Creators Create

The Simple Truth that Will Unlock Your Artistic Potential

Duh. Thank you, Captain Obvious.

I know. I know. Hear me out for a sec.

Do you consider yourself a creator? Or do you aspire to be one?

Regardless of your answers to the above questions, ask yourself when was the last time you actually created something.

If it was today or yesterday and you can’t remember the last consecutive day you did not create, congratulations. You have earned the title “creator,” and I am jealous of you. You have somehow figured out how to set aside the time, overcome any mental barriers, and just do your thing day in and day out.

Being a creator sounds pretty simple when I lay it out like that, but for whatever reason it’s really hard for me. And I’m thinking some of you who aspire to be creators might feel the same way.

Now would be a good time for me to talk about some of my excuses for why I can’t seem to write every day, but I’m not going to bore you with them.

Instead, I want you and me to start back at square one and realize the following, which is the the foundation of all creative work:

CREATORS CREATE.

They don’t just consume. They make.

They don’t just dream about creating. They take action.

They don’t just edit what they’re working on. They start anew.

They don’t just write down an endless list of ideas. They execute.

They don’t just keep their work to themselves. They publicly share it with others.

Catch my drift?

If you really want to be a creator, you HAVE to create. It’s that simple…and that complicated.

You need to accept and internalize this truth every single day. No if’s, and’s, or but’s. If you want to live a creative life, you have to be in it for the long haul.

Again, I recognize that this is easier said than done, so here are some ideas that might help you and me get back on track with our creativity:

• Schedule time on your personal / work calendar to create every day. Make sure you turn on the notification too.
• Put a song you like on repeat while creating to help you get in the zone.
• Consume the work of your favorite artist (e.g. writer, photographer, designer, etc.) before creating.
• Get a friend of yours to hold you accountable to your daily creativity.
• Break whatever you’re working on into smaller steps so that it’s less daunting and you can track your progress better.

Any other pieces of advice you would add that help encourage daily creativity? Share them in the comments below.

As a final plea, I challenge you to create something TODAY. Start (or continue) your creative journey and don’t look back.