“Being creative is not
a once-in-a while
sort of thing.
Being creative is
an everyday thing,
a job with its own routines.
That’s why writers,
for example,
like to establish a routine
for themselves.
The most productive ones
get started early in the morning
when the phones aren’t ringing
and their minds are rested
and not yet polluted
by other people’s words.
They might set a goal –
1,500 words or
stay at their desk until noon –
but the real secret is that
they do this every day.
They do not waver.
After a while,
it becomes a habit.
This is no different
for any creative individual
whether it’s a painter
finding his way to the easel
or a medical researcher
returning to the laboratory.
The routine is as much a
part of the creative process
as the lightning bolt of inspiration
(perhaps more).
And it is available to everyone.
If creativity is a habit,
then the best creativity
is a result of good work habits.
They are the nuts and bolts
of dreaming.”
Twyla Tharp
SOURCE:
“The Creative Habit”
Twyla Tharp
Simon & Schuster
2003
