Day 159 – September 13, 2014

As I become more creative this year, I’m learning that creativity requires two different skills. The first part, conception, is the well-known spark of a new idea or the clever combination of two existing ideas. However, creativity is more than a good idea. The second part, execution, is the engineering problem solving and tedious work to transform that new idea into a actualized object. Many think bigger or more fantastically than I do, but I’m pretty good at slogging a vision of a hat into something I wear.

I had lots of time alone as a kid. I painted countless model soldier armies, translated graph paper sketches into hexadecimal codes for computer games, and delivered newspapers every morning, sun or cold. I don’t what pushes me to the finish line, but when I start most projects, I compulsively carry them to closure. I’ve run marathons, driven across the country, studied languages, and kicked myself to move abroad.

My slowest point is starting. I fear the uncertainty ahead and shudder at the tall work mountain, so I delay beginning. Once I ease into the pool, I’m fine churning laps.

If I am the most creative person I know, I ought to know more people.