"Visualize your creativity as a backed-up pipe of water. The first mile is packed with wastewater. This wastewater must be emptied before the clear water arrives. 

"Because your pipe has only one faucet, there's no shortcut to achieving clarity other than first emptying the wastewater.

"Let's apply this to creativity: At the beginning of a writing session, write out every bad idea that unavoidably comes to mind. Instead of being self-critical and resisting them, recognize bad ideas as progress. Bad ideas are usually the clichés your brain has been overexposed to.

"Once the bad ideas are emptied, strong ideas begin to arrive." —Julian Shapiro

Article: Creativity Faucet: Being More Creative