The 3 modes of creative thinking
Consume. Make. Wander.
Creativity is a way of being. Ideas come to those who have created the right conditions.
In my experience, I’ve found that there are three main modes of creative thinking, and I rotate through them in order to generate ideas:
Consuming (Interacting with other people’s creative outputs with a curious eye)
Making (Creative practice as idea generation)
Wandering (Letting your mind rest and make unexpected connections)
The order does not matter. But the key is not to get stuck in any one place.
When I’m starting from nothing, I often start by consuming.
Consuming is not passive here. It’s choosing things to look at with the intention to become inspired. If you’re watching a movie, for example, ask why the cinematographer composes the shot that way. If you’re looking at art, think about the color choices and examine the paintstrokes. If you’re reading, pay attention to word choice and pacing.
Basically, think of consuming as increasing your inputs so that you can have richer outputs. Examples of consuming:
Listen to music
Watch a movie
Read and research
Look at art in a museum
Browse the library or bookstore
Talk to interesting people
Follow creative people you admire online
Making is its own form of idea generation, if done with the right mindset. In this mode, we don’t wait for an idea before we start generating outputs. We simply work.
Here’s how to start: Get out your supplies and set up your space. Turn off your phone and set a kitchen timer.
Then: Make things. Crucially, make bad things. You’ll almost always need to produce a lot of crap before you start making anything good. But at a certain point, ideas might start coming through the act of working.
Work doesn’t mean box-checking or making progress on a project. I mean getting into a zone of creativity that’s focused, physical, and energetic. For example:
• Paint or draw, letting the pen move on its own
• Free write, letting the words spill out of your mind
• Try weird things in your code, like strange colors and fonts
• Strum a guitar without a song in mind
• Dance without choreography
• Build something without a plan
• Let your finger hit the shutter of your camera before your brain decides to
• Cook without a recipe
Wandering is a mode of mental rest that can be very generative. Basically, you are now minimizing your inputs to allow for outputs to happen naturally.
In a state of rest, your mind can make unexpected connections. This is the basis of creative thinking.
You will be tempted to skip this step because you may feel unproductive. Remember that wandering is a crucial part of the creative process, even if it feels like nothing is happening.
Often, wandering naturally leads back to one of the other modes. You may feel suddenly drawn to create, or you’ll feel curious about something you want to consume. Follow that urge out of wandering.
But first, wander:
• Go for a long walk
• Meditate
• Remember your dreams
• Sit and do nothing
• Be in nature
• Move your body
• Doodle: Draw circles or spirals
UPCOMING EVENTS
Capital Art Book Fair: I will be selling zines at the Capital Art Book fair on March 28 and 29. Please come say hello.
Fundamentals of Yoga: I’m teaching a 5-week workshop series on yoga philosophy, asana, and meditation at the St. Marks Yoga Center starting March 14. You can sign up for the full series for $45 or individual classes for $10 on the St. Marks Yoga Center website.
