Jonathan Paul Music » John Braheny http://jonathanpaulmusic.com/blog Fri, 17 Sep 2010 06:50:04 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Keep Playing – Watercooler Wednesdays http://jonathanpaulmusic.com/blog/2008/05/keep-playing-watercooler-wednesdays/ http://jonathanpaulmusic.com/blog/2008/05/keep-playing-watercooler-wednesdays/#comments Wed, 28 May 2008 04:27:06 +0000 Jonathan http://jonathanpaulmusic.com/blog/?p=80 Continue reading →]]> I’ve been reading some good books on songwriting lately. The Craft and Business of Songwriting by John Braheny states, “In order to operate at peak performance during the creative process, you should be motivated internally by the spirit of play and exploration and forget about what anybody else might think. You’ll have plenty of time to worry about others’ opinions later.”

Thanks for this image go to tijmen at sxc.hu

I have to agree, and it seems that this truth applies equally to almost any creative pursuit. We should be careful to guard against motives that distract us and keep our hearts from enjoying the process of creation. If we start to work from other motivations, we can short-circuit our creative mind. Enjoyment in the process helps improve the outcome, helps intensify our creative abilities. Of course, there are later parts of the creative process that require discipline as well, but if we do not allow ourselves to play for the enjoyment of the creation, we could limit ourselves and stifle our work.

Come to think of it, keeping an attitude of play is important for many areas of life, or perhaps all of them. :o )

What are some of the creative pursuits you enjoy? Are you able to keep a playful focus for your initial efforts? Any tips for the rest of us on how that works best for you? Also, if you’d like to check out some other great posts on arts and culture, head on over to Watercooler Wednesdays on Randy Elrod’s blog.

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