Throw it down, big man. Throw it down!

Creativity is an alley-oop from the universe. It’s the ultimate virtuous cycle. Reciprocity squared. Giving ↔️ receiving.

When life serves you up an idea, you gotta slam dunk that ish so you can chest bump each other.

Imagine the heartbreak if the universe tosses up a beautiful, perfect no-look lob and you, for fear of appearing too arrogant, let the pass sail out of bounds.

Riding the creative wave 🌊

Lately I’ve been riding a nice creative wave:

- I designed a sweet brand identity for a nonprofit
- I’ve been enjoying a growing confidence to sing
- I’ve written poetry and thought pieces (like this)
- And lots of little things that are hard to quantify

But in the back of my head there’s a nagging sense of déjà vu.

I’ve been here before. Eventually this wave, like all the others that came before it, will come crashing back down to sea level.

This time though, I’m armed with some observations about my thoughts and actions that just might help me stay riding high.

During this wave I’ve been imagining all of the things I could create, all of the lives I could impact. Could thinking is generous and outcome-focused, it feels good, carefree and fun.

In contrast, when analysis paralysis strikes it’s usually due to inward, worrisome thinking of what I should create and how I’ll be judged if I should miss the mark by even so much as a hair. Should thinking is selfishly persnickety, and it feels anxious, fearful and paralyzing.

Should thinking seems to contract possibilities.
Could thinking expands them.

So as I surf this creative wave I’ll keep in mind this silly mnemonic I thought up:

Should-y = Sh!tty / Could = Good

Exploration or efficiency?

Yes, you can have both. But only to an extent. It's a sliding scale.

The more dialed in to following rules and processes, the less room for exploration. The more room you make for exploration and failure, the less stringent your processes become.

The middle road is for the faint of heart. Those too scared of alienating anyone on either side to fully commit.

The edges are for those who are comfortable enough in their own skin to be the nerdy rule followers, or (the more fun) rebels with a cause.