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Instead of wallowing in the pride of our finished work, let’s whirl in the production of our next one. Instead of worrying that people will leave, let’s do something to remind them how much we love them. Instead of trying to resolve our tension, let’s learn to respect it as a regular part of the life experience. Instead of telling customers that their call is important to us, let’s…

The greatest advantage is to not give a shit. To reach a point where you let go of attachment to goals, zero out any expectations and drop the need for approval and permission. In his later years, George Carlin touted the importance of not giving a shit. He attributed much of his success as a writer and performer to this very concept, saying that when we act from that…

LET ME ASK YA THIS… Who do you belong to? LET ME SUGGEST THIS… For the list called, “21 Things I Learned While Spying on Myself,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free! * * * * Scott Ginsberg That Guy with the Nametag Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting [email protected] Never the same speech twice. Customized for your audience. Impossible to walk away uninspired. Now…

Success doesn’t have a line. No matter how good we are, how long we wait, or how hard we hustle while we wait, everyone’s career operates on a different clock. Much to our frustration, there’s no democracy, no rational system of advancement and no standard set of rules that determines when it’s our time to shine. The people who blow up aren’t necessarily better or more deserving than us….

In the world of freelancing, entrepreneurship and artistry, fear comes with territory. And there are certain fears that are unique to our profession. Financially, we fear the empty calendar.It’s a visual reminder of inactivity and, often times, an indication of financial instability. Butwe alone control the amount of work we do. We alone determine how busy we are.And if the fear of the work drying up becomes very real…

Last week, I released eight new books, all for free. The goal was to flip the digital bird to the mainstream publishing industry, send a global message about the state of modern art and offer a thank you in perpetuity to the audience that’s supported, shaped and stuck with me over the past decade. From a philosophical standpoint, I was ecstatic. The outpouring of support and encouragement from my…

You don’t need more time, you need a better routine. Here are a few I’ve adopted over the years: Set a reverse curfew.Make a daily bargain with yourself that you will be out of the house by a certain time. Say, at the coffee shop by ten. That way, you put yourself on a deadline. Otherwise your morning will slip away. Use rituals to carve a pathway.Set a daily…

You’re an artist. You’ve chosen an uncertain path. You’ve adopted an inconvenient lifestyle. And you’ve decided to go your own way. But if you want to arrive in one piece – and one peace – you have to delete the amateurism out of your life. This is the critical crossroads – the emotional turning point – in the life of a young artist. I’ve been there myself. I’m still…

Easy buttons are lies. It might take guts to stick yourself out there. But it takes gusto to keep yourself out there. Fortunately, stick-to-itiveness can be learned. Aka, “Stick to it.” Aka, “Stick with it.” Aka, “Stick in there.” The secret is, commitment changes everything. Whether you’re starting a new relationship, moving to a new city, going full time with your business or devoting your life to a charitable…

It’s all about increasing the probability. Of getting noticed. Of getting remembered. Of getting what matters most. And for a lot of people right now, that means getting a job. And after tens of thousands of conversations with professionals worldwide, I’ve now written extensively on the relationship between approachability and hireability. This book is a compendium of that work. Much of it comes from my regular column on www.theladders.com….