Hello my Creative Friend!
Let we start from where we left last month.
We are going to talk about the Momentum. Like when we ride a bike, hard at the start, then we accelerate until we can keep the velocity with a fraction of the force we applied when we started.
This happens also with Creativity! Let’s dive in.
Yes, even when everything is going great there are threats. Keeping our feet on the ground is important and being aware that nothing lasts forever is important as well.
Even though having a Momentum is exhilarating, the success it is NOT tied to a Momentum.
I spent a lot of time thinking about the Momentum and how it works and I mapped its fundamental elements.
What do you think about those “grey areas” where only 2 elements intersect? Do you experience the same thing? How you move from those areas?
Anyway, one thing I have learned is that the Momentum is just a “tool”, it is the result of a positive flow of events and actions and it is not the project itself. I can work and think in a way that may build it and it helps a lot but, if building the momentum becomes my main goal, then the project suffers.
Yes, I can ensure you that we can create the right conditions to build a Momentum and it is easier than you think. You only need to be patient and mindful.
See? Nothing magical or super demanding. We need to… live our creative life with open heart and open mind and those 5 steps will happen “organically”.
I can’t describe the feelings you have to feel to understand that you are ready. You will know, that’s it.
Again, what I learned is that, when the Momentum is there, we need to catch it as soon as we can. Otherwise, it fades away.
I experience this every single time I start a new edition of this newsletter and, more that a few times, I was in the best conditions to create what I wanted: sketchnotes, texts, pictures, links, all of the puzzle tiles would have fallen into the right place.
And then… my “humanity” kicked in: a sudden event that stole my time, tiredness, procrastination.
And… pufffff… the momentum is gone.
It happens, it’s normal. The best part is that we can do it again, with love, with mindfulness, with passion, with positivity.
Creativity is the way!
That said… sometimes, not always, but sometimes, not everything goes well…
Uh boy! The next month will be… I don’t have the right words… let me try with “a gift and a curse”.
Meanwhile, let’s talk! Leave a comment and jump in the chat!
Signals & Dots
#tools: Infinite Canvas app gallery
Literally that: a list of apps that have an infinite canvas. This is a “time eater”, dig in!
#think: The 100-Hour Rule: Forgotten Study Shows How You Can Become World-Class In 100 Hours
I think this is an interesting suggestion in the context of creating a momentum
#think: How to Boost Your Creative Output by Taking Advantage of Interstitial Opportunities
I’m not a fan of the creativity/productivity-porn posts but I have to say that I like this one. Is a good addition to the Interstitial Thinking I mentioned above.
#inspiration: It’s easy to take it easy…
A really short yet good read. I just quote one of the first paragraphs:
I’ve drifted through most of my time in high school and college. Opportunities would come up to go out and do something exciting, but fear got in the way, and my life at the time proved unremarkable.
The Catch All
When all of the junk I collect becomes “too much”, it’s time to sort them out and discard the ones that don’t “talk to me”.
However, some of them have been around for so long time that I developed some affection so I find it hard to toss them away.
Rather that releasing them in the wild I hang them on the wall.
I have a few things on the wall in my garden. I like them. Particularly when the season allow me to have the #firstcoffeeoftheday outside. Sitting on the bench, letting my eyes wander from piece to piece and observing memories and ideas come and go in my mind.
Do you have a “thinking wall” or are you planning to create one?
Let me know in the comments.
My Stuff
This time I would like to invite you to join the #firstcoffeeoftheday community on Twitter.
If you want to know how it started, there is a nice post for that.
That’s it!
As always, thank you so much for reading this edition! It was a honor spending time with you.
I’d LOVE to hear from you, so leave a comment, chat with me in the app, just reply to this email or DM on Twitter, even if we don’t follow each other.
See you on April, 3rd 2023 at h7.30 AM CET and we will talk about a delicate topic, something that we all experienced at least once in our life:
The Shit Storm