Creating without an output

Creating something can be an easy target for the day when you find it hard to follow a purpose at the moment. We decide what purpose to follow because we want to and it is easier to live with one. But it is difficult to decide what purpose is fitting or fulfilling. By creating, we produce something permanent that comes out of our day. There is progress we can track. We can look back at the day and judge its worth by our contribution to the creation. We often can't measure how much smarter we got, how our social status and friendships have improved, or how much fitter we are at the end of the day. But our contribution to a creation is something we can track easily, like a progress bar that is slowly filling up.

At the end, we have put something into existence that we can show around and be proud of. You don't have to prove that you were successful, because the existence of the creation alone proves that. The created thing is the evidence of our worth.

Creating vs Creation

Is the act of creating something enough? For some, the product at the end is the output they strive for. The act of creating is just a way to reach it. For others, the act of creating is the fulfilling part. Time flies by, and the time spent feels meaningful. There doesn't have to be any output. They express themselves in the moment and that is enough.

Do we need a product at the end?

Creation always has a target, regardless if we decide deliberately or not. But do we need to have a product at the end to feel fulfillment? After we have created something, the creation stands for itself. In most cases, if you show it to another person, he or she would not be able to trace it back to you. It could have been made by another person and no one would notice. It is only still relevant to you because you know that you are the creator. But the created thing is also fragile. It can be forgotten, overshadowed or even destroyed. You have less control over the output (after it was created), but you have full control over the creation process.

Imagine it like this. You have created something and want to put it out into the world for everyone to see and experience. But before you push the "publish" button, another person has already published their work and it is an exact copy of yours, 1 for 1. Your individual output has no value anymore to anyone. How would you feel? Was it still worth it or was it all in vain?

The best outcome for me is to create for creations sake. Not focusing on the output, but enjoying the process. If something comes out of it, that is great, but it doesn't have to. You put your heart into it and that should be enough to move something inside of you or to make your day better.