A Creative Breakthrough Lies Just Beyond This

Trust the process. Even in the in-between time. Even when you can’t see the finish line.

After the success of their 1997 album, “OK Computer,” British rock band Radiohead faced immense pressure to produce another landmark effort.

Lead singer and songwriter Thom Yorke was burnt out from the intense tour and promotional schedule they had been keeping.

But critics and fans wanted more. More melodic rock. More angsty lyrics. More of the same. They wanted OK Computer, Vol. 2. Imitators of the Radiohead sound were starting to sprout up. Other bands, such as Coldplay, would go on to build huge careers making their own versions of OK Computer, Vol. 2.

But instead of doing the expected, Radiohead released Kid A, a surprising, confusing and divisive album that took the band in a starkly different direction.

Don't Box-In Your Creative Process

The creative process is anything but obvious—a truth that the outside world can never truly understand. The daily struggle. The adrenaline. The second-guessing. The blood, sweat, and joy.

The myth of the genius artist and the flash of insight is just that, a myth.

It’s only part of the story.

As a creator, you know that the creative process is never just one thing. It’s never just insight, or just hard work. The creative process is made up of intervals, like breathing in and out.

Creative ProcessMark SamplesMarch 4, 2024creative process, creativity insights, Winston Churchill, Rick Rubin, genius artist myth, creative journey

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