Becoming a Supple Creative

Kids don't need to warm up and stretch before they hit the playground. If an adult doesn't warm up or stretch before hitting the playground they'll probably be feeling it tomorrow. I'm still feeling my decision to swing on the monkey bars last week.

Why is that?

The obvious answer is that kids are young and their bodies are able to bounce back quickly. Another reason might be that they are moving their bodies more throughout the day. Their bodies are always ready to move. Whereas most adults probably spend a good portion of their day sitting or not moving their bodies.

Kelly Starrett, one of the top Crossfit coaches in the world, wrote the book, Becoming a Supple Leopard, in which he describes why he has been fascinated with the idea of a leopard:

"Unlike a human, a leopard doesn't need to prepare for movement. It doesn't need to warm up; it doesn't need to foam-roll; it doesn't have to raise its core temperature—it's just ready."

Kelly's book teaches you how to move your body and increase your range of motion and encourages daily practice with daily mobility prescriptions. With practice, your body will be ready to perform any physical feat at any time.

Can the same be said for creativity?

Give a kid a pen and a piece of paper (it doesn't even need to be blank) and they will start doodling. They don't need instructions to be creative. They just start. They are supple creatives. They create every day and because of that daily practice they are ready to be creative at any time.

If you can become a supple leopard by learning how to move correctly and deal with stiff tissues that restrict your range of motion, then you can become a supple creative by learning how to "move" your mind and deal with the habits that restrict your range of creativity.

When was the last time you doodled for no reason, made up a character and told their story, or blurted out an idea before deciding if it's any good?