How To Deal With Creativity As An Over-Thinker
How it feels to overthink about being creative
I read this quote from Julia Cameron that said, “For an artist to become overly cerebral is to become crippled.” This take on creativity, as an overthinker, was something that struck my overthinking in a new way, a way that divided the logical mind with my creative mind. Thinking, dissecting, and ruminating on my thoughts, events that happen, and dreams I have are intrinsic in my own nature.
This take was so interesting to me because overthinking is really trying to be overly cerebral. So overthinking creativity is really counterintuitive to actually being a creative person- which is why I probably get so fatigued overthinking everything that crosses my brain. I get so tired over-thinking instead of just being….being creative, being present, just letting things be instead of thinking so hard about how things should be. As if thinking about things changes anything..but you know what does spark change in you? Creating.
What is overthinking about being creative doing to my life?
Overthinking about creativity invites a big block to the piece of writing or the idea of what I’m creating. Which makes sense because over-thinking is so entirely internal, it’s just you and your thoughts good or bad stirring around relentlessly in your mind and body. Creativity on the other hand is quite expansive, it’s an invitation to get out of your head and bring what you’re dreaming about to life.
I think in this internal loop of overthinking begins the cycle of doubt, questioning yourself, and talking yourself out of these ideas. When one thing is running around the same cycle over and over, nothing new is available to knock a new way of doing things into this redundancy. In creativity and allowing new approaches, new actions, new environments, and new possibilities there’s so many opportunities to spark something productive that the stagnancy of overthinking could not do.
What made me want to change my view on being creative
A key point here that made me open to change in my creativity development was the blockages I was facing with creating. I would think my way out of creating anything, trying new ideas, or even begin to think about the possibility of starting the thing I was thinking about.
The mental framework that I was operating out of at the time was entirely wrong for me as I was beginning to create. Because it is an entirely different mindset to begin creating and de-identifying with being someone who only thinks and never acts. Being overly cerebral was a path I had been on with the momentum being only run by familiarity and only thoughts. Once that path dipped into the option of going down the creative path, I had an option to choose to do something different with my creative process, which finally involved bringing thoughts to life.
What I thought about to make changes in my creativity
Thinking is a necessary part of creating of course, but my line typically crossed quickly into over-thinking. Having that initial thought to write, paint, film, whatever.. is an invitation to a certain flow that logic quickly halts. That initial thought is your opportunity to take action. Which is where I offer you the distinction between thinking and dreaming.
Thinking about an idea which then develops into over-thinking is where the clash of logic vs creativity begins. When you get the first thought to write a book, say yes and step into dream mode instead of overthinking the logistics, why it couldn’t work, what if’s, made up scenarios..you know these overthinky things. Stepping into the dream mode is a way of bridging that gap between logic and creativity. Here you can put yourself in the shoes of the person who is doing what you’re thinking of, focus on what you want to feel, focus on how it can work, focus on tiny actions to take to bring it into reality. Dreaming makes your creative ideas possible because it’s thinking and action, overthinking kills the dreams with logic only, no magic.
What I chose to do with what I learned about being creative
The biggest takeaway that sits with me about creativity is the energy behind the word itself. I’m still learning what creativity and creation look like for me. To me- I think being creative is the biggest form of trust you could have, because you’re not just thinking about something, but you’re using all your energy sources-mind body and should to bring something to life.
Being creative is more than just indulging in a hobby, it’s not only listening to your soul but is action on it and believing in it as well. I think when you listen to what’s placed in your heart you will never be wrong and the things you need to pursue what’s in your soul will find you in that energy of trust.
How I carried out what I learned about being creative
It’s so ironic because I’m a relatively slow moving person and I enjoy taking my time, but my brain is the opposite she’s on go mode at all times. And the best way I’ve found to utilize the things I’ve reflected on about creativity is to slow down. The process of becoming is one that’s often overlooked and blurred by the desire of the end goal. That process is where we become who we will be at the end goal.
Denying the urge to do more, go faster, and resting into a feeling of stillness and slowness is where I’ve been able to hear that voice that fuels my creative ideas. I can’t hear my ideas when I’m burnt out or exhausted. To me, it’s because creating is a flow. It’s a flow of ideas, to plan, to action, and to execution and I really do believe that it flows through you and this creative energy will give you all the ideas you need if you take care of that flow state. The flow state is slow and it is calm, anything else disturbs the flow and cuts it off completely. Creating is always available and is the bridge between logic, magic, and reality.
