E 24 - Having a Creative Process
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[00:00:00] Welcome back my creative friends to another episode of BDI Create Today. Now today we are casting off into a multi part series. We're going to explore a fundamental aspect of creativity. That often gets overlooked, but is absolutely crucial, and that is the creative process. Now, I know a lot of creatives have closets full of art supplies, and maybe a studio full of half finished projects, or maybe, uh, are feeling blocked or burned out.
with their creativity. Or maybe, , there's a creative out there listening today that's thinking my best creative days are over. Well, this episode, my friend, is for you. [00:01:00] So whether you're an artist, a writer, an entrepreneur, a musician, a gardener, a baker, or someone who loves a good spreadsheet, having a creative process just for you.
to guide you can make the difference in transforming your creativity from a mere spark into an idea that is going to help you create your next great masterpiece. But what exactly is a creative process? And why is it so important? So let's start with a simple definition. The creative process is a series of steps or stages that individuals can follow to generate and develop and refine their ideas.
Now, it's kind of like a roadmap. That's going to guide you from an initial concept all the way through to final execution. And while the specifics can vary greatly depending on the [00:02:00] field and the individual, I've discovered that there are four common stages that I believe most creatives can put to use and think about as their creative process.
So let's talk about the importance of having this kind of structure, a creative process, to rely upon while working on a creative project. One of the biggest misconceptions about creativity is that it's entirely spontaneous and unstructured.
Something that's just going to happen and fall out of your head and you're like, oh my gosh, look what I just did. Now while these bursts of inspiration do happen, relying completely on what can be a rare moment It can be unreliable and can end up being very stressful because you're thinking this has to happen all the time and my friend, it doesn't just aha moments like that.
They don't [00:03:00] happen every day for everyone all the time. And this is where having a structured creative process. It's really comes in handy. It's going to provide a guide, a foundation that will help you collect your thoughts, navigate through your ideas so you can choose an idea and then do the work and do the good work.
A creative process is also going to nudge you to actually finish your project. A creative process is also going to help you from getting stuck. Blocked or overwhelmed. So think of it like this. Imagine you're going to build a house.
Would you start building a house without a blueprint? No, you would not. And a good majority of us wouldn't cook or bake something without following a recipe. And the same goes for creativity. Having a process in place is like having a blueprint, a roadmap, a [00:04:00] recipe that's going to help you follow through the steps as you work through a creative project.
It's going to keep you on track. It's going to help you manage your time effectively. And ultimately, it will increase the quality of your work. That sounds pretty good, right? in the next four weeks.
We are going to take a peek into my going forwards creative process This is going to help you navigate from no ideas to To concepts, to working on a project, doing the work, to finishing your work. My simple and easy to follow creative process breaks down the creative process into four words. And these four words will help you go forwards with your creativity.
And yeah, that's a pun. Four words help you go forwards. And my four words, [00:05:00] this creative process, is divided into four main phases, four words. And those words are revive, realize, refine, and release. So let's take a quick moment to chat a bit about each of these four words, and how they can help you go forwards.
with your creative projects.
The first word is revive and the revive stage takes place when you are in between creative projects. So sometimes after finishing a project, you might find yourself a little creatively exhausted, right? So the revise phase is time when you take a pause to exhale and allow your creativity to rejuvenate.
This stage is often just taking a break, doing unrelated activities, or simply giving yourself time to reflect. It's during [00:06:00] this period that you take time to let your brain rest. And when you give your brain time to rest and be idle, your brain actually gets really busy. And it makes connections between different pieces of information, often leading to unexpected insights.
Think of it like letting seeds germinate after they've been planted. And this stage is crucial because it allows for the magic of creativity to begin to happen.
Now the second word in my going forwards with your creativity is realize. And the realize stage is all about seeing ideas. So in this phase, you are actively gathering information, you're doing some research
and you're immersing yourself in creative possibilities. It's like filling a pantry with delicious ingredients for future [00:07:00] baking. During this stage, you're not just passively absorbing information, but you're actively focusing on the world around you. You're asking questions.
You're seeking inspiration. You're pulling yourself out of autopilot, which we do a lot in our daily lives. So when you're out of Autopilot, you're actually able to see the world with your creative eyes. And you're able to look for that next great idea. So you're collecting, you're organizing your information So that you can find it when you are ready to actually begin to work.
The key here is to open yourself up to a wide range of influences and perspectives that will cause that little spark of inspiration to strike. and bring in that new creative idea. Now the third word in my going forwards with your creativity [00:08:00] is refine. Now the refine stage is when the work begins.
You're going to start by reviewing your collection of ideas from the realize phase. You're in the pantry, you're looking at all the delicious ingredients that you've gathered and you're thinking, what will I make with these ingredients? And then you're going to choose what your next project will be from the ideas that you've gathered.
Sometimes this is one of those aha moments when a brilliant idea or solution subtly comes to you when you least expect it. You might be taking a shower or driving or in the middle of the night. It happens. And then sometimes it's just a subtle pull towards a direction from an idea that you have gathered and put into a location.
for later review. And now you're looking at your ideas and you think, Hmm, maybe this, and you will [00:09:00] find it intriguing and you will begin to work. Now, these moments of clarity are the result of the hard work that you put in during the preparation and you and the incubation stage. So that is Your realized phase, right?
And, and in that phase where , you're reviving and you're allowing your brain to be idle. So, the, these two phases are the payoff for giving your mind the space and time to start connecting those dots. So, this refined stage is where you bring your ideas to life. It's the execution phase, where you turn your abstract ideas, your concepts, into tangible reality.
And then, depending on your field, and this could involve writing, designing, building, gardening, baking, writing music, anything, any number of activities. Thank you. But this is where you put your head down, my friend, and you get [00:10:00] the work done. The refined stage, it requires some discipline. Some focus, some persistence, and a willingness to overcome obstacles.
This is where that real work happens. And it's also where you get to see the fruits of your creative labor. This is where you have to do the work.
And the fourth word in my going forwards with your creativity is. In this final phase, I'm going to tell you this can be, for some creatives, the most difficult phase. This is the time during your creative project when you, the creative, must decide this project is finished.
in the release phase it is time to put down your tools and use your project for whatever purpose it was created for. So, stop making that one last detail, or if you're like me with a [00:11:00] digital project, moving something one pixel to the left, to the right, to the north, to the south. It's time to to put down your tools and use your project for whatever purpose it was created for.
So, is it a gift? Time to give the gift, my friend. Or are you planning on using it to decorate your house? Get to it. put that thing up on your wall. Are you selling it to a customer? My friend, go make some money.
Now the reason that this last phase, the release phase, is often difficult, well, we're going to talk about this in the podcast when we explore this very important final phase of my creative process, the release phase. Now we've just done a really quick tour of my forwards creative process so that you can go forwards with your creativity.
So let's talk about the benefits. Of having [00:12:00] a structured approach that you can be aware of and follow while you are creating. So here's a list of what you can look forward to when you have a creative process that you can follow First. Enhanced productivity. First and foremost, a creative process enhances productivity.
It is giving you that clear roadmap so that you know where you're going and how you want to do something and when you need to finish it. And you can manage your time more effectively. You can avoid getting stuck in creative ruts or being distracted by other shiny objects. And it's going to help you stay focused.
and organized, and this is going to allow you to make steady progress on your projects. Number two, you are going to get higher quality work. And who doesn't want that? [00:13:00] A structured creative process. leads to higher quality work.
So by systematically looking and choosing carefully and evaluating your ideas, you ensure that only the best concepts make it to that refined stage where you're doing the work. So while you're making that work, you already know you've got a good idea because you gave yourself time to rest and you gave yourself time to do your research.
So at the refined stage, You're already pretty sure you've got a good idea. and this results in a more polished and impactful end product. And it will also give you more confidence as a creative because you have a process that will keep you from straying or getting overwhelmed, and it will help you actually finish more projects.
The third thing that is going to be [00:14:00] super helpful having a creative process that you follow is you're going to reduce stress.
This is a significant benefit because my friend, creativity can be daunting, especially when you're facing that blank canvas or an empty page and you think, I don't have any ideas. Having a process in place that has filled that creative pantry with great ideas provides a sense of direction and control that is going to make the creative journey a little less overwhelming.
And the fourth thing that's really important about having a creative process is you're going to have greater innovation. So having this It's well defined creative process. It's fostering innovation by encouraging you to explore a wide range of ideas and perspectives. so when you're in that realized phase and you open yourself up to new ideas and you explore and [00:15:00] have new experiences, it's going to increase the likelihood of coming up with unique and groundbreaking solutions and new creative projects.
That is going to be fabulous, don't you think?
So wherever you are right now in your latest creative project, take a pause. Just take a sec and think, what phase of going forwards am I in now?
Are you possibly in the revive stage? Are you in between projects? So do you need some creative rest and rejuvenation to just get back some of that creative energy that you might have depleted on the project you just finished? Or are you in the realize phase? Are you on the hunt for some creative ideas?
Are you gathering and collecting and organizing in preparation for your next great masterpiece? Maybe you are in that refine [00:16:00] stage. So, are you hip deep in the weeds of doing the work on a project? If so, have fun, my friend. Enjoy. Maybe you are, or should be, in the release phase.
Is it time to stop adding that one more detail or should you just look at what you have and say, good enough before you push what you think isn't a perfect masterpiece into the back of the proverbial creative closet?
Do you need to put down your tools and release your work into the world? Think. Think about it. Where are you in your process? Is it time to move on to the next phase? when you're aware of these phases, It will help you organize your time better.
in the next few weeks, we're going to focus a little deeper into each of these four words.
And it's going to give you a better understanding [00:17:00] about yourself and your creativity. And how you can increase your productivity, the quality of your work, and your creative confidence as you go forwards with your creativity by using my four words, revive, realize, refine, and improve. and release.
Remember it's important to understand how to use the power of a creative process. It's an amazing tool that can help you harness your creativity, increase your productivity, and bring your ideas to life.
Creativity is more than just having great ideas. It's about making those ideas happen and then sharing your amazing ideas with the world. A world that needs your creative voice. So thank you for joining me today, my friend, As we begin in the next weeks to go [00:18:00] forwards with our creativity.
And if you've enjoyed today's episode, be sure to subscribe to BDI Create today, and please share it with other creatives that you know, and as always, keep looking for that next great idea and stay creative, my friend.
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