The Secret to Being Creative

Real creativity is when you make something out of nothing. It’s when you use invisible means to create visible things. The secret to creativity is not inspiration, but perspiration. It’s wrestling with a problem until the universe spits out a solution.

People have romanticized the idea of inspiration as if it’s some sort of magic muse that touches your mind when you least expect it. You may have a creative thought randomly strike your skull, but that’s usually after you’ve been thinking about the problem for a long time. And, developing that inspired idea into a completed project requires sweat and diligence.

Then there’s the issue of time. “If you just had enough time” to get away to some remote location, then you’ll be hit with creativity like a lightning bolt and make your masterpiece. It won’t happen, cap’n! Creativity is forged in the furnace of a busy schedule and a crowded desk. There’s nothing romantic about it. It’s just plain tough!

Only those unfamiliar with the creative process “get creative” when it comes to what it takes to make something great. I want to dispel that myth and shoot you up with our chemical blend of reality and blunt truth. And the truth about creativity is that the harder you work at what you do, the more creativity you’ll find.

The real “secret” is that nobody writes a completed song, or the perfect story, at their first attempt. What they do first is what writers call a “first draft,” or what artists call a “pencil sketch.” Just empty yourself on paper or your instrument. Don’t worry about how good it is. Just get it down somewhere.

Then, go over it repeatedly making refinements with each pass. Then, walk away from it, because when you come back after a few days, you’ll see even more flaws or ways to improve it. Before you know it, that thing will be bulletproof.

This is the creative process. It ain’t Hollywood or some magical method. It’s a crucible of relentless, persistent, problem-solving where you turn yourself inside out in order to make a sketch into a masterpiece or a riff into a killer song.

You’re as capable as anyone to go beyond your present output but it’s going to take a willingness on your part to go through the fiery furnace of real creativity. You can train your ass to do this. Don’t be a wuss.

And remember, in whatever you do, don’t suck. Metal up!