Creative Discussion – What Gets Your Creative Butt In Gear?
In our first Creative Discussion on beating the creative blocks we tackled an issue that most people who are involved with the creative process have run into, a problem of inspiration. In this month’s discussion we are addressing a different sort of bump in the road, a problem of motivation.
For creatives and non-creatives alike, sometimes the issue that arises is not necessarily a block of ideas, in fact, there may be times when you have an over abundance of inspiration, but you just cannot seem to get started. For whatever the reason, we come across the times when we are unable to find the drive to push us forward and into action.
Remember this is an open discussion with the creative community, so feel free to chime in below in the comments to keep the flow of dialog moving. After leaving the discussion open for the month, we will be compiling some of the responses into a post on the topic at hand, so be sure to keep checking in on the talk as things develop.
What Gets Your Creative Butt In Gear?
Alright everybody, the torch has been passed…Discuss!
Grab the Feed
I will go ahead and get this going. For a while my main motivation was to be able to start freelancing. Now, it is the desire to continue down this path :) . I also have to say the fulfillment that I get when I create something that really moves or resonates with someone keeps me motivated to see through on the projects I begin.
I just started my small Internet Business and so i dont really have a lack of motivation.
But i think everybody has his days.
When i realize that im to lazy atm i get up early the next day, make a strong coffee, take a shower, hear some pushing music (boys noize, prodigy or millencolin) and force myself to START! When that is done the rest just flows. I usually cant stop before im satisfied.
When im out of creativity and need new ideas i just go surfing around the net, play some games or watch tv to get my head away from the topic. That typically needs 1-2 hours and i am back and full of ideas :)
Lucky guy. Sometimes motivation, especially when knowing there are HOURS and DAYS of work ahead of you on a project, is difficult to come by.
Keep up the good work! And best of luck with your new venture.
I agree, with Eric. Sometimes facing the amount of work I have to do in a day makes it hard to get that START! Thanks for the comment, even if it did make me a little jealous. ;)
When I really need to persuade myself to sit down and get something done, I change into pajamas or even just something different than what I was wearing. The change of outfit signals a change in situation, to me. I’m the same way in the morning, always getting dressed before trying to work. Next, I make some hot apple cider (whoever invented instant apple cider is my hero), and turn on 65daysofstatic. I am convinced that no band serves as better background music for concentration. With those three things, I’m typically good to go.
I like the idea of changing clothes to change your mindset. That’s a good way to work.
Once, again, I find myself in agreement with Eric. I like that the change in clothes does the trick to kick start you motivation.
Changing clothes – I think that does really work brilliantly. I do that even if I just need to do a springcleaning or cooking.
First off, I need to have a bit of pressure, so even if I’m writing without a deadline, I set artificial goals that I want to achieve.
Next, I find nothing gets my creative juices flowing as well as taking a short walk. It prepares my mind for the writing process.
The self imposed deadline is an interesting approach…I may need to try that. :)
I find that what I call singlemindedness works for me. A complete focus on the task at hand. I can only get to that place in two instances.
I have to pop on a set of headphones (the big ones that go OVER your ears) and crank up Andrea Bocelli (the Romanza album works like a key in anignition) or Josh Groban.
Otherwise. Everybody at home has to be asleep. Fast asleep.
And I hardly get any work done while the sun is out.
Hey Arthur,
Great response, thanks. I remember I used to be my most productive in the dead calm and quiet of night.
This probably teeters of the vulgar and the profane but… yeah… sex and drugs; why lie?
Man, that would knock me out and KEEP me from getting work done. You’re lucky if that works to get you going.
It’s my only motivation for work, to continue the trend of getting sex.
Passion.
I’d have to say an idea or a cause that I feel really passionately about is the only thing that can get me going.
Other people can get me going by yelling and screaming and pressuring me but I don’t really consider that as getting me going. I try my hardest and perform my best when I am passionate about the work. The perfectionist in me shines out and I can never feel satisfied with my own work when I’m like that. I keep looking back at it and finding things to improve.
When it’s work that other people have gotten me going on and I’m not so passionate about, my perfectionism doesn’t really kick in, and neither does the workaholic in me. And so it gets done on time but not like something I’d do if I had passion.
So those people that can really get me to believe in their cause or give me a really good idea to start running with and adding to usually get better results from me.
Amen!
Passion is the heart of everything. Passion can move the world.
I’m with you, AJ.
That is so true, AJ. Having passion for your work or project is so often key in keeping that motivation going. Great response.
I try to listen to music and drink Monster Energy or Red Bull to get myself in gear, and sometimes even just walking outside and getting some fresh air helps me come up with ideas. :)
Ah, the energy drinks….I’ve never been a fan of ‘em. Overall, caffeine is generally something I avoid. :) Thanks for partaking in the discussion.
When I first read the topic (not reading any posts) the first thought that came to mind was “resistance”. If I lack motivation, am I creating resistance and there are so many ways to do that.
What helps me with motivation? Momentum – just getting started . . . some action related to the work that I want to do. For me working daily is pretty important, if I stop, I have to climb over or push through the resistance.
Moving promotes momentum which engages motivation.
Great thought, EM! Resistance, accorind to my bible (Steven Pressfield’s “The War of Art”) is the biggest hiderence to any creative endeavour. Overcoming resistance is a struggle, but you are right, sitting down and simply doing is a good way to start!
EM, great insight, indeed. Such a great contribution to the discussion, thank you.
Eric, awesome follow-up, as always. ;)
Daylight, fresh air, fresh water and a comfortable sit. these four things not need of all together help me get into get creative. good illumination is always needed to be ok, oxigen definetly helps a lot, fresh water as a fresh shower makes your engine get started (einsteins tip) and of course be so comfortable you can stay hours without it being a problem. Thats for me a good start to get on it. But i also think if you want to get creative you should make it a way of living and a way of thinking, creativity is like a muscle (to me) that need to be exercised and as much as you try to see further and further you’ll always find the way to do unnexpectable and also every time without thinking of it you’ll have a creative answer for everything. it must be a way of living. hope u agree!
Great though, Damago. I like the image of creativity as a muscle. That thought alone has my creativity going! Exercising your creativity and becoming a “practiced” creative sounds like it would work! I need to go exercise my brain! Thanks!
Again, I agree with Eric, this is another wonderful response. Very engaging idea, and comparison as Eric pointed out. I had never looked at creativity like that before.
As Lt. Aldo Rein says on Inglorious Besterds… “How you get to Carnegie Hall?… practice”.
What a great topic for discussion!
Finding inspiration, something that sparks a fresh idea or lets me see the world in a new way is what gets me off my butt… otherwise I tend to drag my feet and procrastinate. Procrastinating seems to work for me as a pressured deadline seems to generate better results for some reason, but it’s an awefully stressful way to work!
What keeps me working, well, once I get off my butt and get to work: I tend to put on my thinking cap… literally. I have a series of hats from past Halloweens, or just for fun, that live in my office. When I am working, I put one on. Having something on my head help keep me in work mode when I am working at home. Plus that little touch of humor helps lighten the mood of the day and can keep ideas coming.
Like the idea Alison has of changing clothes, I love the idea of your hats. It is truly an inspired idea.
Thanks for the positive feedback, Rob!
It is greatly appreciated… and working in event video, feedback is often difficult to come by.
Thanks again! And keep up the great posts!
Other things that motivate me:
* Visual Art
* Meditation – I find this can be very powerful.
* Doing something that I normally am not inclined to do like purusing a magazine on a subject either foreign to me or something I normally wouldn’t even want to pick up. Once I was at a conference and none of the offerings that afternoon inspired me at all so I decided to go to the workshop that I was least inspired to go to – on a topic that didn’t even interest me. It ended up inspiring me – got me thinking in new directins.
This conversation has me also considering what doesn’t inspire me and recommitting to do less of that!
- EM
Awesome follow-up, EM. I also like your idea of doing something that you normally wouldn’t. What a great way to break out of your usual mindset and reset your brain.
• Red bull/dark coffee
• Running (endorphins is a chemical problem solver/head clearer)
• Headphones
• Clint Mansell: Requiem for a Dream/ The Fountain soundtrack
• illustrator/photoshop fullscreened, with minimal toolbars.
Thanks for your two cents. I love the last one, truly inspired. ;)
Great idea, Jc.
The idea of getting the “clutter” out of the way in Photoshop and Illustrator is a perfect way to stay focused on the task at hand. I personally have trouble with CS4 for this exact reason, when I want the tools around they are hiding. But I will say it is easier to think more clearly with less “clutter” on your screen
… and speaking of cleanliness, it’s about time I cleaned my office. Thanks for the reminder :)
Sometimes it is definitely just getting started with freelance projects that is the most difficult part. After a full day of work as a programmer at my day job it’s rather easy to make excuses that I “deserve” to relax and watch TV while I work.
I’ve found that this is very counter-productive, and what I’ll do now is — wait for it — clean!
A clean environment and the “getting things done” inertia that I build *while* cleaning, usually pushes me in the right direction. I also have less things to look and and get distracted by when everything is tidy.
Once I feel like I’ve got the flow going, I tune in to my non-vocal (very important) electronic music collection, and the next thing I know it’s 2am and I’ve conquered a good percentage of the project.
Recently, while in Brooklyn, a designer friend of mine mentioned his neck had started bothering him — a problem I had encountered before — and I challenged him to raise his monitor up higher at work, or his chair down if possible while keeping decent posture.
An eye level setup at home has helped tremendously with my throughput and productivity.
Also, temperature! A room too hot can make one lethargic and sleepy, losing the ability to focus on the task at hand… and it’s especially easy to overlook this these days with huge monitors pumping out heat into our faces.
Oh, and turn off your unessential social networking and/or instant messengers :)
For me, the best way to get motivated is to have a quick surf around ffound.com or similar – not necessarily looking for anything in particular, but it just gets me in the mindset for design! I then take my idea and think of exactly how I picture the final outcome….that usually then gets me inspired to make it happen!
In terms of physical things to do to help me ‘get in the zone’, I find that I HAVE to have a clear space on my desk/around my laptop; otherwise I feel unorganized and less pressurized as everything’s messy and so seems less important! I also find that unless I take a break every hour or so, I really start to lose energy and enthusiasm – even if it’s just popping to the kitchen to get a glass of water, it’s a break away from the screen and a chance to step-back and think about my work. Great discussion topic, interesting to hear how everyone else works!
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Ok, my process is similar to some in here but I wanted to take the shot anyway.
The very first thing I consider is:
Get there early: I’m supposed to be at work at 9 am, I get to the office at 8:30 or earlier, this gives me the chance of seting up my stuff, get a coffee (at the kitchen or starbucks), get back to my computer, check mail (personal and work), surf a bit on the web, etc… get settle and ready at 9 oclock, I hate getting late and being welcomed with rush stuff or the typical “they are looking for you already…” I hate that.
Use your software: I never had an organizer or agenda, somehow I felt it was unrealistic and just a pressure generating thing, but about 2 years ago I started using my iCal for work, then I got an iPhone and started using it as well, and it just works for me, as a reminder is good, but, being able of crossing out thing that I got done in the day, gives me the sense of accomplishment that gets me going with the next thing and at the end of the day, you just realize how much stuff you nailed on the day.
Clear you head: Stop for a while during the day, step outside and get a fresh coffee, chat a while with someone on the hallway, get fresh and go back to work… one thing that works for me a lot is get out and get a smoke… not the most healthy thing to do I know, but as an excuse to step out works great and consumes the exact amount of time for you to chill and get fresh.
Get it right, get it organized: Usually for me to get in the mood of getting things done the very first thing to do is to get the thing organized, knowing what you are supposed to get done, how you’ll get there, what you need, and being OK with the team about those next steps is gold, you can’t start something if you don’t know where are you going, I think the best response to any project starts away from the computer, dealing with people and setting the way… once you get that clear, you almost have the job done.
Of course web inspiration, books, magazine, twitter posts, conversation with stimulating co-workers or non-co-workers are useful tools too, but to me the ritual of every day, that little and maybe senseless routine gets me that zone where I need to be to get the job done.