Make What You Want to Add to the World
If you've ever said "I can do better" - well, now's your chance.
Make it about you
We all have great ideas, we sometimes just don’t pay attention to them. As an example, think of a time when you experienced something such as watching a movie, listening to a new album, or trying a new menu item. Now think back to a time when you thought to yourself or said out loud “I could have made something better.” Well, now is your chance! The best part about your creativity is you get to do whatever you like and make whatever you want. A good place to start is to make something you’d actually like to use, see, or have. Many people get caught up on making something for someone else, which can be a good starting place, but if you’re thinking about what your creativity can look like, then it makes sense to make it about you. Start small - think about small things you consume where you can see room for improvement. Next, think about what small aspects about it you could change to make it more interesting to you. OR, look at an object that you don't use currently and think about what you could change about it so that you’d actually use it and enjoy it. Start with objects or content you experience every day. Many great inventions happened because someone saw something that could be improved upon (e.g. Edison’s lightbulb). If you set out to make something and create something else instead, that’s perfectly fine - some of history’s greatest inventions were made by accident.
Goldilocks
This strategy works great in all settings. As you go through your day, think about something you use or do but aren’t particularly keen to. Think about ways you could improve it to the point that you’d actually enjoy using it, looking at it, hearing it, etc. The world (or workplace, office, living room, etc.) is your oyster. If the product around you is more oyster than pearl, make a change or set out to improve it. You don’t need to meet anyone else’s expectations other than your own. Modify, tweak, or improve it until you’re excited to use it. It’s like oatmeal. Oatmeal is fine just plain, but it’s what you put into it that makes it great. Most people don’t just make plain oatmeal and say “eh, it’s great exactly how it is now.” Most people add-in their favorite additions, such as brown sugar, butter, fresh fruit, honey, or milk. When I make oatmeal, it’s a process of slowly adding in things until it’s just right. Little by little I add in ingredients until I’m satisfied with it, because life is too short to not enjoy every bite of your oatmeal. I’m Goldilocks when it comes to oatmeal. That same mentality can be applied to creativity to create better experiences with objects and content. Treat things like your bowl of oatmeal and go ahead and add in those blueberries and honey.