 细思你半成的创意，不论它们是没脱稿的章节、未绘成的画作，还是不成熟的商业构想、未编完的程序。它们中有多少停滞在了同一个地方，而无法完成？
I’ll bet that spot is where you started thinking about how you were going to sell or share that creation. I’ll wait here while you think about it… 我打赌那个地方，就是让你开始考虑如何推销或者与人分享创意的地方。当你考虑的时候，我将在此等待... Okay, we’re back. Let’s take a step back into why you started the creative process in the first place. Chances are, it probably had nothing to do with how you were going to share or sell the idea – it probably had everything to do with the fact that you were interested in playing with the idea. Something about the possibility of the idea dialed into that curious part of you and beckoned to be made into reality, and the rush from being in that nexus of possibility and actuality kept you immersed there, tugging at the conceptual ether like a midwife coaxing a newborn into the light of day. 好了，我们回归正题。让我们回想一下，最初你开始产生创意的原因。很有可能，当时的创意与你将如何向别人推销或分享它完全无关；它很可能仅仅与你当时对该想法的兴趣有关。一些关于该想法的可能性拨动了你的好奇心，然后让你产生将其变成现实的想法，随后，介入可能性和现实性之联系的冲动使你沉迷，你努力想构思出新意，如同新妇劝诱幼婴迎接曙光一般。
But somewhere in the process, things got tangled. You labeled the idea and determined whether it would be sellable, or good, or bad, or worth the time, and the unseen cords you were pulling slipped through your grasp. Instead of coaxing the idea, you were left trying to pull it with no solid ground to stand on. 然而，在构思的过程中，事情纠结了。你给你的想法贴上了标签，不清楚它是否可售，到底好不好或者值不值得费时间。你手中一直紧握的那根看不见的线，也于不知不觉中断了。到最后，当飘忽于浮云之时，你只能拼命地拨云摆雾，无法唤回灵感。 Sigh 哎~ This is where the whole begin with the end in mind thing confuses people. As a creative, you’re not really creating because you’re trying to make money or share it with people – you’re creating because you enjoy creating. Let me say that again: the end of creating art is creating art. 这便是结症的开始，最终使得创意让原创者迷惑。作为一个有创意的人，其实，你并不是因赚钱或者为与人分享而创造，你因快乐而创造。让我们再重申一遍：艺术创作的最后实为创造艺术。
(For simplicity’s sake, I’m calling every creative product ‘art.’ If you don’t think what you’re doing is art, think about your most inspired moments in the creative process and think about what word pops up. If you’re still unconvinced, substitute whatever creative thing you do in the place for ‘art.’) (简单说来，我称所有的创意作品为“艺术品”。假如你不认为自己现在所做的是艺术品，那么，想想创作过程中最让你感到精神振奋的时刻，想想脑海中涌现出的词语。如若你依旧不确定，在你称作为“艺术品”的位置中换上其他有创意的事物。) Furthermore, creating art also helps you develop into the type of person that you want to be. Mind the form of the verb there: it is present tense intentionally. Creative people are not satisfied with having created something, really – they are most satisfied when they are creating something. That one fact alone explains why successful creative people keep creating well past the time in which it’s necessary for them to do so; they create because it’s a part of what makes them come alive. 不仅如此，创造艺术还可以帮你成长为你想成为的那种人。注意一下这里动词的形式：我故意用了一般现在时。有创意的人不会只满足于创造出了一些东西，真的，他们最满足的时刻是在他们正在创作的时候。仅此一个事实便可解释为什么成功的有创意的人们一直以不停地创作来度过时日；他们必须这样做，他们创造是因为，这就是使他们活着的部分原因。 The point here is that your art is for you. It’s your way of playing in the symphony of the universe, and whether or not anyone wants to hear it is neither here nor there. Create for yourself. 这里的观点是，你的艺术只属于你。这是你演奏宇宙交响曲的方式，不论别人是否想听到它，这完全没有关系。为你自己而创作。 “But I’m trying to make money from my art?!”, you object. “但是，我只是想从我的艺术品中赚钱？！”你反对道。 I’m not saying you can’t sell it – I’m saying you have to create it first. And to create it, you have to create it for yourself. You have to be passionate about it. You have to be interested in it. You have to have your moment to cherish the newborn. 我不是说你不能卖它，我只是说你必须先创作它。为了创作它，首先你得为你自己而创作。你必须对它满怀热情，充满兴趣。你必须要让自己拥有一刻，细品杰作。 Keep in mind that a) you don’t have to sell it, and b) you’ll never sell everything you create. You may decide you want to keep it for you. You may be satisfied from a day spent in creative play. You may share it with someone, only to be surprised that they like it. Who knows? 要记住：a.你不一定要卖掉它。b.你绝不会卖掉你创作的任何东西。你可能会决定为自己而将其留下。你可能会在创作了一整天后而感到心满意足。你会可能与他人分享，却只因他们喜欢它而感到惊讶。谁知道呢？ But your art is for you. 你的艺术品仅属于你。 Go back and review those half-baked ideas. Put a sign, physical or otherwise, on them that says “Not For Sale” or “Just For Me.” Give yourself room to play. 回想一下那些半成的想法，给它们写上“非卖品”或“只属于我”的标语，或者做些其他实际的事情。给自己一些玩乐的空间。 See what happens, but remember why you’re creating and who you’re creating for. 看看会发生什么，只不过要记得，你为什么而创作，为谁而作。 |
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