THE BOXES OF CREATIVITY: embracing boundaries & limitations

“I don’t like to be put in a box.” I’m sure you have either heard this phrase or have said it, thinking you are presenting yourself as an aesthetic nomad who exudes mystery.

“I don’t care for labels” is another one that might accompany a person afraid of the responsibilities of just that: a label.

Creatives often complain about being put in a box as if they are a free-flowing spirit-god moving across the surface of the Earth conjuring creativity from nothing.

Sorry to burst your omnipotent bubble but… we all live in a box or two. The key is to construct your own box and make those boundaries and limitations work for you instead of hinder you.

One of my boxes is that of a brand designer.

Over the years I’ve leaned into what makes me unique but have also adapted to what makes a great brand designer. Brand designers must adhere and adapt to a deadline, a budget, an audience, and even the critique of making something “pop.” By doing this I’ve had to introduce systems that I can rely on to guide me in the right direction and clear the fog of doubt when I begin a project.

This box pays my bills and keeps me fed.

Another box of mine is that of a writer.

This box began to take form with a personal journal. It grew into a monthly newsletter and is now a weekly Medium article. Each of those outlets have their own systems in place to ensure that I actually finish what I start and hit “Publish.” Within that system I can be as creative as I want.

When I’m in this box I must adhere to readers’ attention spans, readers’ interests, sentence structure, story structure. In fact, the more restrictions, the more I find my creativity really putting in the work.

All of these walls and adornments within this box help me to be more creative with how I write and present information through written word.

This box keeps me disciplined and creative.

Whether you are multi-talented or hyper-focused on one skill, playing within your given box is what I would call “creativity.” Exploring every possibility within those boundaries is a character trait of the art and design masters. They take all of the rules and bend them so much that once they break, it makes sense.

Ultimately, the only true restrictions of any box are those created by your own limited perception of that box.

If you hate being labeled “a fine artist,” you must have a limited view of what a fine artist can be. If you hate being labeled “an illustrator” because you do so much more, then accept the title and deliver beyond expectations.

Since when did we need the title beneath our name to encompass everything we are and do? Instead, if we embrace the boundaries and limitations of our label and explore every possibility within it, we might even find a new definition of “Creative.”