Response: Change the Script
How can you avoid allowing your “taste” to paralyze your creative pursuits and career aspirations?
When I’m working on a project and get stuck in that paralyzing phase, I do my best by powering through it. Instead of throwing away a project, I try to rework it. When I feel that my “taste” is getting in the way of a project, I look back to Bob Eberle acronym SCAMPER.
Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, Reverse. I use this tool to come up with new creative ways to improve my work. They are simple questions that I ask myself when I don’t know what to change or do next. For example, say if I am designing a poster, I would ask myself what can I substitute to improve the design? What two elements (or shapes) can I combine with one another to create something new? What can I modify to add more emphasize or highlight something for more value?
How will you cultivate belief in yourself and your creative journey while quieting your inner critic?
One way I cultivate belief in myself is by practicing yoga and mindful meditation. If I stop my practice, I soon feel that my thoughts are more chaotic and my schedule becomes more hectic. Taking a couple of minutes to relax my mind helps me think more clearly. My mind wanders during meditation and keeps the inner critic quite. After a yoga practice, I feel more in control of my body and thoughts. Also, stretching just feels great after sitting in a desk for too many hours.
If you don’t believe in yourself, than no one else will.
How will you “change the script” as described in the post?
Over Christmas break, I binged watched basically all the seasons of the Office. In a few episodes Michael Scott films himself talking to his future self, he makes these videos so he can watch them later when he needs a pep talk or positive reminder. This scene reminded me of the words “change the script.” If you don’t like something. Change it.
Replacing my negative thoughts with positive ones helps me rewrite my script. Almost everyday my mom (who is an inspiration and has the kindest soul) writes me little “zen messages” to start my day. They are positive quotes the she finds or she writes herself. I always save each message and write it down to read as a reminder.
