This Creativity is a Gift that is Earned.
There is never a need to wait. We are ready to go right now. We do not need anything else. We do not need permission. We do not need more training. We do not need another guru to tell us everything is A-OK to proceed. We do not need conditions to be perfect. We do not need to wait until February to start our exercise program. We do not need to ask others what the best tech is before we begin. We do not need the brand, new MacBook Pro in order to start writing. We do not need the new iPhone in order to shoot and edit our video properly.
All we need to do is begin, to go — right now. We are ready. We are willing. We are able. We are capable. We’ve got the tools. We’ve got the resources. We’ve got the know-how. We’ve got the Gear. We’ve got the ability. What we lack is the confidence , the belief in our own ability to figure things out when they go sideways.
Creative confidence is a gift that is earned. And it is only earned by doing. As Brendon says, think about it like an Infiniti loop of competence — confidence: the more you do something, the more competent at it you become. The more competent you become at something, naturally the more confident you become. Thus, the figure 8 type loop. The more, the more. The better, the better. Better & Better. Better & Better. Better & Better. Every single day without fail. No matter what. Even if it kills you, leave it all out there on the crafting table.
This is why your creative discipline is SO important. You don’t write once and then you’re done. No. You write every single day. A creative writing session on the crafting table every single day. I include weekends, but not everyone does. Take the blue collar approach like I do and punch the metaphorical time clock. Punch-in seven days a week: you write / create / paint / draw / edit / shoot / create something out of nothing every single day you’re alive. And why wouldn’t you? You’re alive. You’re kicking. You have your enthusiasms. You hopefully know what you want and why and where you pick to inject your meaning. Assuming you love it — and you do love it, right? — why wouldn’t you practice your craft every day? It is a wonderful creative practice to practice every day.
I say this and yet I am surprised at how many people don’t do this. They don’t practice their craft every single day they’re alive and breathing. To me, not practicing your craft is akin to not exercising or not going for a walk outside or choosing to not eat or worse, being flippant about food choices. Your creative practice ought to be as natural to you as eating. Then again, many of us are all messed up in the head when it comes to food, so perhaps that is a lackluster analogy. The point is your creative practice should be something done every day. No exceptions. If you can still physically, emotionally and mentally make it to the stage, you should be practicing your stagecraft. Period. To not do it is to do yourself and your audience a disservice. Why wouldn’t you want to serve them with everything you’ve got? Bring it! Don’t they deserve it? Don’t you? In the spirit of service.
This is who we are.
This is culture.
This is, as the Wonderful Seth Godin says, People like us doing things like this.
People like us.
Do not take this lightly. Who are you? More important, who do you want to become?
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