Novice Enthusiasm: Demystifying the Creative Process

Have you ever felt like you’re supposed to conjure brilliance at the snap of a finger, like you’re some all-knowing cosmic super wizard? Unfortunately, this is often times how creatives are expected to perform in a professional setting. One minute you’re minding your own business, and the next—boom!—you’re expected to deliver a dazzling idea that wins over the hearts of clients and consumers. Sometimes you are that wizard. Sometimes, not so much. Throw a deadline on top of that and you can find yourself spiraling through the vacuum of space, desperately groping for a spec of stardust to turn into a life sustaining world. Welcome to the rollercoaster of the creative life. With the Novice Enthusiasm mindset, we acknowledge these highs and lows as part of the ride, never letting them define who we are or what we can accomplish.

Often, the creative process is boiled down to a neat formula: find an idea, develop it, create work around it, then share and reflect. There’s also a common notion of what that might look like in practice: absorbing new information, personalizing styles you admire, participating in real-world activities within your field, and embracing failures as future stepping stones. These definitions are valuable, but they can also feel intimidating if you think there’s only one right way to follow them. The truth? Creativity is not a linear path. If you imagine it as a straight line from “spark of inspiration” to “finished masterpiece,” you’re setting yourself up for frustration. My wizardry has been affected by this many times.

Instead, the Novice Enthusiasm approach reminds us that the order of these steps—finding ideas, fleshing them out, sharing your work—can and should be rearranged to fit the situation at hand. More importantly, they should be arranged to fit your flow. Maybe you need to bang out a rough sketch first to even figure out what your idea is. Maybe you start with an exploration of color. Or maybe you’re itching to share early concepts with peers before you’ve fully developed them. That’s not “wrong”, it’s just your path. By defining your process for yourself, you’re giving your creativity permission to roam. You’re acknowledging that however you choose to arrange your combination of techniques, inspirations, and yes, failures, is what makes your work distinct. When it comes to this kind of work, it’s okay to be self-indulgent. You’re the professional. You craft the spell.

Can you imagine Gandalf asking Frodo what incantations to use to defeat the forces of Sauron? If you’re facing a monstrous project that demands your full attention, that’s not the time to let self-doubt incorporate someone else’s formula into your process. You’re there because you do what no one else on your team can. You explore the realms of abstraction. You live in the outer reaches of space not yet illuminated by the light of discovery. It’s dark out there, but that’s the job. And it’s okay to be stressed or doubtful, but to put it bluntly, no one likes a self-conscious wizard.

When you embrace the Novice Enthusiasm flexibility, suddenly the pressure of “instant brilliance” feels a little less heavy. You trust that your ideas will come and go in waves, and that each new attempt, successful or not, will lead to growth. The key is to recognize that no universal formula will unlock your artistry. You have to own your process, shaping it around your personal strengths and circumstances. That’s the heart of Novice Enthusiasm: honoring the freedom of a beginner’s wonder, even after you’ve gained experience, granting yourself the curiosity and belief to create on your own terms.

I’ve personally benefited from hangin’ one on one with other wizards. If you’ve got a particularly nasty problem you’re working through and need a creative pep talk, hit me up. If you’re building something from the ground up, need to inspire your team, or your marketing is need of some fresh visual juju, my wand is ready and waiting.