My creative manifesto, part 6.

Nothing fills me like the process of creating.  Until recently, nothing filled me with frustration like the concept of "the journey."  Guess what?  They're actually the same thing.

For years, I've been turned off by the notion of the "journey" (as in, "it's all about the journey," "it's not the destination, its the journey," you get the idea).  Let's just say I'm very goal-oriented.  (I made three calendars for summer before I figured out which one would work best at helping me keep track of my crazy schedule...and allow me to cross things off a list.)

Honestly, I think I was a bit scared of the word journey.  Here I was with a design business and my biggest goal has been to keep working.  Wouldn't it be so much easier if everything stayed the same?  In the last two years (incidentally, as long as I've had this blog, hmmm...) I've learned to not only be okay with changes in my industry, but to finally embrace them.  I'm not looking too far ahead, I'm focusing more on opportunity and being open to new ideas.

Meanwhile, I was never scared of the word process.  When I'm creating, it isn't finishing a project I love the best, it's the whole creative process.  It's all the steps from beginning to end.  And sometimes the project isn't ever really finished (like My Creative Manifesto, for example).  Many, many little journeys within my big journey.

As I mentioned when I started this series, My Creative Manifesto is a work in progress.  I know I've overlooked things, I'm hoping I'll have more epiphanies.  I have appreciated all your comments, and would love for this dialogue to continue.  If you have anything to add -- about your own journey, your own manifesto, what starts and stops you -- I hope you will leave a comment or email me directly.

Have a great weekend!

Comments

[sharon stanley at farm and fru fru]

i am certainly going to miss these posts...so much to think about! i did think about what you said today and realize that for me, i love the excitement of finding just the "right" project and starting it....i think i mentioned that before, and that's always fun to be excited about the planning the beginning something. but often, after i start, i tend to lose interest and not finish and that is not so good. so i have started a little test. when i see a project and think,"oh, i would love to make that, and i would tweak it just a little here, or change it a little there" i STOP and ask myself if i REALLY want to make and USE what i make, or if i just like the IDEA of making the project, if i just like the way it looks, but really have no use for it. rather like puppies. everytime i see a gaggle of cute little puppies, i think how fun it would be to have one, or how precious the look...but do i really NEED or WANT another puppy? most of the time, no. i just like looking at the puppies. so i am trying to approach projects in a similar manner. is it worth the work? will i use it? will it give someone else pleasure? or do i just want to play around with it then put it back in the litter box with it's mates? believe it or not, that has been helpful!! some puppies, i just leave for someone else and enjoy the view. others i adopt if i really really want to put my best effort into them. it's been a help to me. thanks for such a fun andhelpful group of posts! can't wait to see what you do next!

[MelissaPete]

What is that they say? "The joy is in the journey." I think that is true when we create. The journey or process or whatever you call it is the joyful part. Obviously the end product gives us a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment, but the joy was in the journey. At least it is for me. I have different thoughts about other processes or journeys that do not fit this description entirely, but since we're talking creativity here, I'll stick with the happy. :D I get stuck because I often feel like I have to finish a task before I can get started on a fun project. The problem with that is that my tasks don't ever end, so getting to a fun project is hard. I have to make time and allow myself that time to create. When I do it is wonderful. I just have to do it more often!