The most talented artists, songwriters, and inventors all have one thing in common: an intense passion for their craft. It takes a tremendous amount of effort and dedication to develop an artistic skill and unlock one’s own unique creativity.
Unfortunately, many of us don’t have the slightest idea of where to start. We often find ourselves on the wrong side of creative blocks and often don’t have the necessary tools to break free. To assist in this, we’ve reached out to renowned professionals in the field of psychology to gain insight into how to properly unlock our own creativity.
Here are 13 actionable tips from psychology professionals that you can use to get motivated, gain greater focus, and achieve more out of life.
1) Find Your Creative Fuel
The first step to unlocking your creativity is to find the fuel that motivates you to produce creative works. It may be a particular person, event, or activity, but it’s essential to establish a source of motivation that can energize you. Consider what events and activities spark the fire within you and use them to your advantage.
For example, if going on long walks helps to open your mind and gets the creative juices flowing, then set aside time to do just that. The same holds true for any source of creative fuel that drives you to express yourself artistically.
2) Eliminate Negativity
Before you can get your creativity juices flowing, it’s necessary to clear away any negative thinking that may be blocking your progress. This may come from yourself or from outside sources.
To combat this, try to adopt a positive attitude, engage in activities that make you happy, and eliminate any doubt that may be preventing you from taking action and achieving your goals. Once you’ve done this, you’ll find that creating art becomes a much more enjoyable experience.
3) Exercise and Meditate
Physical exercise is great for opening up and expanding your creative thinking. This can be in the form of running, cycling, or any other physical activity that you find satisfying and enjoyable.
Regular exercise can improve blood flow to the brain, which can stimulate creative thinking. Another great way to tap into creative thought is through meditation. Meditation helps to focus your thoughts and can break through creative blocks.
When combined with physical activity, meditation can be a great tool to unlock your creative capabilities.
4) Pay Attention to Your Dreams
The thoughts and memories that you experience in your sleep can tell you a lot about what lies beneath the surface of your creativity. Pay close attention to your dreams and think about how they can influence your work, as well as how you can use them to gain a deeper understanding of your own creative capabilities.
5) Embrace the Unknown
Creativity comes from exploring and embracing the unknown. When faced with a creative block, don’t be afraid of the unknown.
Instead, be open to it and explore the possibilities that can come from it. Don’t worry too much about making mistakes or veering off track. The unknown can push you to heights that you never dreamed possible.
6) Take a Break
When faced with a creative block, it may be beneficial to take a break and step away from the task at hand. This will give your brain some time to relax and recharge.
It’s important to step away from the project and give yourself the opportunity to look at it from a different perspective. Taking a break can often lead to breakthroughs that may be otherwise unattainable when stuck in a creative rut.
7) Channel Your Emotions
The emotions you experience throughout your life can fuel creativity, so it is important to tap into these feelings in order to produce creative works. Experiences, both positive and negative, can all help fuel creative efforts and give further depth to painted pieces, films, and other works of art.
8) Use Ambient Sound to Inspire You
The right kind of music or ambient sound can be great for inspiring creative works. Whether it’s classical, jazz, or even pop music, having something soothing to listen to in the background can help keep your focus and energy levels up while working. If you’re having trouble getting started, try finding some type of audio media that can keep you motivated and energized when the going gets tough.
9) Find Your Creative Space
Creative work often requires its own dedicated space that is comfortable, quiet, and inspiring. This is the place where you will spend most of your time working, so it is important that it be suited for fulfilling your creative needs.
Make sure your creative space is separate from other tasks such as emails and phone calls, so that you can remain in the zone and channel all of your energy into the task at hand.
10) Get Out and Explore
The environment around us can have a profound effect on our productivity. It’s important to get outside of your usual environment and explore new places. This can help to stimulate your creative thinking and can allow you to gain inspiration from new surroundings.
Nature is a great way to open your mind and break away from the mundane.
11) Get Organized and Set Goals
One of the keys to unlocking your creativity is to stay organized and set realistic goals. It’s important to break down projects into smaller, more manageable tasks that are easier to complete. Establishing a well-crafted plan and timeline will help to keep you on track and motivated as you work towards your creative goals.
12) Seek Out Creative Peers
Creative endeavors are often much easier to complete when working with others. Connecting with creative peers can make the creative process much more enjoyable and can help to push you to become the best that you can be. Working with others can often lead to positive solutions and broader perspectives that would have been impossible working alone.
13) Enjoy the Process
It is important to remember to enjoy the creative process. Too often, people become too obsessed with the outcome and forget how to enjoy the ride.
When crafting a piece of work, consider what it is bringing to your life and how it is adding value to you. Enjoy the moments of success and the moments of frustration, both of which offer great learning experiences.
Conclusion
Unlocking one’s creativity is no easy feat. It requires immense amounts of motivation, hard work, and the desire to achieve greatness.
With the right tools, however, you can unlock the creative genius inside of you and make works of art that will be remembered for generations. Start by taking these 13 tips from psychology professionals and see where it takes you. With time and dedication, you too can unlock your own unique creativity.