Droughts are not so easy to define or map. They affect some areas more than others, and alongside other contributing factors (changing weather patterns, pollution, war zones, unsustainable forms of agriculture, etc.), they can be a recipe for irreversible disasters. Human history depicts droughts as a sign of great peril, putting at risk entire civilizations when crops no longer grow and there is a water shortage.
There are many ways to mitigate their effects, but efforts are often too isolated and short-lived, especially when the “added interest” grows exponentially. When the extended period of droughts considerably outweighs the rainfall, aridity ensues. The harsh living conditions of drylands (barren, desert-line, rocky) make it nearly impossible for most organisms to survive. So, droughts and scarcity share a very strong bond that is bound to bring environmental and socio-economic distress to a growing world population.
But I believe there’s another profound yet subtle aspect to a drought that people fear most. For businesses, droughts are also periods of little to no creative activity as possibilities grow smaller and fewer. Priorities are more short-term oriented, and thinking narrows down to “making ends meet.” Overcoming droughts require long-term thinking and planning, which is the exact opposite of what they impose on us.
In the creative space, droughts freeze creative processes from ideation to action. Innovation is severely impacted as creative teams struggle to push through. But these droughts are more than what meets the eye. They matter because they are precious periods of pause where you need to replenish your creative soil and prepare for the growth that will come next. During such times you must reflect on the underlying triggers of the creative drought to find new ways of working, new sources of creative power, and strategies to prevent and overcome future dry seasons.
Drought seasons in the creative zone
Droughts bear mental and emotional components that can dry the fabric of the human drive to create. In The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron discusses the metaphor of droughts related to creative productivity as “a rite of passage, an initiation period that, while it pains us also makes us better.” With this view in mind, creatives can be kinder and more tolerant of their temporary state of inactivity.
But don't be too optimistic that everything will return to normal once the drought is over. Another drought may follow shortly. And if your creative source is turning dryer and dryer, the hope that it may become once again a luxuriant jungle is a folly project.
Instead of admitting defeat, the creative mind has much more to do. Creative droughts can be abundant sources of insights that require an open mind and commitment to becoming more resilient. The pursuit of insights shouldn't be forced, rushed, or abruptly interrupted. After all, the pursuit itself is a journey of regeneration and outgrowth.
So, how to better understand creative droughts, and what insights can you extract to cultivate stronger creative skills?
Insight no. 1: Doing less is doing better.
Creative minds need breaks to let go of the expectation of always coming up with brilliant solutions. You can’t always perform at your best, nor should you be. The Industrial Revolution seeded a destructive mentality in terms of working standards. Humans are not machines, nor are they cogs within machines. The goal is to create consistently, not constantly, and certainly not to meet unrealistic quotas.
The quality of creative work increases when the process is looser. Unsustainable practices are harmful at any level of experience and must be managed carefully. High efforts are rarely an indicator of higher productivity or production. Knowing the right conditions that enable creativity is key to healthy and sustainable development. Once you find them, you can better allocate and prioritize resources to sustain creative momentum in the future and evolve beyond your current domain. Failing to do so will lead to working more but achieving less and less.
Insight no. 2: Rest won’t make it rain, but it will prepare you to receive it.
The constant pressure to create is exhausting, especially when the practice is forceful. Overwork, downplaying the importance of wellbeing, or feeling under pressure to deliver in a sprint mode can weigh heavily on creativity. Gradually, creation feels tiresome, the pressure builds up, and the motivation to create dissipates despite the desire to keep going. In the end, nothing comes up except big frustration, casting a huge shadow of doubt about one's ability to be creative.
Creative fatigue requires rest more than anything. These extended periods of frustration when nothing “wants to” happen are extremely painful for creative people. But the more frustration accumulates, the harder it is to discover new ideas. Rain is not a guarantee, but the answer is certainly not pushing the soil even harder with fertilizers or overharvesting. When the rain (the creative flow) comes, it might not be enough to recover from the damage. Even though inspiration might not strike first thing in the morning after a good rest, it will come in its own time if your mind is open to receiving it.
So, before filling up on the 5th cup of coffee, take some time to think about where your energy comes from – the caffeine or your emergency reserves that coffee helps unlock.
Insight no. 3: Co-creation can either build the dam or let the river flow.
Droughts are a symptom that the creative process needs to change. Like nature, creativity requires regenerative practices with the right conditions and time for recovery. Perhaps, a new well must be discovered elsewhere to expand and renew the creative contract to serve a new purpose.
People working together can achieve great things beyond imagination, but what guides co-creation is even more important, and this is where long-term and systemic thinking comes in.
Dam builders make up for the greater number of creatives who know how to regulate a flow and use it to modernize and innovate with the energy they harness from it. What they don’t plan for is the fragility of the resource they rely heavily upon and the potential unintended consequences around it.
The Colorado River problem is a point in case. With its resources mishandled and misused, paired with two decades of continuous drought period, millions of people are now facing long-term dire economic prospects without little hope for the river to ever recover. Dam builders are creatives who fall into a simple trap where the dependency on a resource eventually leads to deprivation. Eventually, that source will no longer be an option for future generations.
Filling the river is not always possible, but co-creation offers a new possibility. A system of streams connecting tributaries to the river ensures that the flow is not disconnected. Nature works like that to prevent vast areas from turning arid. Working this way can give teams more reach and different pools of creative resources. It is important because it creates resourcefulness. Having a purpose aligned to co-creation brings people together to contribute. They will be less likely to take anything for granted, and they can better navigate complexity and understand risks. This way, creativity is used responsibly and flexibly without overexerting it.
It's not easy to create. Sometimes it’s painful, and sometimes it's uplifting –or both. Droughts are fatal and exhaustive, and their effects weigh heavily on everyone. No one thrives in arid zones, but adapting to them can give you the creative drive to fuel your work. Droughts urge for a simple and selfless act to give back to nature or your creative source, even though there’s no guarantee that you will not see immediate improvements. Looking for insights when you experience a creative drought can help you enhance your creative skills and see the world in a different light.
Useful links to learn more:
Link to The Artist’s Way and other resources.
Droughts and Colorado River:
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