Two Opposing Orientations to Creative Work
Core Idea: Creatives can operate from either a hierarchical orientation (focused on status and external validation) or a territorial orientation (focused on the work itself and its inherent value).
Key Elements
Hierarchical Orientation
- Defines success by rank or status within a social order
- Measures value through comparison to others
- Acts primarily for effect on others
- Competes against peers rather than personal standards
- Evaluates happiness by position within the hierarchy
- Second-guesses audience rather than following authentic vision
- Creates primarily for external validation and recognition
Territorial Orientation
- Focuses on the work itself and its intrinsic quality
- Derives satisfaction from the act of creation
- Acts from internal compass regardless of external feedback
- Competes against personal standards and the work's demands
- Evaluates success by fidelity to vision and craft
- Follows authentic impulses rather than market demands
- Creates primarily from internal necessity
The Territorial Imperative for Artists
- Creation is inherently territorial like giving birth
- Territory provides sustenance, meaning, and order
- Working territorially connects us to the Muse
- Natural confidence emerges from territorial orientation
- Territorial focus cuts off the power of Resistance
Testing Your Orientation
- Would you still do your work if you were the last person on earth?
- Do you feel threatened when others succeed?
- Is your satisfaction dependent on others' validation?
- Do you create primarily for others or for the work itself?
Additional Connections
- Broader Context: Creative Motivation (internal vs external drivers)
- Applications: Authentic Expression (creating from true self)
- See Also: The Ego and the Self (related psychological dynamics)
References
- Pressfield, Steven. "The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles"
#creativity #motivation #psychology #artistic_integrity #authenticity
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