Where does creativity come from? It’s a question that we all ask at one point or another—especially when there’s a looming project deadline and all your ideas have suddenly evaporated.
Most of the time, creativity seems out of our control. In her Ted Talk titled “Your elusive creative genius,” Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love) explains that your creative spirit is a separate entity with a mind of its own. A good explanation for why a great idea strikes when you least expect it.
But as Thomas Edison said, “Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.” It takes hard work to turn a creative moment into a completed project. For creative professionals that run, the relationship between smarts and sweat couldn’t be more clear. It’s a physical practise that allows for meditation and rewards perseverance.
Hitting the pavement for a long run is an essential part of the process for many creative professionals including visual communications director Nanna Munnecke, designer/illustrator Julie Hyld, creative director Mark Fleming and artist Jeff Garcia aka Mango Peeler.
We spoke to these four creative professionals to find out how if running actually helps creativity. They told us about the benefits of clearing your mind, pushing boundaries and why it’s good to be bored sometimes.