Let’s talk about our creativity. I think that using imagination is more effective for creators than effort.
How to make unique things
One day, someone tweeted on SNS, “I want to express my unique point in my paintings, so I have to make more effort.” She wanted to be an independent painter. So she determined to make more effort.
Sometimes, we might feel so. Many people say, “Efforts are important.” And hard work gives us progress.
I think that is almost true for many people. But if we want to make unique things, using imagination would be more effective than effort.
Because the new image gives us unique value. And if we are fascinated by it, we can make it without feeling the effort.
Efforts and imagination
To explain it, I’ll talk about myself. This year, I began a slow life. I stopped all my work for money and began to try living well only with my little passive income. In other words, I began to create my life mainly with my creativity.
I have some unique things, such as the skill of fermentation, a tiny vegetable garden, a large house, the situation of living alone, or a living environment close to the sea. Perhaps there are many other unique things around me.
In such a situation, effort without imagination is nonsense because I cannot use my unique things. I need to connect them with my ideal life.
For example, if I find a shop that always heavily discounts milk nearing its expiration date, it could be one of my unique environments.
So at such a time, I ask myself, “How can I use this for my life?” Then I imagine finding new ways, such as making yogurt, cheese, or butter. And if I can apply it to my life, the lifestyle will be more unique.
So I’m using a lot of imagination
And in such a situation, I don’t feel I’m making an effort because I have fun and enjoy it. I can make my life better affordably. It’s a great motivator. So I can learn and create many things for fun. If other people look at me, they may feel I’m making an effort. But it’s not an effort for me.
On the other hand, if I value effort over imagination, I cannot use unique things. Efforts without uniqueness mean competing with others. I think that is not creative. In my definition, “Creative” means “Using unique things well.”
So I have recently used a lot of imagination. When I find something abundant or affordable, I often ask myself, “How can I use this for my life?” Special things for us don’t bring us uniqueness. The abundant things for us do it.
Conclusion
So I think that using imagination is more effective for creators than effort.
Lately, I have tried to find what is abundant. Then I used my imagination to apply them to create my ideal life. I feel such images make me creative.
If we understand this logic, we might be able to find our uniqueness.
Thank you for reading this article. I hope to see you at the next one.
