I just finished reading Rick Rubin’s book, The Creative Act. If you’re not familiar with Rubin, you are most likely familiar with his work. He is a music producer who founded Def Jam Recordings back in the 80’s and has worked with a wide variety of legendary musicians and artists throughout his career, like the Beastie Boys, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica, Johnny Cash, and many more. So, Rubin definitely knows a thing or two about creativity, but to be honest not much from the book really stands out for me.
Maybe it’s because I’ve read, studied, and thought a lot about creativity, but nothing in the book really hit me as earth shattering and ground breaking. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a well written book, and there’s a lot of good stuff in the book with a lot of practical advice. It’s just more of a collection of reflections and essays on creativity than a cohesive statement on creativity, and maybe that’s why nothing is really jumping out at me.
The one thing that did stand out is the way Rubin ties together the mystical and the practical. Like a lot of creators, Rubin describes creativity in very mystical and mythical ways, but then goes on to give very practical advice like showing up everyday. But the more and more that I delve into the creativity, the more I am convinced that it is much more practical than mystical.
A lot of artists, writers, and musicians use flowery and ethereal language to describe creativity, and it can definitely feel that way, especially since a lot of creative insight can seem like it comes out of no where. But I wonder if that flash of insight that seems to hit like lightning is just how the human mind is wired. We take in all of these stimuli—sights, sounds, ideas, and so much more—and our minds are just constantly sifting through all of this data and making connections, even when we’re not conscious of it. Then seemingly out of nowhere we’re hit with an idea—often when we’re mowing the yard or walking the dog or washing the dishes. But is it some divine flash of insight? Is it the Muse whispering in our ear? Or is it just our brains making sense of all of this stuff that we’ve taken in? Are we simply priming our brains when we work and make and create and getting it ready to have those insights?
I don’t have the answers, but I do believe that there are definitely practical things that we can do to tap into our creativity more often. If we sit around waiting for those creative insights to strike like lightning, then we end up sitting around and waiting a lot. If we’re making and doing and thinking, those insights are going to hit more frequently because we’re constantly priming ourselves with ideas.
What practical things do you do to tap into your creativity?