It is often said that love, creativity + genius know no bounds.
This sentiment is popular among creatives, wellness and healing professionals. And it’s true that communing with the field of possibility in meditation, movement, or creative process connects us to something greater than ourselves.
It feels expansive, boundless, and free.
So it’s no wonder that so many people recoil at the mere thought of imposing artificial boundaries to constrain and define their work, their life or their passion. But it turns out that,
As counter-intuitive as it may be, boundaries catalyze and propel creativity, genius and course creation.
I was viscerally reminded of this during the past month when unseasonably cool temperatures came to visit the desert where I live, twice!
Although I have been dreaming about building a small flagstone patio for years, the two rounds of unexpected cool temperatures, before the impending triple digits, offered the perfect constraint and catalyst to move the dream into action.
The constraint of limited time built an intensity and focus into the project.
It helped me step into a decisive place of action as I defined the boundaries of the building area and made creative choices regarding how to creatively map the unique flagstone puzzle pieces into place.
Once the boundary was up, the rest of the process carried a momentum and flow to quickly move the project along. To read more about how to create this kind of momentum in your Content Creation, check out Finding Your Flow.
So, while it is counter intuitive for many of us, if you are just getting started in course creation and find yourself stalled, start with defining your constraints.
Outline the answers to the following questions to get started:
- How long will this course be? (i.e.1- 4-6 weeks, 90 days, 6 months a year, etc.)
- How many hours will it be in total?
- How will it be set up/delivered? (Online, In-person, Hybrid)
- Is this course part of a bigger vision or program? If so, how does it fit?
- What is the Level of Engagement? (1:1 time, group coaching, evergreen DIY etc.)
- What is your Ratio of Student to Teacher/Staff?
Once you decide on your Course Constraints, embrace them! Think of your constraints not as immovable barriers, but instead like flagstone puzzle pieces that allow you to think creatively and do great work.
Cheers to Creative Constraints to Catalyze your Course Creation!