Rethinking Creativity and Thoughts on Trying Softer

Where does it come from?

Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love gives an inspirational talk about creativity in this embedded video from TED.

I particularly enjoy her concept that creativity is something “on loan” – an external power from the ether. It is like an abstract energy that cannot be forced.

This falls into The Inner Game of Tennis philosophy that trying softer (as opposed to trying harder) when performing and practicing music is not only better for your spirit, but it is really the only sensible path to follow.

One cannot force what is not there. Attempting to do so can be absolutely maddening and counterproductive. Elegant lip trills, for example, are a skill that most people do not gain overnight. It takes time and patience.

This does not mean that you should only practice when the Muse strikes you, but rather that inspiration will ebb and flow. Rather than fighting it, accept your limitations, dedicate yourself to your homework and, whenever possible, enjoy the ride.

A few notes:

• The final minutes of her talk are excellent words of advice for any artist that must produce on a regular basis.
• Please do not confuse the word daemon with demon. They do not mean the same thing.

From the author’s web site:

As for discipline – it’s important, but sort of over-rated. The more important virtue for a writer, I believe, is self-forgiveness. Because your writing will always disappoint you. Your laziness will always disappoint you. You will make vows: “I’m going to write for an hour every day,” and then you won’t do it. You will think: “I suck, I’m such a failure. I’m washed-up.” Continuing to write after that heartache of disappointment doesn’t take only discipline, but also self-forgiveness (which comes from a place of kind and encouraging and motherly love).

The other thing to realize is that all writers think they suck. When I was writing “Eat, Pray, Love”, I had just as a strong a mantra of THIS SUCKS ringing through my head as anyone does when they write anything. But I had a clarion moment of truth during the process of that book. One day, when I was agonizing over how utterly bad my writing felt, I realized: “That’s actually not my problem.” The point I realized was this – I never promised the universe that I would write brilliantly; I only promised the universe that I would write. So I put my head down and sweated through it, as per my vows.