Personal Creative Tension

Personal creative tension helps us find the balance between tranquility and the challenge necessary to feel fulfilled. The same is true professionally. Monotony , however peaceful, can drain us emotionally and physically (even if we deceive ourselves with the comforts of it); just as continuous, frenetic activity , however dynamic, can also destroy us emotionally and physically. The solution lies in adjusting our Personal Creative Tension .

We know that every crisis, big or small, is an opportunity. That if we don't continually grow, it's a sign that we're becoming disconnected. We also know that life pushes us, whether we like it or not, to be our best selves. Especially in those moments when everything is at stake; that is, when there's a lot to gain, or lose.

Learning and developing doesn't necessarily mean living comfortably and peacefully. So, if we want to increase our horizontal development (knowledge) , but also our vertical development (beliefs) , we must find the right approach to stay on track, without overworking the engine, but also without wasting the available power.

Personal Creative Tension is about finding the right gear that allows us to reach a cruising speed that enables us to make a sustainable contribution of value as individuals, as well as for the environment.

Creative tension requires a touch of self-discipline (the creative aspect) without falling into over-demand (the reactive aspect). The former helps us shift paradigms and try new ways of approaching problems, building alliances with others. The latter pushes us to play it safe, to protect ourselves, and to pressure others, breaking relationships and alliances.

How to Adjust Personal Creative Tension

But how can we find this right rhythm, this tension-inducing energy, without putting pressure on ourselves? Each person has their own internal machinery that requires a specific and concrete adjustment.

Adjusting Personal Creative Tension requires going through two phases: Identifying the current degree of tension, and Calibrating the level of mental and physical involvement.

1. Identify my current stress level:

The first step involves diagnosing the current level of intensity at which my internal engine operates. We all have different roles in the various systems in which we operate. We need to identify the system or context in which we want to diagnose our current level of stress.

Let's say, for example, that we focus on our current professional role. If we reflect on our energetic and emotional contribution to fulfilling our current role within our professional context, we might find ourselves in one of the following stages:

Identifying which stage we are mostly in during role performance helps us to further adjust our Personal Creative Tension.

2. Calibrate the level of mental and physical involvement:

Each stage requires a particular strategy, but simply becoming aware of the current level already gives us the "power" as well as the "permission" to perform a calibration action.

If we are currently in a state of adaptation or apathy, it's time to "get ourselves into trouble." Now more than ever, we need to create a small crisis in our environment. If the environment doesn't provoke it first, we ourselves must create this break with reality, which will generate the opportunity to increase our job satisfaction.

It's admirable when people decide to leave roles or companies to improve their professional happiness, even if they don't have any other career plans. Most wouldn't do it for fear of not having enough resources to cover their short-term expenses (an unrealistic belief in most cases). But only the bravest dare to create this opportunity, activating all their resources, and thus find a better environment in which to thrive. Meanwhile, others remain dissatisfied in their positions and companies, withering away, or worse, becoming accustomed to an apathetic way of life.

If, on the other hand, we are currently experiencing excessive pressure or feeling blocked, it's time to learn to "take a step back." When we reach these high levels of involvement and dedication, we can short-circuit due to excessive tension. Tension then becomes pressure. The creativity that arises from the former turns into reactivity caused by the latter.

In these cases, our responsibility and tenacity are beyond question, but precisely this overflowing energy causes our contribution to diminish more and more. And this is the great paradox.

This is why these people need to learn to let go, put things in perspective, disconnect, and stop the machine, in order to achieve a higher value contribution.

“Getting into trouble” for those who don’t want trouble is as challenging as “taking it easy” for those who need to control everything. But therein lies the key to taking a step closer to the coveted Personal Creative Tension.

Which of the two ingredients do you need to focus on more in your current professional situation?

Enric Arola