When I was in grade school, my mom enrolled me in art class. I had nothing to do during summer, so what the heck.
In first grade, pretty much all of our drawings looked the same. I kind of thought then that I drew pretty well.
Fast forward 8 years to high school, and I still draw similar to how I did during the first grade, while some of my classmates got really good at drawing. And I mean, really, really good.
I just chalked it all up to talent and natural skill. Clearly, they were better at drawing at me, or were they?
Creativity is often thought to be the realm of the artist, the inventor, the creator, the dreamer with their heads in the clouds. Society has put creativity up on a pedestal, as a rare and sought-after quality in a person. Only now has creativity begun to creep back into mainstream awareness.
On the other hand, discipline has always been demanded from every person for the past several generations. We’ve been taught to go to school, follow rules, standard operating procedure, do what we’ve been told, and to stick to schedule.
At first glance, they seem to be so far apart from each other, but they’re actually the best of friends.
Discipline and Creativity Go Hand In Hand.
When I started my blog, I promised myself that I wouldn’t let my investment and the money I paid for the domain and the hosting go to waste, so I said I would write and post an article once a week.
At first, I found it easy.
Well, I cheated. I had like several articles planned out, and around two or three of them already written. I thought to myself: “I’ve got a two week buffer. I can do this, easy.”
Five months into the blog, and I wanted to just stop. It wasn’t as easy as I had thought, and there were many times that I felt forced to finish what I was writing, even though I didn’t like it, or I had to find, scrape, and fight for every ounce of time I could find to write the article.
Because I wanted to stick to my publishing schedule.
Then when I felt comfortable writing and publishing once a week, I then set the schedule to be twice a week. Meaning I had to write and publish twice the amount of content.
Which then got me writing more, grasping at whatever idea and inspiration I could get my hands on.
All because that twice a week schedule kept me honest. That and my readership, who had already come to expect the two articles per week.
It was hard, and challenging, and I can’t say that it’s been a walk in the park, but it has been rewarding. Looking back, I never thought I’d have been able to write all of that. And to keep improving to boot!
What I am thankful for, is that I haven’t missed a single publishing schedule. And I don’t intend to.
Plan and Push For Creativity.
The schedule I set for my blog has allowed me to create, and keep on creating. Because it pushes me to produce, whatever the circumstances, moods, or feelings that I have leading up to the deadline. The schedule doesn’t care – it’s put up or shut up.
Many times, I’ve felt like my article wasn’t up to par. That I wanted to keep working on it. It doesn’t matter to the deadline, I’ve just got to find time to make sure it’s of a good standard.
There were also times where I felt like I didn’t have any good ideas. That all I had were boring stale ideas, but because of the deadline, I just picked one, and ran with it. Or typed with it, rather.
That publishing schedule that I set for myself and the blog has pushed me to keep on creating, and delivering.
Creativity came when I had my back up against the wall, and had to create something to meet the deadline. It also came when I was thinking of the deadline in advance, and had to write an article to give myself some wiggle room.
The Discipline Of Doing Begets Creativity.
Creativity is a muscle that can be grown, and the best way to do that is to put in the time and effort, and to keep on creating.
After almost a year of sticking to the schedule, and having to write whether I felt like it or not, I felt that there are times when ideas come easier to me, and there are times of the day that I feel it was easier for me to write.
Creativity is such a powerful force of expression, and of good, and coupling that with discipline only serves to multiply that power.
That, and the discipline of creating and shipping constantly gives you the practice that will make you better. It will make it easier for you to create.
Creativity is not just a feeling, or a mood, it’s a muscle.
Discipline is its work-out.
How has discipline helped you create and deliver? Please share in the comments below!
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