This past weekend, I brought my notebook and a pen to a nearby cafe with the intention of drawing some simple sketches. It’s not something I do often, but it’s something I’ve wanted to do more of.
I opened my notebook and felt the familiar fear that comes from looking at a blank page. But this time, I remembered a line from this month’s Creativity Guide.
“Generate more bad ideas. Sometimes it’s about the quantity, not quality. It’s proven that simply generating more ideas (even if it means producing less than great work) creates a pathway to ideas that ultimately stick.”
It reminded me that the first time is rarely perfect — in fact, the best results often come after many imperfect attempts.
Inspired by this thought, I touched my pen to the page and I wrote in all caps at the top:
“IMPERFECT SKETCHES”
I decided to reframe my sketching experience by removing the results-oriented expectation. Once I did that, I was able to relax and start moving my hand without judgment, ultimately doodling different perspectives of a simple chair.
By altering our approach, we can reduce the pressure that sometimes comes up during the creative process. Not only can this lead to better outcomes, but it can also make the whole thing way more fun.
Dave Radparvar
Co-Founder, Holstee
P.S. The past few weeks I’ve been sharing some of my creative struggles — like resistance and fear of the blank page — along with a few techniques that help me power through them. For more tips and inspiration, check out our Curated Resources for Creativity.
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This article is part of our series on the theme of Creativity.
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