Creativity Is Courage
Matisse was right: “Creativity takes courage.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance and Other Essays:
“…God will not have his work made manifest by cowards. A man is relieved and gay when he has put his heart into his work and has done his best; but what he has said or done otherwise, shall give him no peace. It is a deliverance which does not deliver…Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string. Accept that place the divine providence has found for you…”- page 20
You huddle over your dining room table, laboring over a canvas no one may ever see. You scribble notes on napkins for tomorrow’s post or stay up way too late perfecting chord arrangements. Your day job as engineer pays the bills, but weekends are reserved for your passion— designing and constructing sleek, beautiful furniture.
To produce, speak, write, or draw something into existence is a gutsy endeavor. It takes chutzpah and mettle not only to imagine, but to execute— to construct something out of nothing. This isn’t about likes or subscribers; you’re not worried about branding or cultural relevance. No, it is truly the creation of art for art’s sake.
Courage is the grit and spice to begin— and begin again— until the project at hand is finished. And therein lies the joy; that ‘just because’ factor, mingled with the pride of completion.
Even if you’re a novice, a work of creation need not be subject to the validation of others. The vulnerability of putting your heart and hand to the task is sufficient. Any generative act, in and of itself, is enough.
As of this writing, few — and I mean very few— have read my blog. But that doesn’t change the sense of fulfillment experienced after pressing the ‘post’ button. Why? Because I kept a promise to myself. I put myself out there, and mustered the fortitude to show up to my own life. I chose to dream and execute at the same time.
To do the work is not for cowards. Throwing your heart and soul into a creative pursuit (regardless of the opinions of others) is brave. Trust yourself. Transform your ideas into action- and do the work.
Matisse was right: “Creativity takes courage.” If you’re scared, do it anyway. Don’t wait for the approval of others. Create for yourself; create for your community. The process will bring you peace, breathe life into your soul, and breed resilience. Courage begets courage.
So, trust God— and yourself— enough to begin.
How about you? How have your creative pursuits required courage? And how has this newfound grit served you in other areas of life?
