The Creative Act
Rick Rubin
Summary
The journey of being a creative from Rick Rubin, one of the greatest producers of the 21st century
Rating: 5/5
Notes
We are all living as artists
The taste of beauty of great art are in the eyes of the beholder
We are all translations for the messages the universe is broadcasting
If we choose to share what we make, our work can re-circulate and become some material for others
Art is our portal to the unseen world
Pay particular attention to the moments that take your breath away
Notice connections and consider where they lead
Be weary of when clues present themselves (UCAS #/Physics)
Look for what you notice but no one else sees
Submerge yourself in great works
There’s so much wisdom inn nature that when we notice it, it awakens possibilities within us
You can’t step into the same stream twice because it is always flowing - everything is
There’s great wisdom in transitional realms between wakefulness and sleep
It’s better to follow the universe than those around you
The path of art and sharing your innnenrmost vulnerabilities is not for everyone. Adversity is part of the process
All are is a work in progress
We’re not playing to win, we’re playing to play
Your desire to create must be greater than your feat of it but for even some of the greatest artists, the fear never goes away
Sometimes disengaging is the best way to engage
The purpose of the work is to awaken something in you first and then allow something to be awakened in others
Rules direct us to average behaviours and average is nothing to aspire to when creating
Instead of sounding like others, value your own voice
The artists who define each generation live outside the boundaries society sets
Listening is suspending disbelief
Time is something we have no control over so patience begins with acceptance of natural rhythms
Innocence brings for innovation
All great artists throughout history are the ones able to maintain a childlike enthusiasm and exuberance naturally
Aim to live in a way where we see the extraordinary in the seemingly mundane then challenge ourselves to share what we see in a way that allows others a glimpse of this remarkable beauty
When flowing, keep going
‘The only person you’re competing against is yourself. The rest is out of your control’ - John Wooden
Create an environment where you’re free to express what you’re afraid to express
When looking for the best idea, test everything
The goal of art isn’t to attain perfection, the goal is to share who we are
Copy the works that inspire you on the road to finding your own voice
The best art divides the audience
In an environment where nothing is permanent, we produce static artifacts. We hope they live forever but it’s impossible to know. We can only keep building
When making art, the audience comes last
The works we do are chapters in our book of life and there will always be another chapter
The essence of great art - creating our version of beauty and bringing all of ourself to every project
Any story beyond ‘I want to make the best thing I can make, whatever it is’ undermines your quest to create great art
Success has nothing to do with variables outside yourself
Art is an expression of who we are, not a competition with those around us
Use great art to inspire your own, not compete with it
Outer voices are usually absorbed early inn life and they’re not our own
Sometimes the mistakes are what makes a work great. Humanity breathes in mistakes
Do what you can with what you have. Nothing more is needed
Creativity is something you are, not something you do
The destination is a work we feel energized to share and we look back on and wonder in amazement how it could come from us
‘Think to yourself: I’m just here to create’
The world is only as free as it allows its artists to be
The context changes the content
The best work is the work you are excited about
When co-operating, be as specific as possible with your feedback
The story you tell yourself doesn’t matter. All that matters is the work itself - the art that gets made and how it’s perceived
***
Buy the book here
Free E-book download here
Make Something Wonderful
Steve Jobs
Summary
The life of Steve Jobs in his own words
Rating: 5/5
Notes
Make something wonderful and put it out there
‘You appear, have a chance to blaze in the sky, then you disappear’
When you’re a stranger in a place, you notice thing you don’t otherwise (Jobs after India trip)
Whenever you start with nothing, always shoot for the moon. You have nothing to lose.
You never achieve what you want without falling on your face a few times
Never be afraid to fail. You never achieve what you want without falling flat on your face a few times
We are never taught to listen to our intuitions, to develop and nurture them. But if you do pay attention to these subtle insights, you can make them come true
Creativity equals connecting previously unrelated experiences and insights others don’t see
Believe that some of what you follow with your heart will come back and make your life richer. And it will. And you will gain even firmer trust on your instincts and intuitions
Make your avocation your vocation. Make what you love your work.
The journey is the reward. The reward isn’t in the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, it’s in crossing the rainbow
To find A+ talent, if experienced, look at their track record and results
The world we know is a human creation and we can push it forward
The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do (read whole ad ‘here’s to the crazy ones)
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act but a habit - Aristotle
Hire people better than you are
You can’t plan to meet the people who will change your life
It’s impossible to connect the dots looking forward, but they make sense looking backwards so you have to trust the dots will somehow connect in your future
Everything around you that you call life was made up by people no smarter than you
***
Buy the book here
Free E-book download here
