When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.
–1 Corinthians 13:11
If you ask a little kid how babies are born, and then ask a mom of three kids the same question, the responses will differ considerably.
Your viewpoint of a process is based on your experience.
Before we started a church, I had preconceived notions about the creative process.
Now that I’ve seen my share of babies born, I think about that process much more realistically.
For example:
I used to think brilliant creative inspiration flowed in calm settings of tranquility.
Now I would tell you that my best creative ideas are hewn out of hard conversations, migraine level multi-tasking, and nearly neurotic obsession about details that seem silly and tedious.
I used to think that the most difficult part of the creative process was getting a good idea.
Ha!
Conception is the fun part!
Labor and delivery is the heroic stuff.
Lots of people can make a kid, or hatch a concept.
But to nurture, refine, and sustain that idea takes tenacity.
I used to think that when you had a killer idea, you’d just know it.
Now I think the better an idea is, the more prone you’ll be to second guessing, and the greater the temptation will be to quit before you get started good.
Growing in creativity means coming to terms with this reality:
The most beautiful ideas are often the product of an ugly, messy process.
The less time I spend waiting for the stork to bring me the next awesome vision, and the more I embrace the blood, tears, pain and joy of creativity, the better my babies turn out.
