Did you know? Today is World Creativity and Innovation Day! This day was established by the United Nations in 2001 to highlight the importance of creativity and innovation in all aspects of human development.
It’s a good time to remind ourselves that we are all born creative, as outlined by this quote from Seth Godin:
“The enemy of creativity… is fear. We’re all born creative, it takes a little while to become afraid. A surprising insight: an enemy of fear is creativity. Acting in a creative way generates action, and action persuades fear to lighten up.”
So, how can you stimulate your creativity? Here are three ways to find inspiration and spark creativity!
Take inspiration from Pixar
Pixar is known for creating brilliant stories and universes in movies like “Up” and “Inside Out” that resonate nicely with the audience. Fortunately, the Pixar team has shared some of their secrets in a list called “Pixar’s 22 Rules of Storytelling.”
While I won’t list all of them here, I’d like to share 3 rules that I find particularly inspiring:
- Finish your story, let go even if it’s not perfect. In an ideal world you have both, but move on. Do better next time.
- Discount the 1st thing that comes to mind. And the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th – get the obvious out of the way. Surprise yourself.
- Simplify. Focus. Hop over detours. You’ll feel like you’re losing valuable stuff but it sets you free.
You can discover the entire list of “Pixar’s 22 Rules of Storytelling” here, and even read the book “Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration” to learn more.
PS: Who else is excited about Pixar’s upcoming movie, “Elemental”? It will be released in June 2023!
Schedule Artist dates like Julia Cameron
In “The Artist’s Way“, Julia Cameron shares tips to boost creativity. The book outlines that we’re all born creative, and we can cultivate it.
My favorite advice is about scheduling “Artist dates” once a week. It refers to an activity to get inspiration: visiting a museum, attending a performance, taking a walk, trying out a new hobby… It can be anything allowing you to disconnect and tap into your creative side.
You may already do it, but the main takeaways are to make it a weekly habit and to try different things. Cameron says it does not have to be “high art”, just something you enjoy. You can learn more and find artist date ideas on her website.
That’s a simple habit to break the routine, get inspiration, and reduce screen time!
“Steal like an artist” like Austin Kleon
Austin Kleon published a series of books with tips on how to fuel creativity. “Steal Like an Artist” is one of them, and the title may sound controversial. Copyright is a key principle in art, so why would he talk about stealing? That’s why doing it “Like an Artist” is essential!
According to Kleon, stealing in the context of creativity does not mean plagiarizing, but rather finding inspiration from others and transforming it into something new by adding your own perspective and style. He suggests to credit and acknowledge the sources of inspiration.
Kleon helps us realise that every artist is a product of their influences and experiences, we don’t have to create something entirely new. He talks about art but this can apply to any form of creation, like your next social media post.
Did these concepts inspire you? Do you have other ones to suggest?