Sister Corita Kent‘s 10 Rules for Students and Teachers, made famous by John Cage, states:

RULE EIGHT: Don’t try to create and analyze at the same time. They’re different processes.

This was a revelation to me.

So often when we try to create we judge what we are making before its even had a chance to breathe and grow. I see this all the time with my children, who are too scared to try anything new for feat that they will do it wrong. We all seem to have this tendency to analyse and deconstruct any creative work we are doing at the same time that we are doing it.

To me this rule is a useful reminder to enjoy the creative process more. To be comfortable making mistakes (although according to rule 6 these don’t exist), to play with ideas and see where they take me. I hope that this attitude will allow me to be more confident in sharing what I made without fear of it being judged. I encourage you to do the same.