Many years ago, I remember reading in one of Natalie Goldberg’s books that writing gives you magic powers. I happen to believe this is true, but even if you’re not into the woo-woo, exercising a creative skill does give you many tools for facing life’s obstacles. The strange thing is that we rarely think of transferring our creative skills to solving life’s dilemmas.
So here are some creative habits that have helped me become a stronger person in general.
- Consistent discipline. Whether it’s losing weight, saving money or changing a habit, everyone wants a silver bullet. But any artist will tell you that you’re not going to create a masterpiece overnight. It’s a matter of consistent discipline and effort. If you write one page a day for a year, in 365 days you’ll have a novel. Same goes for changing any bad habit, such as smoking, switching to a different diet, whatever. There are no silver bullets when it comes to making art and there are no silver bullets in life either. It’s an everyday commitment.
- Be willing to fail. When you first start out mastering a skill, you suck. Royally. Even if you have many years of writing, dancing, or painting under your belt, you still know that the first draft or the first stab at a new work is going to be rough around the edges. Whether it’s acquiring a new way of relating to others or a adopting a new lifestyle, you are going to fail at first. Be patient with yourself through this trial period. Don’t beat yourself up or quit altogether. Instead, take the same detached attitude that a creator adopts when she’s analyzing what isn’t working in a new piece. Incorporate these insights into your new plan and keep perfecting things.
- Never let the fear stop you. I was watching a dance documentary the other day and a professional ballet dancer at the Paris Opera Ballet mentioned that he had such bad stage fright before a performance that at some point he even considered quitting. When the interviewer asked him what he did to conquer it, he replied, “Nothing. I just don’t let it stop me.” Life offers us many frightening challenges; strangely enough, some of the scariest moments come when what we want is finally within reach. You meet the love of your life and suddenly find yourself paralyzed. You get your dream job. And so forth. The odds of self-sabotage are very high at these moments. Just feel the fear. Acknowledge it. Then let it go and focus on the moment, like the dancer focuses on the music and the dance instead of on the audience. Most importantly, don’t let fear stop you, regardless of how paralyzing it might be.
- Be collaborative. In a group setting, if someone comes up with a great idea, the entire team runs with it because we know that, the work will improve if we set our egos aside. The collaborative experience is very invigorating; something takes over and ideas organically emerge. Everyone ends up contributing in some way. Unfortunately, people don’t know how to create this synergy in real life or even in the workplace. In order to nurture this atmosphere, two elements are required: 1. respect for what each person brings to the table; and 2. a willingness to listen to all ideas, no matter how wacky they seem at first. If you don’t believe me, just think of how many times you’ve heard a child give you a surprising insight. It all starts with open-minded curiosity and respect.
- Nurture beauty and playfulness. Creative people are in touch with their inner children when they’re at work. This allows them to attain flow on a frequent basis. The Muse loves fun. If you’re completely overwhelmed or under pressure, you need the release that comes from having fun and enjoying the beauty around you. Believe me, no problem ever got solved by obsessing over it. If anything, creative breakthroughs miraculously emerge when our mind is at rest.