When I started writing this post, it was about goal setting; how to make a big goal for being more creative. Instead, let me share some information and inspiration that I think is much more interesting and fun. This post is about imagining and visioning how you want to live your creative life. We'll come back to the goals later.
Heads up. This post is largely videos that I've curated from YouTube to illustrate the steps of setting your vision (about 40 minutes, in total). Two reasons for that: 1) I'm just mixing up the media to keep things interesting for you and 2) Curating instead of writing gives me more time to make art, which is the thing I need to do more of to achieve my vision and goals. Enjoy.
Accept that you are creative.
One more time for those who weren’t listening…every human is born to be creative. You can look at that statement from an artistic or a scientific perspective and it holds true. Here’s a video from actor Ethan Hawke discussing creativity as a human condition. (9:17)
Define what creativity means to you.
There are as many ways to live a creative life as there are people in the world. It might mean art-making, but it doesn’t have to. I like writer Elizabeth Gilbert’s take on it. (2.59)
Look back at your creative self.
Think about all the making and imagining you did as a kid. What did it feel like to create without worrying about what others thought? What were the things you enjoyed doing or made you feel proud? Here’s Kid President demonstrating his awesome creative self. See if you can channel his energy, optimism, and connection to purpose. (3:43)
Imagine living your creative life.
What is your core interest in having more creativity in your life? Is it to develop a skill or skills? To use creativity to add happiness to your life? To have a hobby to share with friends? To start your next act as an artist? Find a quiet spot and some quiet time to imagine what your life would look like with more creativity, the kind of creativity that will give you more joy. How will a creative life support your life’s purpose? What are you doing? Where? With who? Draw it! Speaker and author Patti Dobrowolski will show you why and how in this video. (10:35)
Make a vision board.
Scientific research tells us that having a tangible illustration or vison of your life’s goals and dreams in front of you every day will help you manifest those goals and dreams into reality. There's also some hokey science out there taking the connection a little too far. I'm in the "can't hurt to try" camp. Here’s Jack Canfield, author of Chicken Soup for the Soul (the one self-help book I haven’t read!), describing how to make a vision board. (5:00)
And, just for balance, here’s author, speaker, podcaster, and life coach Mel Robins describing why typical vision boards don’t work (and how to manifest "the right way"). (6:46)
I know. This was a lot. Take a breath and try just one step at a time to set your creative vision and then one step at a time to move toward it. Enjoy the journey.
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