1) Musician Nick Cave wrote, “The everyday human gesture is always a heartbeat away from the miraculous.
Remember that ultimately, we make things happen through our actions, way beyond our understanding or intention. Our seemingly small, ordinary human acts have untold consequences. What we do in this world means something. We are not nothing.
Our deeds, no matter how insignificant they may feel, are replete with meaning and vast consequence, and they constantly impact the unfolding story of the world, whether we know it or not.”
We can perfectly connect Nick Cave’s words to the work we do.
Your seemingly small, ordinary acts have significant consequences (many of you might not even realise that). Many of you might not even be capturing the full impact of your work.
So, take a moment to reflect on the gravity of your actions. Acknowledge the powerful outcome of the seemingly mundane tasks you undertake daily. Every plan crafted, risk assessed, and investment selected are the brushstrokes in the larger portrait of one's life.
2) There is a creative person in all of us...yes, in all of us...but many of us kill our creativity (and the creative person inside of us). The best part is that we don’t even realise that we have done it.
John Cleese , in his book, wrote some wonderful lines. These are equally applicable to you, me and everyone.
He wrote, “A word of warning. When we are trying to be creative, there’s a real lack of clarity during most of the process. Our rational, analytical mind, of course, loves clarity – in fact, it worships it. But at the start of the process things cannot be clear. They are bound to be confusing.”
This paralyses most people. We believe we cannot act unless we have clarity. I need clarity, you think or say. Haven’t you felt this way?
John added, “If it’s a new thought (or something you have never done before), how can you possibly understand it straight away? You have never been there before. It feels unfamiliar.”
But things only become more apparent once you start doing things...The best part is you don’t need to understand everything. You need to know the next step to take. What’s the next smallest step?
I have often been asked this question: What can I do to be creative? My answer is always the same.
Schedule It. Start Doing It.
This reminds me of William Faulkner's quote, “I only write when inspiration strikes. Fortunately, it strikes at nine every morning.”
