4 Stages of Creative Work

Hey Reader,

A quick reminder that we’re talking about the productivity benefits of rest this month. If you’d like to read the first email in the series, click here. This week I’m sharing the 4 stage process of producing high leverage work. The examples of such work could be “creative” like writing or music; it could also be a scientific breakthrough.

What is high leverage work?

I want to define this to set context. High leverage work the best use of your time, resources, and talent. If you follow my friend Khe Hy, this is his $10K work matrix. I say this instead of “creative” work because the creative label is an automatic off trigger for many people. Not in a bad way, but the way we throw around the term makes people think of writers, YouTubers, artists, etc.

You know there is type of work that leverages your time, resources, and talent for the best outcome. For me, it’s creating content, making sales, and training staff. Other parts of the job are useful and necessary, but I need to always protect the time and attention necessary for doing high leverage work.

The 4 stages of high leverage work

In the 1920s, British psychologist Graham Wallas published The Art of Thought. In it he shared a 4 stage process from studying and observing inventors, scientists, and writers. [Editors note: I first read about Wallas in the book Rest by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang.]

The 4 stages of high leverage work are:

1. Preparation: outlining, researching, sketching, brainstorming, reading, etc.
2. Incubation: the key stage of rest activities - allowing the mind to wander and form unexpected combinations for new ideas.
3. Illumination: the aha moment where new ideas come to consciousness.
4. Verification: prove your findings, apply further research and development.

Preparation

You confidently embark on the creative process by thoroughly preparing - gathering pertinent information and materials, seeking out sources of inspiration, and gaining an understanding of the project or problem. This involves engaging in an internal process of deep thought to generate and interact with ideas, as well as an external process of sourcing the necessary data, resources, materials, and expertise.

Incubation

With the ideas and information collected in stage 1, you take time to let them develop subconsciously — like a fermentation process. By allowing yourself to take a step back and focus on something else, you create space for the unconscious mind to engage in a process of “combinatory play”, as Einstein called it. Through this, you will find deeper meaning in the work and form new connections, giving you a new perspective on the problem.

Illumination

After a period of contemplation and reflection, ideas may suddenly appear in the conscious mind. They may come in a dramatic fashion, as if from nowhere, and lead to an “Aha!” moment. This can happen when in the shower, walking, or doing something completely unrelated. It can lead to the solution to a problem suddenly presenting itself.

Verification

After the epiphany, the ideas are transcribed, the vision was solidified in tangible form, and a business plan, blueprint, or report is created. The previously generated ideas and perceptions should be further explored and expanded upon. Artists employ critical thinking and aesthetic judgment to perfect the work and effectively communicate its worth to others.

How this applies to productive rest

In our fast-paced society it’s easy to start with preparation and jump right to verification. The incubation and illumination stages are often skipped because there’s little “obvious” work happening. But take a moment and consider this: how many of your own AHA! moments have come when you do take the time to set aside the work for a matter of days or weeks?

Deliberate, intentional rest helps create mental space for incubation and illumination stages to activate. In next week’s issue we will go deeper on the 5 types of rest and how each one plays an important role in high leverage work.

Thanks for reading this edition of my To-Do’s Day newsletter. If you know any friends who would like to read this, share on Twitter, LinkedIn, or email.

Matt

Your brain needs a jet pack 🚀

In The Knowledge, writer and startup operator, David Elikwu, shares tools and frameworks from psychology, philosophy, productivity, and business to help you think deeper and work smarter. The Knowledge is like NZT for your work and CBD for your mind.

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