One of the best things about writing a blog is that it connects you to new people and new ideas, both of which can have a profound effect on your life. Let me share an example of this with you. Through writing this blog, I had the opportunity to meet and do a Podcast with creative genius Artie Isaac. Through that process, I made a new friend, picked up countless great ideas, and got a renewed interest in exploring and developing my own Creativity.
One of the tips Artie shared with me was something called Morning Pages. This is a concept put forth in the book The Artist’s Way at Work — part of the required reading for Artie’s MBA course on creativity at Ohio State. It is very powerful, very easy, and now a very important part of my day. I share it with you, in hopes that it might help you too.
The concept is simple. Start every day by sitting down and writing 3 notebook pages full of words, longhand. The paper is 8.5 x 11. You use a pen or pencil, and just write. Get your mind working, creating, and moving as very first act of your day. These pages are yours and yours alone. Personally, I rip mine up as soon as I finish them. This exercise is solely about creating. It takes between 20 and 30 minutes depending on the day, and at the end of the process you have created something. Your mind is more clear. Your thoughts are more focused. Your brain has completed a rigorous morning workout, and is now primed for a day of activity.
You can use morning pages to think through challenges, outline concepts, face your inner fears, and talk through your goals and priorities for the day and beyond. Sometimes my 3 pages look like nothing more than a very long-winded to do list. Sometimes, they appear like multiple people debating, as I jot down different perspectives on concepts and ideas in an attempt to think them through more thoroughly. Certain days my 3 pages are filled with big ideas or angry rants, remorseful wishes or random concepts or just what I need to do to be a better dad today. No matter the content, I start every day by creating something. It is the first step I take each morning, and guides all those that follow throughout the course of the day.
As a result of this, I have found myself developing more new ideas, embarking on new challenges, and approaching each day with a new confidence that my creativity can change things small and large in this world. It is empowering.
My deep thanks to Artie Isaac for introducing me to this concept.
The Artist’s Way at Work: The Official Site
Hi Dave,
When I first started freelancing, a friend gave me a copy of a book called “The Right to Write” by Julia Cameron. From there I picked up “The Artist’s Way” (also by Cameron) and have done the Morning Pages off and on for almost 10 years. i find it helps ESPECIALLY when I’m feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or trying to solve a complex problem or figure something out in my life.
The key is just to write, like you said, whatever comes to mind, first thing in the morning.
But here’s the thing: don’t rip up your pages and throw them away. Keep them in a safe place, but go back every once in awhile and skim them. It’s an interesting look at what was happening at a point in your life, and sometimes you can pick up on ideas you had or see how they developed.
NOTE: this is not ‘journaling’ — its a lot more free-flowing and easy. I’ve never liked journaling much — but I can do this. And it helps get things out of my head and on to paper, so I don’t have to carry them all around and have random thoughts interrupt my day. It’s a good way to help yourself focus, and at the same time, be creative.
Yeah, the irony of this exercise is that the tougher things seem to be in life on a particular morning, the easier it is to write 3 pages. It is really an effective way to clear out all of the nonsense, relieve some stress, and get ideas flowing more freely.
This is a great idea that I’m thinking I’ll apply to my classroom. Although my students are required to write each morning, it’s pretty structured. I think a free write might be a better way to wake up brains and get them thinking creatively. Although I’m sure I’ll get some blank looks, and “I don’t know what to write” complaints, it will be interesting to see what they come up with.
Thanks for the idea!
To me, the more you write, the better thought process of brain reflects on the note pages. Initially my thought process was so fast?? that I cannot express things properly and there were lot of gaps on my writing. It was like a baby trying to communicate with the outer world. I am still a small kid trying to express my feelings. I think this davidebowman’s site would help people like us.