Creative thinking comes naturally, we are all born creative. Creativity flows through us on its own, like breathing, and we know when the flow is strong.
Moments of creativity feel good, like we’re plugged in and turned on. At that moment what we are doing becomes easy, intrinsically motivating, more satisfying and even distorts our perception of time.
The habits that are killing your creativity
The problem is that you yourself can sabotage your own creativity sometimes without even realizing it. Certain habit and belief systems may be stifling your creative stream . If you get stuck in too many of these for too long, you can completely forget that you are creative.
Fortunately, for the river of creativity to flow again, all you have to do is get out of your own way.
If you drop even one of these habits, you will feel your creativity increase tremendously. And once your creative thinking starts to flow again, it becomes a lot easier to give up the rest of the things on this list.
1. Surround yourself with “Takers”
People who identify as creative are almost always “Givers.” They create, which means they produce and add value to the world. They give to those around them, because giving is just an honest expression of who they are. But a great weakness of the “Givers” is that they are easy for the “Takers” to take advantage of.
Takers are those who are not in connection with your ability to give. Takers see someone who is constantly giving as an easy source from which to take advantage.
Some Givers can get caught up in self-destructive relationships with Takers, because they feel that the Taker inspires them to continually create more, which can feel like a challenge and a way of growth.
But the reality is that it is not a challenge; they are simply being drained.
How to get out of this?
Instead of getting caught up in endless cycles with Takers, strive to surround yourself with other Takers. They are easy to find because they resonate just like you. They are people of service, not of ego. And together, they will dramatically amplify the energy that you both have.
So, identify those people in your life who take more than they give, and start limiting the time you spend with those drain people. In the end you may find that you have much more to offer.
Bottom Line: When you renounce Takers and surround yourself with other Givers, your potential as a whole is infinite.
2. Constant use of electronic devices
We live in a world of distractions. We carry small supercomputers with us wherever we go, and like any tool, we can use them to amplify our creativity or also to sabotage it.
In the United States, a study confirmed that people spend an average of 5 hours per day on their phones. Whether it’s watching a new series or catching up on the latest news on Facebook, that time is rarely used in a way that is aligned with your highest creative goals.
So pay attention to your cell phone habits and see where you are in relation to the average. You are most likely higher than you would like to admit.
But, instead of completely eliminating this obsession from your life, replace it with your passions. Use the time you already spend on your phone for the benefit of your personal projects or reading about the work of those you admire.
When you are passionate about something, immerse yourself in it. Obsess over it. Your passion is telling you where the source of your creative energy is and providing you with an easy point of access.
Give up the mindless use of cell phone and replace it with your passions. You will drain yourself less and give you new ways to access your creative energy.
Conclusion: Give up mindless cell phone use and replace that time with your passions, so that even your procrastination time is aligned with your creative goals.
3. Holding on to the past
On many occasions, we know what we should be doing. We know that if our goal is to write a book, we should write every day. We know that if our goal is to be rich, we should sell things every day.
The problem is that, although we know the habits that lead to our goals, if these habits are not aligned with who we have always been, then we will feel tremendous resistance to them.
We will feel that we are simply not us, or more accurately, they are not aligned with who we have always been.
So how do we take action that serves our creative vision, when it goes against who we’ve always been?
Give up your past . Give up the mask of who you have been. That person left. The only reason you still act like that person is real is because you choose every day to believe that they are. You yourself recreate that person in each moment , which consumes the energy that you could be using to create what you need to be today.
Therefore, stop using this energy to maintain your past. Let go of everything that does not serve you , keep in mind who you must be to do what you want to do, not for anyone else, but for yourself.
Conclusion: give up your past. Take back the energy you spend recreating that person every day and use it to create that person you want to become .
4. Try to be like others or original
In a world of hyperconnectivity, we have hundreds of opportunities every day to compare ourselves to others. We see the achievements of our friends and we can’t stop thinking about how to catch up with them.
As creative beings, we take this a little more seriously than we should and relentlessly begin to compare everything we create with others. We feel the incessant need to be original.
To create a catchy phrase that no one has read, or write an idea that no one has thought of before. But the truth is, humans have been around for about 6 million years and there aren’t many original ideas left, and there’s no way to prove that an idea is 100 percent original anyway.
Therefore, instead of seeking to be original, it is better to be authentic . Sometimes a person just needs to listen to a lesson that has been told hundreds of times, and interpret it from their own unique perspective. Through the lens of your story, from your perspective, with your own voice, your way.
Because it’s not about the lesson itself or how original the idea you want to share is, it’s about whether someone out there can echo with you when you’re authentically being you. That is all it takes to change someone’s life.
Conclusion: give up comparing yourself to others and trying to be original. It is much better to be authentic , that is, to be yourself.
5. Feeling that the world owes you something
Many creatives feel too special. And this is a narcissistic feeling . They think that others should prioritize them and that the world revolves around them. They also think that the world owes them something, and that by virtue of being what they are, they deserve a reward.
Obviously, no one does this on purpose. This complex develops over time. But there is no faster path to loss of power than feeling important.
So how do you identify if you are sabotaging your creativity by feeling too “privileged”?
Check your expectations:
If you sometimes feel that you are worthy of a newspaper story, or you trust yourself in the hope that you will achieve something in life, then you feel too privileged.
The truth is that you are not more important than others. Nobody owes you anything. You have no privilege beyond life, freedom, and the pursuit of happiness.
You are free to trust yourself. You are free to take responsibility for everything you can in your life. And only through this sense of radicality will you be able to create your own most desired outcome and share your fruits with others, if you wish. But never assume that you have privileges over others for the simple fact of being you.
Give up the privilege and be grateful for what you have. Take control of what you can and let your greatness shine through in those little acts.
Bottom Line: Give up the sense of privilege and take responsibility for all aspects of your life – it will dramatically increase the amount of creative power you have.