The Creative Habit

Amongst other things, I have picked up Twyla Tharp's book the Creative Habit. I am enjoying parts of it and appreciate that Tharp gives you some exercises and examples that have helped her in her own life that sound very prescriptive, but is careful to reiterate throughout that these are simply suggestions and that we all have our own way of working most effectively. That said, when I came to this questionnaire (below) in a section about our "creative DNA", I started to feel like a failure and a fraud because I couldn't think of clear answers for many of the questions. I have never had a singular or clear vision about the path my life would take. Add to this a general reluctance to follow prescribed exercises like this, and there was no question that I had to try and answer this questionnaire.

Here it is. I will post responses in another post to follow. Would love to see what you all think about it and if you end up taking it, if found it at all interesting or useful.

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Take the following questionnaire. If even one answer tells you something new about yourself, you're one step closer to understanding your creative DNA. There are no right answers here. The exercise is intended for your eyes only, which means no cheating, no answers to impress other people. It's supposed to be an honest self-appraiseal of what matters to you. Anything less is a distortion. I include it here and urge you to answer quickly, instinctively. Don't dawdle.

Your Creative Autobiography

1. What is the first creative moment you remember?
2. Was anyone there to witness or appreciate it?
3. What is the best idea you ever had?
4. What made it great in your mind?
5. What is the dumbest idea?
6. What made it stupid?
7. Can you connect the dots that led you to this idea?
8. What is your creative ambition?
9. What are the obstacles to this ambition?
10. What are the vital steps to achieving this ambition?
11. How do you begin your day?
12. What are your habits? What patterns do you repeat?
13. Describe your first successful creative act.
14. Describe your second successful creative act.
15. Compare them.
16. What are your attitudes toward: money, power, praise, rivals, work, play?
17. Which artists do you admire most?
18. Why are they your role models?
19. What do you and your role models have in common?
20. Does anyone in your life regularly inspire you?
21. Who is your muse?
22. Define muse.
23. When confronted with superior intelligence or talent, how do you respond?
24. When faced with stupidity, hostility, intransigence, laziness, or indifference in others, how do you respond?
25. When faced with the impending success or the threat of failure, how do you respond?
26. When you work, do you love the process or the result?
27. At what point do you feel your reach exceeds your grasp?
28. What is your ideal creative activity?
29. What is your greatest fear?
30. What is the likelihood of either of the answers to the previous two questions happening?
31. Which of your answers would you most like to change?
32. What is your idea of mastery?
33. What is your greatest dream?