A Subtle Yet Serious Threat To Your Creativity

When was the last time you were in a creative rut?

I was stuck in one a few minutes ago. Actually, I think I’m still in there. Looks more like a pit than a rut. Little help?

It happens to all of us.

There are seasons of abundance and seasons of draught – moments of creative brilliance and moments of creative sucking.

There are many dynamics that threaten your creativity every day. I’m here to talk about one.

One that may surprise you.

Your Routine

Don’t mistake me. I love routines. I believe routines are essential to productivity and high achievement.

My life is a routine. I wake up at 5:15am. In that moment I hate my life…every morning. I get up and get dressed. I make some coffee. Life gets a little brighter. I sit down with my laptop and begin to create. It’s a routine.

My body expects it like you expect cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory.

I’m sure you have your routines.

But today I want you to break them.

Take a sledgehammer and wreak havoc on your habits…for now.

Am I Contradicting Myself?

You might think I’m crazy. I talk about the power of routines all the time – how they stimulate creativity.

I’m still a fan. But I also believe that if you’re struggling to find or rediscover your creative edge, it could be because you’re too comfortable.

Routines are comfortable and creativity can’t thrive when you’re comfortable. You need a healthy dose of risk.

Try Something New

Here are some examples:

• Do you usually create in the morning? Try it at night.
• Do you usually read in the morning? Go for a run instead.
• Do you typically work in the same office? Work in a coffee shop.
• Are you on Twitter? Try an app like Buffer, or something else new.
• Do you listen to the same music all the time? Try an artist or style outside your comfort zone
• Do you read the same books of the Bible all the time? Dive into a more obscure book.
• Are you bored with what you’re doing? Go serve someone in a crazy, outlandish way

Be different. Choose a new adventure. Experiment.

Your Creativity Will Rise and Fall On Your Curiosity

When was the last time you were curious? A moment where you broke out of the familiar and entered into new territory?

That’s what true creatives do. They’re not satisfied with their current knowledge, experience, or insight. They seek to be interesting by seeing life as interesting…everywhere.

They have creative routines but they’re not afraid to break them in order to rise to the next level.

Routines are good. Not only are they good, they’re essential.

But it’s also essential to break them occasionally.

Go bust that thing open and see what happens.

Question: How are you being proactive in strengthening your creative muscle? Let us know in the comments!