The One Hundred Day Creative Challenge: Day 19
The creative life means we are in it for the process, not just the final product. Too many people are looking to just create that one piece that will bring them fame or fortune, but for most of us, break-even or gratis is what we end up achieving.
If we are truly in it for art’s sake, the learning, growth and enjoyment of the the process will sustain us for the long haul.
It’s a relationship — like a marriage or friendship. Some of us may flirt with different expressions of our creativity and flit from craft to craft, but it’s the creative process we’re wedded to.
Recently listened to Liz Gilbert’s talk about curiosity. She is one of the most committed and driven writers I know of. Beside her I’m a writing wimp, while she is a Writing Jedi/Ninja.
Liz told of a woman who’d written to her after a talk she gave on passion. ‘After listening to your talk I feel like a total loser.’
Liz then went on to say how she was challenged to rethink her position on passion.
Some of the most successful people she knew and loved meandered through life trying lots of things, often bemoaning the fact that they never stuck to just one thing.
Curiosity is how Liz defined this meander. Instead of thinking you had to find that one thing and then pursue it like a demon and destroy yourself in the process, why not follow the curiosity and see where it leads?
I was so thankful for this. It struck me that even though writing is my passion and I invest in it, work on it and live it, that other areas of my life tend to meander. And that’s okay. I’m following where curiosity leads. My life is not a one-hit-wonder — it’s a life-long pursuit of creativity.
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