The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life 2003

Summary:

• The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life by Twyla Tharp is a book about how to develop creative habits that will help you become more productive, successful, and fulfilled. The book starts off with an introduction to the concept of creativity and why it is important in our lives. Tharp then goes on to discuss her own creative process, which she calls “the creative habit” – a set of steps that can be used to create something new or solve a problem. She explains how this habit can be developed through practice and discipline, as well as providing tips on how to stay motivated when working on projects.

  Tharp also provides advice on dealing with fear and self-doubt when creating something new or tackling difficult tasks. She emphasizes the importance of taking risks in order to grow creatively, while also discussing ways of managing stress so that it doesn't interfere with your work. Additionally, she talks about the importance of collaboration in developing ideas and staying inspired.

  Throughout the book, Tharp shares stories from her own life as well as those from other artists who have successfully implemented their own creative habits into their lives. These stories provide insight into what works for different people when trying to cultivate creativity within themselves or others around them. Finally, Tharp offers practical exercises designed to help readers apply what they've learned throughout the book.

Main ideas:

• #1.     Develop a Creative Routine: Establishing a creative routine is essential to developing a creative habit. This routine should be tailored to the individual and should include activities such as research, brainstorming, and experimentation.
  
  

  Developing a creative routine is an important step in cultivating creativity. It should be tailored to the individual and can include activities such as research, brainstorming, and experimentation. Research helps to inform our ideas by providing us with new perspectives on topics we are exploring. Brainstorming allows us to generate multiple ideas quickly and explore different possibilities for our projects. Experimentation gives us the opportunity to test out these ideas in order to refine them further.

  In The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life, Twyla Tharp suggests that it is essential for creatives to establish a daily practice of creative work in order to develop their craft over time. This could involve setting aside specific times each day or week dedicated solely towards creative pursuits, or simply making sure that some form of creative activity is included into your daily life.

  Creating a routine also involves taking care of yourself physically and mentally so you have the energy needed for creativity. This includes getting enough sleep, eating healthy meals, exercising regularly, meditating or doing yoga – whatever works best for you!

• #2.     Make Time for Creative Thinking: Allocating time for creative thinking is essential to developing a creative habit. This time should be used to explore ideas, reflect on experiences, and practice creative problem-solving.
  
  

  Making time for creative thinking is an important step in developing a creative habit. This dedicated time should be used to explore new ideas, reflect on past experiences, and practice problem-solving techniques. It can also be used to brainstorm solutions to existing problems or come up with innovative ways of approaching tasks. During this time, it’s important to stay open-minded and allow yourself the freedom to think outside the box without judgement or criticism.

  This allocated time should also provide an opportunity for self-reflection and personal growth. Taking some quiet moments away from everyday life can help you gain clarity on your goals and objectives as well as identify areas where you need improvement. Additionally, it allows you the chance to take stock of what has been accomplished so far and recognize any successes along the way.

  By making regular space for creative thinking, you will become more adept at coming up with original ideas that are tailored specifically towards your own needs and interests. You may even find that these sessions become a source of inspiration when tackling difficult challenges or facing unexpected obstacles.

• #3.     Take Creative Risks: Taking creative risks is an important part of developing a creative habit. This involves pushing boundaries, trying new things, and embracing failure as a learning opportunity.
  
  

  Taking creative risks is an essential part of developing a creative habit. It involves pushing boundaries, trying new things, and embracing failure as a learning opportunity. This means taking chances that may not always work out the way you expect them to, but it also means having the courage to explore uncharted territory and discover something new. Taking creative risks can be intimidating at first, but with practice it becomes easier and more rewarding.

  When taking creative risks, it’s important to remember that failure is part of the process. Not every risk will pay off in success; sometimes mistakes are made or ideas don’t pan out as expected. But these failures should be seen as opportunities for growth rather than roadblocks on your journey towards creativity. By viewing each mistake as a chance to learn something new or try again in a different way, you can use failure to fuel your creativity instead of stifling it.

  Finally, when taking creative risks it’s important to stay open-minded and flexible throughout the process. Creative thinking often requires stepping outside of our comfort zone and exploring unfamiliar concepts or ideas – so don’t be afraid to take chances! With practice and patience you can develop a habit of taking calculated yet daring leaps into unknown territory – which could lead you down some exciting paths.

• #4.     Find Inspiration: Finding inspiration is essential to developing a creative habit. This can be done by exploring new places, engaging with different people, and immersing oneself in different cultures.
  
  

  Finding inspiration is essential to developing a creative habit. It can be difficult to come up with new ideas and stay motivated, but its possible if you take the time to explore different sources of inspiration. One way to do this is by visiting new places and immersing yourself in different cultures. This could mean traveling abroad or simply exploring your own city or town. Seeing how other people live their lives can open up your mind to new possibilities and help you find fresh perspectives on life.

  Engaging with different people is also an important part of finding inspiration. Talking with friends, family members, colleagues, and even strangers can give you insight into their experiences that may spark something inside of you that leads to a great idea or project. Additionally, reading books from authors who have achieved success in the field youre interested in can provide valuable advice as well as inspiring stories.

  Finally, taking some time for yourself each day will allow your creativity to flow freely without any distractions or pressures from outside sources. Whether its through meditation, journaling, painting, drawing - whatever works best for you - make sure that there are moments throughout the day where all focus is on creating something unique.

• #5.     Embrace Collaboration: Collaboration is an important part of developing a creative habit. This involves working with others to generate ideas, share resources, and create something new.
  
  

  Embracing collaboration is essential for developing a creative habit. Working with others to generate ideas, share resources, and create something new can be incredibly rewarding. Collaboration allows us to draw on the strengths of each individual in order to produce something greater than what any one person could have created alone. It also encourages us to think outside the box and come up with innovative solutions that we may not have considered before.

  When collaborating, it’s important to remember that everyone has different perspectives and skillsets which can contribute positively towards the project. Everyone should feel comfortable expressing their opinions without fear of judgement or criticism from others. This will help foster an environment where creativity can thrive.

  Collaboration also helps build relationships between people who might not otherwise interact with each other. By working together on a common goal, individuals are able to learn more about each other’s strengths and weaknesses while forming meaningful connections along the way.

  In conclusion, embracing collaboration is key for developing a creative habit as it allows us to draw upon multiple perspectives while building relationships at the same time. With this approach, we can create something truly unique that no single person could have achieved alone.

• #6.     Develop a Creative Network: Developing a creative network is essential to developing a creative habit. This involves connecting with other creatives, exchanging ideas, and learning from each other.
  
  

  Creating a creative network is an important step in developing a creative habit. By connecting with other creatives, you can exchange ideas and learn from each other. This type of collaboration can help to spark new ideas and provide inspiration for your own work. It also allows you to stay up-to-date on the latest trends in the industry, as well as gain insight into how others approach their craft.

  When building your creative network, it’s important to find people who share similar interests or have expertise that could be beneficial to your own work. You may want to join online communities or attend events where like-minded individuals gather. Additionally, consider reaching out directly via email or social media platforms such as LinkedIn or Twitter.

  By forming relationships with other creatives, you will not only benefit from their knowledge but also create opportunities for yourself by expanding your reach within the industry. As Twyla Tharp said in her book The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life “The more contacts I make—the more people I know—the better my chances are of finding someone who knows something I don’t know…and vice versa.

• #7.     Practice Creative Problem-Solving: Practicing creative problem-solving is an important part of developing a creative habit. This involves looking at problems from different angles, exploring different solutions, and finding creative solutions.
  
  

  Practicing creative problem-solving is an essential part of developing a creative habit. This involves looking at problems from different perspectives, exploring various solutions, and finding innovative solutions. Creative problem-solving requires us to think outside the box and come up with ideas that are unique and original. It also encourages us to be open to new possibilities and take risks in order to find the best solution for any given situation.

  Creative problem-solving can involve brainstorming sessions where people come together to generate ideas or working alone on a project while allowing your mind to wander freely. It’s important not only to consider potential solutions but also how they could be implemented in practice. Additionally, it’s beneficial to look at past successes as well as failures when trying out new approaches.

  When practicing creative problem-solving, it’s important not only focus on the end goal but also enjoy the process of coming up with ideas and experimenting with them until you find something that works. Taking breaks throughout this process can help keep your mind fresh so you dont get stuck in one way of thinking about things.

• #8.     Take Creative Breaks: Taking creative breaks is essential to developing a creative habit. This involves taking time away from work to relax, reflect, and recharge.
  
  

  Taking creative breaks is an important part of developing a creative habit. It involves taking time away from work to relax, reflect, and recharge. This can be done in many ways such as going for a walk, listening to music, or engaging in some other form of leisure activity that allows you to step away from the task at hand and clear your mind. Taking these breaks helps to refresh your creativity and gives you the opportunity to come back with new ideas.

  Creative breaks also provide an opportunity for self-reflection. During this time it’s important to think about what has been working well and what could use improvement when it comes to your creative process. Reflecting on successes and failures can help you identify areas where you need more practice or guidance so that you can continue improving.

  Finally, taking regular creative breaks will help keep burnout at bay by allowing yourself some much needed rest between projects. When we push ourselves too hard without giving our minds a break we become less productive overall due to fatigue and lack of motivation.

• #9.     Set Creative Goals: Setting creative goals is an important part of developing a creative habit. This involves setting realistic goals, breaking them down into achievable tasks, and tracking progress.
  
  

  Setting creative goals is an essential part of developing a creative habit. Its important to set realistic goals that are achievable and measurable, so you can track your progress. This could involve setting a goal for the number of hours you want to dedicate to creativity each week, or the number of projects you want to complete in a certain amount of time. Breaking down these goals into smaller tasks will help make them more manageable and easier to achieve.

  Once you have set your creative goals, its important to keep track of your progress. This could be done by keeping a journal or diary where you record what tasks were completed each day and how much progress was made towards achieving the overall goal. You should also take note of any obstacles that may have hindered your progress, as this can help inform future decisions about how best to approach similar challenges.

  By setting creative goals and tracking your progress, you will be able to stay motivated and on track with achieving success in whatever project or task it is that you are working on. With consistent effort over time, this process will become second nature and eventually lead to greater levels of creativity.

• #10.     Manage Creative Stress: Managing creative stress is essential to developing a creative habit. This involves recognizing stress triggers, developing coping strategies, and taking time to relax.
  
  

  Creative stress can be a powerful motivator, but it can also lead to burnout and creative blocks. To manage creative stress, it is important to recognize the triggers that cause you to become overwhelmed or anxious. This could include deadlines, difficult tasks, or even criticism from others. Once these triggers are identified, it is important to develop coping strategies for dealing with them in a healthy way.

  It is also essential to take time out of your day for relaxation and self-care. This could involve taking a walk outside, listening to music, meditating or engaging in any other activity that helps you relax and recharge your batteries. Taking regular breaks throughout the day will help reduce stress levels and allow you to stay focused on your work.

  Finally, remember that creativity requires experimentation and failure; don’t be too hard on yourself if things don’t go as planned! Learning how to manage creative stress will help ensure that you remain productive while still enjoying the process of creating something new.

• #11.     Develop Creative Confidence: Developing creative confidence is an important part of developing a creative habit. This involves believing in oneself, taking risks, and embracing failure.
  
  

  Developing creative confidence is essential for anyone looking to cultivate a creative habit. It involves believing in oneself, taking risks, and embracing failure. Creative confidence requires an individual to be open-minded and willing to explore new ideas without fear of judgement or criticism. This means being comfortable with the unknown and having faith that one’s creativity will lead them down the right path.

  In order to develop this kind of confidence, it is important to practice regularly. Taking time each day or week dedicated solely towards exploring new ideas can help build up one’s self-belief in their own creativity. Additionally, it is important not to be too hard on oneself when mistakes are made; instead use these moments as learning opportunities and chances for growth.

  Finally, surrounding oneself with positive people who support their creative endeavors can also help foster a sense of creative confidence. Having someone who believes in you can make all the difference when it comes to developing your own belief in yourself.

• #12.     Find Creative Balance: Finding creative balance is essential to developing a creative habit. This involves setting boundaries, managing expectations, and taking time for oneself.
  
  

  Finding creative balance is essential to developing a creative habit. This involves setting boundaries, managing expectations, and taking time for oneself. It can be difficult to find the right balance between work and leisure activities, but it is important in order to maintain creativity. Setting boundaries helps ensure that one does not become overwhelmed by their workload or commitments. Managing expectations allows one to focus on what they are capable of achieving without feeling like they have failed if something doesn’t turn out as planned. Taking time for oneself is also key; this could involve anything from reading a book or going for a walk outside to simply sitting down with a cup of tea and reflecting on the day.

  It can be helpful to create an environment that encourages creativity while still allowing for restful moments throughout the day. This might include having designated times when one works on projects uninterrupted, scheduling regular breaks throughout the day, or even just making sure there are plenty of snacks around! Additionally, it’s important to remember that everyone has different needs when it comes to finding creative balance; some people may need more structure than others while some may prefer more freedom.

  Ultimately, finding creative balance requires self-awareness and discipline in order to stay productive without burning out. By setting boundaries and managing expectations appropriately while also taking time for yourself each day, you will be able create habits that foster your creativity over time.

• #13.     Embrace Creative Challenges: Embracing creative challenges is an important part of developing a creative habit. This involves pushing boundaries, trying new things, and learning from mistakes.
  
  

  Embracing creative challenges is an essential part of developing a creative habit. It involves pushing boundaries, trying new things, and learning from mistakes. Creative challenges can be anything from writing a poem to designing a website or creating a painting. The key is to take risks and explore different ideas without fear of failure.

  Creative challenges help us develop our skills and expand our knowledge base. They also provide opportunities for growth and self-discovery as we learn more about ourselves in the process. By embracing these types of challenges, we are able to gain confidence in our abilities while also gaining insight into what makes us unique.

  When faced with creative challenges, it’s important to stay focused on the task at hand rather than worrying about potential outcomes or results. This allows us to remain open-minded and flexible when exploring different solutions or approaches that may lead to unexpected discoveries or breakthroughs.

  Finally, it’s important not to get discouraged if something doesn’t work out as planned – this is all part of the learning process! Embracing creative challenges helps build resilience which will serve you well throughout your life.

• #14.     Take Creative Action: Taking creative action is essential to developing a creative habit. This involves taking small steps, experimenting, and learning from feedback.
  
  

  Taking creative action is essential to developing a creative habit. This involves taking small steps, experimenting, and learning from feedback. It can be as simple as trying something new or challenging yourself to think differently about an existing problem. Creative action requires you to take risks and push yourself out of your comfort zone in order to discover new ideas and solutions.

  Creative action also means being open-minded and willing to explore different possibilities without fear of failure or criticism. You should be prepared for the possibility that some of your ideas may not work out, but this shouldnt stop you from continuing on with your creative journey. Instead, use any failures as opportunities for growth by reflecting on what went wrong and how you could do things differently next time.

  Finally, its important to remember that creativity isnt just about coming up with great ideas; its also about taking those ideas into reality through consistent effort and dedication. So dont be afraid to take creative action – even if it feels uncomfortable at first – because this is the only way youll truly develop a lasting creative habit.

• #15.     Develop Creative Habits: Developing creative habits is an important part of developing a creative habit. This involves establishing a routine, setting goals, and tracking progress.
  
  

  Developing creative habits is essential for anyone who wants to be successful in their creative endeavors. It involves establishing a routine, setting goals, and tracking progress. This helps to ensure that creativity remains an integral part of your life and that you are consistently working towards achieving your desired results.

  When creating a routine, it’s important to set aside time each day or week specifically dedicated to being creative. This could include brainstorming ideas, sketching out concepts, writing down thoughts or even just taking some time away from the computer screen and getting outside for some fresh air. Whatever works best for you should become part of your regular schedule.

  Setting goals can help keep you motivated and on track with your creative pursuits. These goals should be realistic yet challenging enough so that they push you out of your comfort zone while still allowing room for growth. Tracking progress is also key as this will allow you to measure how far along you have come since starting the habit.

  By developing these habits over time, creativity will become second nature and something that comes naturally when needed most. With practice and dedication, anyone can learn how to tap into their inner creativity more easily than ever before!

• #16.     Find Creative Solutions: Finding creative solutions is essential to developing a creative habit. This involves looking at problems from different angles, exploring different solutions, and finding creative solutions.
  
  

  Finding creative solutions is an important part of developing a creative habit. It involves looking at problems from different perspectives, exploring various solutions, and coming up with innovative ideas. This requires thinking outside the box and being open to new possibilities. To do this effectively, it helps to break down the problem into smaller parts and look for connections between them that can lead to unique solutions.

  It also helps to brainstorm ideas without judging or censoring yourself. Write down all your thoughts on paper or in a digital document so you can review them later. You may find that some of these ideas are not feasible but others could be developed further into something useful.

  Finally, don’t forget to take risks when finding creative solutions. Don’t be afraid to try something new even if it seems crazy at first – you never know what kind of great idea might come out of it!

• #17.     Manage Creative Projects: Managing creative projects is an important part of developing a creative habit. This involves setting realistic goals, breaking them down into achievable tasks, and tracking progress.
  
  

  Managing creative projects is an essential part of developing a successful creative habit. It involves setting realistic goals, breaking them down into achievable tasks, and tracking progress along the way. This process helps to ensure that each project is completed in a timely manner and with quality results.

  When managing creative projects, its important to set clear objectives for what you want to achieve. Once these objectives are established, break them down into smaller tasks that can be accomplished one at a time. As you complete each task, track your progress so that you can stay on top of any changes or adjustments needed throughout the project.

  Its also important to create deadlines for yourself when managing creative projects. Having deadlines will help keep you motivated and focused on completing the project within a certain timeframe. Additionally, having deadlines will help prevent procrastination which can lead to missed opportunities or delays in completion.

  Finally, dont forget to celebrate your successes! Celebrating small wins along the way will help keep morale high and motivate you as you continue working towards achieving your goal.

• #18.     Learn from Creative Mistakes: Learning from creative mistakes is essential to developing a creative habit. This involves reflecting on mistakes, understanding why they happened, and using them as learning opportunities.
  
  

  Learning from creative mistakes is an important part of developing a creative habit. It involves reflecting on the mistake, understanding why it happened, and using it as a learning opportunity. This process can help us to identify patterns in our work that may be hindering our creativity and growth. By recognizing these patterns, we can make changes to improve our creative output.

  When reflecting on mistakes, it’s important to look at them objectively and without judgement. Instead of focusing on what went wrong or how you could have done better, focus instead on what you learned from the experience. Ask yourself questions such as “What did I learn about my own creative process?” or “How can I use this knowledge to create something new?”

  By taking the time to reflect on your mistakes and learn from them, you will become more aware of your own strengths and weaknesses as a creator. You will also gain insight into how different approaches might yield different results in future projects. Learning from your mistakes is essential for any artist who wants to grow their craft.

• #19.     Take Creative Breaks: Taking creative breaks is an important part of developing a creative habit. This involves taking time away from work to relax, reflect, and recharge.
  
  

  Taking creative breaks is an essential part of developing a creative habit. It allows us to step away from our work and take time for ourselves, allowing us to relax, reflect, and recharge. Creative breaks can be anything from taking a walk in nature or going out with friends to reading a book or watching a movie. The important thing is that it gives you the opportunity to clear your mind and come back refreshed with new ideas.

  Creative breaks also give us the chance to explore different activities that may spark creativity. This could include trying something completely new like painting or playing music, or simply engaging in activities we already enjoy such as cooking or gardening. By exploring these activities we open up our minds and allow ourselves to think more freely which can lead to innovative solutions.

  Finally, taking regular creative breaks helps build discipline by teaching us how to manage our time effectively so that we are able make space for both work and leisure without feeling overwhelmed. This will help ensure that when it comes time for work again we are ready with fresh ideas.

• #20.     Develop Creative Skills: Developing creative skills is essential to developing a creative habit. This involves learning new techniques, practicing, and honing existing skills.
  
  

  Developing creative skills is an important part of developing a creative habit. It involves learning new techniques, practicing existing skills, and honing them to perfection. Twyla Tharps book The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life provides invaluable advice on how to develop these skills. She suggests that the best way to do this is by setting aside time each day for creativity, breaking down tasks into manageable chunks, and using feedback from others as motivation.

  Tharp also recommends experimenting with different approaches in order to find what works best for you. This could include trying out different mediums or styles of art, exploring various genres of music or literature, or even taking up a new hobby such as photography or cooking. By pushing yourself outside your comfort zone and challenging yourself creatively you can discover hidden talents and gain valuable experience.

  Finally, it’s important not to be too hard on yourself when developing your creative skills – mistakes are inevitable but they should be seen as opportunities for growth rather than failures. With dedication and perseverance anyone can become more creative; all it takes is practice!