I feel driven to create every day. However, I do not always have the ideas, energy, or momentum to follow through with a creative project on a daily basis. I often tell myself I don’t have time or that other things are more important. My inner voice tells me that if I don’t have hours to devote to creativity then I may as well not be creative at all. 

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Creativity is not just for artists. It’s for businesspeople looking for a new way to close a sale; it’s for engineers trying to solve a problem; it’s for parents who want their children to see the world in more than one way. 

— Twyla Tharp (b. 1941) American dancer, choreographer, and author

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Sometimes, yes, other things or duties are more pressing in that moment. Certainly work and family obligations are almost always important and rightly should take priority. When I find that several days pass without one moment of being creative or observing other people’s creative efforts . . . all things in my life suffer. I become stagnant, unhappy, and numb.

Driving to Create

One of the things that wears on me is the mundane act of driving to work. I often get anxious about getting to work on time and worry about other drivers being careless. I keep my eyes and mind focused on one thing . . . getting to work or home. This becomes counterproductive: I arrive at work (or, at home in the afternoon) drained from the experience.

Several months ago I started trying to make the drive to and from work more interesting. As I drove I began noticing the buildings around me. When I was at a traffic light I would take pictures. I consciously looked for beautiful, interesting, or unusual buildings that I pass by every day but never seem to notice. 

I found that, when I looked for things to photograph, the world opened up and I saw so many things I had never noticed! Everywhere I looked I realized someone made a design decision about a building or about the plants around the buildings and sidewalks. Even noticing the colors of equipment around the construction sites became interesting. Of course, I’m doing this while trying to drive safely and be alert to other traffic.

One day I noticed the light shining on this Japanese maple.

Another day, as I was at a traffic light, I noticed the round-top windows on this building. I had never noticed the lovely design since it was dwarfed by the surrounding buildings.

What does this have to do with being driven to create and creating something every day? I discovered that paying attention to even the smallest details made me feel more creative and open to creative possibilities—it widened my mental focus. One of the compelling aspects of being creative is that you open yourself to the world. In turn, you share your creativity through composing music, writing, drawing, watercolor, or any other endeavor.

Creativity doesn’t wait for that perfect moment. It fashions its own perfect moments out of ordinary ones.

— Bruce Garrabrandt (b. 1955) Artist and author

Being creative every day keeps us connected to life. We notice everything around us with new eyes. Don’t wait for that perfect moment to begin. Begin today and create something every day—even in small ways. Begin to show up and respond to the feeling of being driven to create.