July 21

Embrace the Tension

The one constant you experience as a creative pro is also the one thing that you probably despise the most: tension.

There will rarely be a moment when you aren’t weighing the pros and cons of a decision, dealing with a conflict on your team, or trying to figure out how to do what’s right for the organization, your client, and your team simultaneously. This is tension.

Now, some people attempt to deal with the tension by ignoring it or by prematurely resolving it. In their insecurity, they are willing to settle for a suboptimal solution and “kick the can down the road” rather than dealing with the discomfort of walking through the season of tension.

Mature creative pros recognize that responsibility means tension. There is no reprieve except to recognize it and walk through it.

Here’s my question for you: Is there a place in your work (or lead- ership) where you are attempting to prematurely resolve tension rather than dealing with it directly?

If so, recognize that the temporary reprieve you feel from pushing off the discomfort will only come back later and probably amplified.

Create means to resolve tension. That is the work of a creative pro- fessional. However, you must not try to resolve it prematurely. Resolve it properly and be willing to deal with the discomfort it brings. That’s how you get to the value on the other side.

Tension is a necessary part of healthy creating.

QUESTION

is there a place in your work (or leadership) where you are attempting to prematurely resolve tension rather than dealing with it directly?