Geri deGruy's blog of art, musings, and inspiration

I'm reading this book right now.  It's geared in part for people in business who end up being "creatives" but it applies as well to those of us who consider ourselves artists or whose profession is about creation.

Hyper-Ger skimmed through the first section about the dynamics, pressures and problems in the workplace. "Heck, I know about that," I thought, skimming faster. 

Then, I started the meat of the book---"practices to help you experience higher levels of creative insight on a daily basis. " (p.5)

Practices.

Higher levels of creative insight.

On a daily basis.

OK, I'm in.

One of the exercises in the Focus chapter is to write down all the current projects you have in your life, work and personal. Wow! Right away I saw a pattern. I often have trouble finishing the final details of all sorts of work. This is especially true if:

-I'm uncertain about how to finish.

-I don't know technically how to finish.

-I have a good idea for a new project and want to do that instead.  Much more fun.

-I'm thinking about shopping for new clothes.

-It's boring.

-It's onerous!

There it was in blue and white... well, really teal and white since I was using a teal Le Pen. Not only is this a consistent pattern, but I spend a lot of energy (that I could use profitably elsewhere, like creating art!) avoiding the issue again and again. It's always on my plate so I unwisely keep myself and my good energy blocked to a certain extent. Over and over. It is a waste.

So I went into the studio and finished one project that was patiently waiting for me to get my act together.  

But that's not the whole solution.  It's good to have that piece done of course.  But this regular problem needs a shift in mindset, or as Todd Henry calls it,"some kind of conceptual breakthrough in order to move forward...(It is) in stasis until you set the strategy." (p. 87)

I'm working on the strategy.  More to come...