Can Creativity and Discipline Co-Exist?

For the past few years, my personal mission has been to present my most authentic self to world each and every day. My authentic self is my most creative self, and yet, seemingly in contradiction to my mission, I am a successful operations manager now committed to the life of an entrepreneur as a business consultant.

As I counted my blessings in 2008 and set goals for 2009 I kept hearing the question – how do I honor and integrate my creative side with the discipline I know it takes to grow a small business and to lead a fulfilled and happy life?

And how can I help the passionate women I know answer the same question?

One thing is very clear—“disciplined” does not typically make the list of words any one would use to describe me. Self-discovery, for me, is all about creating, allowing, and exploring in a pure, natural flow. Professionally, I support current management philosophies that encourage the creative process in problem solving. I explore myself each day by writing in a journal, sometimes sketching in it, too.

If I commit to that activity each day, isn’t that a routine even if I don’t do it at exactly 7 am each morning? Doesn’t that take discipline?

And doesn’t writing engage my creativity?

And if I ask myself two simple questions each day, without fail, and focus on the answers, doesn’t that take discipline, too?

In my ongoing practice of self-discovery I have learned to uncover limiting beliefs, and certainly identifying myself as not having discipline is one of those.

So, what is this thing, called discipline, I don’t think I have, anyway?

Dictionary.net gave me these clues:
1. Subjection to rule; submissiveness to order and control; habit of obedience.

Now I see why this word evokes some repulsion.
Rules, submissiveness, control and obedience…these words are the epitome of anti-creative and do nothing to support imagination, inspiration and innovation, signature traits of the entrepreneurial spirit.

And aren’t the best leaders those that “think outside the box”, sometimes bending the rules? Certainly, being submissive never got anyone recognized for his or her contribution to an organization. Aren’t most breakthroughs born of some form of disobedience?

But as I read on, this came next:
2. To accustom to regular and systematic action; to bring under control so as to act systematically; to train to act together under orders; to teach subordination to; to form a habit of obedience in; to drill.Ok, so the “obedience” thing still makes me tense, but now I’m getting closer to a definition I can appreciate and embrace…to accustom to regular and systematic action; to bring under control as to act systematically.

And then:
Discipline aims at the removal of bad habits and the substitution of good ones, especially those of order, regularity, and obedience. –C. J. Smith.

Now I get it—being a creative soul does not require me to live in chaos!

Order and regularity can be the foundation for the serenity that provides me the freedom to create. Out of simple systematic processes will come the moments of inspiration that are the new programs of my future. And simple, regular, disciplined actions taken will propel me toward my vision and goals.

I will grow a successful small business teaching others how to integrate simple, disciplined processes into their lives, so that their creativity will flourish and allow them to grow, too. I engage my creative side “playing” regularly at my favorite creative re-use center, Trash2Treasurefl.org. Recently I re-arranged my workspace to support my visual inspiration.

And to support my ideal life, and create new habits, I developed a program I am now calling “The Personal Strategic Plan for the Wise Well Woman™”. And it’s working!

So, do creativity and discipline co-exist in your life? Share your thoughts with me…I’d love to hear them.

In the spirit of wisdom, wellness and prosperity…
Nanette