Is Anger A Boon Or Bane For Creativity?
While channelling anger into creative thought processes is not easy, those who are successful people are greatly rewarded.
A few days into a relaxation trip a few years back, I was feeling fairly mellow. Then I learned that my hotel room overlooked a parking lot. That was it for me. I promptly became uncomfortable and irritated. The reason for my irritability? Buzzing noises of car horns, Lack of sleep, and a few hours (or, in my case, days) of disrupted circadian rhythms had robbed me of my ability to produce the mood-regulating brain chemicals known as DOPAMINE.
This uneventful situation made me angry because I abruptly ended the trip feeling less adventurous or relaxed. Several years later, I discovered that negative emotions such as anger have their uses. They’re unpleasant, to be sure, but they’re also a necessary part of normal human functioning.
Theories about the connection between anger and creativity have been around for about 2,500 years. OK, scratch that; I don’t know how long these theories have existed. But the one question I constantly ask myself is how much greatness can come from anger since it’s considered one of, if not the most negative emotion.
Over the years, I’ve seen that anger is an honest emotion when used for optimal benefit. It can be an emotional catalyst for positive change. Anger can be creative: It was behind at least one blockbuster, the American Revolution, and most of the world’s major religions. So says psychologist Guy Winch in his book, Emotional First Aid.
The anger you feel before you sit down to write might make you feel like you’re getting nothing done. But that’s a good thing. Being worked up can lead to more creative insights if you channel your anger into your writing.
The best writing gigs I have ever done are whenever I’m angry. Lucky me, I’m swamped with clients skilled in giving provocating remarks whenever they spot a bit of bluff in my pieces — this triggers a burst of energy and a drive to think differently and more creatively.
In those moments of anger and fury, my writing transcends to a flow state where my word do the talking. Today, it would be more accurate to say, “The more deeply tunneled your anger, the more powerfully your creative laser can explode.”
I’m sure you must have felt some form of anger as creative, especially when a client attacks your core value as an authrority in your domain. Do you mind sharing your experience? Leave a comment.
