Having a Mild Case of "Creative Tension"

Having a Mild Case of "Creative Tension"
Category: Goals, Plans, Hopes

Peter M. Senge, author of The Fifth Discipline says:
"The juxtaposition of vision (what we want) and a clear picture of current reality (where we are relative to what we want) generates what we call "creative tension": a force to bring them together, caused by the natural tendency of tension to seek resolution. The essence of personal mastery is learning how to generate and sustain creative tension in our lives."
Clearly 'creative tension' is a general name given to the process of growth through overcoming resistance. Senge, refers to this attribute in suggesting habits necessary for sustaining growth in business through self development. This creative tension is constantly sought by those who realize that only through challenge can true growth and fulfillment be achieved.
Though creative tension at times finds us; it is a proactive seeking of creative tension that truly makes a consistent difference in personal growth and goal advancement. Some of us harbor a fantasy that elimination of "tension" is the cure-all for life's ills. This is not only erroneous but is pathological. Alfred Adler, the world-renowned psychoanalyst of the twentieth century explained it in terms of the "neuroticism" found in the "luxurious" class that lived in a world with little resistance or "tensions" in there lives.
Nietzsche went even further to proclaim that the most vital of human yearnings was the "overcoming of resistance" and thus humans harbored a "will to power." The value of resistance in our lives is multidimensional and goes beyond mere "resistance" workouts for physical health. So we can conclude that indulging in creative tension dissolves boundaries - yielding an enhanced sense of well-being - enjoyment.

-Angel Armendariz