As the creativity writer, I obviously focus on the benefits of creativity, and how practicing creative habits can enhance your life. There is something incredibly important about finding your creative side in whatever you are doing and applying it completely. Looking at the aftermath can be inspiring as you realize that you have created something new or adopted something that already existed in a new way.
But creativity can take time. Creativity can take energy. And there are definitely moments when neither are available.
When time is running out, the deadline is approaching, and you have been cranking on a project for what seems like forever, creativity is probably the last thing on your mind.
And that’s okay.
There will be times when creativity is not the answer. Instead, it’s about getting the job at hand done to the best of your abilities, and the fastest way possible.
There have been plenty of times in my life when I have not been incredibly impressed by the output of my work. Either it was incomplete, not particularly innovative, or maybe just plain boring. But it was the best I had in me at that time and the most important part was that it was done on time.
This can happen in pretty much any area of your life. Take for example at work or school. Perhaps your colleague just informed you of an important and massive change in the project you have been working on, and it’s due the next day.
Of course, I would encourage you to think of creative solutions to the new challenge at hand. Maybe you can figure out a way to leverage the work you have already done for this new direction. Or, you could look at what is driving the change and if you can push the project back towards your original goal.
However, if you’re not inspired in the first few moments, it is time to put action towards it and get to work. Creativity can only carry you so far. After that, hard work and dedication will take you the rest of the way.
The same situation can occur at home. Maybe you’ve had a busy day and can just barely get to the kitchen before it is time for bed. While you could look around and try to find exciting and creative recipes, really it’s just time to get the meal done. Use whatever your tried and true recipe is and get to business before it’s too late.
Now, if you are constantly in this mode of “get it done now”, then you will never have time to bring creativity into your life, so it might be time for some personal reflection. It is best to avoid being in that mode as much as possible, so perhaps there are some changes that need to be made.
As with many things, finding that correct balance between creativity and action is challenging, but it is a critical goal that needs to be in place.
Great post, Ryan. I love when people tell others that they don’t have to fear. In this case, it is that we don’t have to fear if there hasn’t been time for creativity. That there is a time and place for it.
I find that truly creative people who produce innovative, quality work as a norm, are not the best critics of their own “uncreative work.” What I mean is that creative people assess things with different standards than the general population.
By way of example, my best friend, Dibby, is a creative person from head to toe. She is a natural taster and cook. There will be times I’ll be over visiting and she’ll say, “I’m just so tired tonight and don’t know if I can manage shopping and doing a big thing; I hope you don’t mind if I just whip up something quick from whatever’s in the fridge.” And then, in her version of tired, she’ll peruse the fridge, pull out this and that, grab a few sprigs of something-er-other from her herb garden — and in 10 minutes, “whip up” something you’d pay top dollar for at some French café.
In short, I’ve come to realize that my second-rate work is better than most people’s gung-ho try. What I might write in 5 minutes being tired might seem like award-winning material to the people who read my blog. Many wouldn’t even know the difference between what took me an hour and what took 5 minutes. This isn’t to say I’m awesome. It’s to permit the create people who might read this — to give yourself a break. We are our own worst critic, truly.
So, yeah … throw yourself into your creative work whenever possible! But also realize that, when you “don’t have it in you,” what you DO have (even if you consider it so-so, boring, not your best) is still worth sharing. You will come through, even when you don’t think you have.