The Alignment Series — Part 3: Making Room for Creativity

You know what it’s like when the creativity juice feels down to the bottom of the barrel. The ideas that used to come easily feel harder to reach. The work still gets done, but it starts to feel repetitive. You find yourself relying on what’s familiar because it’s efficient, even if it no longer feels energizing.

Most business owners hit this point at some stage. It doesn’t mean creativity is gone. It usually means it’s been crowded out. The days are filled with decisions, responsibilities, and problem-solving, and creativity gets pushed to the edges of the schedule. It becomes something you’ll come back to when things slow down, when there’s more time, or when the moment feels right.

Speaking from experience, that moment rarely shows up.

There’s a quote by Bruce Garrabrandt that puts words to this perfectly: “Creativity doesn’t wait for that perfect moment. It fashions its own perfect moments out of ordinary ones.” This means creativity doesn’t operate on a calendar, so you can try to schedule it, but it won’t always work that way. It shows up in the middle of real life, tucked inside moments that don’t look particularly special at first.

You feel it when an idea pops into your head while you’re driving between meetings, or when a conversation sparks a different way of looking at a familiar problem. You notice it late in the evening when everything finally quiets down and a thought clicks into place. The ideas are still there. They just need somewhere to land.

Early in building a business, those moments tend to feel more accessible. There’s flexibility to explore, to try something, to adjust quickly. Creativity feels like part of the work because there’s room for it to breathe. As the business grows, things change. Creativity starts waiting for permission instead of showing up freely.

When this happens, I’ve noticed something interesting. What’s usually missing isn’t imagination. 

It’s space.

I’ve watched this play out many times. A business owner comes in feeling stuck, convinced they’ve tried every option. The conversation starts by retracing familiar ground, then slowly opens up as they talk it through. A different question gets asked. A new angle appears. An ordinary moment creates just enough room for something new to take shape.

Those are the moments creativity thrives in.

Creativity matters because it changes how challenges are carried. It introduces flexibility into decision-making and opens up more than one way forward. When creativity has space, problems feel less rigid. Possibilities expand. Progress becomes less about forcing an answer and more about allowing one to emerge.

It also plays a quiet role in resilience. Plans shift. Markets change. Unexpected challenges show up. Leaders who stay connected to creativity adapt more smoothly because they trust their ability to work with what’s in front of them. They don’t wait for perfect conditions. They shape something meaningful out of ordinary circumstances.

Within the framework of alignment, creativity builds on connection. When people feel supported and heard, ideas surface more freely. Conversations become exploratory. Ordinary moments carry more weight because there’s trust in the room and permission to think out loud.

Creativity also prepares the way for challenge. It creates confidence to try something new, knowing refinement is part of the process. Growth feels less intimidating when imagination is allowed to stay involved.

You don’t have to wait for the perfect moment for creativity to return.

The ordinary moments are already doing more work than they appear to be.

Creating Space at The Nexus

If you’re looking for a place that supports focus, conversation, and creative thinking, join us at The Nexus! It’s a community coworking space designed to give business owners room to work, think, and let ideas flow freely. You’re welcome to stop in, settle in, and see what an ordinary day can open up.

Visit The Nexus

461 Sandy Creek Rd, Suite 4109, Fayetteville, GA

Hours: Open Monday–Friday starting at 9:00 AM