Chad M. Barrett

You would think that this week, with Thanksgiving and vacation, I would take time to relax. I guess that I relax by tackling creative projects that take lots of time; more time than I have when I am working. The past couple of days I've been creating a Web site (not mine - for someone else). The development of this Web site is a creative activity for me. This activity reinforced for me the idea that being creative is hard work.

For example, I spent three hours trying to design a logo. At the end of the three hours I had a blank canvas; exactly what I had when I started. Perhaps drawing on a blank canvas is just too much to me. I believe I may be better at taking pieces and putting them together. My own Web site is really a collection of modules from other developers along with my content. I think that the pieces fit together pretty well, but only the content comes from a blank canvas.

Anyway, designing the Web page reminded me that creativity is hard work. I've read and hear from others more creative than I that they understand that creativity is work. I am also reminded of a couple of other pearls of wisdom.

• Practice does not make perfect, it makes automatic.
• It takes 10,000 hours of work to become an expert at something.

Perhaps you will find these ideas as useful (or as intimidating) as I do.