Even though I’m a longtime traveler, I got completely turned around during my first trip to London. It was a simple case of right neighborhood, wrong direction. But that mix-up ended up in a happy accident—it put me smack in front of the iconic Westminster Cathedral. Who knew a wrong turn could take me to a national landmark?! That moment gave me a new perspective about mistakes.
Right now, you may worry that you’re making mistakes and getting antsy, wondering why your post-pandemic life isn’t falling into place. But here’s an idea: Instead of getting irritable about possibly wandering in the wrong direction, being nervous that you’re wasting time, or feeling annoyed about your progress, reframe this period. See it as a detour where a change of scenery can take you to a better place than you imagined. At the very least, you’re learning to stay open, curious, and teachable.
Let me tell you how Jeff Bridges’ decision to take the detour changed his day.
Jeff Bridges had a crazy expectation when he showed up to shoot “Iron Man”: That he’d have a script and a plan when he arrived on set! So, you can imagine his surprise when director Jon Favreau and co-star Robert Downey, Jr. said job one wasn’t shooting footage—it was tuning up the storyline. In real-time, with the crew waiting outside the trailer for them to finish. No pressure!
As rewrites went on for weeks, Bridges became irritated and anxious, calling the process “maddening.” After decades of making films, the last thing he wanted to do was keep others waiting. In an interview on “The Off Camera Show,” he described an agonizing still photo of the group in the middle of a painful story conference. However, the day the photo was taken was also his turning point.
He recalled, “I made this little adjustment that gave me tremendous relief, which was [listening to] a little inner adjustment saying, Jeff, just relax, man. You are making a $200 million student film. Have fun! Look who you get to jam with! These guys are master improvisers.”
Bridges had the insight to understand that barreling toward a finished product wasn’t on the menu. Thinking, planning, and revising wasn’t a waste of time—it was the work that day.
In the June series, Five Lessons to Prime Your Creativity, we’re looking at important learnings from creative people and how you can make those lessons personal. In Jeff Bridges’ story, did you catch how he combined the soft skills of adaptability and creativity? Is that an idea you should try, too?
Having a clear vision of how you want to live is powerful, but it’s also possible to become too single-minded, where laser focus suddenly slips into tunnel vision. That’s why staying receptive to a bit of exploration during the creative process can be an asset.
Here are three ways you can prime your creativity by taking the detour:
Simon Sinek said, “Following a plan is good for progress. Opportunity, however, usually exists off the plan.” So, instead of resenting delays, make them work for you. Let your new life breathe a little and stay open, curious, and teachable. Prime your creativity by taking the detour.