Why does it feel like every hobby, creative pursuit, and relaxing pastime is falling victim to optimization? Since the recent resurgence of “analog” hobbies, (i.e. ways to entertain ourselves without devices) a similar trend of “maxxing” (a.k.a maximizing) anything and everything is following suit.
For a long time, I never thought of myself as a “creative” person. I don’t draw, paint, crochet, or play an instrument. Nonetheless, I’m still a person who is living, breathing, learning, growing, and constantly changing. I think we forget that our very existence, in a way, is a form of resistance. Despite everything trying to stop us from evolving, we continue to push the bounds of what is possible. Exploring underwater sea caves, sending people to the moon, growing food in labs, making music, writing novels, etc.
All philosophical talk aside, in an age of instant communication, rapid development, and constant desire for efficiency, creative pursuits can feel impractical and unproductive. And that’s exactly the point. I have to believe that our lives were not designed to be “hacked” but instead to be lived.
In our frantic hurry to optimize, strategize, and improve our lives, I fear we are actually missing out on a key aspect of the human experience – to create. We spend so much of our time consuming – that be images, music, news, information, etc. – that we create these things ourselves.
The modern age of instant gratification has led us to become people who are used to getting what we want, when we want it. In order to rewire our thinking and push-back against the narrative that every action must result in something meaningful, tangible, and monetarily beneficial, we must return to doing things simply for the sake of doing them. The simple act of writing in a journal, reading a physical book, drawing a sketch, or knitting a hat feel radical when our society values productivity and efficiency above long-term investments in people or projects.
Write because it makes you feel free, paint because it helps you process emotion, knit because it brings you peace. Whatever your creative outlet is, pursue it without shame or guilt, without the need to optimize or for the sake of productivity, but because it reminds you of why you’re here – to create something beautiful.