Every now and then, as a creative you reach a point where you feel stuck and like you have nothing left to give. It can get a little frustrating considering that the field of creatives is one that thrives off keeping people engaged, interested and entertained. The fact that we know this can make the idea of drifting away from what is true to us in order to be appealing to the masses very tempting. But when we narrow things down, usually what we realise is we have a desire to feel inspired and excited. Because if we feel that way about ourselves, chances are that other people will too.
Almost every creative journey begins on the drawing board. I define the drawing board as the initial place where a creative idea is drafted. Whether formal or informal, it’s also the place that gives hope to the possibilities that are in store for those that dare to embark on a creative journey. It’s the place where excitement and inspiration collide and steer us along the path of creative risk.
I have found myself needing to return to the drawing board of late. It is true when people say that starting is easy but staying the course is much harder. That’s something I’ve been experiencing of late. I’m a person who has thousands of ideas, literally, but one thing that I’ve noticed is I tend to get stuck in the middle of things. One of the most difficult things for me is pushing through the in-betweens. I consider it a weakness and something I am trying to work on because it is not isolated to just one area of my life.
My idea of using the drawing board whenever one feels stuck is more feelings based than fact based. I know that it’s not all the time that we will feel inspired or excited about an idea, but I have been thinking of late and I don’t think it would be a bad idea to spark some excitement and inspiration if we have the tools to do so. I wonder if this excitement or inspiration that is found on the drawing board could serve a similar purpose as a treat does to one’s healthy diet. A bowl of cheesy fries to a diet made of predominantly chicken breast and a salad.
If there’s one thing you should know about the current stage of life that I’m at, it’s that now more than ever I’m trying to develop and incorporate discipline and consistency into my life. I guess it would be safe to assume that the strive for a healthy adult life automatically demands for these things, but I also just desire these traits for myself regardless. Two other things that I’ve found to be necessary, more especially as I’m growing older, are excitement and inspiration.
I feel like excitement and inspiration are two things that are spoken very little of in relation to adulthood. It seems as if once someone becomes an adult, their lives should be occupied with work, deadlines, bills and all things similar. It is rare or at least uncommon for someone’s first mention of what adulthood is to be exciting. That’s not what’s marketed to us. And personally, I have noticed that carrying this notion around with me dries up all the available excitement and inspiration that is all so necessary in this life.
So yes, it may be necessary to return to the drawing board. As a creative, an adult, a human being. Maybe what we need sometimes is to get back to that place where we felt most inspired and excited and remind ourselves of the things that made us feel that way. Maybe that’s what we actually need. To feel excited and inspired.
As a creative, most of the excitement and inspiration hits us at the conception of our idea. The initial stage. We feel this way because everything that we have planned feels very fresh and new, unlike anything that has been done before. Similarly, as a young adult, most of the excitement of adulthood hits us in the beginning. In the introduction to a newfound freedom, financial independence and all things that come with adulthood. But then something happens, we reach an in-between. Things are less exciting here. The in-betweens can make one feel like life is not progressing. It can make you feel like what you’re doing lacks any meaning. Things don’t feel the way they used to. Which is why something has to be done.
The truth is, if it’s not already apparent, the in-betweens can be boring. Really boring, to stress that further. And life is filled with a lot of these in-betweens. I think it can do us a lot of good to get back to a place of excitement and inspiration.
This may look different for different people. But one thing is common. Allow yourself to escape everything that you feel about the in-between and embark on a new journey. That doesn’t mean you’re abandoning what you already have going on. It just means that hopefully, the excitement that you feel from your new journey will help you push through the in-betweens of the journey you’re already on.
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