Twyla Tharp

The Creative Habit

1. IDEA 1

   Creativity is a habit

   Tharp, a celebrated choreographer, argues that creativity is not a gift from the gods but a habit built through preparation and routine. She describes how she works and how others can too.

2. IDEA 2

   Rituals start the day

   Tharp describes her morning ritual of getting into a taxi to go to the gym. The ritual, she says, removes the question of whether to begin. In her account, a small fixed action makes starting feel like a normal part of the day.

3. IDEA 3

   Each project has a box

   Tharp keeps a box for every project, filled with notes, clippings and materials. It organises her research. In her account, the box holds everything a project has gathered so far, which keeps it from being lost.

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