The Creative Process: Stage One - Wishing

Over the past few weeks I mulled over my goals for 2010. I want achievable goals that bring me pleasure in their processes and satisfaction in their culmination. The first goal that came to mind was to "explore more creative expressions." While mind mapping in my journal, I began to see a pattern for achieving my first goal. Just start doing those things by taking early action to fulfill each expression.

The way I figure it, New Year goals are the starting point for what you want to do. I won't settle to just meet my goals...I want to exceed them! By that I am certain to find the pleasure and satisfaction that gives my goals setting and accomplishments meaning.

My game plan is to start with the advice of creativity coach and author, Eric Maisel. Maisel states in his book Fearless Creating that there are six stages in the creative process:

wishing
            choosing
                          starting
                                     working
                                                 completing
                                                                   showing

Each stage comes with its own set of unique human emotions. In the wishing stage we battle the hunger pang for self-expression. On one end of the emotional tightrope we tell ourselves things like "I wish I could do that." The other end is anchored with self-defeating self-talk that usually starts out with something like "Oh, I could never (fill in the blank)." Sadly, a lot of people never get beyond the wishing stage. 

Riddled with excuses and the burden of failed attempts, the wisher allows the compromises in their head to congeal into fact. Facts, regardless of their validity or relevance, are hard to resist for most people. The fact to elevate over your experience is that you have an internal drive sending neuroelectric demands to the brain to engage in the creative process. Artists, musicians, cooks, homemakers, engineers, accountants. Doesn't matter. This is the way we are wired. 

The most recent Weight Watchers advertising includes a cute furry monster that represents hunger. Women (at least that is the target audience) are supposed to reject the hunger critter by engaging in a Weight Watcher program. I am curious how the marketing campaign -- bar the New Year Resolution wave -- is earning ROI.

When it comes to the creative process, I say phooey on resisting hunger. Feed it. The hungrier you are to create, the greater the likelihood that you will move to the next stage: Choosing.