Overexcitement Block
My most recent creativity block: Overexcitement block. This is the kind of block that comes from so much excitement about new projects and possibilities, that you fail to find inspiration for the everyday tasks. Let me explain.
Game Night
Sometimes creative blocks are best broken by fun. So try this: grab a few friends and have a game night. If you get the right people together with the right games, creativity will happen.
Break Something
Feeling creatively blocked? When was the last time you broke something? When you break things, it releases a giddy, nervous feeling which is fantastic for creativity. Danger and rule-breaking stir up our adrenaline. Fight-or-flight kicks in. We must survive. Our brain begins to think creatively to protect us from danger.
Drive Drive Drive
Feeling creatively blocked? Why not go on a road trip? Seriously, hop in your car, drive a few hours, and enjoy some different scenery.
MacGyver’s Lessons on Creativity
“I could kill you five different ways using this hat.” I’m not sure how I ended up hanging out with this guy. But he proclaimed this while explaining his jujitsu skills. Then he demonstrated exactly how he would take me out with his hat. Impressive! As I slowly backed away…I couldn’t help but admire his…
Surround Yourself With Greatness
I haven’t spoken Spanish in fourteen years. But today I was fluent. I grew up in Guatemala, so I picked up a few things. But a few years after moving to the US I lost my Spanish skills. A few years later I married an Argentine girl. I’ve been meaning to relearn the lost language,…
Connect
I spoke at a creativity conference last week. I asked some of the attendees what the best part of the conference was. You might be surprised, but it wasn’t the keynote or breakout sessions. It was the one-on-one conversations they had with the speakers and other creatives.
Small Victories
Few things drain me more than lengthy projects. I’m an obsessive guy that needs variety. If I’m stuck in one thing too long I want to shoot myself. I’m writing a book right now and am already dragging my knuckles writing the first chapter. How will I make it? I have a few strategies, but…
Photo Walks
Feeling stuck? Creativity tapped out? Try a walk. Grab a camera, camera-phone or audio recorder. Walk around, capture what you see/hear. Walk far. Get down on the ground. Get weird angles. Take some risks to get some interesting material. Your creativity will begin to wake up. Here’s some of the pics I grabbed on a…
Real Life Mysteries
Clogged creativity? Here’s something that can clear your pipes and get you creating again. Read up on history. I’m not talking about Napoleon or Alexander the Great. I’m referring to the crazy mysteries of the past. There are some haunting tales that are way stranger than fiction. Try these for starters: