The preferred habit of highly creative people

In order to be open to creativity, one must have the ability to use solitude constructively. You have to overcome the fear of being alone. "~Rollo May

Creativity is a nebulous, murky subject that fascinates me to no end - how does it work? What habits do creative people have that makes them so successful? We will see it soon but I invite you first to watch this video entitled "The secrets of creativity."

In this video Ken Robinson explains to us which are the key factors for people to be more creative:

[I recommend you "12 ways to encourage your creativity"]

I have reflected on my own creative habits, but decided that I would look at the habits of others. I took a handful of creatives, almost at random. There are so many that selecting the best would be impossible so I noticed some of the people I admire who came to mind when I thought of the word "creative."

This article was going to be a list of your creative habits… but after reviewing your lists and my own habits I found one that stood out. And it stands out if you review the habits and quotes of the great creators of history.

Habit # 1 to achieve creativity

It is the most important habit when it comes to creativity. In a word: loneliness.

Creativity flourishes in solitude. With ease you can listen to your thoughts, you can get deep within yourself, you can focus.

Of course, there are many ways to find this loneliness. Let's hear from some of the creative people I spoke to:

Felicia day - wonderful actress.

I was thrilled when she responded to my email asking about her creative habits. One of the things she said: "creativity comes in the morning, before doing anything for the outside world."

Ali Edwards - author, designer, and the leading authority on scrapbooking.

I was also honored to receive a response from Ali. One of his habits was not exactly loneliness, but one that was related: “Do nothing. Time of recharge of life where my only responsibility is to be only mother, wife and Me. Doing nothing is a way of synthesizing what is really important in my life and in my work, and it inspires me. When I go back to work, I am better equipped to eliminate non-essential material and focus on the things I want to express the most in creative ways. "

Chase jarvis - an award-winning photographer.

Chase also kindly responded with several of his key habits for being creative - see the most important ones at the bottom of this post. But here's one that I loved: «Find quiet. Creativity sometimes doesn't show up in moments of intense concentration and work madness, but it often comes when I have time in my schedule. I tend to organize retreats for myself. I have some good ideas and I recharge my batteries during vacations, or on airplanes, but the retreats are more focused on thinking about creative problems. That is why I intentionally take time out. I can intentionally make room for creativity. The best example of what I understand by retreat is spending a weekend in my family's cabin. There are few distractions. Just a rocky beach and a 60's wood paneled cabin. Walks, naps, reading. The essential is in silence. Let there be room for creativity to fill your brain. "

Maciej Ceg? Owski - Excellent painter, programmer and writer.

Maciej has one of my favorite blogs, and he replied to my email with a short reply that embodies a beautiful way to find solitude.

Do you have a habit that helps you be creative?

Maciej replied: "Run uphill!"

Leo Babuta: Well, I wasn't going to talk about myself in this post, but I thought I should share some of my previous ideas.

The best art is created in solitude, for a good reason: only when we are alone can we look inside our mind and find the truth, the beauty, the soul. Some of the most famous philosophers took daily walks and it was on those walks that they found their deepest thoughts. My best writings were forged in solitude.

Just a few of the benefits I've found from loneliness:

* time to think
* we get to know ourselves
* we face our demons
* space to create
* space to relax and find peace
* time to reflect on what we have done
* isolation from the influences of others helps us find our own voice
* helps us appreciate the smallest things that are lost in noise

By Leo Babauta