Creativity Bootcamp: Express Your Thoughts

April 13 2010 – 12:09pm

This is week 2 of Creativity Bootcamp, based upon the Eight Life Hacks for Creative Thinking. Last week I told you to Move Your Body (how did that go?), this week: Express Your Thoughts.

Writing and drawing are extremely powerful activities for practicing your creativity. I often find that when I write or draw, I unlock ideas that I wasn’t even aware that I had. The main hurdle to overcome in this is just getting the motivation to do the expressing.

So, you need to do whatever you can to reduce the friction between your brain and a medium of expression (in this case, writing or drawing). For most of us, the problem is perfection paralysis. We become paralyzed by the fear that what we write, draw, speak, or dance will be just plain wrong. While you eventually have to create something lucid if you’re going to put it out into the world, this isn’t necessary at all in the creative process. All of these expressive functions are locked away from each other, and it isn’t until we exercise them that they can hone one another.

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This week, write. Use whatever tool it is that makes it easiest for you to write. My favorites are a quality notebook with a quality pen, and a plain text document. Microsoft Word is your enemy. Too much friction.

Write about anything. If you can’t think of something to write about, then write about how you can’t think of anything to write about. It doesn’t even have to make sense. Make a nonsense string of words that pop into your head as you write, if that’s what you need to do to make it easy to write. What’s important is that you express your thoughts, and break down the barrier between the medium and your mind.

Do this for 10 minutes. Just 10 minutes this week is all you need. If you feel like continuing – then do! Do it every day if you can. But just do it at least once. For 10 minutes. That’s it!