Taking Back Creativity

By Yanna Solace Adofina

"Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine, and at last, you create what you will.” —George Bernard Shaw

Creativity is one of the biggest buzzwords of the decade. We say it at every meeting like it’s a self-manifesting mantra that would instantly transform our deliverables into something shining and sparkly. But what happens when you’re stuck in a rut? To be honest, I have been working on this creativity article for around a month now. I have spun the content in so many ways, but I always end up falling flat. My lack of stellar work made me feel worthless, as I saw others excelling at their chosen projects week after week. The temptation to throw it out and spin another project from scratch was very enticing, but I wanted to give it one final shot before I throw in the towel for good. 

George Bernard Shaw’s quote came up when researching materials for this piece —- you would not believe how many creativity articles are available online, which made me doubt my capability even more. But I recently realized how this quote can serve as a touch piece during days when inspiration just won’t knock on our door.

Let’s break GBS’ words in four easy steps:

Imagination is the beginning of creation

Merriam Webster has a lengthy definition of the word create, but let’s focus on one for the moment:

TO PRODUCE THROUGH IMAGINATIVE SKILL

In order for us to produce literally anything, we need the skill of imagination. It sounds outrageously easy, but you would be surprised to know that the ability to form ideas inside your mind without immediate sensory input is something that needs to be developed constantly after childhood. So how do we regain the faculty of imagination?

We immerse ourselves in art and culture - books, music, paintings, films. Visit your bookstore, get a few paperbacks. Listen to artists from different genres. Soak in all the culture from your local museums; yes, the Chocolate Museum counts as well. Watch a film that you normally don’t watch. Spend time with nature. A quiet walk to the park does wonders for the soul. Be brave to explore and engage with people who live and think differently. We don’t necessarily have to agree with everything they say or do, but it allows us to see the world in a different way.

As for me, I got myself lost in stories — books, films, music, and podcasts. Allowing myself to escape into worlds vastly contrasting from my own opened up my mind to endless possibilities and sources of inspiration.

You imagine what you desire

Now furnished with material from numerous sources, your imagination can now start looking for creative pursuits. Sift through the different information you have gained — have time to play, think, meditate, and challenge the ideas you have gathered and add your personality and all your old ideas into the mix. Find something that tickles your fancy. Sometimes this part of the process takes a while; but there are moments when it just jumps at you like a eureka, light bulb moment.

Having enough time for myself to do absolutely nothing is a luxury but it’s something that I strive to have, as someone who works with words daily. These quiet times allow me to sift through different information inside my head and make new connections that did not exist prior.

You will what you imagine

Now that you have discovered your spark, it’s time for a push. The idea cannot stay inside your head forever, so you have to start envisioning what it will translate into reality. To will something is to use conscious choice and intention. For others, this will look like a mental vision board; for others this will be organizing a process on how to make the idea happen. In modern words, we know this as manifesting. Sometimes this takes a lot more work than the first two steps, because this is where fear starts to creep in. What if it’s not good enough? What if it’s not possible? Perfectionism and procrastination are two other factors that cause this part of the process to slow down.

Impostor syndrome is something I have been struggling with for the longest time; which leads me to second guess myself with my work. I would scribble and draw my ideas on pieces of paper during different times of the day, then I would stay up several nights trying to envision something worthwhile that resonates to my being. 

At last, you create what you will

With a clear vision, you can now start to create your magic. This does not only come in the form of music, words, sculpture, or food —- this could also be innovative ways on how to improve your way of life, develop a more efficient workflow, or sometimes simply how to eat ice cream without having to rotate the cone.

This is me right now, wielding magic through my laptop keyboard on an island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. This is me giving back, passing on some knowledge that I have acquired from someone who has created magic through stories one hundred years ago. All of us get stuck in a rut sometimes, and writing this piece does not guarantee that I will never go through them ever again. Creativity is not something you can enact on demand, and that’s okay. When we find ourselves in a drought of inspiration, it just means that we need to take a break —  re-engage our imagination, discover what we want, manifest it, and finally make it happen. Make sure to celebrate afterwards and cap it off with a celebratory iced coffee on hand, because I know I will :)