Practically Equipping A Creative Practice
I received my regular amazon supply delivery today. There are a couple of very simple tools that have helped me in my own creative practice, that I thought to share in case they're helpful to others.
The first is a notebook to take everywhere, like Robin Williams did. This is one of the most profoundly simple and effective ways to boost creative output: actually capturing ideas that come, as they come. I've found the only way the bring-a-notebook-everywhere hack is actually practical in my own life is if the notebook is 1) small enough to fit in my back pocket, and 2) thin enough that I don't take it out (and thus lose track of it) because it's uncomfortable to sit on. This is my personal favorite, as it fits neatly underneath my phone in my back pocket. It's impossible to keep up a practice of idea capture without my back-pocket buddy. You'd think the phone would work, but you know it doesn't. The problem is, it does too many things, and there are too many distractions in there. Half the time I try to write an idea down in my phone, I'm so distracted by the banner alerts that I forget what I was doing before I ever even unlock the device. No, the notebook is the place to capture vulnerable ideas before they fly away.
The second is a pen. These are an old d.school favorite - I keep a box of 30 on the edge of my desk, keep one in my back pocket, one on the bedside table, and replenish regularly...
Thirdly, and equally importantly, is keeping a pad of post-it's on the bedside table. It's hard to overstate the importance of having a go-to spot that doesn't require getting up, or turning on lights, or looking at a bright device. I'm a fan of the brightly colored ones, but to each his own... Bedside table post-it's are the perfect fix for capturing those slippery ideas that come to mind as you're drifting off to sleep.
Now, the key is to actually use the tools. VERY important 👇🏼
One thing I've learned about myself is that sleepy Jeremy is a liar and cannot be trusted. Of promising ideas that come as he's dozing off, he always says, "I'll remember that when I wake up." And then he never does. So I've tried to enforce an agreement with myself that, no matter how sleepy I feel, if an important idea floats across my semi-conscious mind, I grab the bedside pen and scribble it down on the bedside pad.
In the morning, I clear the pad, and put the idea in my back-pocket notebook to be processed the next time I'm looking through ideas. Which, as Seinfeld would say, should be every morning. It's important to take some kind of action quickly, as most inspiration has a short half-life; urgency and freshness fades quickly. More on that later...
Hope this is helpful. I'd love to hear any other simple hacks / tools you use to cultivate a flourishing practice.
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