Comments on: What’s Your Strength: Creativity or Discipline?

By: Nadine

Nadine — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 12:10:01 +0000

Thank god – and I thought I was the only one experiencing this :) I have always been wondering whether to plan more or let things flow when I am working on personal projects. This really can drive you nuts as there is no answer: your creativity is sitting on your left shoulder whereas your discipline on your right and they are both speaking in your ears.

I came to the realisation that I function very well in a disciplined framework to get myself into a “Get it Done” zone. When I am not surrounded by this framework / disciplined environment I ask myself what did I have there that is missing now? I then either take one or two of those elements and implement them plus also let go of “wanting” to be that disciplined and enter the flow of creativity. I think it is like Ying and Yang and I need to accept it that it is there and make the best out of it and yes – don’t label it or consider it as “bad” if it does not work.

Sometimes it is good though to simply pop into a discipline framework to simply boost up some stamina skills to bring things to an end.

By: Translator Jobs

Translator Jobs — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 09:25:30 +0000

you need creativity to do things but in order to work properly you really need to discipline yourself first.. in that way you can finish your works properly..

By: George Fragos

George Fragos — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 18:30:37 +0000

I’m a very creative person that can think out of the box. Once committed to a project my discipline to get the job done is excellent. I’m almost stubborn about meeting the goals of my project. Without that personal commitment and sense of project ownership I’ve much less discipline to accomplish the mundane.

By: Andrei

Andrei — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 14:26:19 +0000

Depends on what I am doing. I can get up everyday at 5:15 and hit the gym, but I lack discipline in working on creative projects on regular basis.

By: Brandon

Brandon — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 02:03:48 +0000

Creativity, which is why I love the start of a project and rarely enjoy the last few steps before the launch. I’d rather do a new mockup than to tweak problem areas of an existing project.

By: Kery Prettyman

Kery Prettyman — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 21:51:01 +0000

I definitely agree with Mason Hipp. If there were enough hours in the day to implement all of the ideas in my brainstorming notebook, I might just have a business by now, or at least a much more impressive portfolio! I’m really overflowing with creative ideas, but have no time to implement them due to my strict mommy and twitter schedule, lol.

On the other hand, I’m very disciplined when I’m working toward a nice payday or a 4.0 GPA. You could say that my level of discipline is directly proportionate to the $$ at the end of the tunnel. :D

By: Emilio Mariscal

Emilio Mariscal — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 21:39:09 +0000

Creativity is a tool that i use better when i got total focus on my work. Discipline is a goal, i think “i wanna be disciplined”, but i can´t say “i will be creative”.

By: Heather

Heather — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 20:36:38 +0000

The creativity is the easy part, my mind was built for brainstorming and designing and painting and complimentary colors and figuring out puzzles like knots (both string and muscles).

The discipline is hardest. At least the discipline to hold ‘a real job’ and work 8-5 and do the list of things I need to do to make other people happy.

The days I have no structure are the best flowing days of energy and creationism. I can get the trash taken out, my grocery list, laundry folded AND put away, and still knock out a painting or two plus some cards for friends and some wire sculpture. Those are the days that fit best, when it’s a free for all. As for ‘deadlines’ for writing, those can be handled when I can stay up late working on my own pace, the 7am alarm is the part that pulls me back.

Some arguments are that to be able to operate in this world you have to adapt, have your gallery open from 9-7 or place business calls during regular hours. I’m wondering why I still inherently believe this when we have email and twitter and can leave messages any time day or night.

Thank you for a good thought provoker – got my juices flowing today!

By: Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

Jeff Fisher LogoMotives — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 19:22:15 +0000

Much stronger in the creativity realm. For me, discipline came in the form of a traditional job – something I haven’t had for over 20 years.

By: Sparky Firepants

Sparky Firepants — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 19:22:10 +0000

In my world there are two sides to this:

One side is client projects, where by necessity my discipline is stronger than my creativity. Creativity takes longer and clients usually want projects “thunk up” quickly. Ironic, but usually the thinkin’ stage is very short and the execution stage can be weeks long. Backwards!

The other side is personal projects. Like Mason, I’ve got books full of creative idears and doodles. Putting them into an executable project requires discipline that I’m sorely lacking right now.