On Canoeing, Creativity, and a Change in Direction
To follow, without halt, one aim: That's the secret of success.
-- Anna Pavlova
Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin
it now."
- Goethe
Dear Friend,
An Announcement
I have decided to focus my business on a particular group of people, and no longer will be marketing to all English-speaking
individuals on the planet. My services, and this newsletter, will be designed for university professors,
with a particular focus on the needs of those individuals in tenure-track positions. The needs of those facing
similar academic issues, such as non-tenure-track faculty and full professors, as well as Ph.D. candidates, will
also be addressed.
On occasion, I will continue to accept individuals who clamor for my services no matter what their profession,
should the relationship appear fruitful and interesting.
While future issues will address the particular concerns of individuals in academia, I fully expect folks in other
professions will discover similarities to their own concerns and circumstances. Consequently, I would encourage
you to hang out for a while to see what shows up. You can always cancel your subscription down the road.
If you choose to continue, I would be interested in hearing from you after a bit. What are you taking from
these pages that is useful?
Whether you stay or move on, I wish to thank you for your support. I have grown considerably over these 30
issues. Writing with you in mind has been a powerful incentive.
Please forward copies of this and future issues to your friends, relatives, and colleagues in the academic world.
Your referrals are most welcome and highly appreciated.
You may have been wondering what's up
If you have been reading my newsletters lately, you may have come away wondering if there was something up for
me which I was purposely avoiding. To me, it felt like the content of each issue of the Letter was floating
upon an undercurrent of uncertainty and doubt.
Moving Water: A metaphor for creativity
The metaphor of moving water is familiar to me, and I find it a useful one when speaking of the creative process.
Let me explain. As a paddler of canoes, I am intimately familiar with the forces and idiosyncrasies
of the river. For a good while, in fact, I've felt like I've been caught in a metaphorical eddy.
The eddy
An eddy is a current of water that forms downstream of an obstacle (such as a rock) or near the shore behind an
 area of land that sticks out a bit (see diagram). The water of the river washes past the outcrop
and swirls in behind it, forming a current moving upstream. Moving upstream, it nears the outcrop and is
forced out into the main current of the water once again, where it is pushed downstream to begin the cycle again.
You can watch leaves, sticks, trees -- and the occasional canoeist -- spiral around and around.
An important thing to know about this phenomenon, especially if you're in a canoe, is that the boundary between
the water moving downstream and the water moving upstream (what is called the "eddy line") is an unstable
place to be. In order to adeptly cross it in a rapid flow, one must have the correct lean, and sufficient
forward motion. Otherwise... plup... you have one wet paddler.
So you can see the relationship. The experience of "playing" in an eddy while in a canoe is analogous
to being in the creative process. A clear decision to enter the eddy makes for a more stable transition,
just like consciously choosing to venture into a creative period allows for a more graceful transition in your
life.
Once within the eddy, you can relax a bit, but you have to pay enough attention so you're not pushed unawarely
onto the eddy line and find yourself struggling to maintain your balance. On the other hand, with the right
strokes you can hang out in an eddy for quite a while, feeling the currents rushing beneath you all the time. Then,
when ready, a power-stroke or two will move you out into the main current. Crossing the eddy line, you lean
downstream to counter the forces of the water on the bottom of the boat. Without this "commitment,"
you flounder or simply tip over.
In relationship to creativity
Isn't this a lot like what happens in many creative periods? Often, you will experience circular thinking
and stagnation and lack of progress. But is this really wasted time? No. It is a time of new connections
and consolidation of ideas. Then something shifts and you're ready to move on. Once committed, your intentional
actions put you back in the flow of the main stream of your life.
My journey
I had been in a creative "eddy" for a number of months, now. While I entered it with intention,
I must admit that I wasn't keen on the idea and it didn't feel great being there. I spent a long time going
around and around (as my coach and supporters will tell you). For what seemed the longest time, I was uncertain
if I was ready to go back out into the main current.
And then... almost surprised by the power of my own decision, I reached my paddle out into the fast-moving water
and pulled myself into the main current and downstream.
So that's it. Life goes on.
Once again, I thank you for your support.
See you on the river -
Steve
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