Too often, creativity is overly romanticized.
It is talked or thought about as being something separate from or in opposition to work.
It is as if we think that what we call work requires effort, consistency, and dedication, but creativity does not.
Creativity, we assume is the result of inspiration alone.
This could not be further from the truth, however.
While there is certainly something magical and mysterious about creativity, it does not simply come to us on its own, at least not consistently.
Like all things worthwhile, creativity requires effort, it demands dedication, and creativity responds best to consistency.
The muse, as it turns out, shows up most reliably when we do the same.
Therefore, if we want to be creative, we should think about creativity like we think about work.
If we want to reap the rewards of a creative lifestyle, we must wake up for our art, we must go to it, and we must give it our time, effort, and attention.
What comes out of us may, at times, feel effortless, magical, and inspired, but what goes into our art, at least if we are serious about it, will most likely feel like work.