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As creators, we have to identify the truest form of our talents. We have to allow them to take shape and grow. We have to find worthy vehicles to take the full diversity of our talents on the ride they deserve. And we have to develop and nurture new talents to increase our value over time.  But talent is not a panacea. It’s a commodity with a finite lifespan….

You can’t execute with one foot in the fantasy world and one foot in reality. Eventually, you have to cross the invisible line that separates thought from action. You have to shatter the glass wall in your mind that separates idea from execution.  Maisel makes a powerful point in his creativity book that if you want to raise the stakes tremendously, it’s not enough to dream, you have to…

The existential imperative is to make use of everything you are. To finding a home for all of your talents in the service of the world.  And so, as you evolve your skillset, it’s important to consider each new ability in the context of overall satisfaction. To constantly look for ways to express that ability to make a difference in all parts of your life.  When I came out…

All creativity begins with the moment of conception. That little piece of kindling that gets the fire going. That initial source of inspiration that takes on a life of its own. That single note from which the entire symphony grows. That single spark of life that signals an idea’s movement value, almost screaming to us, something wants to be built here. And so, in this blog series, I’m going to…

As almost every marketplace becomes more saturated and noisy and homogenous, the possible areas of differentiation are becoming fewer and fewer.  Except, of course, for the creators who lead with the how. The ones who put their process on a pedestal. Because in a commoditized world, people don’t just buy what we make, they buy the way we make it. That’s part of the value proposition. The how behind the what. …

Relentless resourcefulness is about finding the people who can help you become what you need to be, but it’s also about finding the right tools that can help take you where you want to go.  Even if you have to trick, trap, tease or hack yourself.  Jason, my cartoonist friend, has a busy travel schedule and hectic home life that doesn’t allow him to be as disciplined as he wants to…

Marx once said that power belongs to those who control the means of production.  This is especially applicable to artists and entrepreneurs.  You must own your own land. When you sharecrop, you can’t expect to be treated fairly.  I once had the opportunity to write a course curriculum for a renowned university. The project seemed interesting and challenging and different and I was excited to move forward.  Until I…

Stravinsky wrote in his autobiography that composition was a daily function he felt compelled to discharge. He made things because he was made for that and could not do otherwise.  Most artists can relate to that impulse to originate. They’re hardwired for creation. Regardless of schedule or mood or location or day of the week, they get up in the morning and listen to what they’re supposed to make…

All creativity begins with the moment of conception. That little piece of kindling that gets the fire going. That initial source of inspiration that takes on a life of its own. That single note from which the entire symphony grows. That single spark of life that signals an idea’s movement value, almost screaming to us, something wants to be built here. And so, in this blog series, I’m going to…

The more I am me, the better work I do.  But force me to work against my instinctive grain, and my output will be shite.  That’s why I’m both a proponent and practitioner of identity based creation. Tapping into my native endowments of creativity, motivation, inspiration and intelligence and channeling them in the service of the work I do.  It’s like a game to see what part of myself I…