A few days ago I read an interesting and thought-provoking blog on, in the author’s own words, ‘writing, music, painting or any area of expression’. His advice to any aspiring artist is, ‘Do it daily’. Though it is a fact we know very well, yet it pays to read, hear, and feel it often so that it carves itself into our brain, and emanates out of our fingertips. Whether the inspiration is in the air or not, one has to take up his pen, write, sketch, do whatever it takes to do it. Every day.

One of the first hurdles that an artist has to cross is one that he himself creates. To all outward appearances, he is an artist who loves to pursue his art. To the world, he is yearning to be set free, to begin his conversations with his muse. He alone knows that he is in a battle with his mind and body, that constantly conspire against him.

Creativity, like anything else, needs to be nurtured. Left to itself without any fuel, it tends to glow lesser and lesser, and die out. I often hear people talking about this great idea they have for making a movie, or a theme for a novel or short story. For that matter, there are some who start a blog and never get beyond the second post. Every time I hear them, I barely manage to stop short of asking, “Why don’t you go ahead and do it, instead of going on and on about it??” The theory is simple: If you can’t create it, show it or play it, it does not exist.

There are times when Inspiration comes seeking you. And, there are times when you need to go hunting for it. In either case, you should be at your desk, your canvas, your piano, or your working board, ready to receive it and convert it, to make it your own. If creativity wakes you up at midnight, get up and create.

When a child first learns violin, eager to play music the way he has heard the masters do, he will get disconcerted at the croaking sound when his bow comes in contact with the strings. He finds out that however hard he tries, he cannot make a sound even remotely similar to the Sa Re Ga Ma his teacher is trying to explain to him, let alone the sweet music he yearns to produce. If he keeps at it, ignoring the disappointment that emerges at every juncture, he may or may not become a master. But if he gives up at that point, it is certain that he can never reach anywhere close to the summit of his dreams.

When creativity expects appreciation from others, it often falls short of perfection. Creativity for one’s own satisfaction, in my opinion, extracts more perfection that when done to please the world.

Rejection is the stepping stone to success. There is no art that is perfect from birth. There will always be layers underneath that have gone into making the end product a masterpiece. One should not take a rejection or a bad comment too seriously or let go of his talent because of them. It is easy to be affected by an unkind opinion of your work – after all, you have put hours into it, whereas the person who gives the criticism may take but three minutes to pass the verdict, and then forget all about it. Give yourself due time to get over the disappointment and get back to work; if possible try to find an area of improvement that provoked the negative comment.

Creativity involves continuous learning – one can always learn from oneself, and from others. There is no stage when you’ve finished learning and are ready to start working. Learning, creating, improving, all go hand in hand. Keep polishing numerous times – mercilessly and relentlessly – till it gleams.

To quote Swami Vivekananda, “No good thing can be done without obstruction. It is only those who persevere to the end that succeed.”