Constraints

I’ve been told in school that I can do ‘anything’ for my projects, teachers tell me to think outside the box and be creative. I then think to my myself, ‘you tell me to think outside the box, but you told me I can do anything. How can I think outside of the box, if you did not give me a box?’ After having this thought I was quite annoyed at these types of projects which I’ve been given, and am still being given; I couldn’t put my finger on why this annoyed me until I found the reason while reading a book. In the book it stated that 'creativity thrives under constraints', and that triggered the thought of having no box, and now here we are about to talk about what constraints are, why they’re important, and how you can, if necessary, work without them.

Constraints are things that are placed on a project that prevent you from doing certain things, or, in the case of deadlines, tell you how long you have to finish this project. This is the solid definition of constraints, but you know we don't just do that. Constraints are the box that you need to think outside of, constraints are the roof you need to go through, and the sky you need to go above. Constraints provide you with a map with two points. There is nothing on the map except for two points, this is where you are, and this is what you need to have done, and you cannot leave the map or else you'll get lost; the map however, as stated previously, is empty, so it is your job to draw the road in any way you want. This is where creativity comes in, this is where you have a virtually empty canvas and a goal, draw whatever road you want as long as you get from point A to point B.

These constraints provide you with borders that you need to stay within, it keeps the goal easy to see, and it keeps you in the correct vicinity to make it to your goal. In a more tangible way of putting it, constraints increase creativity while providing you knowledge of where you must be at the end of the process. You see the brain is wired to find shortcuts; it wants to find the easy and familiar way of doing things because it's a proven method, so why not do something that works? This is a subconscious act, and so when you're told, 'you can do anything' your brain will automatically make a plain and bland straight road directly from point A to B. Adding constraints will block off those roads on the map, it will force you to do new things, and this results in you needing to be more creativity to find new routes. Then along with making you more creative it's rewarding; even though the brain finds shortcuts it loves new things even more. When you start doing something new, and you enjoy it, the brain gets ecstatic. The brain loves learning and rewards learning, it will give the same effect as doing drugs or gambling, but without all the negative consequences and the high price, so learn more, it's free and it feels good.

Unfortunately life loves throwing curve balls, and you will have times where you won’t be given any constraints and will be allowed to do "anything." If this happens then there is one thing you can do to make everything easier. Find point B. Understand what your goal is, you cannot make a plan without a goal, you cannot go on a trip without a destination, and you cannot work without anything to achieve. The first thing you need to do is visualize what you must have at the end of the process, and what you want to have at the end of the process. Then make a few compromises, and that will provide you with your destination. The second part is to start planning, and the third part is to start doing. Then you will be able to have a clean finished product you can be proud of, while it may not be the most creative thing you've ever done, it was definitely a good use of time and thought, as finishing a project is rewarding just as new things are.

You need a box, you need a roof to go through, you need a sky to go above, you need constraints. You need constraints, or a point to go to, they stimulate and channel creativity, and yet you need to be ready to plot your own points with time and thought. Constraints allow you to find a way to be creative, and create something you didn’t think you could, and no one thought could exist. This is beyond thinking outside of the box, this is thinking outside the house the box is in, and forgetting about the box itself. Thank you for reading, I’ll see you next week, peace. Original