Creative breakthroughs are supposed to be gruelling
Creative breakthroughs are gruelling.
They’re supposed to be.
They’re born from frustration, uncertainty, pushing through discomfort.
Last week, teaching a short course in Creative Direction at Central Saint Martins, I saw so much of that energy in action ... and so much raw talent in the room.
From the final student presentations, I took away five big tips that can be equally applied to any creative journey:
Short course in Creative Direction, Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design, London March 2025
Tell the story: Find the hook that makes your idea meaningful to others. It's a strong concept that makes the work impactful
Your struggles shape your voice: The journey is never easy. But the challenges you face add depth and relatability to your perspective
Find your purpose: The best creative work connects to something deeper. Your audience will always sense when a project has true meaning
Push the idea: That frustrating feeling when a piece of work isn’t quite right is the signal to keep working. Pushing harder - not settling - leads to next-level breakthroughs
But let go of perfectionism: Yes, this completely contradicts my last point. But sometimes you just need to get it out there to move forward
What have I missed? I’d love to hear about your most important insights on the creative pathway.