I don’t want to draw from abstractions about the world to create new realities. I want to draw from the real world in order to create abstractions. My feeling is that this is a thought can apply to everyone, no matter what you do for a living.
Read MoreHIGHS AND LOWS
A life spent with all things largely known at daybreak is unlikely to yield much in the way of success when the sun goes down. Success usually comes from the discovery of something that was unknown, be that a new business partnership, a piece of art, or smartly executed social media campaign.
Read MoreSucker for an Archetype, Patsy for a Cliché
When we presume we know how a person or a scenario or a sight or a sound should be, our stereotypes limit us from dreaming deeper.
Read More
Inside even the littlest of seeds we find the structure of an entire galaxy, writ with rules, order, and intention, waiting to grow. Not all seeds will do so, however. Most will simply decompose.
BOTANICALS
Inside even the littlest of seeds we find the structure of an entire galaxy, writ with rules, order, and intention, waiting to grow. Not all seeds will do so, however. Most will simply decompose. It's kind of like the creative process, no?
Read MoreA CHILDREN’S STORY
Childhood depends on creative sparks. The process of invention is the process of discovery, which is another way of saying that invention often yields growth.
Read MoreBURNING MAN
The honest-to-goodness, grab-you-by-the-shoulder interesting stuff is over here, out on the edge, just before the rest of the world discovers it. You can aspire, but if you want to be a real part of that genesis culture, you can't pretend. You have to dive in and be honest about it all the first place. Acts of honest creation cannot be easily bought.
Read MoreOVERCOMING THE UBIQUITY OF DISTRACTIONS
You’ve got to apply power to the throttle, and you’ve got to start rolling down the runway. This will take fuel; this will make you tired; this will add risks to your day. But once you achieve flight speed, you’ll see the Earth fall away beneath you, and you’ll finally be headed somewhere.
Read MoreTHE SOUNDS WE HEAR
Don’t just be an accountant: be an elegant, insightful, artful one. Don’t simply restock the shelves at the grocery store: find subtle, nuanced ways to think about what you’re doing and then do it well. Mundane jobs are not without the potential for elegant expressions. Perception is the first part of understanding something, and transformation of those perceptions is the work of authentic creativity.
Read MoreBUYING THINGS THAT DON’T EXIST
Market forces may be set perfect prices, but that only lasts as long as providers can provide loss-leading products. At some point requests for inexpensive flying elephants can only go so low.
Read MoreA CABIN IN THE WOODS
If you’re trying to create something substantial in your life, try to find your own cabin in the woods. Spend some time there, even if it looks like the same four walls you’re used to seeing in your office. Declare your space, define your terms, and create something real.
Read More