Some Unlikely Advice on Creativity

Sometimes, good advice is found in unlikely places, from unlikely people, at unlikely times. Like one substitute art teacher I had in high school, who really seemed to hate his job. But despite that, the only words out of his mouth during our 90 minutes together, was a great piece of advice on creativity. He told us to "sit down, shut up, and get to work..." I'll never forget his words of wisdom, even if they weren't meant to inspire. 

If you consider yourself a creative person, then you've had creative blocks before. Because creating something from nothing is always hard work. It's not only time consuming, but there's no promise of it being any good, and it just might be a waste of time. So instead of creating, I'll end up consuming. Maybe a snack or another episode of "Narcos". Because consumption is passive, easy and satisfying. Where creating is long, difficult and frightening. But also, consumption is boring, lazy and empty. Where creating is engaging, enriching, and life affirming. 

So I've come to realize, being blocked is not something which happens to me -- it's a decision I make. Because the only way to create something good, is to create something in the first place. I'll even give myself permission to create something bad, if only to have something to fix. So the antidote to feeling blocked is to sit down, shut up, and get to work. Day in and day out, no matter what. Just keep making, keep creating, keep doing. I'll say it again, sit down, shut up and get to work. You can throw in "no whining", too. 

It's always better to wake up with something to do, to mold, to write, to design, to rehearse, to fix, etc. To do something which gets the juices flowing. And if you decide to not do anything, that's still a decision (albeit, usually a bad one).

You don't need motivation to start anything. Nine times out of ten, motivation happens after you start, not before. You don't need a muse, you don't more time, you don't even need an idea! You just need to sit down, shut up, and get to work. This may be an over simplification, but sometimes it can be helpful to see through all the nonsense, and realize it's just about knuckling down.

No longer is creativity up to the gods, or the weather, or a mood. It's up to me, and it's up to you. So sit down, shut up, and get to work. 

Then smile, because you're way ahead of the game. 

Sincerely,

Matthew Cooper