Marci! Where have you been all my life?

I may be stating that a little strongly, but I wandered across Marci Segal's blog today and it is all about creativity and leadership, both of which are near and dear to my heart.
I think this should be high on the list for anyone to read, creative or not.
We could all use more creativity in our life.
Even in jobs where we think creativity is not championed, it is often the most creative approaches that get noticed.
Sometimes being creative just means finding that little something that differentiates us from our peer.

Jimmy Johnson said, "The difference in ordinary and extraordinary is just that little extra."

The weekend

This weekend would be a perfect time to steal some hours to work on your passion. Here's how mine will go down.
I will spend at least a couple of hours reading or watching some good fantasy, sci-fi, superhero action. Haven't picked out just what yet. Maybe I will go see Watchmen again.
Then, I will use that creative energy to dive into writing and hopefully get within striking distance of finishing "Insurrection" this weekend. I am so ready to finish this one up so I can start polishing. It is really coming together.
Hey! You should do the same thing with your own story, or artwork or whatever has been rattling around in the back of your mind. What? Haven't started a story or some artwork yet? This weekend is the perfect time to crank it up!

What Motivates You?

"I love to create things, but I lack the motivation to put pen to paper."

That is a really common problem. If everyone had the motivation, we would be awash in awesome stories and media and movies and tv and the independent market would be flourishing and those less-than-stellar stories would become stellar or disappear.
So, how does one get motivation when there is none in ready supply? For me, I have to fake it. Like working out or dieting or building a fence. I may not feel great about doing some work that day, but I force myself to do it anyway. I tell others how excited I am to be working on it. Sometimes the enthusiasm is so infections that it infect me! Other times, I force myself to nail up a couple of planks in the fence (metaphor for typing a few paragraphs) and usually this motivates me.
I am a firm believer in "get it written, then get it right". I find I am much more motivated to polish a "completed" work so I force myself to get it completed. To quote my favorite motivator, Dale Carnegie, "Act enthusiastic and you'll be enthusiatic!"

Productivity

It's hard to write, draw, create when it's not your "main thing". For most of us, the starving artist concept is all too real. "Green" of Green Gates manages to eke out some sort of living doing what he loves (scaring people half to death) but for most of us we have to work AND create. For many of us, the creative side takes a back seat to the productive side (we do all have to eat).
So...here's the deal...if you have set aside your project or your dream for the last several days, weeks, months...years...even decades. When is the best time to get it out, dust it off, and crank up the creative engine again? Well, I'll tell you - the BEST time to do it was ten years ago, but the good news is that the SECOND BEST time to do it is right now! Today!
SO what are you waiting for? Let's make a deal...I will write today, so how about joining me and putting those creative muscles to work?