Two things happened today:
1. I got a mail - out of the blue - from a friend about my blog
2. I read Hugh MacLeod's (yeah, the same guy whose cartoons appear on my blog) manifesto called "How to be Creative". It is actually an old article, first showed up in his blog. Somehow, I missed reading it until now.
I don't know exactly what connections my brain hooked up, but it propelled me out of my bloggers' block. So Happy New Year and Compliments of the Season :).
If you have an hour to spare, read the manifesto. If you don't, make that one hour. Hugh's work is very intriguing. It slaps you in the face and then gives you a shoulder to lean on. Ever had the truth written down in your face in a size 48 font? As I read it, I felt rebellious and depressed, ecstatic and angry, enlightened and dumbfounded, empty and inspired.
Some things that stuck, and my reactions to it (hopefully, this will encourage you to read the whole article)
Guard your freedom. Rather, define what freedom means to you and guard it with your life (and career).
In what Hugh calls the "Sex and Cash" theory, he says creative people have 2 kinds of jobs (at the same time) - one has sex appeal, the other pays the bills. Reading that sorted out my theory of an Ideal Job (that there is no such thing) - it showed me another way to think about it.
Everyone has his/her Big Dream - their Mount Everest to climb. Admit yours, and make a serious attempt to make it happen - before you have all the time to regret not doing it. And when you do it, make sure you put in those hours. Its hard work and pain - deal with it.
Avoid the "run-of-the-mill", "another-brick-in-the-wall" kind of people, what Hugh calls the Watercooler Gang. I agree with his reasoning - we're mired in mediocrity, allow the mediocre mindset to creep into our behavior and ambition. Everyone has the ability to think differently - your mind is your fingerprint.
Do it for yourself. Not for money or fame or to impress someone. If you have any talent and passion, you have this innate need for accomplishment - something only you can define, that transcends most imposed boundaries. Sounds like a spiritual lecture. Partly true.
Moral of the story: Sing in your own voice - and put your heart into it.
1. I got a mail - out of the blue - from a friend about my blog
2. I read Hugh MacLeod's (yeah, the same guy whose cartoons appear on my blog) manifesto called "How to be Creative". It is actually an old article, first showed up in his blog. Somehow, I missed reading it until now.
I don't know exactly what connections my brain hooked up, but it propelled me out of my bloggers' block. So Happy New Year and Compliments of the Season :).
If you have an hour to spare, read the manifesto. If you don't, make that one hour. Hugh's work is very intriguing. It slaps you in the face and then gives you a shoulder to lean on. Ever had the truth written down in your face in a size 48 font? As I read it, I felt rebellious and depressed, ecstatic and angry, enlightened and dumbfounded, empty and inspired.
Some things that stuck, and my reactions to it (hopefully, this will encourage you to read the whole article)
Guard your freedom. Rather, define what freedom means to you and guard it with your life (and career).
In what Hugh calls the "Sex and Cash" theory, he says creative people have 2 kinds of jobs (at the same time) - one has sex appeal, the other pays the bills. Reading that sorted out my theory of an Ideal Job (that there is no such thing) - it showed me another way to think about it.
Everyone has his/her Big Dream - their Mount Everest to climb. Admit yours, and make a serious attempt to make it happen - before you have all the time to regret not doing it. And when you do it, make sure you put in those hours. Its hard work and pain - deal with it.
Avoid the "run-of-the-mill", "another-brick-in-the-wall" kind of people, what Hugh calls the Watercooler Gang. I agree with his reasoning - we're mired in mediocrity, allow the mediocre mindset to creep into our behavior and ambition. Everyone has the ability to think differently - your mind is your fingerprint.
Do it for yourself. Not for money or fame or to impress someone. If you have any talent and passion, you have this innate need for accomplishment - something only you can define, that transcends most imposed boundaries. Sounds like a spiritual lecture. Partly true.
Moral of the story: Sing in your own voice - and put your heart into it.