Creative Process

Now vs. When?

In browsing this month’s Fast Company magazine, I came across an article about amateur diamond miners in Sierra Leone. It seems that the promise of instant wealth has become so tempting to Sierra Leonians that they are flocking to the river banks in record numbers to strip the earth in search of even a tiny gem.

The article explains that this upswell of (largely futile) activity in the diamond trade has resulted in ruined farmland, polluted rivers and a decimated fishing trade.

I think it’s easy to draw parallels to the way many artists approach the creative process.

Many of us, over time, gradually start to see the creative process as a means to a practical end. We see it as a way to fulfill our ambitions and to accomplish our dreams. We may even compare ourselves to those who have achievd some degree of success and fame in our field. We use our creativity for our own purposes and, over time, we strip away the very foundation we need to sustain ourselves over the long-term.

To use an old cliche, we’re killing to goose to grab a few eggs.

We must maintain a proper perspective and be careful not to strip away our creative foundation in order to mine a few creative gems.
The goal is long-term viability, not momentary impact. The goal is to make something great, not make a few people happy.

Take care of yourself.

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