Who Told You Creative Growth Was Supposed to Look Like This?

More than often, we witness a speific doubt, not that “Can I do this” type of doubt, but rather a “what is the next step that i need to take” type of doubt, for a lack of betetr term (let us know if you think of a better one)

More often than not, we witness a specific doubt. Not that "Can I do this" type of doubt, but rather a "what is the next step that I need to take" type of doubt, for a lack of a better term (let us know if you think of a better one). It's kind of like knowing that you are down for an adventure that will last you a lifetime, and often carries that whole meaning that you have, while promising a bright future and everything you might potentially want.

But there is one thing that stands in the way, which is, you don't have a map to get there, and you have to forge your way, sometimes without even knowing how.

Let's take basketball for example. You know the drill (ha!) first you learn to dribble, then a layup, then reverse layup, then jelly, and now you looking for that 2k18 Kyrie Irving layup package, might even dunk like Prime Blake Griffin. The journey is clear, with steps laid out for you, but for the creative pursuit of happyiness (got that?) it is not like that at all.

So in a way, you are not lost because you lack the talent, but maybe you are lost because the path genuinely hasn't revealed itself yet, or hasn't been explored. So it feels like highs and lows and everything in between, but that's normal, and if anything should be embraced.

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Now where did this myth that growth in the creative pursuit is linear come from? It had to start somewhere, by someone, and we probably won't be able to find out, but hey, we can still question it.

In the grand scheme of things, one step leads to the next one until we reach mastery, but in the creative field, mastery is to be defined by the creator. So hence it is IMPOSSIBLE to have a map, or treat it linearly, because truly, the only thing that is mapped out and universal is, DRUMS PLEASE, taking the first step. Or who was it that said "we write trusting that the next line will write itself." I will try to remember and probably will write it down next time, or next article, whichever comes first!

Skills based fields can have that syllabus, but creativity cannot have it, and it's important to note that moving forward, so please keep that in mind as you read this article.

Going back to Kyrie. Nobody handed him a map either. That "package" we talked about was crafted by looking at what others did and on his own, deciding to reinterpret it in his way, and forge new ideas, and it just so happened (inevitably) that they will shape a whole generation (including myself, well, 6th grade me at least, knee problems).

“However brief, i know this game got valleys and peaks” - Jay-Z

Look at it, another Jay-Z reference. Became quite a design language at this point, or at least an editorial one.

Yes, the creative journey has both valleys and peaks, and those valleys aren't failures. If you choose to look at them like this, we prefer to look at them as the part of the map you haven't drawn yet, and they actually contain the development you have to see for yourself to advance, one step at a time, towards your end goal.

The highs though? The peaks? They feel like clarity, you're on top, but still, remember that even one peak is just a better viewpoint to another peak. So yes, both of them are the same in a sense, they both offer you a look into movement and progress.

Besides that, stay long enough chasing only peaks, and you miss all the lessons that are waiting for you in the valley.

So, if there is no straight line, what is actually happening when a creative develops? Such a great question.

Well, you can only draw and map the territory (new project) which you just got into once you walked through it. At that point you can revisit it, take the best lessons from it, so next time you see a valley, you are more equipped to go through it, while looking for the next peak in perfect harmony.

It’s like GTA V - you have to go through those sections to expose the map, same here.

The creative journey is geography at its core. Lots of detours, abandoned projects, chases and weird influences, it's literally all there, waiting for you to explore it and maybe go back through the navigation system to revisit those places when it's time for them to go out to the audience.

So yes, you're not behind. You're just in a part of the map that hasn't been named yet.

It's ok not to have the answer right now, and it points to the fact that you are actually evolving and chasing, because if you know all the answers, sorry to break your world, but you are playing it too safe. Probably still on that playground where you grew up. What's the challenge in that?

There are new regions to be explored. Go out, conquer all those projects. It’s one map for all.