I can remember where I was when I realized I was a project-driven artist. My wife and I were having dinner at a local pub-estaurant we love and I was talking about how my day job as a corporate sales trainer was good, but not artistically fulfilling. Sure, I was thankful for the job, the… Continue reading The Project Driven Artistic Life
Category: inspiration
7 Things My 12-day-old Taught Me About Creativity
1. Enjoy Relish each moment. 2. Listen There’s beauty in each little sound. 3. Dream Don’t despise the day of small beginnings. 4. Experiment If something doesn’t work, try something else. 5. Simplify Needs met = happiness all around. 6. Rest Being is more important than doing. (Tweet it) 7. Laugh Joy is always found…if… Continue reading 7 Things My 12-day-old Taught Me About Creativity
Jack London to Creatives
I haven’t read any Jack London books, but recently I read an essay of his, and now I want to read more. I had to share a few morsels of goodness with my fellow creatives–I know you’ll enjoy them. From Mr. London’s article “Getting into Print” was published in 1903 in The Editor. 110 years later and the… Continue reading Jack London to Creatives
Vonnegut on Being Artistic
Two minutes of great inspiration from the late Vonnegut: “Go into the arts. I’m not kidding. The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven’s sake.… Continue reading Vonnegut on Being Artistic
Degrading Other Creatives
She’s a natural. Everything he does seems to turn to gold. They have “the it” factor. Slippery slope. Attributing fellow artists’ accomplishments to anything but work ethic, desire to learn and dedication is a grave mistake for our own creativity. Yet, it’s easy to fall into this dishonoring thinking pattern. Would we think/speak this way… Continue reading Degrading Other Creatives
Childish vs Childlike
When doing creative projects… Childish: “no one ever helps me. Why doesn’t anyone want my dreams to come true.” Childlike: “this could be a fun adventure. I hope I make a bunch of mistakes that’ll help me learn and make me a better artist.” When you have to work a day job to fund your… Continue reading Childish vs Childlike
The Plate Spinning Artist
As creatives, we lead project-driven lives. We are the plate-spinners. The task-jugglers. The multiple-hat-wearers. Currently I’m… Writing a new book with two other friends. I’d say we’re about 63.2% done. (more on that in the months to come!) Launching two social media campaigns for my day job. Learning to be a father…we’re due in about six… Continue reading The Plate Spinning Artist
Living In Awe
Coffee. Laughter. The won’t-let-go-of-you hug. Favorite things. As I sit in the quiet of this morning, sharing my heart with a tiny, blinking cursor on a screen in a tiny, beautiful home before anyone else gets up, I am in awe. The rise and fall of my breath and warmth all around reminds me that I… Continue reading Living In Awe
The Dichotomy of Focus
As creatives, we’re tasked with the privilege of seeing our creative projects evolve in three basic stages: getting the initial idea, implementing the idea into our medium and then producing the finished work. Along this path is the dichotomy of focus. We must be open to change, but not get too distracted. We embrace playfulness, yet need… Continue reading The Dichotomy of Focus
Be Brave
Creativity takes bravery. Here’s a nice reminder from Jon Acuff… Designer and author George Lois once said “You can be cautious or you can be creative, but there’s no such thing as a cautious creative.” Ah, fearlessness!