26-09-2024
The Power of Uncaging Your Creativity: Why We Need to Break Boundaries and Ship Our Ideas
Click To JOIN! Just Keep Learning Newsletter I WILL HELP YOU GET CLARITY, BUILD YOUR GROWTH MINDSET AND OWN YOUR BIG DREAMSAs I walked through the hospital today, I passed by a monitor displaying a message that caught my eye. "Remember, mistakes are evidence that you're trying."It made me smile, but it also made me think. How do we spread this message? How do we make sure everyone understands this? I already believe in it, but what about the people who don’t get it? The ones stuck in their comfort zones, afraid to step into the unknown?Stop Chirping Post MaloneI recently heard people criticizing Post Malone for venturing into country music. It’s hilarious to me because while he’s out there dropping an album that’s going to be a huge success, people are questioning his decision. Why do they care? I’m sure Post Malone isn’t phased. He’ll probably jump into something completely different next—maybe a Nirvana tribute, spoken word poetry, or another experimental project.What’s fascinating about him is his ability to ignore the noise and keep creating. I’d love to interview him to dive deeper into this mindset. I imagine that if someone asked him why he decided to try country music, he’d probably shrug and say, “Why not?"Why Not?That’s the question, isn’t it? Why not? Why not try something new, even if people don’t understand? We often feel the need to create within strict boundaries. But most of us don’t want to fit neatly into a category, we want to explore the gray areas. In a world full of rules, expectations, and fear of failure, stepping outside the box like this is a courageous act. Someone asked me yesterday how I define creativity? It's a simple question, but answering it takes courage. Creativity is such a broad topic that it’s hard to pin down. But I think the most important thing is this: it’s not about what you make; it’s about your willingness to make something at all. It’s about pushing past the limitations that have been imposed on us—by society, school, by your family, friends, and your own inner critic. Pushing all that aside and doing the work anyway. The Cage We BuildHere’s where things get real. Most people, at some point, get stuck. Between kindergarten and adulthood, we’ve been told too many rules, received too much negative feedback, and started believing that we’re not creative. I’ve been there. For years, I believed I wasn’t creative because I didn’t fit the mold. But there’s a turning point—a moment where you decide to uncage your creativity and reclaim it for yourself.Stephen Pressfield talks about resistance in his book The War of Art, the invisible force holding you back from doing the work. It’s fear. It’s doubt. It’s the voice that tells you your ideas aren’t good enough. But here’s the thing: creativity is like a statue covered in mud. It’s still there, buried under layers of grime. All you need to do is chisel away at it, bit by bit, clean it up and let it shine.Sometimes we need prompts or constraints to get started, and that’s okay. But don’t let those tools become a crutch. True creativity comes when we stop relying on someone else’s template and start carving our own path.The Trap of "Realism"A friend recently asked me if it was realistic to pursue both gaming and engineering. This word—realistic—always catches my attention. Who gets to decide what’s realistic?Will Smith once said that it probably seemed unrealistic for the Wright brothers to imagine flying a metal contraption into the sky. Edison? Unrealistic to think a small piece of plastic could light up a room. If you told someone 15 years ago that we’d be watching movies on tiny pieces of glass and plastic in our pockets, they would have laughed. But here we are…The point is, we can’t be afraid of being unrealistic.The world’s greatest innovations were once dismissed as impossible. If we constantly seek validation for our ideas—asking others if they think it’s realistic—we’re building an imaginary boundary for ourselves. Creativity doesn’t need boundaries.Creativity Requires CourageThis brings me back to Post Malone. He didn’t ask for permission to explore country music, and he certainly didn’t need validation from critics. He just did it.And you can do the same with your ideas. Yes, there will be resistance. Society will always try to keep you within its boundaries, telling you to be realistic. But even a small step outside that box—one bold idea, one act of courage, putting a little of your own skin in the game—can change your life.And who knows? It might change someone else’s too.Uncaging Your CreativityI actually spoke with the producers of a documentary I love called ‘Abstract’ about my own idea of producing a film called “uncaging creativity” where we follow people who lost their creative touch, but went on a journey to not just regain it, but thrive in a creative pursuit.The whole concept is kind of based on my life. I stopped creating because I thought that was the “mature” thing to do.But now I realize that I’m supposed to use the right side of my brain as much as possible. It’s who I am (for life).Now if I did it, you can too!If you feel like your creativity is blocked, don’t worry. You can uncage it. I’ll share some bullet points, basically a checklist for regaining your creativity. But overall, start by recognizing that great ideas often seem crazy at first. You do not need validation. In fact, most people won’t get it, and that’s okay. You don’t need a perfect plan. If it was simple to understand, or easy to do then other people would be doing it. This is why it takes bravery, curiosity, and a willingness to explore your ideas, make mistakes and keep going further into the unknown.A Checklist For Uncaging CreativityAction over words: Don’t just talk about your ideas—act on them.Embrace discomfort: Push through the fear of failure and take on difficult tasks.Build routines: Establish habits that make creativity a natural part of your life.Detach from outcomes: Focus on the process, not the result.Perseverance: Keep pushing forward, or pivot even when things get tough.Commit to self-improvement: It’s you vs you. Aim to get better, no matter where you start.There ya have it! Now I'd love to be able to support your work. The world needs your unique voice, and it’s time to uncage your creativity.So here’s my question for you: What will you create? What will you share?Be sure to actually reach out and let me know.FOLLOW JustinInstagram – @JustKeepLearning.CaYouTube –@justkeeplearningpodcastTwitter – @JustinNolan_JKLTiktok – @justkeeplearning.caPinterest – JustKeepLearningcaFacebook – JustKeepLearningLinkedIn – Justin
I'm so happy you found this podcast. I am here to serve you, the creative solopreneur & aspiring content creator to get clarity on how to create content, teaching, build a business and design the life of your dreams without burning out in the online learning, creator economy.Want to get every single secret, tip, or idea I learn about channelling our emotions into success in this new creator economy, be sure to subscribe to the newsletter: https://newsletter.justkeeplearning.ca/main
