How creatives can increase their creativity
Creativity is often seen as a mysterious force—an untamed muse that graces us with its presence on some days and seems elusive on others. For musicians, artists, and writers, tapping into this creative flow can feel like chasing powder snow on a winter morning. But just as with powder days, there’s a process to finding your way back to those bursts of inspiration and productivity.
The Powder Day Process is designed to help you unlock your creative potential, move through creative blocks, and create more days where everything just flows. The secret? Celebrating progress, clarifying goals, recognizing challenges, using core values, and taking aligned action.
As Steven Pressfield, author of The War of Art, wisely puts it:
"The most important thing about art is to work. Nothing else matters except sitting down every day and trying."
Here’s how the Powder Day Process can help musicians, artists, and writers sit down every day and find their flow.
1. Celebrate Your Efforts
Start by acknowledging the small wins you’ve made. Whether you wrote a few lines of lyrics, sketched out a new idea, or strummed a few chords, it’s important to recognize progress. Creativity thrives when it’s nurtured, and celebrating what you’ve done feeds that momentum.
Try this: At the end of your creative session, write down three things you’re proud of, no matter how small. This shifts your mindset from scarcity ("I didn’t do enough") to abundance ("I’m moving forward").
2. Identify Your Goals
Creativity without direction can feel scattered. By clarifying your goals—whether it's finishing a song, completing a painting, or drafting a short story—you give your creativity a purpose. What are you working toward today? And what would make your creative day feel successful?
Try this: Before you begin, set an intention. Ask yourself, "What’s the one thing I want to create today?" Keep it simple, and let that focus drive your process.
3. Recognize Challenges
Creative blocks are inevitable. Maybe you’re stuck on a melody, struggling to find the right words, or feeling uninspired by your current project. The key is to see these challenges for what they are: temporary roadblocks, not dead-ends.
Try this: Make a list of the challenges holding you back. For each one, ask, "What would my core values tell me to do?" If curiosity is a core value, maybe it’s about exploring new techniques or stepping into unfamiliar genres to reignite your passion.
4. Create a Values-Based Plan
Values like curiosity, courage, and connection are powerful tools for breaking through creative blocks. When you align your actions with your values, you’re not just working; you’re creating from a place of purpose.
For musicians, this might mean exploring a new sound or collaborating with others. For writers, it might be stepping outside your comfort zone and writing something deeply personal. For artists, it could mean experimenting with a new medium.
Try this: Reflect on your core values. How can you bring them into your creative practice? If courage is a value, maybe today’s the day you share that unfinished track or sketch with someone for feedback.
5. Take Action
Creativity is not just about thinking—it’s about doing. The Powder Day Process encourages taking small, values-aligned actions every day. Remember, the perfect moment to create will never come; you create the perfect moment by starting.
Try this: Set a timer for 30 minutes and create without judgment. Whether you’re working on music, painting, or writing, give yourself permission to create without the pressure of perfection.
By following these five steps, you can harness the power of the Powder Day Process to boost your creativity and break through blocks. Just like a great powder day on the slopes, the best creative days are built on momentum and flow—both of which you can create by staying true to your process.
Remember: Creativity isn’t about waiting for the muse to show up—it’s about showing up and doing the work, day after day. As Steven Pressfield reminds us, "The most important thing about art is to work." When you apply the Powder Day Process, you’re not only doing the work—you’re setting yourself up for more days where everything clicks, and the creative snow is deep, soft, and full of possibility.
