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Lesson from John Cleese for writers & creatives
You need a sacred space and time to write.
This was the key learning I took away from John Cleese’s video on creativity.
Cleese’s master’s degree is in science, just like mine.
He’s a creative, just like I am.
He has a long-lasting career in multiple creative fields, just like I do.
No wonder his words resonated with me so much. Here’s what he had to say about creating your own tortoise enclosure.
Cleese says while the exact origin of our ideas remains a mystery, one thing is certain: they don’t come from our laptops.
What’s the source, really?
Our ideas come from our subconscious mind, particularly during restful states like sleep.
I remember when I was leading a life of being perpetually busy, checking off items on my to-do lists, it held back my creative energy. It was similar to splashing a flame with water, diminishing our capacity for creativity and making it difficult to get into a creative mood.
Imagine our creativity as a shy tortoise; to coax it out, we need to create a tranquil oasis that cultivates a conducive environment for creativity.
This involves establishing boundaries so that our tortoise mind can come out to play when we’re in this oasis. We need 2 things:
We need a space where we’re not interrupted.
To prevent interruptions, inform your family and friends (whoever you live with) about your creative space. If you can’t find a space at home, find a quiet spot in a park or library where you won’t be disturbed.
Regaining focus after interruption takes 23 minutes. Based on a study conducted at the University of California, Irvine, the finding is not trivial.
Interruptions are disruptive. The key to getting into a creative state is to avoid them.
Many successful writers swear by a fixed, ‘sacred’ writing schedule, whether it’s 2 hours in the morning or a 90-minute session from 6.30–8PM, and Cleese is also one of those creatives.
You need to set a start and end time for your creative endeavours.
With these boundaries in place, we can truly engage in creative play.
I’ve been writing since I learned how to write; however, I took several breaks over the years.
But, this year, I re-committed to daily writing, inspired by ‘The Artist’s Way,’ which advocates for writing daily morning pages. When I started my journey, I quickly realized I was missing the time and space to write, so I had to create it.
Initially, I tried writing for about 30 minutes just right before work but was often interrupted by emails, phone notifications, and other tasks.
Slowly, in 2–3 months, I discovered a routine that worked: writing first thing in the morning right after waking up & making a pot of coffee, and settling in my living room to write three longhand pages.
Now, nearly a year later, my routine is set:
My workday starts around 9–9.30AM. Luckily, I don’t need to commute, so I leave my tortoise enclosure by the time the world wakes up.
In the past year, I’ve minimized distractions by turning off all app notifications except calls and texts. If someone doesn’t have my phone number, their notifications can wait.
I know my routine doesn’t work for everyone, so figure out what works for you!
If you’re a creative like me, deep down, you probably already know you need a special place and time to let your creativity flow and flourish.
As John Cleese says, our most profound ideas come from our unconscious mind.
Creating a space free from distractions allows us to set boundaries in both space and time, nurturing our creative process. This enables our inner tortoise of creativity to emerge with confidence.
If you don’t have your creative sanctuary yet, create it and watch what happens!