Embrace Your Boundaries

Have you ever been enticed to click on an interesting video link only to be forced to watch through a long advertisement? Ever notice how the ad sometimes runs longer than the video itself? Grrr.

Even worse, right after the ad, the video does not load. For some reason the commercial plays fine without any hitches, even in HD! But the moment the content tries to load – everything goes wrong. The image is pixelated, the audio doesn’t match the video, or it just freezes. 

For my MBA 743 Social Media Marketing course at Walsh University, I ask my students to create a new internet meme and share the image on their social networks. This is my meme (image above) courtesy of meme generator.

The Create Your Own Meme exercise is an interesting activity because it forces you to be creative within certain boundaries.

1. You have to use an appropriate/relevant image.
2. You have to limit your caption to a single statement.

I read one time that Gary Larson (The Far Side) was forced to use an economy of words because he had to convey a story in a single panel. All of the other popular comic strips had 3 panels to deliver the punchline. Larson had to become proficient with one.

It actually changed the way he drew his cartoons. He had to recognize perspectives and dimensions. Everything had to be in 3-dimensional layers. The audience loved it. He became one of the most successful and prolific cartoonists of all time having sold over 40 million books and cartoon collections.

He didn’t try to deny or destroy his boundaries, he embraced them.

His limitations actually increased his creative output.

What are your boundaries? What are the physical and mental barriers that seem to block your way?

This week, try to embrace your boundaries. Don’t ignore or overcome them. Work within them.

Then focus on increasing your output within those borderlines.

Creativity allows you to increase your output within your boundaries. Click To Tweet