So much of creative work is a result of high energy focused in the right way.
Like a magnifying glass held at just the right angle, transferring the energy of the sun into a fine beam of heat.
This doesn’t apply to the stage before the work: creative thinking, of course. The ideas have to come before you can do the work. But once you have an idea (any idea) you have to have the right balance between energy and focus to move it forward and get it out of your head.
This emphasizes the value of exercise, quality sleep, meditation, and finding your rhythm, when it comes to being creative.
Even if you believe you have a great idea, without the right energy to see it through – and to battle against the zillion distractions calling for you to abandon the idea at any moment – you’ll never see what the idea can become.
As best-selling author Scott Berkun recently tweeted:
“The greatness of an idea is irrelevant if you’re afraid to put in the hours required to see it to fruition.”
To put in the hours requires an intense energy but also a high level of focus to see it through.
Therefore, to be at your creative best, ensure you have the right balance of energy and focus. Intense energy isn’t enough, and focus absolutely isn’t either. You need both to turn your ideas into anything tangible.
Read this next: Daydreaming vs. Making Something Worthwhile
Photo by Dave Gough.
