Advice for Young and Aspiring Artists
Honor Your Commitments: Start by honoring the ones you’ve made to yourself. Then honor the ones you’ve made to others. You’ll gain trust, enhance your reputation, and increase your credibility. If you’re struggling to honor your commitments, make less of them. Make Something Every Day: The more you make, the better you’ll get. The better you…
Why Good Art Gives Me Hope
With good art, we can soothe our pain, soften our hearts, and lift ourselves up when we’re down. It inspires us, enlightens us, shapes us, and molds us. Without good art, the world would be leeched of it’s color. Creative self-expression is one of the ultimate indicators of our humanity. When I’ve lost my way, I’ve found…
5 Habits That Will Transform Anyone Into a Prolific Writer
There are some simple habits that will transform anyone into a prolific writer. But first, let’s talk about why it’s worth it to become one. Within 6 months of developing a daily writing habit, I made more progress than I did in the previous 3 years combined. When I reflect on my career as a writer,…
How Anyone Can Become a Fearless and Prolific Writer
Writing is about hypnotizing yourself into believing in yourself, getting some work done, then unhypnotizing yourself and going over the material coldly. – Anne LamottAnyone can become a fearless writer. My favorite nonfiction writers all do one thing really well- they sound like genuine humans who I’d want to hang out with. They’re opinionated, vulnerable and…
How to Use the Small Army Strategy to Build An Audience for Your Work
Building an audience is harder than it’s ever been even though it’s one of the greatest times in history for creatives, You can compete with the mainstream media, write sensationalist clickbait, or put “Trump” in the title of your latest article. You might even get someone’s attention. But it’s not a viable long term strategy to build…
Blog to Book Deal in 2019: What it Takes
In 2008, there were stories everywhere on the internet about people who went from blog to book deal. Blogs were what podcasts are today. Everybody and their mother was starting one. They thought they would become famous and get a book deal. But they didn’t see how much work it took. Ramit Sethi says the average…
How Ideas Spread in a World of Noise
Ideas don’t spread because through the kindness of strangers on the internet. They spread because of people who care, people who feel like you’ve made a difference. They spread you when people would miss you if you were gone. The internet is undergoing a fundamental shift. The tools are becoming more powerful and easier to…
41 Things I Almost Know for Sure
Truth is subjective. What’s true for one person may not be for another. After 41 years, I’ve learned the only constant changes, and the only certainty is uncertainty. In no particular order, these are the 41 things I almost know for sure. 1. Nothing is more precious than the time we have left with the people…
On Being Human
You will disappoint people. You’ll offend them. You’ll say things you regret. You will unintentionally hurt people. You will let someone down. You’ll make mistakes, some of which you can’t reverse. You’ll piss someone off. You’ll cut someone off. You’ll break their heart.You’ll make them cry. Someone will disappoint you. They’ll offend you.They’ll say something…
Flow Boosts Your Productivity by 500% in 90 Minutes
According to Steven Kotler, “Flow follows focus. It can only show up when your attention is in the here and now.” The other critical ingredient for flow is time. Steven says that it takes 90 minutes of uninterrupted time to reach flow. I’ve found through experience that this is true.For most people, the idea of…
