🔓 on unlocking creativity in 2023.

read time: 4 minutes

Growing up, I never thought of myself as innately creative.

I didn’t understand creativity. It seemed like some sort of elusive zen state - you either got it, or you don’t.

I think a lot of people still feel that way. The school system doesn’t foster creativity, not in the slightest. It wasn’t designed to do so.

Truth is, creativity is quite simple. It’s really just the ability to process experiences & information, and then synthesizing it in your own way.

In a world that’s becoming increasingly automated, your ability to both think and act creatively has never been more important.

If you haven’t noticed, AI is bringing about a revolution in the workplace. BBC estimates that over the next few years, upwards of 300 million jobs could be replaced by AI.

What it’s really doing is putting a premium on creativity. Mindless tasks are being outsourced, and creative jobs are taking centre stage.

So… we know what creativity is, and we know why it’s becoming more important.

But how do you actually cultivate a creative mind in your daily life?

Here are a few tricks that have helped me recently, and will do wonders for your creativity.

Disconnect.

Over the past decade, our lives have become tied to technology.

Growing up, my dad called it “technology creep”… and I still think that’s one of the most accurate ways of seeing it.

It has a tendency to creep into your life, until every waking moment of your day is at the mercy of whichever notification pops up first.

Getting ahead is all about what you leave out

This isn’t just a creativity thing - this is a life thing.

The biggest challenge facing our generation is information overload.

Our brains weren’t wired to handle the levels of stimulation we carry in our pockets.

Find ways to limit screen time.

Set up screen time restrictions and give the passcode to a friend. Turn on grayscale - you’ll be surprised at how addictive colour is. Charge your phone outside of your room at night.

Nothing will work perfectly. But even if you can cut down on 30% of your screen time in a day, you’ll be thanking yourself.

Build boundaries.

Freedom is overwhelming.

When people talk about creative freedom, what they really mean is creative autonomy.

Freedom is being able to do whatever you want, whenever you want.

Autonomy is possessing the freedom to self-impose boundaries on your life.

No one actually wants to be free… we all just want to dictate our own parameters for life.

We are most creative (and productive) when we adhere to structure.

Creative constraints are a blessing. Embrace them.

And lastly…

Write everything down.

We fool ourselves into thinking we remember all our brilliant ideas.

The truth is, you only remember a tiny fraction of what runs through your mind.

Think about it like this - the average adult has about 50,000 coherent thoughts a day.

Chances are you can’t remember 20 from yesterday.

You need a second brain.

Find a place where you can write thoughts down as they occur to you, throughout the day.

It could be as simple as the notes app on your phone, or better yet, a real notebook.

On your walk, at dinner, on the toilet, doesn’t matter.

Whip it out, write it down. 

Writing things down is like “outsourcing” your brain to an external hard drive.

Over time, you’ll gradually build what becomes a second brain - a resource you can refer to whenever you can’t remember that great idea you once had.

Chaos is the enemy of creativity. Organize your thoughts, organize your life.

The last thing you should do is walk away thinking that I’ve perfected all these things… I’m not even close.

It’s a daily struggle - and it’ll always be one.

But just like life, the only way you lose is if you stop fighting.

Appreciate you being here 🫶🏼

See you next week.

Lukas :)