A Quiet Hunger: Developing and Maintaining Creative Discipline

When you first jump into a “thing”, be it badminton or backgammon, track or field, weightlifting or words, it’s often pursued with a righteous passion, a deep hunger that cannot be satisfied. Or so it may appear. Many folks move too fast. They burn out quickly. They find nothing is limitless.

One most cultivate a quiet hunger. A desire to grow and expand one’s horizons in whatever endeavor they pursue. How does one go about this?

It’s no real secret. It’s just that nothing is as easy as it seems. Discipline, regardless of skill or aptitude, is critical. With enough fortitude, a person may progress more than someone with great ideas and lack of desire. The trick is to nurture this. And this requires refining one’s skill set(s) and improving upon one’s work with constancy.

Though I may wax a bit poetic at times, I keep the hunger alive by working on many projects simultaneously and regularly rotating what I do in any given day. I shift from the business/outlining (analytical) side of things to the layout/graphic design (visual) over to the writing (creative). This may be viewed as chaotic from the outside, at first hearing upon this, but our minds can adapt and grow more nimble just as our bodies can. I nourish my mind with regular does of reading (both fiction and non-fiction) and exposure to a wide variety of media (shows, music, movies) in an effort to keep things fresh and the fields fertile.

Think of things this way. If you are boring yourself (and you shouldn’t be as an entertainer), how can you help your target audience to feel otherwise. (You can’t.) Take a break and revisit with fresh eyes. There is always something you can be doing to make forward progress.

All of this keeps the belly aching for a touch more. With practice, you can develop the quiet hunger.

Until next time, I bid you, dear reader, adieu!