Tag: creativity
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Creativity is for the uncertain
Creativity is an all-in, imaginative process that prides itself on chasing the unknown. So we proceed in a random fashion, anticipating discovery through trial and error. Most people want to repeat what they ordered in the past. And they get upset when something new disrupts their banal yet predictable everyday menu. Certainty is too darn…
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The role of the creator
Content creators are also content keepers. Like DJs, they find pleasure in curating the web for hidden gems. The internet offers a treasure trove of interesting artifacts just waiting for perusal. So the creator notices, samples, and recasts subjects into something completely new. Everything is a remix, built on the stems of previous forms. The…
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A pace to play
The world is covered with assholes. How do we build the confidence up to shuck them without stabbing ourselves? At first, we take small risks. And then we let them compound into a catalog of fortified emotions. Drip by drip, the audacity of hope builds into a fortress of perspective. Once in awe of our…
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The agony of choice
People crave the ability to do things in order to get unstuck from old forms. However, the pursuit of novelty is no prerequisite for action. Instead, it’s often the constraints that improve our creativity. Take the computer (or smartphone) for instance — it’s our one tool for listening to music, watching a movie or live…
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Despite all the rage
Expression isn’t always vocal. It bleeds inexorably into other avenues of creativity. Take the painter, for instance. Some prefer to let the paintbrush and canvass do all the talking. The same actionable output can be said for writers, cartoonists, coders, architects, athletes, etc. Life often manifests itself in a piece of art. All one’s optimism…
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Intent to discover
Working out our ideas in public, whether via a speech or blog post, is an opportunity to dance with fear. The amygdala senses nothing but survival when the stakes are drawn in the continuous present. Luckily, taking on vulnerability and accountability often leads to something of value. Starting before we’re ready begs the question: what…
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The debugger break method
The work isn’t going anywhere. In fact, it just keeps coming, and it doesn’t care that our energy is as fickle as the weather. Our productivity ebbs and flows to the whims of the daily grind. But there is one thing we can do to bring back focus: take a break, preferably an active one,…
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The burn of discontent
Everything starts and ends from the burn of discontent. We all have an inkling for something, a dormant enthusiasm, waiting to erupt so we can pour our hearts into it. But the wait is killer. Toiling in anonymity while practicing in mediocrity needs a special kind of patience. The resistance can only win at our own…
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That which tints
We don’t want to consume things too rich — otherwise, we get fat. Hedonism is a distraction from distraction. None of those daily binge sessions amount to anything but a temporary enjoyment, an attempt to medicate some unconscious problem away. The same goes with eardrums; anything that sounds good gets in the way of the…
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Collecting and craft
Friction is the great stabilizer. We need just enough technology to enable creation while constricting our attention to the gusts of other content. The emergence of shiny new apps and devices often throws our work into disarray. Sometimes it’s the basic pen and paper (typewriter, anybody?) is all that’s required to induce focus. The same…
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The creator’s secret sauce
As creators, we strive for the highest quality of experience. We like to enter an imaginative zone and let the energy pour out when we get to work. Some make for the audience, others craft without the intention of succeeding — complete freedom. Both parties can produce the unpredictable and still break the mold. We…
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Above the rim
The imitative instinct drives one into a field of copycats. It doesn’t take a miracle to mimic previous forms produced by someone else. But it does take a lot of courage to be different. If one gets lucky, magic will cluster together with the advantage of creativity, discovery, and innovation. One is at their best…