“Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking.” – W.B. Yeats
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For a long time, I believed in the myth of sudden and instantaneous inspiration. I believed that an apple would hit me while sitting under a tree. I believed that lightning would strike my key while flying a kite in a storm. I believed that a tiny lightbulb would appear above my head when I had an insight.
The biggest myth about creativity is that you will have these moments of clarity. That you don’t have to do any work for inspiration to strike. That you just have to wait for the muse to descend upon you.
If you want great ideas to come to you, you must seek them first. Click To TweetWhat I’ve learned through a lot of reading, some interviews, and a lot of effort is inspiration doesn’t work like that. If you want great ideas to come to you, you must seek them first.
Creativity is a muscle, just like any other muscle. You must put it to use or it will atrophy. If you want to be creative, you must follow the stages of creativity.
According to psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman, creativity comes in four basic stages.
Preparation
In order to come up with new solutions, you have to first learn a lot about the subject you are tackling. This is the information gathering stage.
Incubation
Then, you must walk away. This is the stage many people neglect. They pour over the problem until they can’t think anymore. But, you must let your mind wander if you want it to come up with a creative solution.
Illumination
This is the spark of inspiration many of us have been looking for. It is that moment when all those ideas you were exploring come together and finally make sense.
Verification
Most people will stop once they have that eureka moment, but creativity doesn’t end there. Your idea must be put into action. Anyone can have a good idea, but true creativity is harnessing your ideas and putting them to use.
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Far too many people wait for the right moment before they take action Click To TweetFar too many people wait for the right moment before they take action. They want the benefits of success without the work required to achieve it. Luckily for you, you now know better.
If you want to find success for your art, you have to do the work Click To TweetIf you want good ideas to come to you, you must seek them. If you want to find success for your art, you have to do the work.
Taking action is the only way to make your dreams come true. Don’t wait around for someone or something to give you an opportunity. Make your own opportunities.
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