Creative Bites: What to do when your stuck
Sting is one of the most prolific hit pop-rock singer songwriters in history. His musical styles have varied widely: punk, ska, raggae, classical, pop, middle eastern and more. He won 17 grammys and wrote some of the biggest hits of the ’80s and ’90s. Moreover, I considered him the coolest person on the face of the earth when I was a kid. Actually, I think he still is!
Despite the enduring success, something happened in 2003. Sting got writer’s block. Weeks turned to months. Months turned to years. The musician that had written scores of songs for decades, didn’t write anything for almost a decade between 2003 and 2013. He still toured, but he struggled desperately for a solution. Eventually, using one of the methods that I suggest below, he managed to overcome his block.
Sting isn’t alone. Almost anyone who has ever worked on a creative project has run into a mental block. To start finding ways around mental blocks, we need to talk about the first two phases of the creative process: preparation and incubation.
Preparation is the phase where we define our problem and try to find all the inspiration that we’ll need to create something new. Incubation is the phase in the creative process where our subconscious mind works to try to solve our problem by combining different knowledge and experience that we’ve had.
My first suggestion to getting out of a rut is to get a new perspective. Sting began writing again when he started writing from the perspective of his father, rather than from his own perspective. In all creative endeavors, we eventually run dry on ideas for our own taste or based on our own life. When we change perspectives, it at least doubles our possibilities.
As a designer, one thing that I do is imagine what another designer might draw, or what a different company would approve. The further I get from the domain that I’m in, the more novel the results. Sometimes, I even google companies or designs that I don’t even like and try to make my design from their perspective.
Also, do something new. This can be as simple or complex as you want. In the past, I’ve asked co-workers in other departments to tell me about their projects. If you can get out of the office, you can try a new sport or just go shopping for something that you never do (outdoor equipment stores are great for this!). Sometimes, just taking a walk is enough. Walking changes the way we think and exposes us to new things outside of our doors that can help to inspire us. Lastly, just browse subjects on Wikipedia.
Another method is to give up the decision making. When Brian Eno was working with David Bowie, he created a deck of cards that he called, “Oblique Strategies”. When the band found that they didn’t know where to go, they would pick a card randomly and follow the instructions. Some examples are, “What would your closest friend do?” or the more ambiguous, “Gardening not Architecture”.
This technique has ancient roots. The 3000 year old I-Ching can be used by drawing straws and then reading the chapter associated with the number. (read more here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Ching#Usage)
Hopefully, with these techniques, we won’t have spend a decade struggling to rekindle our creativity!
