FlowerpowerpentagonHere is one of many enjoyably motivating comments from this spring's Personal Creativity and Innovation class at The Ohio State University's Fisher College of Business:

"Creativity doesn't seem so creative."

The student said it politely and humbly, but it shook me. He was pointing out that there is so much rigor and discipline — morning pages! artist's dates! deadlines! — that the class was more like a hard-wired recipe than, well, some experience in grooviness.

I know that students enroll in the class expecting grooviness. Oh, they get grooved, as they re-groove their lives. And, in the end, it might be groovy. But it doesn't feel groovy.

Attention! Tension
You see, your creativity is groovy, but it doesn't just happen when you need it.

If you want to rely on your creativity, you're going to need to plan for creativity.

So while creativity is groovy, creative planning is downright military. 

A Stinnett Incursion
Motivated by the student's comment, I invited A.J. Stinnett, long-time corporate consultant, to visit our class. 

About eight years ago, A.J. marched into my life and taught me how planning — real planning — happens. It's straightforward: the What-How-Who-When orientation.

But straightforward isn't always natural. A.J. trained it into me. 

And I am at my most effective when I put A.J.'s mentality to work.

So A.J. came to class and directed the students — staring at them, in that military way that dares you to question authority.

And I went home and completely re-worked Carry Forth, the do-it-yourself personal creativity planning tool. And I added a two-page set of instructions on The Creative Planning Process by A.J. and me.

You Want To See It?
The new big version — and the old little version — are now in my Artie Isaac Creativity website. Right here.

For you. For free.

Maybe it's time for a little creative planning for you. What is your creative adventure this summer?