The Creative Spiral
People are often misled by the term “career path,” which suggests that our journey through jobs, passions, and occupations should be linear and straightforward, while the opposite is true.
Life can be unpredictable and confusing, and it often feels like you’re going round in circles. Because you are.
Many people complain of frustration because they have so many creative ideas but struggle to focus on just one, often leading to exhaustion (from chopping and changing) and a lack of traction.
This phenomenon is known as shiny object syndrome.
Constantly distracted by new and exciting ideas, projects, or opportunities makes it difficult to stay focused on any one thing for long enough to see significant progress. I’ve experienced this firsthand. I’d enthusiastically start a new project, only to be sidetracked by another exciting idea shortly after. It felt like I was spinning my wheels, getting nowhere.
At the start of every month, I was so confident that I knew what I was doing, only to find myself somewhere completely different by the end of the month and the path behind me littered with abandoned ideas.
A New Perspective: The Creative Spiral
Over time, I noticed something interesting. Despite this feeling of frustration and going in circles, I often returned to familiar themes and ideas in my journey after weeks, months, or even years.
People often describe the creative process and life as going in circles and getting nowhere — but I began to see it differently.
Even if it feels like you’re going in circles, you are making progress. You encounter similar ideas and themes but at different stages along the path.
This realisation made me visualise my creative path not as a straight line but as a spiral.
The idea of the Creative Spiral is simple yet profound. Each time you return to a familiar place or theme, you’re not back at the same point — you’re at a new level of understanding and experience. Visualising your creative path as a spiral helps you see that each familiar place or theme you encounter can be marked as a point on that spiral.
Connecting the Dots
Eventually, you can connect these dots, which become guideposts, forming a golden thread that ties all your life experiences together. This thread represents the core themes and passions that drive your creative explorations. By visualising your journey as a spiral, you can recognise that every twist, turn, distraction, and new project contributes to your growth and progress.
Embracing the Creative Spiral means accepting that your journey is not meant to be linear. It’s about recognising that every return to a familiar theme or idea is an opportunity to deepen your understanding and refine your skills. This perspective allows you to see your creative journey as a series of evolving experiences, each building on the last.
Adopting the Creative Spiral model allows you to find clarity and direction amidst the chaos of shiny object syndrome and unconnected career moves. Instead of feeling frustrated by your many wrong turns and distractions, you can see them as valuable parts of your journey. Each exploration adds to your path, even if it seems like a detour.
These new ideas appear like distractions at first. However, shiny objects become valuable research once you have a clear purpose.
The Creative Spiral offers a more forgiving and realistic view of the creative journey. It acknowledges the non-linear nature of life and encourages us to embrace the twists and turns as essential parts of our journey. We can find a sense of purpose and direction by connecting the dots and recognising the golden thread that ties our common themes together.
Embrace your Creative Spiral, follow your passions with curiosity, and trust that each turn brings you closer to finding new guideposts towards your purpose.
