As worship leaders and musicians, we are familiar with routine.
We learn songs, we rehearse, we show up on Sunday, we organize worship services. When Monday comes, we’re making plans to do it again. The routines never stop. Our service programming abides by a routine. Our liturgy abides by a certain routine. The church calendar follows a routine.
Do you ever get tired of the same old? Is your routine killing your creativity? Do you feel like you’re being held back?
My son has his routine. And he loves it. He leaps out of bed and greets the day with more enthusiasm than this dog greets the sea.
He starts talking right away, getting everything off his mind he’s been pondering all night. You know, things like “Where’s my balloon?” and “Are we going somewhere today?” and “I want a drink” and “Are we making eggs?” You know, the important things.
Then he has to get his Paul Baloche, Chris Tomlin, or “Daddy’s CD” in the DVD player in order to start making music. Guys, It’s so intense. He positions himself in front of the ottoman with his two drum sticks and leaps up and down, banging the poor footstool as hard as he can, shouting (I mean singing) at the top of his lungs.
Full of passion.
Full of wonder.
Full of enthusiasm for this life he gets to live.
Tyler is teaching me about routines. For Tyler, the routine isn’t a problem. It doesn’t dampen his creativity or hold him back. The routine is a construct where his imagination can soar. He doesn’t just go on autopilot. He’s fully present, fully alive.
Routine helps him learn letters and recognize numbers. Routine helps him place his poop in the proper location other than his pants. Routine helps him know when it’s time to sleep.
For many of us, the problem may not be our routines but the heart that we’re bringing to them. We’ve allowed our hearts to grow cold. We’ve allowed ourselves to drift away from what is good for us. We’ve set our sights on the “big moments” and missed the “every day.”
The most important thing about you isn’t what you present to the public. It’s what you do every single day. It’s your habits. Your routines. Yes, we are shaped by our habits, patterns, routines.
It’s not time to rid ourselves of the routine. It’s time to make better ones and approach them will full presence, full passion. Like a 3 year old beating the living daylight out of an ottoman every morning, singing at the top of our lungs.
Maybe, just maybe, that kind of routine is what you need.
I’ve also noticed Tyler’s creativity thrive in his routines. He doesn’t just sing other people’s songs. He makes up his own. My current favorite? The ketchup and mustard song. It’s amazing. He’s literally taking something that is fascinating him and writing songs. The routine is creating a construct for creativity to thrive.
What Every Creative Needs to Do
So what can you do? Every creative should establish these ground rules:
1. Create a Routine – What do you want more of in your life? Be a better musician? Know the Holy Spirit more? Write more songs? After you’ve determined that goal, develop a routine around it. What doesn’t get scheduled doesn’t get done. Here’s my challenge: make it a daily routine. Pick one area you want to improve and do it everyday. No days off. I’ve been in a songwriting season, preparing for our new Allison Park Worship project. I feel like I’ve been doing my best writing because I’ve been doing it every single day. No days off.
2. Show Up (and keep showing up) With Full Presence – Just because you have a routine doesn’t mean it’s always going to be awesome and productive. Some days your ideas will come to life. Other times you may want to quit. The power is continuing to show up with full presence no matter what.
Don’t let a bad songwriting session keep you from doing it again tomorrow. Don’t let criticism derail you. It’s like the power of compound interest. The more you deposit every day the more you get back in the future.
3. Plan a Project – Your creativity needs an outlet. You can’t just spend your life showing up and hoping to get noticed or waiting for some magical moment where your art blesses the world. You need a project, a deadline, a time where you’re going to share what you’re making. Songwriters need to share their songs. Writers need readers. Musicians need listeners. Don’t wait for someone to pick you. Plan a project and stick to the deadline.
Let’s talk this out.
How are you with your creative routines? Thriving? Nonexistent?
Would love to hear some of your strategies in the comments. You can leave a comment by clicking here.
[ois skin=”Beyond Sunday 2″]
Thanks so much for the shot of motivation! I was sitting here feeling restless and dreading a recording session I have tomorrow to finish a project of songs I had written a few years back. I just didn’t want to face my own criticism and expectations. I lost focus of what God has deposited in me. Your writing was just for me today. I’ll remember why I God entrusted me with the desire to write and lead worship songs…..and I’ll shout like Tyler to tell the world how great Jesus is!! (By the way, I have a son named Tyler too; he’s 6 and he sings and writes the best worship songs I’ve ever heard, so pure, melodic and full of love for God.) Thanks again for the encouragement!