The Process of Creation
My process starts with a new perspective on something I’ve been through in my life. I start brainstorming without a pen, a pencil, or a word document. These brain storms balloon into hundreds of thoughts per minute until I can get a basic trend going on and then I summarize them in bullet points. Sifting through all the thoughts is the craziest part of it of all because I keep thinking that I have to talk about all of them but here and there I forget some things I’ve had in my head. Forgetting some of my ideas is the worst part of it. I get frustrated because I think they have to be there and if they’re not there my blog post isn’t complete. When I think like this I forget the thing that matters - just getting to the point and creating that connection with the reader.
A Cosmic Paradox
This leads to the conundrum of creation. How does something come out of essentially nothing? Philosophies, science, and religions have been debating this subject for centuries. When something (seemingly) comes of out of nothing, we wonder what is that something’s purpose? What is the way it behaves? What are the rules that it has to follow? I think that initially all this just comes randomly, yet with repetition and redundancy these questions are answered. Think of the universe: Some people think the Big Bang started it. What were the chances that planets would be there and they’d be round instead of squares, have an orbit, and be places where life can flourish (well so far that’s only our planet)? No person told these planets to move the way they do or these stars to burn the way they burn. Why isn’t it that these planets just don’t bounce around the galaxy and that the temperature of stars doesn’t fluctuate between extreme heat and extreme cold? Maybe a scientist has the answers to those questions but those answers don’t address the reasons behind it, just the logic.
Setting off a Chain Reaction
Speaking of reasons what is a reason a person wants to create something? How do people feel in the actual process of creation? I think we are constantly creating ourselves and other things around us. We create ideas when we talk, we create wealth when we do business, and we create our physical selves by what we eat and how we exercise. The thing that makes these creations special is when people invest their emotions into their creations. That means when we send our creations out into the world and they get judged we might take those judgements very personally. Whether we are an artist, had children, and/or opened up an institution or service where people are learning from us - these are all creations. It’s those one star reviews, haters, and trolls that may rile us up and some may go into a rage because of it. On the other side of the spectrum those five star reviews, lovers, and supporters make us feel better about ourselves and what we’re trying to do. As you can see, judgements of our creations in and of themselves create something with in us in addition to the feeling of actually creating it.
The Hidden Struggle
I remember when I created my first YouTube video ages ago and I thought I’d get a million views and tons of comments. I was in for a very rude awakening. That’s because it wasn’t that the response was positive or negative. Rather, it’s that it hardly existed at that time. I didn’t realize that those gigantic channels weren’t the norm and that it took time to get to that level. As a result, I just kept creating videos in addition to the blog that you are now reading. Eventually I decided to create a course you can get it here. Even though I didn’t make everything in the course perfect, I still decided to do it. The point is that I made it anyway and that’s the best thing I could’ve done. Some people get stuck in analysis paralysis and don’t ever have their dreams or goals realized because they are looking to create the perfect creation, which doesn’t actually exist but. These people should know that a creation can always be refined and it can be recreated as well. The problem comes is when you try to create that one perfect thing and the people who are constantly creating, recreating, and creating more are blowing you out of the water. However, what they don’t see from the creator of that one perfect thing are the hundreds of imperfect things that they created in the past that they were constantly refining and even abandoning to creating something new.
Creativity in Chains
This takes us back to the education system and how they relate to creativity. Creativity is itself a form of creation. The schools want to force you to create what they want. I remember all my school projects being creations with very strict parameters and no input on your part. When this happens, creation becomes worrisome and not enjoyable. When you love the process and it doesn’t feel like drudgery then that’s when it becomes natural for you to create and you do it as a charitable act to add your art to the universe for all to behold. That’s also where the work life synchronicity (not balance) comes in: When you are totally in sync with what you do (meaning you love what you do and what you do loves you) then that, for me, that is the career oasis in the job market desert. That being said, you still have to scour the desert to find this synchronicity. Make no mistake: there are many mirages in the “create what you love” desert and not everything will make you money. Since it’s only natural for students to feel resentment when their creations are forced upon them and judged so much by the schools, most probably end up deciding they don’t want to create for themselves.
Living Vicariously
A related issue in the modern era arises from being passive consumers of other people’s creations such as movies, video games, and news media. There’s nothing inherently wrong with enjoying the creations of others because if we only used and enjoyed our own creations there would be no need for an exchange of ideas and commerce. However, when we are only consumers and not creators then not only are we not contributing in some cases but we aren’t really living to our full potential (or at least that’s what I can say for me. I don’t mean to project my values).
Risk and Reward
Creation for the sake of itself is a hobby and some would even say it’s therapeutic to engage in it. On the other hand, creation that can be monetized can turn into a lifestyle so you don’t need a typical job to support yourself. The problem starts when you know what you want to create yet the process becomes a drag because you don’t understand the monetization of the creation. You end up making the mistake in thinking that only the perfect creation will make the money even though in some cases that has nothing to do with it. Your creation is like a child and no child is born perfect. Every parent wants to see their child thrive in the world and become something in the end. This creation, when it doesn’t get the attention it deserves or gets a significant amount of negative responses, can make the creator frustrated and annoyed. What determines this attention though is where and how this creation is being presented and what audience it’s being presented to. After that, the monetization depends on how this creation morphs over time, how it’s recreated and if it’s being shared by an audience that cares. All these factors are variables that depend on time and there is never a surefire formula that determines exact figures.
Freedom of Choice
There are some out there who become demoralized by the creation process. This can happen because their creation receives no attention, negative attention, and/or it has no viable means of monetization. In these cases, the person may just give up. I have experienced all three of those things but to this day I have not given up. I’ve realized that the reason most feel this way is because, again, school relates this process of creation to pain. Doing school projects begrudgingly, sometimes being assigned partners we’d rather not be with (some of them slacking off also getting together with each other at the most inopportune times possible) or simply getting an assignment we care nothing about are all ways that school counteracts the creation process. However, I’ve found that when we have a choice it doesn’t need to be this way. We can actually collaborate with those we like, have pure passion about what we’re doing and synchronize our schedules with our partners to get together in a way so that we enjoy each other’s company. The process can be happy, fun, exciting, and fulfilling.
How to Make an Impact
The issue with creativity though is how not to become a starving artist/creator. I understand that when we create there has to be a reason for the audience to look at it. What is going to move them to look at it then it has to be something that relates to them. I’ve found that the best way to do this is with a creation that stimulates and excites people. I personally love going to a science museum and being around the interactive exhibits because you feel like the creation is alive and you feel like you get feedback from it. As another example, when people go to an exciting movie the most exciting part is not the story itself but rather the audio and visuals of the movie. So when thinking about your special creations, if you really want them to get somewhere in the world make it relatable and stimulating. Make sure you find the right people to expose it to and that you can get the proper feedback from them. If you just want it for yourself and not to expose it then go ahead and create the art for yourself.
Forging Your Own Trail
Lastly, I warn you about passively enjoying other creations too much without looking into yourself and who you are and what you want. There are gigantic interests out there (corporate, media, and state) that create things for you. The corporations create tons of products. The media creates tons of TV shows and news advertisements, and the state has created the plague known as the public education system. When you’re so steeped into these creations and don’t create for yourself, you become more dependant and servile. Of course these entities want you to be addicted to their creations because that’s fuel for their fire they simply want your money. They also like when you don’t want to create something of your own because that’s potential competition for them (i.e. you’re no longer the sheep to be corralled in their lines). Once you’re out of line that’s when they put the pressure on you to conform. This is reflected in the societal pressure to not blaze your own trail and color with in the lines. If you bow down to that then it makes things much easier and convenient for them but much more debilitating for you. In fact the creations of these entities are so omnipresent and rampant that they create a modern day flood of digital information that I will discuss in my next post. So thank you for paying attention to my imperfect creation and be sure to stick around for more. I’d like your feedback but whether or not I get it, creating is what I love so I do this to unleash the potential for all those out there who can benefit.