Let's talk about strategic creativity

Creativity is something we all have. Some are better at tapping into it than others. Even the most creative ones can feel blocks, becoming stagnant. I don't think anyone has ever gone without feeling unsure of what to do when something is calling to your creative side.

One of the most common reasons you could feel stuck is your fear of perfection. Worrying about what others will think is one of the biggest setbacks for me. You have to be able to shut that off and let only your heart decide the path to take. 

There is one other reason you could feel stuck, and that's just plain not knowing what to create! You have your paper, expensive pencils and brushes, and zero ideas of where to begin…But as soon as you have a direction, an idea, the pencil begins drawing, and you find yourself in your zone of creativity!

You see, whether you're just starting out or a seasoned veteran there is one thing that all creatives could use when exploring the endless boundaries of their imagination. It is the very place where passion and planning come together. Strategic creativity; creating with a purpose in mind, an end goal. 

Having something to build off of or towards is the key to unlocking that door that's blocking you from doing the thing you love with a passion. If on your paper was a square, you could then turn it into a house, add grass and a sun, maybe a rainbow! Having something to build from is all it takes to get into that zone of yours.

Let me give you an example, my wife loves drawing but often feels unsure what to draw. (That blank piece of paper is intimidating). One day I had some stuff to put on the curb for free and asked her to make a FREE sign. All she had to do was write the word "free" on a piece of paper. You can imagine where I'm going with this. 😂

On the flip side, if you continue to create without any sense of direction you might end up doing too much, and you'll probably be unsure when to call it "finished". A strategy can make good use of your time because you know when you've reached your goal. It becomes a yin yang of following your heart and following your plan.

But when you have a creative block, it's hard to even come up with ideas, often leaving you feeling jaded. Well, let's think of this strategically (you see what I did there? 😉). You just need a plan. An idea! Something to get the ball rolling. The first thing I would consider is finding a way to donate your work to something useful and helpful. This gives you a positive purpose and minimizes your perfectionism because it's low pressure.

Let's discuss a few other ways to get past any blocks you might run into on your journey. Try these out next time you're feeling stagnant or burnt out:

*Watch a movie you haven't seen (or maybe your old favorite)

*Explore some new places, embrace getting lost 

*Go to an art museum, or some place that makes you think

*Go for a Weird Walk! (Walking until you find something weird). This is fun because it gets you really looking at stuff 🧐

*Study your niche creatively to learn something new you could try

*Shut off social media! Go airplane mode if you have to

*Look at work from others you admire. It doesn't even need to be in your niche. Just look for things that move you

*Attempt to recreate your past work or work from someone you admire. And maybe add a twist! ⬅️ I might have to try this one!

This is not an exhaustive list in any way, you could add a lot more to it. These are just some of my own thoughts in my current state of mind. Maybe one day I'll remake this blog! 🤯

Be sure to follow me on social media for more on this topic! You can find links below!

*I'm a Minnesota personal brand photographer, if you're interested in a photoshoot, you can email me at codyowencaptures@gmail.com or check out my website for more information, click here!