We hear the phrase “follow your passion” in terms of work, but this does not mean you need to make a living from it; rather, it means your living will benefit from the infusion of your passion. Steve Jobs explored a range of topics while enrolled at Reed College, and though he didn’t continue in academia, he discovered a passion for calligraphy.

When he began to design computers, his experiences with calligraphy inspired him to build typeface options into the computer interface. The simple addition of typography introduced the first creative aesthetic to the computer and was made possible by his bringing his passion to his work. Creating work infused with passion is the essential ingredient for meaningful success.

Become a Creative Generator

We are born creative beings. That is, by moving the energy of breath and the divine through our bodies, we are meant to create – homes, families, careers, communities, and daily expressions of ourselves and what we are bringing to the world. Great creative luminaries like Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey, Eve Ensler, Bob Dylan, and countless more “cultural creatives” (an altruistic, spiritual, and socially progressive segment of Western society), change makers, musicians, artists, activists, and entrepreneurs are consciously using this capacity to direct their lives to the fullest potential with big visions. Of course, it is also possible to live as fully with a lower profile. It depends on an individual’s vision and what each person finds at their center.

In any case, these creatives are generating energy and making connections that enable their fullest expression in the world. When you know your full creative capacity, you, too, can become a creative generator and live from the abundance of this place.

The Divine Energy Field

Many spiritual teachers relay the concept of unity, the notion that “we are all one.” In terms of energy, this relates to the divine energy field that connects all of life. When we are feeling expansive, we are likely naturally connecting to this greater field and the life force it contains. When we lived closer to the wild, we moved in sync with this broader field. Much of our modern lifestyle does us a disservice by taking us away from and even disrupting this natural connection, so it is even more essential to know how to cultivate it for ourselves. Creative generators, rather than perceiving themselves as separate, tend to unite with and source from the expanded capacity of the divine creative field.

Play: Do You Access the Creative Field?

Many creative generators are in touch with imaginative play in the creative field. Whether pursuing education or careers, many of us internalize the message prevalent among high achievers that work is more essential than play or open time. People sitting in the library studying when their peers are out socializing and relaxing are universally approved of as the ones who are making “good” use of their time. Only in recent years have technology startups in Silicon Valley helped show that the best creative ideas arise out of freeform associations and unstructured play. Still, while children spend much of their time in the imaginative realm of play, as they grow to adulthood they frequently lose touch with this potential. Pablo Picasso said, “All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist when he grows up.”

Desire: Where Are You Going?

Desire relates to your energy flow within the creative field and is essential for generating creative currency. In the same manner that play is relegated to childhood, staying in touch with the desires that fuel your dreams can be challenging when you are navigating a school or career path, or any outer trajectory that reinforces achievement based on a map others have made. Ponder your connection to desire with these questions: Do you know what you want for yourself? Can you shape your day based on what you desire? Desire directs energy, and when you are clear about your desires, you are more precise in your creative aim. When you know what you want, you can have better boundaries around how you choose to spend your time.

Focus: Where Is Your Attention?

Once you are clear on the ways you are inspired and what you desire for your creative self, then creativity needs regular focus on those areas. Your weekly schedule can be built around these key places to provide the creative practice to hone and develop whatever you are making.

There is power in practice. If you are just starting out, it can take time to build up your concentration stamina. Even if your schedule is crammed, finding a half hour a day to engage in the activity you love will result in actual creations and the natural improvements that come over time. Creative energy/currency is one of your most valuable assets. Make certain that your creative priorities (as intentionally chosen by you) are prominent in your weekly schedule, with regular access to your field of inspiration, and as a result are producing your desired feelings so you can generate the energy and the creative currency for your life.

Printed with permission of the publisher, Beyond Words/Atria Books.

Tami Lynn Kent, MSPT, is a holistic women’s healthcare provider with a master’s degree in physical therapy, advanced training in multiple bodywork techniques, and the ability to read energetic patterns of the body. The founder of Holistic Pelvic Care, Kent maintains a private women’s health practice and an international provider-training program. She has published two previous books, Wild Feminine and Mothering From Your Center.