This past week I read Twyla Tharp’s The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use it For Life. It was one of those books that I came across on a site or a blog or in a conversation and scribbled it down as something to read at some point. I can’t believe it took me so long to pick it up and read it! As a choreographer and dancer who has constantly pushed herself and strived for new challenges, Tharp shows us the reward that creativity can bring if you’re willing to meet it halfway.

Whether you need a kick in the ass, a reminder, a mantra or a primer on how to live your life creatively every single second, this book is a wonderfully quick read on how to do it. Tharp’s dedication to the “creative habit,” is unparalleled, as she believes (and seeing her body of work shows it works) that it is a habit, not a luxury or a birthright. Through stories using her decades of experience and exercises that help you uncover your “creative DNA,” she reminds us that taking what you love and combining it with a lot of elbow grease can bring more joy and energy than you ever thought possible. Her willingness to always push herself further and to experiment with new techniques, was a gorgeous reminder of why creativity is worth cultivating, revering and enjoying.

Repetition is a problem if it forces us to cling to our past successes. Constant reminders of the things that worked inhibit us from trying something bold and new. We lose sight of the fact that we weren’t searching for a formula when we first did something great; we were in unexplored territory, following our instincts and passions wherever they might lead us. It’s only when we look back that we see a path, and it’s only there because we blazed it. (p. 217)