just wanted to say that i appreciate how much better the team has gotten in putting resources in the description. There was a time about 1-2 years ago when adam mentioned something and even specifically called out that it will be linked in the description, where you could count on nothing being linked in the description. And i noticed that ya'll have gotten really consistent with actually linking everything. To the point where even small side mentions will fairly reliably be linked now. Good job 👍
I'm a painter and when I'm just not feeling it I go into my workspace and clean it. Half of the time it works to get the creative juices flowing and the other half I let it go because the next time I go into that space it will be nice and clean which will absolutely help put me into a creative mood.
Oh jeez, that pressure knowing time is ticking away and you'll never get it back. It's probably unhealthy, but it both motivates basically everything I do, and it makes me feel bad when I take a break and don't get things done. Being acutely aware of time as your most precious and non-renewable resource is both a blessing and a curse.
When I have bench time, and I am not feeling creative, I just hang out and clean. Organize. Just putter around. Sure, it doesn't seem very productive, but just the fact that I am putting my hands on my tools and projects helps me feel at piece. A lot of times I end up doing stuff I've been meaning to do for a while. Clearing that mental load helps allow the creativity back in.
But in reality, you expedited the creative process later. Having things clean and organized mean less time wasted when that creativity strikes as everything is where it should be.
Thank you so much. The balance between wanting to be creative and being creative is something I have difficulty with. And I almost always put things off! ‘25 will do better. Thanks Adam for all you do
I think it's important to have a mix of different kinds of creative work you're doing. I always want to be the state where I have something with deadlines, or a regular schedule, but also have creative work that's just for me. If I'm struggling with one, I switch to the other. It's important to have deadlines, but it's more important that you have stuff to do just for yourself, to keep the joy in your creations. When I'm not feeling it for drawing, but I want to get something done, I'll fill that time with the "busywork" mechanical sections of half finished projects, or script a new comic, or spend some time browsing references that I could use later, or I'll review my notebook of unused ideas to see if something piques my interest. Sometimes though, if I'm really not feeling it, the best thing I can do is switch off, play a videogame or read a book or go for a walk... and then be ready to jump back into it if and when my mood changes.
I'm the one who asked the question, and the advice of self-forgiveness is accurate, but I have no idea how to do it. I have been a writer most my life, I was an actor, and I like to think I'm creative. It's hard to live up to the potential of the creative process and - not fulfill - but feed the creative process. I would not trade my all-consuming passion for making something that didn't exist before, but I wish I could see more of the beauty and less of the flaws I created. The passion is fueled by my consuming passion, and sometimes the tank is empty.
@@brianbaker2455 Understand that you are human, you will make mistakes because nobody is perfect. Who made you think you have to be perfect? Where does this belief come from?
As someone who’s a Artisan here in Puerto Rico, I completely understand what he’s talking about. The constant pressure to push yourself to be creative can hinder the creativity. It’s okay to unwind from it. My hobbies of GUNPLA/LEGO building, or sitting down and playing video games, help me release that creative stress. You have to, so the creativity can be flexible and be free, rather than being a burden…
I hate the attitude that artists can't do normal things like watch a movie or play video games if they want to succeed in their craft, for the love of Pete we need to decompress, too!!!!
Every maker in the world needs to hear this. It is real... true and genius. Thank you Adam for your wisdom and your acknowledgment of the process of creation and doubt. I would hug you if I could my brother from another mother. 😊
6:30 I love this, that your first question in a new subject matter is you bringing your perspective to it. It's something I've never considered before, but in hindsight it's so obvious. Because, we all bring our histories and experiences into whatever we're working on, but I've never thought before that that could also manifest as a simple question. It's that crack in the door that lets you get a foot in. That's something I'll be carrying with me.
Sunday mornings with Adam and coffee are so good for my mental health - a friend’s voice giving sage wisdom! Filling the gap (sort of) that I’ve been missing since we lost Stuart McLean and the Vinyl Cafe. Different subject matter, same relationship 🇨🇦❤️🎄 Now to listen to Dave Cook’s the Turkey… Merry Christmas!
Adam, your ability to articulate the feelings I feel about my overriding need to constantly create, use the talents I have been gifted and the skills I've developed and the obsession with squeezing productivity out of every spare moment is quite remarkable. Thank you
“Clear the Mechanism” - one of my favorite movies. Umpired for over a decade (no small fields) and had the privilege of calling a No-No at a 9 inning HS Varsity game that was the final game of the season. As a creative professional and a maker for the last 2+ decades. You just have to trust that it will come. Step away, do something else, and come back when your mind is in the right place and never ever doubt your skills.
Dude... I absolutely feel you with regards to spending time with your family and spending time in your mancave. Despite our urges, family time optimization is the most valuable investment we can make. Keep up the good work. Love and good will to you and your family bro.
Creativity comes in waves for me, sometimes I have absolutely no urge to record new music or draw something, other times it feels like I'm about to forget the cure to world hunger if I don't get my ideas on paper asap.
I was watching another video about a girl talking about how the human brain can snatch failure from the biggest of successes. "oh I built X!" or "I fixed Y!" then your brain goes "why did it take you 3 tries? why did you take a week to think of it? why was Y broken in the first place?" or the worst: the vague "oh I could have done that better" and I was like OMG not only do I do that every day, I do that every 15 minutes!!
Occasionally there are times when you just don't feel like doing anything and it's okay, there's nothing wrong with that because everyone needs some time to decompress and get their thoughts together. I know they say "a rolling stone gathers no moss" but they never mention that the constantly rolling of that stone can slowly wear away because it doesn't have the opportunity to rest
Man I needed to here this. I’m detailing a ‘76 MGB at the moment and have felt guilty for not being able to put in the work I expect of myself. My garage is my relief and I needed that reminder.
Your comments about the guilt from not being creative really hit home for me. I'm bi-polar, and guilt is a real problem a lot ... no .... Most of the time. Such false thoughts don't help. Good to know I'm not alone in that. Guilt is a mind-trip from our childhood programming ................... Okay, I just made that up. Not sure how well I could defend that statement. LOL
Talk about exactly what I needed. I'm an Aerospace Engineer coming back after a huge cancer scare and glad as I am to be working again, there are still so many pieces of me missing I need to get back before I can solo anything big.
As an author, there's a push by some to, "write everyday". I don't. I'd rather spend 3 hours of really great writing, than 10 hours writing crap that's going to be needing major revision or deleted. I also rely on my subconscious to do a lot of work in the background while I'm doing other things that aren't creative. Today, I'm tie dying and might get to reviewing another chapter before I send it off my editor.
Of all the amazing and surprising things I have learned from you, I don't think anything comes close to discovering, over three decades later, that 'For the Love of the Game' is a Sam Raimi movie. WHAT?!?!?!!? WHAAAAAAAAT?!?!?!?!!?! No wonder I liked it.
Sit in the club chair, listen to music and let your mind work. As an ADHD'er working includes sitting and thinking. Let our brains crank because once we figure it out our hyper focus will take over and get it done in less time.
As someone who loves to work on projects but sometimes there are days where I have a sudden lack of creativity, I usually take those days as "rest days" to relax my mind as I usually have my nose to the grindstone for hours upon hours , when iam in my creative state , I also suffer from option anxiety so shopping for components can be stressful.
When people talk about jet lag i just laugh. I've been working graveyard shift half the week, switching back to day shift the other half of the week for 28 years. I am in a perpetual state of jet lag
I've had the same feeling when drawing. Sadly, I haven't drawn regularly in years due to a lack of space to do it properly. I did take a workshop in sculpture, something I wanted to do for years, and I definitely felt the bug crawl back out...
Yep. I have to forgive myself for not being able to measure up to my own unrealistic expectations. For a break today, I’m going to the local flea market for inspiration. Merry Christmas, Adam. From a fellow transplanted New Yorker. 😎👍
I have mixed feelings on creativity. I don't operate dangerous equipment (depending on how you view a keyboard) so I often will push myself to work on projects even when I'm not feeling it. My productivity is noticeably worse, but I do usually make progress that I don't regret having made. It's not lower quality, just lower quantity.
(a little bit of my nonsense thoughts on approaching a new subject in homage form of R. Feynman, R. Dahl, and Douglas Adams) The challenge is that you want to learn what you know that you do not know, but since you do not know it, you know nothing to relate it to in the knowledge you now possess. For what others know cannot simply be added to what you know since there is no union between their knowing and your knowing; and ergo, they can explain it to you but cannot know it for you. Your knowledge begins with your perceptions, so everything you know is particular to you through your knowledge and cannot be perceived from others knowledge. Instead, through reading and discussion it must be knowingly explained to you the things you already knew you knew but make it appear new instead of how you formerly knew it by placing it in a new context. In so doing you will now know something new and can relate it to what you previously knew so that you know now that you are personally and truly gained new knowledge.
I was gona say shop maintenance when I get stuck on things. I find myself doing challenges to keep it interesting. That sort of thing. Have a great day. Love the videos
I did a brake caliper on my truck after the hot tub and I was messing with the old one I knew I had no reason to be messing with it and I punched the ground my pinky knuckle was so torn and the weather was getting cooler so the AC wasn't on inside and after reaching up to the ceiling fan I passed out lol my finger literally didn't even bleed a single drop but I busted my lip open woke up spitting blood passing out was worse than the original injury
Those days when I can’t get anything meaningful done I clean and do inventory. Can be done with the brain mostly turned off. And there’s always cleaning to be done.
Adam Question: IF.. you HAD to move the Cave & your home out of SF, where would you look to move to? In a new hypothetical location, would you expand or downsize the cave?
Good ethos to have, figured I would have plenty of time. Then 2 1/2 years ago my world got turned sideways and I lost my stability and endurance and strength.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.I've been having a hard time since the Orange Himmler's re-election. I woke up this morning and decided the World is a beautiful place regardless.
the word "secore" ? eng , fra spanish? I understand from the context the vibe, meaning of it but havent heard it myself before, Used youtube sudtitles to get that spelling,
outside of filling out medical papers i havent really picked up a pen to ply my craft since my companion was slain in 2017, havent really been able to get out of the funk of losing her. going to watch this and see if adam's advice helps [used to write stories nearly daily when i was younger]
just wanted to say that i appreciate how much better the team has gotten in putting resources in the description. There was a time about 1-2 years ago when adam mentioned something and even specifically called out that it will be linked in the description, where you could count on nothing being linked in the description. And i noticed that ya'll have gotten really consistent with actually linking everything. To the point where even small side mentions will fairly reliably be linked now.
Good job 👍
I'm a painter and when I'm just not feeling it I go into my workspace and clean it. Half of the time it works to get the creative juices flowing and the other half I let it go because the next time I go into that space it will be nice and clean which will absolutely help put me into a creative mood.
Oh jeez, that pressure knowing time is ticking away and you'll never get it back. It's probably unhealthy, but it both motivates basically everything I do, and it makes me feel bad when I take a break and don't get things done. Being acutely aware of time as your most precious and non-renewable resource is both a blessing and a curse.
I get you, time keeps moving at the same rate, no matter what you do. It's simultaneously comforting and terrifying.
When I have bench time, and I am not feeling creative, I just hang out and clean. Organize.
Just putter around.
Sure, it doesn't seem very productive, but just the fact that I am putting my hands on my tools and projects helps me feel at piece. A lot of times I end up doing stuff I've been meaning to do for a while. Clearing that mental load helps allow the creativity back in.
But in reality, you expedited the creative process later. Having things clean and organized mean less time wasted when that creativity strikes as everything is where it should be.
@@MattWeber Exactly!
Both physically and mentally.
It's crazy how much all those little 'back of the mind' to-do things weigh one down.
"Clear the mechanism."
Was a very important line for me growing up gotta get in the right head space
Thank you so much. The balance between wanting to be creative and being creative is something I have difficulty with. And I almost always put things off! ‘25 will do better. Thanks Adam for all you do
I think it's important to have a mix of different kinds of creative work you're doing. I always want to be the state where I have something with deadlines, or a regular schedule, but also have creative work that's just for me. If I'm struggling with one, I switch to the other. It's important to have deadlines, but it's more important that you have stuff to do just for yourself, to keep the joy in your creations.
When I'm not feeling it for drawing, but I want to get something done, I'll fill that time with the "busywork" mechanical sections of half finished projects, or script a new comic, or spend some time browsing references that I could use later, or I'll review my notebook of unused ideas to see if something piques my interest.
Sometimes though, if I'm really not feeling it, the best thing I can do is switch off, play a videogame or read a book or go for a walk... and then be ready to jump back into it if and when my mood changes.
This. Sometimes my best work gets done when I’m using it to “procrastinate” a different project 😊
I'm the one who asked the question, and the advice of self-forgiveness is accurate, but I have no idea how to do it. I have been a writer most my life, I was an actor, and I like to think I'm creative. It's hard to live up to the potential of the creative process and - not fulfill - but feed the creative process.
I would not trade my all-consuming passion for making something that didn't exist before, but I wish I could see more of the beauty and less of the flaws I created.
The passion is fueled by my consuming passion, and sometimes the tank is empty.
Are you obsessed with perfection?
@ayyubmoghul very much. At least, I always think I could have done it better.
@@brianbaker2455 Understand that you are human, you will make mistakes because nobody is perfect. Who made you think you have to be perfect? Where does this belief come from?
As someone who’s a Artisan here in Puerto Rico, I completely understand what he’s talking about. The constant pressure to push yourself to be creative can hinder the creativity. It’s okay to unwind from it. My hobbies of GUNPLA/LEGO building, or sitting down and playing video games, help me release that creative stress. You have to, so the creativity can be flexible and be free, rather than being a burden…
I hate the attitude that artists can't do normal things like watch a movie or play video games if they want to succeed in their craft, for the love of Pete we need to decompress, too!!!!
When you work a regular job,you have to take what they call a mental health day just keep your head on straight.
Every maker in the world needs to hear this. It is real... true and genius. Thank you Adam for your wisdom and your acknowledgment of the process of creation and doubt. I would hug you if I could my brother from another mother. 😊
Merry Christmas Adam to you, the family, and the family at the cave. Stay safe in the New Year.
May God grant you many more years, Adam.
6:30 I love this, that your first question in a new subject matter is you bringing your perspective to it. It's something I've never considered before, but in hindsight it's so obvious. Because, we all bring our histories and experiences into whatever we're working on, but I've never thought before that that could also manifest as a simple question. It's that crack in the door that lets you get a foot in. That's something I'll be carrying with me.
Sunday mornings with Adam and coffee are so good for my mental health - a friend’s voice giving sage wisdom! Filling the gap (sort of) that I’ve been missing since we lost Stuart McLean and the Vinyl Cafe. Different subject matter, same relationship 🇨🇦❤️🎄 Now to listen to Dave Cook’s the Turkey… Merry Christmas!
Adam, your ability to articulate the feelings I feel about my overriding need to constantly create, use the talents I have been gifted and the skills I've developed and the obsession with squeezing productivity out of every spare moment is quite remarkable. Thank you
“Clear the Mechanism” - one of my favorite movies. Umpired for over a decade (no small fields) and had the privilege of calling a No-No at a 9 inning HS Varsity game that was the final game of the season.
As a creative professional and a maker for the last 2+ decades. You just have to trust that it will come. Step away, do something else, and come back when your mind is in the right place and never ever doubt your skills.
Dude... I absolutely feel you with regards to spending time with your family and spending time in your mancave. Despite our urges, family time optimization is the most valuable investment we can make. Keep up the good work. Love and good will to you and your family bro.
“Read and read and read” is a great go to. Love that.
Creativity comes in waves for me, sometimes I have absolutely no urge to record new music or draw something, other times it feels like I'm about to forget the cure to world hunger if I don't get my ideas on paper asap.
I recognize the incredible amount of emotion that you underwent, while recording this video. The passion is real. I felt it, as well.
I was watching another video about a girl talking about how the human brain can snatch failure from the biggest of successes. "oh I built X!" or "I fixed Y!" then your brain goes "why did it take you 3 tries? why did you take a week to think of it? why was Y broken in the first place?" or the worst: the vague "oh I could have done that better" and I was like OMG not only do I do that every day, I do that every 15 minutes!!
Occasionally there are times when you just don't feel like doing anything and it's okay, there's nothing wrong with that because everyone needs some time to decompress and get their thoughts together.
I know they say "a rolling stone gathers no moss"
but they never mention that the constantly rolling of that stone can slowly wear away because it doesn't have the opportunity to rest
Man I needed to here this. I’m detailing a ‘76 MGB at the moment and have felt guilty for not being able to put in the work I expect of myself. My garage is my relief and I needed that reminder.
Thank you, this feeling you describe is so relatable and you rarely come across such honest and down to earth breakdown of it.
Your comments about the guilt from not being creative really hit home for me. I'm bi-polar, and guilt is a real problem a lot ... no .... Most of the time. Such false thoughts don't help. Good to know I'm not alone in that.
Guilt is a mind-trip from our childhood programming ................... Okay, I just made that up. Not sure how well I could defend that statement. LOL
Talk about exactly what I needed.
I'm an Aerospace Engineer coming back after a huge cancer scare and glad as I am to be working again, there are still so many pieces of me missing I need to get back before I can solo anything big.
As an author, there's a push by some to, "write everyday". I don't. I'd rather spend 3 hours of really great writing, than 10 hours writing crap that's going to be needing major revision or deleted. I also rely on my subconscious to do a lot of work in the background while I'm doing other things that aren't creative. Today, I'm tie dying and might get to reviewing another chapter before I send it off my editor.
4:00 it’s so refreshing to hear this
sweep or do some cleaning in shop when not feeling it.
Of all the amazing and surprising things I have learned from you, I don't think anything comes close to discovering, over three decades later, that 'For the Love of the Game' is a Sam Raimi movie. WHAT?!?!?!!? WHAAAAAAAAT?!?!?!?!!?!
No wonder I liked it.
I struggle with the same pressure to create that you describe and it is so reassuring to hear you say this! Wonderful advice!
When I'm not feeling creative I don't take my meds for a bit and let the hallucinations sink in.
Sit in the club chair, listen to music and let your mind work. As an ADHD'er working includes sitting and thinking. Let our brains crank because once we figure it out our hyper focus will take over and get it done in less time.
I bet savage could build a killer forge setup.
oddball here that barely suffers from jet lag, quite handy when I traveled around our tiny blue dot
Sometimes you just have to "Cool the engines." Words of wisdom from the band Boston.
As someone who loves to work on projects but sometimes there are days where I have a sudden lack of creativity, I usually take those days as "rest days" to relax my mind as I usually have my nose to the grindstone for hours upon hours , when iam in my creative state , I also suffer from option anxiety so shopping for components can be stressful.
When people talk about jet lag i just laugh. I've been working graveyard shift half the week, switching back to day shift the other half of the week for 28 years.
I am in a perpetual state of jet lag
I love that you dont read from a script im glad i got to grow up watching you guys on myth busters
I've had the same feeling when drawing. Sadly, I haven't drawn regularly in years due to a lack of space to do it properly.
I did take a workshop in sculpture, something I wanted to do for years, and I definitely felt the bug crawl back out...
Yep. I have to forgive myself for not being able to measure up to my own unrealistic expectations. For a break today, I’m going to the local flea market for inspiration. Merry Christmas, Adam. From a fellow transplanted New Yorker. 😎👍
I have mixed feelings on creativity. I don't operate dangerous equipment (depending on how you view a keyboard) so I often will push myself to work on projects even when I'm not feeling it. My productivity is noticeably worse, but I do usually make progress that I don't regret having made. It's not lower quality, just lower quantity.
I read a book, listen to music, go for a walk with the dog or alone...anything to take a break.
Just took over a machine shop and the biggest challenge is myself. Thank you for sharing the insights
I’m hoping that friendquaintance is Alec Steele 😸 he fits onto the Adam shaped hole in my brain, for enthusiasm and approach
It is not, but Alex is great!
(a little bit of my nonsense thoughts on approaching a new subject in homage form of R. Feynman, R. Dahl, and Douglas Adams)
The challenge is that you want to learn what you know that you do not know, but since you do not know it, you know nothing to relate it to in the knowledge you now possess. For what others know cannot simply be added to what you know since there is no union between their knowing and your knowing; and ergo, they can explain it to you but cannot know it for you. Your knowledge begins with your perceptions, so everything you know is particular to you through your knowledge and cannot be perceived from others knowledge. Instead, through reading and discussion it must be knowingly explained to you the things you already knew you knew but make it appear new instead of how you formerly knew it by placing it in a new context. In so doing you will now know something new and can relate it to what you previously knew so that you know now that you are personally and truly gained new knowledge.
If Adam is taking recommendations?
Nightshift mini.
The guy some amazing dioramas and really does amazing paint jobs.
Thanks for the recommendation!
I was gona say shop maintenance when I get stuck on things. I find myself doing challenges to keep it interesting. That sort of thing. Have a great day. Love the videos
For Blacksmithing, I can't say enough about Alec Steele. Look him up, total riot.
I'm looking forward to seeing the videos that come out of the Australia trip.
I needed this. Thank you Adam.
Thank you, Adam.
I did a brake caliper on my truck after the hot tub and I was messing with the old one I knew I had no reason to be messing with it and I punched the ground my pinky knuckle was so torn and the weather was getting cooler so the AC wasn't on inside and after reaching up to the ceiling fan I passed out lol my finger literally didn't even bleed a single drop but I busted my lip open woke up spitting blood passing out was worse than the original injury
Those days when I can’t get anything meaningful done I clean and do inventory. Can be done with the brain mostly turned off. And there’s always cleaning to be done.
this hits home so hard, man
I’m a writer and I can relate to the feeling of being unable to perform my craft
Oh man, do I smell an Adam Savage/Alex Steele Blacksmithing series coming?!
Ah, no, sorry!
@@tested Awwwww
I haven’t been able to get into a creative mood all year and it’s been stressful.
Sometimes you just gotta write things down got too much going on or have some type of fogginess or just draw something you want to see
For Love of the Game is one of my favorite movies.
Adam Question: IF.. you HAD to move the Cave & your home out of SF, where would you look to move to? In a new hypothetical location, would you expand or downsize the cave?
I'm plenty creative - I just lack the space or other resources do anything about it :/
I always thought it was "Start the mechanism" Meaning he focuses on what he needs to?
He actually said, “Clear the mechanism.”
Totally off topic-what is behind you over your left (I believe) shoulder?
Very nice 👍
Good ethos to have, figured I would have plenty of time. Then 2 1/2 years ago my world got turned sideways and I lost my stability and endurance and strength.
2:00 Kind of self-imposed "toxic productivity"?
It's the only way I get anything done tbh
Thanks.
Just like writing songs.
MichaelCthulhu collab incoming? 👀
i do feel creative, just dont have money
there are incredible possibilities with just a piece of paper 🧡
if you have a computer you can create digitally. its not tangible but it is limitless and doesnt result in unorganized clutter.
Recycled materials
Make stuff from trash. I have a portrait painting that someone did using nothing but Coffee as paint and it's superb.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.I've been having a hard time since the Orange Himmler's re-election. I woke up this morning and decided the World is a beautiful place regardless.
Põe dublagem automática savage
Eggs Ackley!
Please convince Jamie to come on
Did you make up a word, sekore?
It is the word succor. Another great English word to add to one’s vocabulary.
the word "secore" ? eng , fra spanish?
I understand from the context the vibe, meaning of it but havent heard it myself before, Used youtube sudtitles to get that spelling,
Succor.
It’s “seccor.” www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/succor
outside of filling out medical papers i havent really picked up a pen to ply my craft since my companion was slain in 2017, havent really been able to get out of the funk of losing her. going to watch this and see if adam's advice helps [used to write stories nearly daily when i was younger]
succor
Thank you.
@@darrinbrunner6429 Don't
@@cleonanderson1722 Thank you
@@RobdorThisHandleIsUnavailable I am filled with regret
#1
Jessica from How to ADHD calls them "bad brain days." We all have them. We have to accept them, and realize there's no shame in it.