The Untold Secret to a More Creative Life

As I write this, the 2024 Summer Olympics is taking place in Paris. Arguably, one of the most celebrated events in any Olympics is the Marathon—a race of 26.2 miles through the streets of the host city. It is the ultimate test of endurance; the epitome of running excellence. And, arguably, one of the most celebrated marathon runners of all time is Eliud Kipchoge, age 39, of Kenya. In this year’s edition of the Olympic marathon, Kipchoge is gearing up to do what no runner has ever done: become the only man to secure three gold medals in this most demanding of races.

Source: RUN4FFWPU / Pexels

Kipchoge’s running achievements are beyond compare. He has won 16 of the 20 marathons he has entered, has run four of the 10 fastest marathons in history, and is the only runner to have broken the barrier for the two-hour marathon with a time of 1 hr., 59 min., 40.2 sec. (this is an unofficial record due to the specially prepared conditions). His training is equally impressive. For more than 22 years, he has used a mix of track workouts in combination with long runs through the Kenyan countryside. Most days, he trains both in the morning and afternoon. In all, he runs between 124 and 137 miles a week. That’s an overall average of 18.5 miles a day. Every. Single. Day. For 22 years.

It would be safe to say that his training is a regular habit—something he attends to every day.

Creativity as a Habit

As kids, we were creative dynamos. We built forts to fend off marauding armies, we engaged in imaginary games, and we created monsters, giants, and six-headed aliens from other worlds. Life was full of imagination and wonderful possibilities. We did a lot of daydreaming, played a lot of games, and (at least for one author) sometimes colored outside the lines. Ours was a creative world—a world without limitations or restrictions. Creativity was something we practiced almost every day.

Yet, as adults, we have grown up to be logical thinkers. There’s certainly nothing wrong with that. Except! Except that the innate creativity we had as kids (flying castles in the sky) has slowly eroded, and, by the time we reach adulthood, it is no longer a regular part of our lives—it is less a daily activity and more something we do only occasionally (that major project your boss just assigned). We have not embraced a regular training program to grow or improve our creative potential. That childhood “habit” is now but a memory.

Sir Ken Robinson put this all into perspective when he wrote, “…our education system is draining people of their creative possibilities and…producing a workforce that’s conditioned to prioritize conformity over creativity.” In short, by the time we graduate from high school or college, our innovative capacities are significantly reduced or unceremoniously crushed.

Recently, Dr. Joseph Swope of The Creativity Algorithm podcast asked me how his listeners could inject more creativity into their lives. My response was that creativity, to be effective, must be a regular element of our daily lives. I compared it to the training necessary to run a marathon. To successfully complete the 26.2-mile distance, regular and planned workouts are not only essential, they are an integral part of one’s ultimate achievement in this event. By the same token, our creative success is dependent on our embrace of a regular and systematic “training program” that happens every day. Every. Single. Day.

Winning the (Creativity) Marathon

Running a world-class marathon requires a daily and consistent training program spread over several years. Without that regular day-to-day training, you jeopardize your chances of finishing near the top (or even finishing at all).

It seems safe to say that creativity (just like running) shouldn’t be an isolated event either but, rather, a normal (even daily) part of our regular activities. When done regularly, small creative activities help us build the inspiration and imagination necessary to tackle the large creative challenges in our life and work. By integrating small creative activities into our daily routine—making them a regular habit—we ensure ourselves creative success for any mental marathon.

Perhaps, even a gold medal.