There was this training technique for jazz guitar soloing invented by Joe Pass. I found it in some guitar magazine. I’d never heard of him before.

I’m also reading this book called The Artist’s Way, which has a similar training technique for creativity.

The Joe Pass technique is: set a metronome, then play a note every time it ticks, doesn’t matter which note, for something like five minutes.

The Artist’s Way says: write three pages of whatever comes to your head, non-stop, no breaks, no thinking. Then throw them away.

The idea behind these techniques is that you can easily overthink the creative process. There are more holistic parts of your brain that you can tap into by unrepentantly creating for no one but yourself with no chance to breathe and no filter. Something has to kick into autopilot.

Do this enough and it will become easier to turn that switch on. You’ll also start to be able to see your own creativity unfold. It’s an interesting process.

Pick a (time) limit for something you want to get better at. Pick a reasonable limit. You’re new. Do that thing non-stop until you hit the limit. Throw your work away.

For more interesting thoughts on the creative process, I highly recommend The Artist’s Way.