When thinking about creativity and inhibitions, a couple of questions come to mind:
What blocks creativity? Why is it that, at times, we feel that we can’t use our full creative potential?
We are going through some difficult times in all aspects of our lives. Creativity is one key factor that can help us figure out our next steps in what we’re trying to solve. However, if we’re mentally blocked, it’s going to be challenging to move forward.
I recently came across an article on the top 10 common factors that inhibit creativity. This is an eye-opening read, and it caused such impact on me that I decided to expand on three of them:
- Laziness
- Fear of failure
- Keeping your work to yourself
Laziness
Creativity is associated with the willingness to experiment and test different approaches through trial and error. However, there are times when we don’t feel like doing it. We feel it can be a bit too much to take in, especially when life is already busy.
To overcome this overwhelmed feeling, intentional discipline is a good starting point. We will always make time for the things that truly matter to us, even on those days when we’d rather do something else.
Discipline is the winning factor.
Fear of failure
It’s tempting to give up as soon as we spot the first sign of failure. We all aim to succeed after putting a lot of effort into a project.
On the other hand, there’s two ideas that come to mind to turn fear into an ally:
- Redefining your views on failure and find the lessons that can help you do better
- Thinking of fear as GPS to take next steps
Fear can either prevent you from taking action or it can inspire you to go different directions. The choice is yours.
Keeping your work to yourself
It’s intimidating to tell the world what you’re working on, especially when you’re not sure if it’s “good enough”.
Sharing your process helps you connect with others and learn through feedback.
Sharing allows you to find your scenius, which is a more collaborative approach. This is a great way to develop a muscle and, little by little, be more confident when presenting your ideas to colleagues, followers, clients, etc.
When you’re constantly keeping your work to yourself, you’re missing on important opportunities to connect with other individuals.
Creativity and inhibitions are like oil and water. They simply don’t work well together. It is crucial to keep an eye on all the factors that stop you from realizing your true potential.
What are your thoughts?