The 7 Secrets of Creativity: How to Be Inspired and Kick Ass

You know that guy. The guy who seems to be buzzing with energy at all hours. He may be calm and collected but you know he is brimming with creative energy inside. And if you look at his life, he’s made shit happen. These are his 7 secrets.

1. Don’t Sleep
Turns out that all of the most powerful and revolutionary creatives never slept. Oppenheimer (Manhattan Project), Tesla (wireless electricity), Picaso (million dollar finger painter) and every creative master online slept once or twice a week. That was “week.” Turns out that being sleep deprived induces a drug-trip-like connection to your subconscious.

2. Don’t F*ck
So you might be wondering how these people stayed up for days and days. It’s called passion. The neurochemistry of passion starts with testosterone, seratonin, oxytocin, and adrenaline. You don’t have to reach far to imagine how energizing these hormones are. We’ve all stayed up all night having sex.

Picasso had a 16 year old muse just to keep the fire stoked – but not burnt out.

If you have sex, you burn all these chemicals. This is why men fall asleep immediately. Think about it. The most creative and successful adults were the awkward kids at school. They have much more “(pro) creative” neurochemistry than you do because they couldn’t get a date.

3. Don’t Eat
Don’t eat anything if it’s not pure lean protein. Turns out that sugar, fat, and carbs all become gylcogen or bio-sugar in your, well, body. Trouble with sugar is that it inhibits neurotransmission. In otherwords, sugar makes you sleepy. It’s true. Mom was wrong. Sugar doesn’t make you more hyper.

4. Make Interdisciplinary Creative Friends
Did you know that all of the greatest artists, authors, musicians known today were personal friends. It’s true. Hemingway, Renoir, Picaso, F. Scott Fitzgerald, John Coltrain, and many more turn of the century artists all brainstormed in the same cafe in Paris. Ok. This part isn’t true. Some of these people may not have even been contemporaries. I just left it in as a place marker while I go find references to Hemingway’s famous friends.

If you’re a designer, hang out with poets. If you’re an artist, hang out with architects. Hanging out with your own kind just makes you a lemming.

5. Meditate
Like every faculty you possess. Your mind gets exhausted. Recharge your mind.

This is different than just relaxing. Your mind is constantly processing five sensory inputs. Your mind is constantly creating keystone memories. And your mind is constantly manufacturing perspective based thoughts, words, and actions. Stop. Stop it all. When’s the last time you just sat there and ignored everything – even yourself?

6. Doubt Everything
Doubt everything. Especially the “Truth.”

Haven’t you noticed that the most successful creative types are the most disagreeable and contrarian?  Do you follow @Mike_FTW? Break your beliefs. Every time you create a belief, you close your mind to it’s infinite permutations. Eventually, you’ll be hemmed into a hard crystal jungle built by your beliefs (ref: How to Break Mental Shackles ).

7. Be Surprised
Surprise is your reaction. You create surprise. Drop any jaded been-there-done-that attitude and actively work on being surprised. Doing so will show you how open minded you are.

If you are trying to get your work and business in front of the world, let me know. I’m good at marketing through new and surprising means. Call 310 598 1606 or email bob.wan.kim@gmail.com

BONUS: Forget All of the Above
Have you noticed that when you were sufficiently motivated, whether through passion or fear, you did all of the above instinctively? Just put your feet to the coals and you’ll kick ass.

Posted via email from Social Media Marketing Strategies for the Closet Revolutionary