Embracing the process and creativity

It’s almost a year on, that I find myself sitting down to write edition 10 of Future You. This may not sound very significant, but as anyone who puts out regular content will know, staying the course is no easy feat. It may be simple at the start when motivation is high, but carving out time from ‘life’ to stay committed once the initial excitement has worn off requires real dedication.

So far I have only missed one month. I managed to send December out into the world before ending up in the hospital for my appendix later that day! But January, one-month post-appendectomy and round four of Covid, with an upcoming work trip to boot, was a bridge too far. This brings me to the topic of progress.?

Progress is a funny thing. Non-linear in nature, it sneaks up on you. Most of us are so results-focused we miss the signs that we are improving along the way. Often it can feel like you’re standing still or not progressing and then bam, just like that, you’ve surpassed where you wanted to be. At which point many of us immediately go and move the goalposts!

While there’s nothing wrong with striving, as we discussed last month, there are better ways to get to the finish line than exerting all your energy. If having my appendix out taught me anything, it was the importance of valuing progress over perfection. Learning to embrace the process, even enjoy it, is the equivalent of focusing on the journey rather than waiting to arrive at the destination.?

Having just finished reading Rick Rubin’s brilliant new book, The Creative Act, it’s impossible not to see the link between embracing the process and creating. In the spirit of both creativity and progress this month I’m sharing some inspirational innovations and two guidelines that have helped me to keep moving in the right direction.?

WATCH: In case you missed it, Cannes Lions, the International Festival of Creativity, took place at the end of June. With categories including; Film, Change, Sustainable Development Goals, ‘For Good’ and The Dan Wieden Titanium Lions (honouring provocative, boundary-busting, envy-inspiring work that marks a new direction for the industry) the event showcases the creme-de-la-creme of innovation. Where words fail, these videos speak for themselves . If ever you needed a reminder of the power of creativity, this is it. A word of warning…maybe save the Apple one for a much-needed last laugh…I’m not crying, you are.

PAY-IT-FORWARD: Let’s face it, motivating people to devote their limited time to give back to society can be challenging, which is why the Earnt business model is so ingenious. Co-founded by Lauren Scott-Harris and former COO of Onefinestay Lavina Liyanage, Earnt offers exclusive rewards for participating in volunteering activities. Recognising what people will do to access an exclusive deal, Earnt has found a way to power that energy for good by matching brands with charities. Selling out in hours, some of Earnt’s collaborations to date include: baking for Age UK Valentine’s Day Gala in return for a ￡300 table cloth and litter clean-ups in exchange for rewards from The River Cafe and Design Hotels.

VISIT: If, like me, you ever dreamed of being a Barbie Girl (or Ken Doll) then clear your schedule for July 17th, because Airbnb could be about to make those dreams come true. Located in Malibu, California, Airbnb is celebrating the film’s upcoming release with their listing: Barbie’s Malibu DreamHouse - Ken's Way! According to the listing Barbie has handed over her keys to Ken, who is offering two guests the chance to visit his ‘Kendome’ (love it) on the 21st/22nd of July. While travel is not included, I would happily pay just to set foot on the outdoor disco dance floor, or a turn to slide into the infinity pool. The only thing I love more than a brand nailing a campaign like this is the chance to be involved. They had me at Kenergy!

Often what keeps us from moving forward is failing to break tasks down into steps. We think we need a decent chunk of time or headspace to tackle them when in reality, identifying the single next step usually results in a relatively quick, straightforward action.?

One guiding principle I’ve been trying to live by lately is; if it takes less than five minutes - do it straight away. Progress is made by putting one foot in front of the other. Combine breaking tasks down into their single next step and not delaying anything under five minutes and watch as you propel yourself forwards.?

I’ve said before that an App has to work hard to earn a place on my home screen. Milanote has done that in spades since I downloaded it in April, quickly becoming my go-to for capturing content and organising my thoughts.?

Calling itself an 'easy-to-use tool to organize your ideas and projects into visual boards' - Milanote does what it says on the tin. With an intuitive user experience allowing you to drag and drop almost anything, don’t be fooled by its simplicity. Take notes, create content of any kind, drag and drop images - you name it Milanote does it. Far beyond a note-taking app, it also allows you to create visual boards to organise any captured or new content and even offers a headstart with one of its many templates.?

Better than any other ‘organisation’ app I have tried, as with many good things it’s born in Melbourne! Before you accuse me of being biased, I only just learnt that now. I do love to advocate Aussie products though, so do yourself a favour and download it today . Did I mention it’s free?

As I mentioned in the intro, it is all too easy to reach a goal only to immediately move the goalposts. Tick that box, onto the next. Arguably unkind to ourselves, this bypasses the brain’s reward system, where it makes connections between the activity and the pleasure, motivating us to repeat the behaviour.?

Something I have been working on the past month, that I would encourage you to try too, is celebrating the wins. Whether you’ve achieved a goal, hit a milestone or simply made a small step in the right direction, pause and recognise that progress. It can be as simple as saying words of positive encouragement to yourself, or a bigger reward in the form of something you enjoy doing or somewhere you’ve been wanting to go. This doesn’t have to be an expensive exercise either, there’s nothing like the promise of a morning coffee or time spent with friends (or alone) to motivate you.

“Progress has little to do with speed, but much to do with direction.” Timber Hawkeye

I hope this instalment of Future You has sparked some inspiration. If so, please do share it with a friend or colleague who could also find it useful.

I’d love to hear your thoughts when it comes to trusting the process and making progress in the comments below.?

Best,

SJ