Regaining Creativity
“Curiosity about life in all of its aspects, I think, is still the secret of great creative people.” – Leo Burnett
It's kind of ironic sitting here writing about how to regain creativity and inspiration, when I've been staring at the screen for half an hour without knowing where to start. But then I realized that it happens to all of us at some point, even great creatives like the one I just mentioned.
So, I looked for famous quotes about creativity and I found this one by Leo Burnett that seemed great to start with, since indeed the most difficult part of any project is precisely that, to begin.
Maybe we don't believe in our talent, or we have so many ideas that we don't know how to organize them. Maybe we want perfect results and the idea of doing it wrong scares us.
Keeping your creative thinking awake requires a certain attitude. Read about different topics, watch movies of all kinds, wonder about the reason of things, observe people and try to look beyond what is seen with the naked eye.
How to get inspired? There are many tips, techniques and tools available to awaken creativity, but the most important thing of all is to be persistent and constant.
I know many people who say they are "not creative", but that is not true. Creativity is part of our nature; it is what drives us to solve problems and create different ways of doing things. Mental block, being creativity burned, call it what you want. When creativity stops flowing it seems like it will never return.
What to do when ideas stop flowing and inspiration is nowhere to be found?
1. Find your place. We all have one. Find the place where you feel most comfortable, without pressure, and you will see that the ideas flow by themselves.
2. Write down the ideas you have immediately. Don't waste them. If you're in bed, about to fall asleep, and you come up with new ideas, don't think you'll remember the next morning. Always have a booklet handy!
3. Be an observer. Ideas do not come from nowhere: previous experiences are needed to help shape your ideas. Look at the people around you, in their daily lives: there are a thousand stories waiting to be discovered. Watch the news, read a lot. The more you know, the easier it will be for you to connect the dots.
4. Don't be afraid to unleash your imagination. Perhaps the idea does not convince you and you are too demanding of yourself. Don't be such a perfectionist! The best ideas are born when we learn from the mistakes.
