The 9 secrets of the most consistently productive creators
The 9 secrets of the most consistently productive creators
I’ve given myself no other option in my life but to create for a living.
So I have come to rely greatly on two of the most vital assets for creators: staying consistent and staying productive.
I’ve taken a keen interest over the years in understanding what keeps some people in the game, producing amazing things with consistency, and what makes others want to quit.
Here’s what I learned:
1. They prioritise volume over producing quality individual pieces.
People who attract attention for their creative genius may at one time have got stuck on individual projects.
But for them to remain in the game, creating incredible things required a renewed understanding of the power of creating in vast quantities.
If something isn’t perfect, great, move on.
There is far less pressure when the focus is on volume.
They know that the more they create, the more likely they are to create something outstanding.
2. Strengthened by failure.
This may sound a bit pretentious, but it is possible to be lifted by a perceived failure.
We always have a choice.
We may all suffer that initial pain from loss, but we don’t need to stay there long.
We can see how failure shows you tried something and survived, so you can move on to the next thing with a fraction more boldness.
Mistakes are part of the strengthening process in anything.
You can find the lessons in mistakes, and there is never an actual loss or a win.
You’re just moving forward.
3. Trust and use gut instinct.
Creating anything will always be steeped in uncertainty.
No one knows how it will turn out, regardless of how many tests you run, the data you gather, or the plans you prepare.
Because creativity is an act of leaning into the dark, with very little ‘hard and direct data,’ the only thing we really have to rely on is instinct.
Creative people act even if they’re ‘not sure,’ whereas people who are rarely creative see uncertainty as a reason to avoid proceeding.
Instinct may say yes, and that’s enough.
4. Active consumers of things that feed their creativity.
Talk to any insanely creative person who has produced a significant body of work, and you will see a vast trail of things consumed relating to their work.
Horror fiction writers voraciously read horror and other genres.
Outstanding architects read architecture magazines, talk to other architects, and visit interesting constructions.
The right kind of consumption fuels their enthusiasm for the craft, improves their skill, and provides new data points they can use in new forms in their own work.
5. Know that nothing will ever be ‘right.’
Most people hold back from creating because they fear they will upset people, lose friends and followers and create conflict.
If we were to please everyone, nothing of any significance would ever have been brought into creation.
From the Mona Lisa to the Shard, to Tiramisu to the Sagrada Familia, nothing we now love (and hate) would have been developed. No creative output is unquestionably good or bad.
It’s entirely dependent on the interpretation of the consumer.
Few novel creations were considered good initially, but this didn’t make them bad.
And so, prolific creators must make peace with the reality that they will be openly disliked.
6. Aren’t trying to be original.
I see many people give up on taking action because they believe what they create needs to be entirely original.
Nothing, my friend, is any longer original. Every creative project we see is the manifestation of a creative spin on an old idea.
So don’t feel you’re above bringing something new into the world if it is reminiscent of something else.
Most importantly, you’re in motion, continually creating and always shipping. This is an upward spiral that energises you and those around you.
It ensures the gradual climb to remarkable.
7. Keen brainstormers.
When unsure of a course of action in anything, brainstorming is one of the greatest tools.
Of course, deciding on how we do anything is a creative act.
The most creative people are continually drawing out exhaustive lists so that their creative muscles are used and all ideas dug out from their depths.
Then the best one is chosen.
This is how to reach the best ideas.
The first idea that comes into your head is rarely the freshest or most innovative.
8. Understand the relationship between creativity and physical movement.
The most impactful creative people know that creative inspiration rarely comes from sitting still.
And so they don’t relegate things like long swims, gym lifts, and forest walks to the bottom of their daily to-do lists.
They prioritise these things as non-negotiables even before committing themselves to the drawing board.
Keeping the body and mind in shape and in daily motion is the foundation of vast and elevated creative output.
9. They find a way to enjoy it.
If the work is a continual grind, you’re not going to go far, plain and simple.
Yes, there will be days when you need to push against the resistance sometimes and do what you can to honour your commitment to consistency.
But if this is to become a long-term game, and you’re to delight your followers, you need to find a way to have fun, even if it starts off slow.
The main component in this is creating for your audience and yourself first and foremost.
The trick here is to entertain yourself through the process of whatever it is.
If you aren’t being entertained, why would anyone else be?
Entertainment is at the heart of anything that resonates with humanity.
Enjoy yourself, and the world will enjoy you.
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Processing this. I’m good at the long runs, walks, etc but not sharing it and I need to monetize :)
Yes!! Alex my “ studio” is full of some of the most crap art you’d (n)ever want to see, yet I plough on churning out stuff. Once in a while comes that feeling that makes it all worthwhile- the feeling of “YES! That’s what I wanted to express”. I remember many years ago someone said in art class “ I’m just not good enough “. The teacher’s answer remains with me always. She said
“ good enough for who?” .........