Pressure Makes Diamonds: Creativity Extracted

Necessity is the mother of all invention. It’s a weird little paradox that the biggest budget doesn’t always mean the best result. Pressure makes Diamonds.

Limited resources mean creativity is required.

Whether you are short on cash, head space or time. Limited resources mean that creativity is required.

Yes, there are times when you need to throw a bit more money at a project to speed up the result or to clear a little headspace. Perhaps you want to invest in an expansion or take advantage of a good price from a supplier with a long-term strategy in mind. There are certainly instances where a little extra cash allows you to fast track your plans.

Limited headspace is a thing. A real thing. What a luxury to have the time and mental RAM to process your thoughts without interruption. Our time is fractured. That is the reality of a digital world. We’re accessible at all times of the day, expected to keep an eye our digital presences constantly.

Although it is actually practicing a discipline, immersing oneself in deep concentration feels more akin to a grand indulgence.

Relentlessly being smacked in the face with a thousand requests; constantly holding many balls in the air. It is inevitable that while engaging in prolonged concentration, some requests will go unanswered and some balls will fall the floor.

And in this budget, headspace and time poor state, one is expected to perform. Creativity is survival.

Emotional resistance and giving in to the process.

Have you ever had to pull off a project or event on a modest budget? An example that springs to mind is a Secret Santa gift with a compulsory price limitation. Have you noticed how a strong desire for a good result combined with a low budget forces you to think pretty hard and get creative?

Some of my favorite results were created from times when I had to make a plan on a shoestring. And why? Because it required so much of my own skill and style to pull it off.

You may have uncomfortable thoughts or feelings around giving yourself, your work team or your family a strict budget to pull off a project.

It requires a mind shift to decide that you can still perform. It requires changing a gear to replace resources with elbow grease and mental energy. It requires skill to filter the noise to make space for the ideas and development to emerge.

Digging Deep – Pressure Makes Diamonds

Yes, you are asking yourself and those helping you to dig a little deeper.

Deeper is where the treasure lies.

When you replace budget with extra creativity, the result is likely to be more characterful and unique. In general, sticking to your budget is good for the bottom line so it’s good practice anyway.

Although becoming a hermit occasionally is necessary and therapeutic, in reality we have little choice but to function with very fractured focus. Systems, tools and planning. We have to adapt and carve out headspace and time.

The pressure cooker of running under circumstances that are not ideal can result in great ideas, creativity and the continued development of an original identity.

Pressure makes diamonds.

Satisfaction after extraction

Creativity under pressure is about extracting diamonds you didn’t know you had.

Extractions are not generally comfortable whether it be an idea or a tooth. They go hand in hand with external pressure, resistance and discomfort.

The richness of the result will be ever more sweet after delving into the depths of your creative center: scratching around for the winning idea to cut and polish it into reality.

Ah, to muse without pressure!

Pressure makes diamonds, it’s true. It would, however, be too lovely if the pressure lifted sometimes. It would be so nice to never again be called resilient. To muse indulgently without guilt, such luxury. There will be a season for that.

So keep the budget lean with intention. Guard your headspace to keep room for your genius to stretch around.

Happy digging friends!