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A Review of Elizabeth Gilbert's Guide to Living Creatively

Elizabeth Gilbert's Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear is a must-read for anyone looking to bring more creativity and passion into their life. As the author of the wildly popular memoir Eat, Pray, Love, Gilbert has become an authority on pursuing creative fulfillment.

In Big Magic, she shares her wisdom and experience to inspire readers to overcome their fears and embrace their full creative potential.

The Call to Adventure

The book opens with Gilbert describing the inception of big creative ideas as originating from some eternal, mystical force in the universe she calls "the strange angel."

We all have the potential to be vessels for these creative visions, but we must be open to receiving them, which takes courage.

Gilbert argues that human beings are inherently creative, and we each have a fundamental need to express ourselves creatively in ways both large and small. However, many of us have been taught from an early age to filter our creative impulses through a lens of fear and self-criticism.

We worry that our ideas aren't original enough or that we lack sufficient talent. According to Gilbert, overcoming this paralyzing fear is the essential first step to living a creative life.

Demystifying Creativity

A common misconception about creativity is that it should always produce profound, life-changing works of genius. However, Gilbert insists that creativity takes endless shapes and sizes. It exists on a spectrum, manifesting in everything from knitting to scientific discovery.

Not every creative act will turn you into the next Picasso. But channeling your inner artist, even in modest ways, can bring passion and joy.

Furthermore, Gilbert argues fiercely against the notion of creativity as a rare gift bestowed only on the talented few. Everyone harbors creative impulses inside them.

The real secret is learning to nurture those impulses daily, without judgment or lofty expectations. Even small acts like doodling or singing in the shower are expressions of an innate creative drive. With practice, you can unlock the creative potential hiding within.

Overcoming Perfectionism

According to Gilbert, one of the most insidious blocks to creativity is perfectionism. We decide our work must fit a certain vision or measure up to abstract standards, which causes crippling self-doubt. In reality, perfection does not exist - it is the antithesis of the creative process, which is messy and unpredictable.

While disciplined technique is important, you cannot allow the desire for perfection to sabotage getting started. Otherwise, you may wind up abandoning projects altogether.

Gilbert advises engaging in "scrubbing" - doing creative work just for its own sake, without concern for the outcome. Scrubbing loosens you up and connects you back to the joyful roots of creativity.

Endless Iteration, Not Destined Masterpieces

Gilbert notes that people often expect one big idea to simply appear fully-formed, like a bolt of lightning. In reality, truly realizing a creative vision requires recursiveness and dogged persistence. It is a nonlinear process punctuated by starts and stops, as well as occasional misfires.

However, showing up day after day to do the work is the only way forward.

She uses her first book as an example. For years, the idea simmered in the back of her mind until suddenly the vision came through vividly. But executing the book still required years of effort marked by countless revisions and editorial input.

Creative projects undergo a process of evolution. The magic is learning to enjoy and trust in the process.

Collaborative Creation

While creativity often involves solitary work, Gilbert believes we flourish most when creating collaboratively.

No one masters every skill needed to manifest an idea alone. Reach out to potential collaborators who can lend missing expertise. Brainstorming with others also builds energy and accountability.

At times, Gilbert says, your role may simply be to stand back and give space for someone else's talents to shine. Other times, you may be called upon as the leader. Accept that roles will shift fluidly.

Ego and the need for total control only get in the way of creating something beyond what any one person could produce solo.

Creativity as Spiritual Practice

Fundamentally, Gilbert sees cultivating creativity as a spiritual practice similar to prayer or meditation. It connects you back to your authentic self and the source of life's meaning.

The creative impulse comes from that eternal mystical realm where the strange angels dwell.

Creating gives you access to states of joy, flow and gratitude.

While the outcome of creating matters less, after touching this sacred space you cannot help but be transformed. Even creating modestly every day changes your energy and mindset.

You develop courage to take risks, handle uncertainty and silence your inner critic. By expressing creativity, you open the door to enlightenment.

Reflections on Creative Living

Set aside time for free-flowing creation - Carve out small windows each day to create for pure pleasure. Don't judge the outcome. Enjoy getting into flow.

Let inspiration find you - Don't force creative epiphanies. Allow ideas to appear when they are ready. In the meantime, feed your passion through practice.

Create together - Find a community, collaborator or group whose energy multiplies your own. Two imaginations are better than one.

Don't wait for perfection - Start creating long before you feel ready. If you wait for the perfect vision, it may never arrive.

Persist through doubt - Keep going even when plagued by uncertainty. Avoid searching endlessly for answers. Progress comes through moving forward.

Don't take creativity too seriously - Lighten up and have fun! Don't let your inner critic weigh you down. Stay connected to creativity's childlike roots.

Share the gift - Once you tap into the creative mystical source, pass the gift along. Help others connect to their innate creative potential too.

Practice creative devotion - Show up regularly for your creative practice. Even when the work is challenging, take delight in the process.

Release attachment to outcomes - Focus on the path, not the destination. Twists and turns lead to growth and joyful surprises.

Let creativity guide you - Listen to the strange angels and don't ignore the call. Creativity wants to blossom through you in wondrous ways!

Conclusion

Elizabeth Gilbert is an inspiring champion of empowering creativity in all people's lives. While mastery of a craft takes years of dedication, you need not be an expert to benefit from engaging your imagination.

Even small creative acts weave magic when done with joy and mindfulness.

So if you feel called, it is time to quiet your inner critic, find collaborators and commit to your creative practice daily. By taking this creative leap of faith, you open yourself to life's ecstatic and transformative power.

The strange angels are signaling to you - are you ready to let your creative spirit soar?