Hey Reader

Remember when you were a kid, and every day felt like a big experiment? You didn’t overthink things. You just played, built, destroyed, and rebuilt until you made something awesome—or at least had fun trying. Somewhere along the way, we were told to get serious. (Insert eye-roll here.)

Here’s the thing: serious is overrated. Experimentation and play are the keys to creative growth. In my book, Make Fun A Habit, I talk about how embracing a playful mindset doesn’t just make life more enjoyable—it also leads to unexpected breakthroughs. When you let go of the pressure to “get it right,” you unlock your ability to just create.

Here’s why play matters:

• Play reduces fear. When you’re having fun, you stop obsessing over failing. And when fear shrinks, creativity soars.
• Experimentation sparks ideas. Trying new things—even if they flop—leads to discoveries you can’t plan for. Failure isn’t the opposite of success; it’s part of the process.
• It’s energizing. Creative play fills your tank. It reminds you why you started this whole creative thing in the first place.

How to embrace experimentation and play today:

1. Break the rules: Try something that feels “off-brand” for you. New tools, new colors, new mediums. Go rogue.
2. Set a timer: Give yourself 15 minutes to make something wildly imperfect. No judgment, no second-guessing. Just do it.
3. Collaborate with randomness: Ask a friend to give you a weird prompt, or pull ideas from a random generator. The more unexpected, the better.
4. Create like no one’s watching: Seriously. Put your perfectionism on mute and let yourself play like no one else will ever see it.

Experimentation doesn’t always lead to masterpieces, but it always leads to growth. So, what are you waiting for? Go make a mess, try something new, and most importantly—have fun doing it.

Because when fun becomes a habit, magic happens.

Play on,

~ Mike Brennan

P.S. What kind of play sounds fun to you?

DAILY CHECK-IN

Begin to ask yourself these questions every day as a part of your daily creating rhythms:

1. What did I create today?

2. What did I learn?

3. What can I celebrate?

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DAILY PROMPTS

MONDAY: Draw something using only your non-dominant hand and turn it into a finished piece

TUESDAY: Write a story about an invention that solves a problem no one asked to solve.

WEDNESDAY: Take 10 random items from your junk drawer and build a sculpture out of them.

THURSDAY: Create a visual timeline of your day, using sketches, words, or photos.

WEEKEND PROMPT:

Pick 5 colors you never use and make an art piece using only those colors.
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