Creativity is a process, not an ouput.
Sometimes I forget that I’ve written four books.
I was reminded recently at a friend’s party while playing one of those “get to know who your fellow guests” games. Through a game of “identify the most probable lie,” it became clear that a lot of people did not believe that someone on our table had written 4 books.
They yelled: “That’s the lie.”
It was an eye-opening experience. A reminder that along the journey, it’s good to reflect and acknowledge what you’ve done.
I’m so locked in on the process, that I forget about the accomplishment of the output.
This process-driven mindset is a key to creativity.
The creative myth:
People think creativity is a nice to have and reserved for a select few.
They say things like “that’s for the creatives. Me, I just do boring stuff.”
What if I told you creativity was actually boring.
Because everyone has access to it and it is less about moments of genius and more about the everyday persistent work of moving forward, following your curiosity, and discovery.
Creativity is the most important thing to have.
It is important for leadership, innovation, and communication. When you train your creative muscles, you become bold, ready to roll up your sleeves to solve problems. You begin to see opportunities everywhere.
Everyone is creative, you just have to nurture and train it.
5 Steps to train your creativity & be your most creative self
It’s been almost 5 years since I published my first book.
12 years since I posted my first track on SoundCloud.
9 years since I started my first business.
Reflecting on it all, there was hardly a distinct moment of clarity. You know how some people say that they “knew they just had to publish that book or start that business.”
It didn’t happen that way for me.
It just followed an interest or pulled at a creative thread to see how it unraveled.
The process or path traveled leaves trails.
The output becomes a byproduct.
Being creative all starts with giving yourself permission to be creative, and knowing the path ahead.
It will help you live a more fulfilled and balanced life.
Here are a few things I’ve learned about nurturing creativity along the way. Alright, let’s take flight.
1. The 4 agreements:
You have to accept four agreements to move forward.
The first agreement is self-acceptance.
You have to accept that you are naturally creative. Creativity is innately human. In whatever field you are in, if you solve problems, you are creative.
The second agreement is you’ll have to go off the standard path that the education-industrial system put you on. They don’t teach creativity in school. How can they? They can’t teach you what you already are. You will have to agree to go against your programming and the need for immediate validation that you’ve become accustomed to.
This brings me to the third agreement, and it might be the hardest yet.
You have to accept that you will fail and possibly fall out of your current social status until a point where what you’re working on starts to make sense to people. You’ll lose friends. You will fall out of social circles. They’ll talk about you. They’ll say “what does she do again?”
This is all part of the evolution.
Then comes the final agreement: self-responsibility.
Once you go on this path, it’s all you. No one made you do it. Don’t seek people’s sympathy. Most people are too concerned thinking about themselves to be concerned about what you do. Whether you succeed or fail. It’s all on you.
Now that you’ve accepted these four agreements, let’s move forward.
2. Follow your interest
It’s easier to get to your work when you find it interesting.
I love music, so it was easy to prioritize watching YouTube videos about making beats, even after long hours consulting at distant factories. I enjoy exploring new technology and entrepreneurship, so it’s easy for me to read, act on, and write about it.
Your creative impulse can’t be forced.
You have to start with things you find interesting. Maybe it’s cooking? Maybe it’s carving furniture? Perhaps it’s organizing your community. Whatever it is, start with your interest.
Most people want to have full clarity before they begin. Clarity comes through action. Action begins when you follow your interests.
Start with your interests and you’ll stick with it long enough until things begin to get clear.
3. Overcome resistance‘s pull
I’ve been writing this newsletter for 113 consecutive weeks.
Someone recently asked me: “So what’s your newsletter about?” I fumbled through the answer. To be honest, it’s still not fully clear to me. I write about things I find interesting and with time I have found themes that resonate. But one thing I know for sure is that everytime I sit down to write, I feel a resistance that makes me want to do the opposite: “not write”
Resistance never disappears. It only reduces with consistent action.
You only get better at dealing with it and getting through it.
When you have an interest, find a way to practice it. If you want to write, set aside 5 mins a day to do it. If you want to create apps, spend a few minutes a day coding. You want to build a business, go talk to prospective customers.
You will only sharpen your creative presence, by showing up and practicing.
Consistency is your path to overcome everlasting resistance.
4. Get organized
I wrote this sentence you’re reading at the Oakland airport while I stood in line for my plane to start boarding.
I did it on my phone. Why?
The time on the Wednesday morning that I traveled coincided with the time I scheduled to draft my newsletter. This is how it goes every week. I choose a topic on Monday, plan it on Tuesday, draft on Wednesday, edit and publish on Thursday.
Organization is the creative secret weapon.
Media has poured propaganda down our throats about the creative genius. The messy, scattered haired, disorganized person that sparks up genius work in a flash of inspiration.
From my experience, creativity is quite boring.
I’m on the jet bridge now, writing this. As boring as the peanuts that they hand out on planes.
Creativity is just sticking to the process and committing to doing the boring stuff. Trust me, If it were so interesting, everyone would be doing it.
But it’s interesting to you.
You have to make the boring, interesting. Do this by keeping your own internal scorecard.
5. Find balance
I’m finally in my seat. I checked-in early enough to get a window seat on this southwest flight.
Anyways, I’m returning from a business trip. Why is this important to mention?
Well, my creative craft – writing, music, building apps – does not yet make me enough money to sustain itself. So I have a vocation that pays the bills, while I nurture my craft and hobbies until they can stand on their own. Another pint of puzzling propaganda piled on us is that of the revered starving artist. A tale that you must suffer to do creative work.
Me? I didn’t come to this world to suffer o.
I’d advise you to do the same. Try out the VCH model that I use to live a more well-rounded life around vocation, craft, and hobbies. Pay your bills, grow your skills, and build your brand.
Your creative practice:
Creativity is a practice, not an output.
The physical manifestation of your creativity – a book, business, playlist – is just a by-product of the creative process of following your interest, overcoming resistance, focusing on the process, learning about yourself, and finding balance.
I hope you tap into your creative intelligence.
It’s there waiting for you.
Yours truly,
Nifemi
P.S. If you found this letter helpful, can you reply with the one thing that resonated the most with you?
