For better creativity, embrace constraints
You might recall the sound that Windows ‘95 made upon booting up.
(If that predates you — you can find it on YouTube.)
The sound was actually composed by musician Brian Eno. In an interview with SFGate, Eno reflected on the challenge of making a single composition that was just 3 ¼ seconds long:
"The idea came up at the time when I was completely bereft of ideas. I'd been working on my own music for a while and was quite lost, actually. And I really appreciated someone coming along and saying, ‘Here's a specific problem -- solve it’.
The thing from the agency said, ‘We want a piece of music that is inspiring, universal, blah- blah, da-da-da, optimistic, futuristic, sentimental, emotional,’ this whole list of adjectives, and then at the bottom it said, ‘and it must be 3 1/4 seconds long.’
I thought this was so funny and an amazing thought to actually try to make a little piece of music. It's like making a tiny little jewel.
In fact, I made 84 pieces. I got completely into this world of tiny, tiny little pieces of music. I was so sensitive to microseconds at the end of this that it really broke a logjam in my own work. Then when I'd finished that and I went back to working with pieces that were like three minutes long, it seemed like oceans of time.”
I love this little story because it reminds me of what’s possible when we work within constraints.
In highschool I became obsessed with writing sonnets, because I found the particular limitations of the form surprisingly conducive to creativity.
Similarly, I’ve found that tight word counts often produce better writing. They force us out of our lazy tendencies and challenge us to say exactly what we mean.
And in some of my workshops, I deliberately challenge participants with writing in short periods of time.
While it can feel a bit uncomfortable at first, it’s ultimately freeing; writing within constraints nudges us out of our typical patterns and preciousness. It shows us what’s possible when we embrace the limitations, rather than resisting them.
If there’s ever been a time to practice working within constraints, it’s now.
I’ll be honest: there have been times in the past year when I’ve felt inspired to adapt and make the best of things. I’ve explored ideas like how to use your story to help others, and even how to do your best work ever.
But there’s also been times when I haven’t: when resistance has taken over and I’ve felt like a toddler stamping their feet. “I don’t want to do things differently! I just want my old life back!”
Fortunately, the more I find ways of connecting with people, the better things get.
For example, I’ve been refreshed and inspired by conducting virtual corporate workshops and participating on panel discussions. These opportunities remind me that storytelling has the power to connect in a deep way. And that coming together — even through a computer screen — can be incredibly uplifting and refreshing.
Our stories are better when we share them.
The constraints are real. But so is the opportunity for connection.