Notes
Herbert Lui - Creative Doing similar to Anne-Laure Le Cunff- “You can liken this [process] to the experimental process of a scientist.”
“Work with what you have” - don’t try to find reason not to do something - “If don’t have the right tools” kind of vibes
“We don’t need anything except our brains and bodies to practice our creative work.”
“The goal is to put this really into practice with the fewest tools possible.”
Adorn your space
Your environment affects your process - temperature, music, what you wear (Enclothed Cognition).
This feels like something that could be difficult to balance with the previous advice about not finding reasons not to do something.
Herbert suggests tarting up your virtual environment: screen brightness, wallpaper, software, etc.
“Preliminary work is not optional, and every version of preliminary work is crucial for improving the work we’re making.”
“This stage is far too early to demand perfection. It’s best to keep expectations low, to refrain from self-criticism and to support psychological safety to allow every single detail of the idea to flow out.”
“One of the most fascinating properties of the creative process is every version of a piece of work can be seen as preliminary work.”
- Remove all ideas and expectations and goals and focus simply on the process and take a draft to a place where you declare it finished and complete.
Departure Points
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Store ideas, departure points & quotes in your collection (in your PKM system)
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Yes and… augment others’ ideas + keep an open mind.
“Saying yes opens you up to change, creative energy. If you’re not creative or think you are better at editing others’ ideas then this can help.”
“Approach your work like a craftsperson. Improve your craft. Find places and people that enable you to work on your craft and turn away from what stifles or discourages it. Set up your life so that you can work on your craft.”
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It can feel incredibly inspiring — and overwhelming to consider a final body of work. Instead, as you’re starting out, turn your focus away from the final product and towards the simplest element of it.
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The shower principle - you will solve problems asynchronously in the shower.
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Don’t cover your mind in Netflix or podcasts. Let your brain settle down, reset, meditate or take a bath or go for a walk.
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Without play only shit happens, with play, serendipity happens
The difference between work and play
Lose Yourself
Let go of your external expectations. Pretend like it’s the last time you’ll write. Let the hopes & fears slip away. Let go of thoughts of comparison.
Enjoy the plateau, enjoy the practice and relax expectations. Expectation kills creativity
Take Action
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Action doesn’t necessarily produce immediate results but It has a tendency to make something happen! Kind of similar to the idea of Luck Surface Area and the idea of expanding your luck area.
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Or perhaps, it’s more fun to say that your unluckiness runs out!