Life’s answers are not the rote answers we were expected to parrot back on a test. They also aren’t as simple as picking one from a multiple choice menu. Life’s answers are more akin to the ones expected of us on an essay test. To successfully answer those, you must be prepared.

So how do we plan for life so that we have the ease and freedom for a spontaneous response?

The first step is we must assume. I know that assumption has taken on a nasty reputation in a world that fears making an ass out of itself, but getting past that fear is part of the learning and freedom process.

The assumption we are required to make is this: There is a part of us that knows how to create.

Once we make that foundational assumption, the next step on the road to fruition is to build our confidence through experience. This requires allowing ourselves the freedom to make mistakes. If you make fear of making a mistake your life’s work, you may never make an ass of yourself, but you may never make anything else of yourself either.

How many mistakes did it take for you to be able to read by more than candlelight? If you really want to know, read up on Thomas Edison.

Become knowledgable about something - anything. Make a study of something. Make efforts. Celebrate your successes and treat your failures as teachable moments. Both success and failure are necessary in building the confidence and freedom to be spontaneous.

You don’t have to be the tops in your field - just as good as you can be.

If you want to be a better parent, make a study of your children. If you desire to be a better homemaker, make a study of your home. If you’re an artist, scientist, waitress or busboy, make a study of those who came before you. Practice in whatever area you wish proficiency. Do lots of experiments, just like Edison. Hang on to the ones that work and move off the ones that don’t.

There is probably a blueprint for whatever you want more expertise in. You don’t have to start from scratch. Benefit by someone else’s experience and cut the learning curve at least in half. Find the cookbook they used and start experimenting with their recipes. This builds confidence.

I wrote an e-book called THE SUCCESS TRIANGLE which outlines the three ingredients necessary for success. They are passion, discipline and ability. The premise is that ability will come out effortlessly when you discipline yourself in the basics. There is an entire section dedicated to finding a blueprint that’s already working. You can download a FREE copy of the book at http://johnmorganseminars.com/images-NEW/The_Success_Triangle.pdf

Back to our assumption: There is a part of us that knows how to create.

The spontaneous, creative process does not benefit by last minute cramming. In fact, the less noise we have in our mind, the more creative we become. That’s why it’s so important to do our homework. The experience of packing information and experience away, over time, allows us to own that information. We don’t have to keep it at the ready. It remains in reserve and shows up when we need it.

It’s not necessary to keep it in the forefront of our mind. That practice completely relies on rote. Rote will keep you spouting stale statistics and leave no room for spontaneity.

Creativity comes from spontaneity. But in order to have the confidence to be spontaneous, we require experience to be in reserve.

Pretend for a moment that you never learned to ride a bike. Now imagine you are being chased by an angry mob. You plan in your head to use the bike you see ahead to make your getaway. The chances for you making an escape on that bike are none and none. There is no experience to draw on. Your moment of planned spontaneity results in disaster.

Effective spontaneity comes from owning experience. Experience comes from practice.

You can always tell those who refuse to practice and fly by the seat of their pants. When the going gets tough, their flight is grounded. It’s great to be a “free spirit,” but it comes with a price tag - failure.

You may argue you won’t get any splinters by starting at the top of the totem pole but you’ll lack the experience of hanging on when the wind blows and fall quickly to the ground.

World class designers are schooled in the basics of design. And, some of their most celebrated works break some of those rules. It was the knowing of the rules that gave them the confidence to experiment with breaking them and deliver a spontaneous, creative work of art.

Plan to learn all you can about whatever you pursue and do the homework assignment after each lesson. Then when shove gets pushed, you have the experience in reserve that gives you the confidence and freedom to trust your spontaneity to create.

 

All the best,

John