Structure And Creativity
Brian Ford
Using personal development to fundraise for charity | Self-Improvement Podcaster (20+ million downloads) | Social Impact Leader (Nonprofit founder at For Purpose Foundation)
In general we put structure and creativity at opposite sides of the spectrum. Structure is a rigid, organized way of doing things, while creativity is a flowing, spontaneous way of working on something. Some people prefer structure and some people prefer more creative freedom, but in both cases your efforts are strengthened when you use structure and creativity in tandem.
As it relates to being organized, you need to invest time in building infrastructure that supports everything you’re hoping to do. In designing that infrastructure it benefits you to incorporate creative thinking so that you can maximize the structure you’re building. For example, let’s say that you’re trying to create a structured morning routine. You want to time yourself for a 10 minute meditation but you don’t want to look at your phone. Creative thinking would help you brainstorm other solutions, like using the kitchen timer, to create the system the best serves you.
Then when it comes to creativity, people don’t actually realize how much structure is already embedded within it. The creative mind is told to draw outside the lines and do things their own way, but that’s overlooking how the lines serve as a structured reference point. The structure helps you know where to get started, what the task is, and it contextualizes how your creative efforts can be applied. It’s hard to create from absolutely nothing, so having some kind of structure serves as a starting point to be creative from.
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In all, whether you’re a left brain organized thinker or a right brain creative, don’t overlook the value of the other side. That’s why the brain has both, these two elements are intricately intertwined and they need each other. To create some self-awareness around this - Do you identify more as an organized person or a creative person?
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