Nevertheless, there are times when the brain will not cooperate. A person’s will desires one thing while the brain refuses to work, much like an over-exerted muscle or an engine that won’t turn over because of a dead battery. This is especially true for the creative brain searching for new ideas.
Through the years, I’ve gone through phases when I’ve felt exceptionally creative and periods where I’ve felt mentally famished. There have been times when I couldn’t wait to get to the piano or guitar to capture a new song possibility and there have also been moments when I’ve wanted to do nothing but watch movies and eat frozen Snickers bars.
So, what does it take to jump-start a tired and unmotivated creative brain? I’m certainly no expert, but I have discovered some methods that have helped to get my lazy brain off the metaphorical couch.
1. Get the Blood Flowing
A change of scenery often helps to reset my brain or free it from what seems to be a creative dead end. Even a brief trip to the Keurig machine or a short walk outside can provide a missing word or solidify an uncertain musical direction. Some of the most profound thoughts have showed up in the most unlikely places.
2. Be Drastic
Often, the only way to fix a creative idea that isn’t working is to give it a complete overhaul. As an example, I struggled for almost a year with a guitar intro for one of the songs on the new album. Recently, I decided to completely remove the guitar and begin the song with a synth sound and some crazy sound effects. This took the song to a whole new level and I can’t stop listening to that intro!
3. Get Inspired
Over the last couple weeks, I’ve been listening to some great Christian podcasts, particularly one from Ravi Zacharias. Crystal and I also recently watched an eye-opening movie about the life of Christian musician, Rich Mullins. Even though free time is scarce with kids, I am trying to find time to feed my spirit and my brain, both for spiritual nourishment and creative inspiration. It’s no surprise that a well-nourished brain is more focused and productive!
4. Take Advantage of Your Mood
I’ve discovered that there are always things that can be accomplished regardless of my mood. Saturday night, I may feel like plunging headfirst into writing a new song or blog. However, on Monday morning, I may not feel as ambitious, but I may have random thoughts that are worth jotting down. These may very well become part of the content of better-formed ideas down the road. Sometimes, I may simply copy and paste verses into a document for future use or I may just fiddle around with a new sample library to see what kind of sounds I can make. At the bare minimum, brainstorming is a good way to stretch the mind muscle. Life rarely provides the perfect creative environment so it’s good to train the brain to drive on any terrain!
5. Try On Someone Else’s Sneakers
For years, I wrote songs that were solely from my own perspective. Eventually, I decided to experiment with putting others’ feelings to music. This opened up a world of possibilities, especially when I was dry or disoriented emotionally. It also gave me a deeper sensitivity to the world around me and allowed me to bless others by voicing what they were feeling.
6. Be Patient
There is no such thing as a creative fast track. Occasionally, neatly wrapped songs will conveniently fall from the creative vending machine, but usually, great art needs time to marinade in the crockpot for days, weeks or even years. It requires practice, passion and persistence. I’ve learned to never throw in the towel assuming that I am forever out of ideas. A creative person is always a creative person. Typically, I’ve found that creative drought comes when I am unfocused or tired or when I don’t have enough time to dedicate to creating.
7. Let It Go
Not all songs are equal. Some songs are good, some are duds, and occasionally, a song is great. I’m always frustrated when I write a dud song. No matter how much I dress that song up, it still looks like a dud. If it didn’t start out well, it is likely that it will never finish well. If the melody is weak, it’s challenging to force a strong melody into a particular chord progression and tempo. If I’m not passionate about a subject or if I don’t have enough content, it’s hard to come up with something that doesn’t exist (at least in my own mind and heart). Letting one song go may be the first step to writing the song I was hoping to write all along.
8. Rest
A good night sleep can do wonders for the creative brain. There have been times when I’ve wasted hours late at night trying to wrestle a song or lyric idea into submission. In the end, I go to bed frustrated feeling like I wasted my time, only to wake up exhausted the next morning. I’ve learned it’s not worth wandering into the woods if there aren’t any footprints leading you on an adventure.
9. Stay Positive
Creative people can be extremely particular about their art and often their art is tied to their self-esteem. When they are creating, they feel good about themselves. When the creative pool dries up, they can feel unproductive, discouraged and even depressed. For years, I’ve been working to separate my self worth from what I accomplish. At times, it’s felt like I am attempting to cut an avocado in half with my bare hands, but I do feel like I am making progress. I’ve watched many creative and driven people lose their identity and even their will to live after they lose their ability or will to pursue their passion. I don’t want to be one of these people. I’m learning the importance of looking at the big picture. My art may encourage and benefit some people, but at the end of the day, everything I create will be destroyed and forgotten. Keeping an eternal perspective allows me to enjoy things in this life without clinging to them for meaning. It helps me to see that what I do is simply an avenue to relationships and people are what matter the most. The opportunity and ability to create are simply extra blessings that come and go. My ultimate source of joy needs to come from knowing Christ and blessing the people He has put in my life, whether that is through art, words, actions or time.
10. Ask for Help
I’ve certainly been guilty of jumping right into a project without asking God for ideas and direction. I really should be praying before I ever pick up an instrument or boot up my Mac. I do believe that God can inspire the artist as he or she creates, especially if the artist is creating for God’s glory, but that won’t necessarily happen if the artist isn’t seeking God’s guidance. Exodus 31:3-4 reads, “And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship.” God was specifically leading the artists as they worked in the tabernacle. How cool is that! As a Christian, prayer needs to be central to everything I do. God is the one who invented music and language and He is the One who gave man the ability to think, reason and imagine. Who better to ask for the help than the Creator of all things?
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