“How To Be Creative” — EngagingConflicts.com
Hugh MacLeod is a cartoonist (you may not have seen his work, he draws on the backs of business cards). I came across his article How To Be Creative while browsing ChangeThis recently. The article is from 2004 but as strong a piece now as then. He states on his GapingVoid blog website that the article is the most visited page on his website. The version there precedes and is longer than the version at ChangeThis. By the way, tomorrow’s edition of Engaging Conflicts Today features a “creative thinker,” Jack Cooley.
From Hugh MacLeod’s website:
So you want to be more creative, in art, in business, whatever. Here are some tips that have worked for me over the years:
1. Ignore everybody.
… Good ideas alter the power balance in relationships, that is why good ideas are always initially resisted.
2. The idea doesn’t have to be big. It just has to change the world.
… The sovereignty you have over your work will inspire far more people than the actual content ever will. How your own sovereignty inspires other people to find their own sovereignty, their own sense of freedom and possibilty, will change the world far more than the work’s objective merits ever will.
3. Put the hours in.
Put the hours in; do it for long enough and magical, life-transfomring things happen eventually.
4. If your biz plan depends on you suddenly being “discovered” by some big shot, your plan will probably fail.
The remaining points follow. Read the article if you believe you are creative, if you want to learn more about how to “be” creative, if you want to understand someone who truly is creative.
5. You are responsible for your own experience.
6. Everyone is born creative; everyone is given a box of crayons in kindergarten.
7. Keep your day job.
8. Companies that squelch creativity can no longer compete with companies that champion creativity.
9. Everybody has their own private Mount Everest they were put on this earth to climb.
10. The more talented somebody is, the less they need the props.
11. Don’t try to stand out from the crowd; avoid crowds altogether.
12. If you accept the pain, it cannot hurt you.
13. Never compare your inside with somebody else’s outside.
14. Dying young is overrated.
15. The most important thing a creative person can learn professionally is where to draw the red line that separates what you are willing to do, and what you are not.
16. The world is changing.
17. Merit can be bought. Passion can’t.
18. Avoid the Watercooler Gang.
19. Sing in your own voice.
20. The choice of media is irrelevant.
21. Selling out is harder than it looks.
22. Nobody cares. Do it for yourself.
23. Worrying about “Commercial vs. Artistic” is a complete waste of time.
24. Don’t worry about finding inspiration. It comes eventually.
25. You have to find your own schtick.
26. Write from the heart.
27. The best way to get approval is not to need it.
28. Power is never given. Power is taken.
29. Whatever choice you make, The Devil gets his due eventually.
30. The hardest part of being creative is getting used to it.
31. Remain frugal.
You can download a copy of the article by clicking here: How To Be Creative.
