In our beloved Star(t) Up environment we are all trying to scale cents to billions every second, getting used to be so in the “Now” we forget about the “Now”.

We forget that a part of “time-space” we have another space dimension - the head-space.

As a designer who understands that art is a team effort where 1+1=1, I realised those two need to be precisely defined and clearly communicated to both your team and yourself.

You see, a project could take you 20h time-space for your first draft. But if it is a clear blissful idea since the beginning, the research goes well and you are in the Flow, limited only by your hand and device - those 20h could be bended to 10.

I have been always trying to define this variable - what is responsible for how “quick” a "good concept" about something appears. Not the idea, the how-it-is-done.

Is it something you just “see” in the “right” moment? Or maybe your mind finally connects multiple narratives into one and you “have it”!

🔥 What is Creativity? How can we have “more” of it? And most importantly - how can we “summon” it.

Short story long, creativity is Work the way art is Work.

I do not mean only work after you read the project brief and have had a couple of workshops.

I mean "Work, work work work work work" (I couldn’t resist).

Seriously - creativity is the work you manage to do every single day. It is just to “show up”. Just to be aware, responsible, try your best.

Sometimes it is 2h, sometimes 8. It is not important how many days in a row. It is important that you have showed up today.

Think about a relation to someone (person, brand) or something (product) you cherish. 

It is not because of one thing in particular you appreciate it but because of the whole experience it creates for you. With every touchpoint, every day, every moment.

🔥 Creativity is understanding a thing in the moment you are most ready to get advantage of it. It is a built up event. Same as love.

As the great entertain-preneur McGregor said, “Precision beats power, and timing beats speed”.

Timings in design are very relative but should not be.

As an experienced professionals we should be able to plan and respect timings. To do this we need to understand that there are projects that could be rapidly concluded and quickly delivered project in this case would not be “quickly thought about”. It would be the product of a timeless effort and preparation exploding like the Big Bang in the right moment, materialising into success. 

Because when you understand the difference between head space and time space, you could bend time without sacrificing the end result.

No design should be determined by time, but I try to under promise and over deliver within the deadlines.

Trough consisten deep work every day (much less than the “contractual” 8h), I am trying to learn how to time and accelerate when needed and then rest and recover accordingly.

Time can not be an excuse for bad design or mistakes - it is our creation (time). Of course - if possible - please give me 3 months for a complete branding or UX project. But if needed - a good designer should be able to respond swiftly and on the highest level in a matter of days/weeks. 

If you can not - you need more hours in your belt in order to be good enough for the race.

Yes - more hours. More years. More seniority. Because some things take the time they take.

🔥 There is a short story of Picasso that explains beautifully the point I’m trying to make.

I’m not in any way, even from a light year distance, putting myself any near the brilliant artist.

So the story goes like this:

Picasso was having a drink in a cafeteria when admirer recognised him and exclaimed “Oh my goodness, are you the famous Pablo Picasso?”

The painter nodded modestly, and the admirer went on to ask the famous painter to sign her napkin. 

Picasso was happy to oblige and didn’t seem to mind the interruption at all, in fact he went one step further and added a small sketch.

But as he handed over the drawing he asked for a considerable amount of money in exchange.

The admirer was horrified, “But that only took you five minutes!” she exclaimed. 

Picasso leaned over, carefully took the napkin back and said “No, dear lady, that took me a lifetime.”

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Creativity is Acceleration.

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