I'm always thinking about creating. My future starts when I wake

In the words of Miles Davis, “I'm always thinking about creating. My future starts when I wake up every morning... Every day I find something creative to do with my life,” we hear the voice of a man deeply connected to the very essence of life itself. For Davis, creativity was not just a part of his existence—it was the driving force that gave shape to each day. This mindset speaks to an eternal truth: the future is not a distant thing to wait for, but something that unfolds in the present moment through the choices we make. Each new day is an opportunity to create, to bring forth something new, and in doing so, to shape the course of one’s life.

This idea of creation as the heartbeat of existence echoes the philosophy of the ancient Greeks, who believed that human life was about striving towards excellence and personal transformation. Socrates famously said that “**the unexamined life is not worth living,” emphasizing that true fulfillment comes from a constant quest for wisdom and growth. For him, and for many ancient thinkers, the purpose of life was not to stagnate but to actively engage with the world and shape it through our actions. Just as Davis found a new creation each day, so too did the philosophers of ancient times see every moment as an opportunity for self-discovery and enlightenment.

Consider the life of Leonardo da Vinci, who, though born in a different era, exemplified the same devotion to creativity as Davis. For da Vinci, every day was an act of creation—whether it was in the form of art, invention, or scientific exploration. He was not just an artist; he was a visionary, constantly looking for new ways to understand and shape the world around him. His creations, from the Mona Lisa to his engineering sketches, were born not from a sense of routine or obligation, but from a relentless pursuit of imagination and invention. His life was a testament to the idea that true greatness comes not from waiting for life to happen, but from actively creating it.

In much the same way, Miles Davis made his life a canvas on which he painted his musical legacy. With each album, each performance, he reinvented what it meant to play jazz. His sound evolved as he moved through different periods of his career, embracing new influences and technologies, and challenging himself to break boundaries. He was not simply a performer but an artist, and his art was his life. His commitment to creation was not bound by time or circumstance; it was an ever-present force, defining his future from the moment he woke up each morning.

Davis’s philosophy calls us to recognize that creativity is not a gift given to the few, but a discipline available to us all. It is not about waiting for a moment of inspiration, but about seizing the potential within each day. To be creative is to engage with the world in a meaningful way, to take what is before us and reshape it, to transform the ordinary into something extraordinary. The very act of creating—whether through art, work, or relationships—is a profound expression of our humanity, of our desire to leave a mark on the world, and to connect with something greater than ourselves.

The lesson that Miles Davis imparts is timeless: that the future is not a far-off destination, but something we build day by day, through the choices we make and the actions we take. Just as Davis woke each morning with the intention to create, so too must we find ways to infuse creativity into our own lives. Whether through the work we do, the art we create, or the way we engage with others, every day offers a chance to shape the world anew. We must not wait for inspiration to strike, but rather create the space for invention and growth to happen.

In practical terms, we must approach each day with the mindset that our future is not predetermined, but is being created through our thoughts, actions, and creativity. We can cultivate this by setting aside time for reflection, by seeking out new experiences, and by embracing the unknown. Miles Davis teaches us that creativity is not a passive experience but an active, ongoing engagement with life. The future we seek is not waiting for us somewhere out there—it begins the moment we wake up and decide to create it. Let us take his wisdom to heart and commit ourselves to shaping our lives through creativity, knowing that each day we spend creating, we are building a future that is uniquely our own.