THE CREATIVE BLOCK

April 12, 2024 | by admin

iNTRODUCTION

Here’s to YOU, creators! Don’t you sometimes feel like you’ve hit a creative wall and have lost the ability to generate creative output or ideas?

This experience, known as creative block, is common among those who dare to venture into the realm of creativity. Is it simply a matter of fatigue hindering the flow, or is there a more tangible mental barrier at play? Let’s delve into it and break the walls! We are sure this blog will relieve your stress as we introduce you to the reasons for creative block and hacks to overcome it.

Do you know creators like Jackson Pollock and Agnes Martin saw creative blocks as potential launchpads for reinvention? They unwittingly stumbled upon the creative block and gave their style of creativity a fresh direction. Sounds cool, right?

Debunking Creative Block

” I think ‘creative block’ is used for self-affirmation. It is sometimes like, ‘We’re creative, so we get creative block.’ Hardly anyone outside the creative circle would even use the term. And sometimes, let’s be real; we might not even be stuck—just throwing around fancy words.”

Ausaaf Ansari, Senior Designer at Crewtangle, throws a provocative challenge: Is ‘creative block’ just a fancy excuse for fatigue or uninspired slumps?

Some creative folks resonate with his opinion, arguing that creative block is a myth and used as a mere excuse. Let’s see what the science says.

When it comes to adapting to new environments, it’s not us; it’s our brains working behind the scenes. When we find ourselves in a new environment, our brain shifts its focus, directing resources to our emotional centres- ‘Amygdala’. Meanwhile, our prefrontal cortex, responsible for creativity, is temporarily put on hold. This hinders our abilities for creative and higher-order thinking.

Research also holds the brain’s dopamine reward system responsible for creative blocks. Dopamine, the neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward, is the mood-setter here. Engage in creative activities, and dopamine levels spike, letting our creative juices flow. But, and it’s a big but, throw in some negative feedback or criticism, and dopamine takes a nosedive, leaving us with a creativity slump. It’s like, “Not feeling the love, not feeling creative.” Tough crowd, huh?

We’ve delved into the science behind creative block, exploring its potential causes, yet a question lingers: Is creative block truly an external force, or is it a man-made excuse?

Conclusion that flips your mind-

Indeed, external factors like stress, fatigue, and uninspiring environments can hinder creativity. However, dismissing all challenges as ‘creative block’ becomes a convenient excuse for procrastination.

Our brain is a powerhouse of ideas, constantly generating thoughts and processing information. To suddenly claim that it has shut down creativity seems unlikely. Perhaps, then, what we experience as ‘block’ is less about the brain’s capacity and more about our mindset and approach.

Although the people interviewed agreed on the existence of creative block, later, they contradicted their own opinions. And how?

“Oh, I am not like, oh, it’s a creative block; it’s always like arey yar yeh kuch samajh mai nahi aara. But what else will you call something like this.”

Yukta Menghani, the Senior Designer at Crewtangle, made the above statement later in the interview. This suggests that we have been conveniently using creative block as a terminology for being unable to produce any output. She also added, “It is always like, fake it till you make it”. 

Surprisingly, our Social Media Executive, Parth Doshi, revealed during the interview that he was unfamiliar with the term ‘Creative Block.’ Nonetheless, when asked about overcoming obstacles, he shared consistent strategies– stepping out with friends and immersing in music but was never discouraged as he knew a way out. This clearly suggests that we should know how to deal with the root causes.

To conclude, let’s not feel discouraged and doubt our abilities, rather identify the root causes, and overcome them. How? Stay tuned for insights in our upcoming blog!