In art or leadership, there is a silent powerful force that is rarely exercised…the power of the pause.
In art, we often find ourselves under strict deadlines that move us into creative production mode – where ideas come, get executed, then ship out. While I’m a fan of shipping, there is a big part of the process missing here: the pause. It slips in right after ideas and right before executions. Taking a pause – putting the idea down, walking away, and then revisiting – often allows us to see more and better options for our ideas. Allowing them the space to breathe gives our ideas the chance to become healthy and full.
In leadership, pausing allows us not to get caught up emotionally. So often, “decisive” leaders create wow decisions in split seconds. Creating a pause – a chance to diagnose the data, explore the options, and think through the response – can create even better decisions; ones that limit big mistakes because we’ve allowed ourselves time to digest before we decide. Most of the time, taking a minute to pause will not cost us anything but the frustration of people trying to complete their check lists.
Obviously, prayer matters massively.
We can’t allow the pause to turn into procrastination. Pause is just enough time to allow space for our decisions and ideas to get better, not for us to create excuses not to ship and move. Pausing makes us better, procrastination kills us.
Have you incorporated the pause into your creative or decision making process?
This is spot on. I always find that the pause is worth it. I usually ending seeing more of what it will take to actually pull the project off while I’m in “the pause”. Huge benefits to this step but often overlooked (by me).
Totally agree with this too. Along with pause, their is power in distance too. Artistic distance…removing yourself from personal context. Making it someone else’s so you can be subject. “If this was so and so’s work, what would you say to them?”
BTW Hey Dustin! Don’t forget how to play drums in all the guitarring you’re doing…
I have found that if I build the habit of resting on a regular basis, pausing before a decision comes much easier for me. It’s when life gets hectic and I realize I haven’t had a down night in weeks that I find it much harder to take time to pause and reflect on a decision before making it.