The Creative Imperative

Most artists tell me (and you) that art/music/writing is not a job ... it's a calling. And I know that to be true. Artists and performers who are creating projects tell me that do them because they must. This has nothing to do with the concept of success. It's what Garr Reynolds refers to as The Creative Imperative.

He also addresses the concept of creativity as something that some people don't believe they have. Gosh, folks, I thought we'd gotten past that myth a long time ago! How can anyone still believe that after all these years? Don't we all know, by now, that we are, each of us, creative beings? Oh, well ...

And last but not least, he cites a couple of videos ... well worth your time.

Enjoy!

Staying Motivated

So many of us complain about staying focused. Believe me, I know how you feel. Some of us are just bogged down by the heat (it's over 100 degrees this whole week here in the San Fernando Valley, California) and some of us are just distracted by wanting to look in the fridge for some new ideas. (Is that why we stand there holding the door open so long?)

Some of us work best in spurts ... digging in and holding on for hours at a time until we collapse ... others are best at setting a timer, and doing projects in smaller chunks, with pieces purposefully left over for the following day/week/month.

Kevin Cornell's article, Staying Motivated, separates our projects into two phases ... (1) getting started and (2) maintaining.

I especially like the idea of keeping track of where I've been and where I'm going. Often, we don't realize just how far we've come until we look back.

Enjoy!

Burning Man

Some of you are already familiar with this incredible art/music confab called Burning Man that happens in the Nevada desert each summer (how much heat can you withstand?).

People camp in the desert (by the thousands) and experience some of the most daring art/music/sculpture ... We hear it's well worth the effort to go, but you really need to be very well prepared for the extreme physical conditions.

Here's a recent article from Wired.com regarding this year's upcoming event ...
Crude Awakening arises at Burning Man.

Enjoy!

Working Closely Together Ain't Productive?

I found a little article through one of my favorite blogs, Lifehacker.com, and must admit I'm not sure I agree with this point of view.

It's Working Closely Together Ain't Productive by Jason Fried. You'll see that Jason believes we're better off, more productive, working alone.

My experience tells me that SOME people are ARE better off working alone, but this doesn't apply to everyone. It's such an individual choice.

It helps to know if you're more of an introvert or an extrovert. (Take the Myers-Briggs test to know for sure. Or take the quiz on Keirsey.com) Naturally, introverts seek solitude, places to think and edit and try out new stuff, with no one else around during their creative process. It seems that introverts draw their energy from within themselves.

Extroverts, who draw their energy from outside of themselves, however, need to bounce stuff off their partners/colleagues on a regular basis. They're the ones who are interrupting other workers with questions like, "What do you think if ...?" or "How would it look if we ...?" They are constantly taking your temperature ... before adding any finishing touches to their project. They love to collaborate.

And then, of course, there are mixed breeds, blending a bit of both.

The article still deserves a mention ... it's a great topic, and open for comment!

Enjoy...