's expressing the importance of receptivity and deep relaxation in the process of creation.
Edison would go off in the middle of a workday to a nearby pond where he would fish with a baitless hook. Why? Because he was really 'fishing' for breakthrough ideas, and he knew that relaxation made him more receptive to intuitive insight. He once said, 'To do much clear thinking, a person must arrange for regular periods of solitude when he can concentrate and indulge the imagination without distraction.”
Of course, daVinci and Edison probably had a few other attributes we don't have, but periods of solitude are a good start.
Do you spend time on your own? If not, how and when could you have some?
This article supports the same approach.
Using another context can also help us think differently about an issue.
Last week I had the pleasure and privilege of spending a couple of hours with Richard McCann – even danced a bit of salsa with him!
He is such an inspiring man. A powerful speaker, he tells the amazing story of how he reinvented himself. This link gives you a taste of the man, captured by another brilliant creative type, Nic Askew.
And what has this to do with coaching? Well, your coach will really listen to you, help you access your creativity to achieve your goals, provide support to take action and hold you accountable – often the critical step to following through on your aspirations.