It’s not insanity, it’s all relative

Whatever is unsexy gives you leverage.

Things like discipline, diligence, patience, practice, repetition, organization, delayed gratification, these are the unspectacular force multipliers of the creative process that dramatically amplify your effort, elevate your potential and increase the probability of winning.

Einstein might have observed that doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results, is the definition of insanity.

But keep in mind, he also worked six days a week as a clerk at the patent office reviewing invention applications all day.

Do you have any idea how tedious that job is? All you do for eight straight hours is search existing documentation in the technical area of each application to make sure the invention is in line with the legal requirements of the patent convention. Not exactly the playboy mansion.

And yet, it was in that worldly cloister, the great physicist once remarked, that he hatched his most beautiful thoughts. Albert produced four of his most groundbreaking papers while holding that job, and his work changed the course of history.

Pardon the pun here, but maybe his observation about insanity was all relative.

It seems like the discipline and diligence of doing the same thing over and over again is precisely how he achieved different results.

What’s your relationship with discipline? How patient are you willing to be?

Now, to be fair, there are some personalities for whom these unsexy force multipliers come more naturally. People who have a high tolerance for repetition will likely have a natural talent for persistence as well.

They’re the kind of creators who can persevere with almost any task, artistic or otherwise, where the repetitive daily practice energizes their work, rather than detracts from it.

Other people will have to work harder at it. Discipline and organization in their creative process will require greater intention and attention. What’s more, they’ll become frustrated with themselves for not being more diligent, and grow resentful towards others for being able to tolerate repetition like it’s nothing.

But that doesn’t mean doing the same thing over and over again is completely out of the realm of possibility. Because while it takes humility to accept your innate personality with all its strengths and weaknesses, your native wiring doesn’t have to completely delineate the type of work you do.

Anyone can develop a higher tolerance for repetition, as long as their personal creativity management system is solid.

If someone is willing to designate these traits as important to themselves, and find ways to get discipline and delayed gratification in alignment with their motivational system and values, then there’s no reason their creative work can’t travel at the speed of light.

Is doing the same thing over and over again really insanity, or is it all relative?