the challenge
[TENSION]
The Seed we are playing with today is Tension. And the game I experimented with is drawing an Insight instead of exploring for one in the external world.
my insight
When I thought about addressing a few of the Habit Zero challenges by drawing an Insight, I thought about the technical aspects of drawing. I didn’t give much thought to the process of internal exploration: deciding what to draw.
You can first look around you, find something inspired by the Seed, and draw it, but today, I chose a different process: I closed my eyes and searched internally for something inspired by Tension. And this is what I saw:
I was surprised by the association. Verbally, a kite is not the first thing I would have thought of as an association for Tension. And yet, this was the first image my mind generated as a response to the Seed. More specifically, I zoomed in on the kite’s string, stretching from the ground.
While drawing the kite, I thought about the tension between the kite trying to get higher and farther and the person holding it, controlling it. I thought about the tension between my dreams — where I want to reach — and the constraints bringing me back to earth. Are they real? Can I just cut the string and reach higher? Or is the string keeping me safe by preventing me from drifting while still allowing me to gradually climb up?
reflection
What started as an exercise in drawing turned out to be an introspection activity with some challenging personal questions to answer. Was that a coincidence or did I subconsciously decide to sketch a kite to bring this dilemma to the front? I can’t say, but either way, without the random Seed and the conscious decision to try something new, chances are I wouldn’t have asked myself these questions.
Creative exploration doesn’t have to be external. Introspection can be no less surprising and its results no less creative. When you are attentive and mindful, you see things differently whether you are looking at the world or closing your eyes.
Similarly, a creative Insight is not derived just from seeing something external differently or creating something new. Having an original thought about your life, where you are and where are you heading, can be as creative as any invention.
mental notes
- Internal exploration is no less surprising than an external one and its results no less creative.
- An introspective insight can also be a creative insight.
now it is your turn… be creative!