Constraint is the Mother of Creativity

I've been pondering on an extraordinary idea lately, credited to the great Harvard professor and originator of the idea of mindfulness, Ellen Langur. She says "don't focus on making the right decision...focus on making the decision right."

We often wait too long, think too much, and procrastinate a lot or a little waiting for "the right" decision. Instead, make a quick decision, Prof. Langur says, and instead spend your energy on making it right, not the other way around.

Not only have I been in love with this ideology for the past few months, ever since listening to an amazing podcast between Ellen Langur and Andrew Huberman, which you can listen to here, but it's got me thinking about the idea of constraint, as it pertains to my own creativity.

Like most great ideas, I ought not take credit for this idea of "constraint being the mother of creativity" but I am embracing it in my own creative pursuits near daily. For example, instead of assembling the perfect photo portfolio or choosing a single camera or single lens that "is ideal for a certain situation" I am instead making a good decision quickly and working around that decision to make it something extraordinary.

There are so many times I wish I had "that other lens" with me for the perfect photo of the landscape or wildlife. But now I am embracing what I have in the moment and making it great. Stuck with a wide angle lens for that perfect wildlife shot? Make it great and justify it. Stuck with an extreme telephoto for a landscape shot? Make it count and spend time on maximizing its potential in the moment.

Use the constraint to get creative.

To go even further with this idea, instead of waiting for the perfect moment to pitch my photography work to a new group, company, or potential sponsor, I'm doing it now and then making it great through the next steps--the follow-up, the personal contact, the distribution, and the persistence.

Next time you are pursuing a creative act, spend more time thinking about how you will make the decision right instead of waiting forever for what you feel is the perfect choice, only to miss out on all the opportunities that might follow.

Until next time,

Court