I’m an early riser. I typically get up at 5 in the morning and hit the ground running (literally). Alarm goes off, I strap on my shoes and I’m out the door. It’s a ritual I enjoy because it not only keeps me healthy, but gets my mind flowing. As a leader I want my creativity at a high level.
You don’t have to be a runner or an early riser to be creative. But, if you want to be successful in ministry you need to be able to think outside of the box. A creative leader is someone who can:
While some of us are naturally creative it still takes work to use it. If you want to increase your creativity you need to designate time to dreaming, learning and thinking outside of the box.
What do you do with time? Here are three exercises that work for me:
I have a giant whiteboard in my office that I like to doodle on. In the afternoons I’ll put on my headphones, listen to some music (Right now I listen to a lot of Imagine Dragons and Needtobreathe) and I write out different models, procedures and systems for youth ministry.
If I’m not at my whiteboard I have a regular notepad with pens. Some of the ideas that I write down I use and others just go away. It’s a way I process between good ideas and bad ones. Having a blank canvas allows me to break through the limitations I sometimes feel when it comes to dreaming.
I never planned on getting a Fitbit, but for Father’s Day last year I got one and I could not be more pleased. While it helps me track my health it’s also been a good reminder that I need to get out from behind a desk to get the mind going.
If I’m not running, I’m walking around my church campus, visiting people in their offices or taking in a beautiful day. The endorphins released take away the stress that sometimes accumulates from staring at the screen.
I’ve found that on days where I’m going more than 10,000 steps are days that I’m at my creative best. While physical health is a side benefit it’s the change of scenery and reduced stress that keeps my creativity at it’s peak.
While being active is key, so is being still. While listening to music, a podcast or reading a book gives me great ideas, it’s those moments I sit still in silence where ideas really get cooking.
Quiet, meditative prayer is my usual go to. That’s when I’m doing less of the talking and just listening to what God is saying in my life. I’ll admit it can be challenging at first, because I feel unproductive; however, when I’m done I’m even more energized than before.
It’s in those still moments when our minds begin to really think differently. It can be a little jarring, but if you give it time it’ll give you the capacity you need to think differently.
A huge part of leadership is the creative process. Not only will it help you keep up with the change happening around you, but give you the ability to cast a bigger vision making you a leader worth following.
What are some habits or exercises that help you with the creative process?