Tag: creativity (Page 1 of 2)

Katie Hornor on Sharing Your Gifts, Respecting People, and Defining Success – Cracking Creativity Episode 86

June 19, 2018 / Kevin Chung / 0 Comments

Katie Hornor knew from a young age that wanted to serve God. She also realized that she had a teacher’s heart, so she majored in education.

After finishing school with a degree in education and a minor in Spanish, Katie and her husband moved to Mexico as missionaries. While in Mexico she worked at a Bible college and local mission college.

But one of the most pivotal decisions in her life was deciding to home school her children. This was the moment she realized that other parents in Mexico had no resources for home schooling their children.

So, to supplement her income and help out parents who wanted to home school their children, Katie and her husband started a home school blog. Katie realized their was a massive whole in the market for home schooling in Spanish, so she filled that gap.

Her home schooling blog became so successful that bloggers started approaching her asking how she grew her business. Katie now helps teach bloggers from all over the world how to grow their blogs and businesses.

In this episode Katie talks about sharing your gifts with the world, respecting everyone even if they don’t deserve it, and defining what success means to you.

Ron Dawson on the Power of Stories, Putting in the Work, Learning on the Fly – Cracking Creativity Episode 85

May 10, 2018 / Kevin Chung / 0 Comments

Ron Dawson‘s earliest experience with film came through a time traveling caper film he created when he was a kid. Unfortunately, like many creatives, “real life” aspirations took over.

Instead of following his passion for film, he followed his interest in business. Ron’s first endeavor in business was attempting to buy and sell businesses with his cousin. Although this idea did not work out, it gave him a taste of the business world.

After failing to launch his business buying venture, and graduating with a business degree from UC Berkley, Ron got a job at Screen Play Systems. After some time there, he later moved up to become a business manager at Intuit.

While working for these different businesses, Ron was also working as a wedding videographer on the side. This was a pivotal crossroads for him. He could either continue with his six-figure salary, or he could venture out on his own. Instead of continuing to work at a high paying job he didn’t love, he chose to do a job he did love, making films.

In this episode Ron talks about the power of storytelling, putting in the work, and learning on the fly among many other things.

Show Your Work! by Austin Kleon Book Review & Highlights

January 26, 2017 / Kevin Chung / 0 Comments

Show Your Work!

Austin Kleon | ISBN: 076117897X & 978-0761178972 | Rating: 10/10

Austin Kleon’s incredible book Steal Like an Artist paved the way for his equally good Show Your Work! In Steal Like an Artist, Austin showed us how we could pull inspiration from everything around us. It gave us 10 examples of how we can be more creative as artists and creatives.

Show Your Work! is more of a companion book than a sequel to Steal Like an Artist. It explains why creatives need to show their work if they want to be “discovered.” In it, Kleon gives 10 examples of how we can share our creativity to grow an audience of passionate fans.

The reason you should read this along side Steal Like an Artist is, while Steal tells you how to boost your creativity, Show Your Work tells you how to share it. Both elements are necessary for living the optimum creative life.

If you start sharing your work from the beginning, there’s a timeline of your progress as an artist. There’s proof of your growth as an artist and everything it took to get to where you are.

It’s a way for fans to connect with you more deeply as you discover your own creative expression. It acts as a living creative journal of your progress.

With all that being said, here are my thoughts on each section of the book:

Why Every Creative MUST Listen to The Unmistakable Creative

October 21, 2016 / Kevin Chung / 0 Comments

The Unmistakable Creative is just that: unmistakable. If you have not heard an episode of the show, stop reading this post and look through the archives. Listening to an episode of Unmistakable Creative is an absolute joy. I am not the only one who thinks so. At the moment, the show has over 550 five star reviews on iTunes and over 650 reviews overall.

Srini Rao, the host of the show, makes sure each episode is interesting and informative. He does not settle for the ordinary answers you hear from most podcast guests. He gets some of the world’s most interesting people to open up about topics they normally wouldn’t talk about.

In fact, without the Unmistakable Creative I might not have my own podcast. Srini showed me what is possible through the wonderful medium of podcasting. His thoughtful interviews are one of the main reasons I wanted to get into podcasting myself.

Monica Kang on Thinking Like an Outsider, the Importance of Asking Questions, and the Power of Self-Awareness – Cracking Creativity Episode 62

October 18, 2016 / Kevin Chung / 0 Comments

Monica Kang knew early in life that she wanted to work in international affairs. Her upbringing in two countries compelled her to understand how people related to each other, and steered her towards her role working with the government.

Monica worked for years in international affairs, and even though she loved her job, she still felt something was lacking. She saw that people weren’t creatively fulfilled at their jobs and knew she wanted to help them. She knew she could fulfill that gap, so she started up InnovatorsBox.

In this episode learn why you should think link an outsider, the importance of asking questions, and how self-awareness can improve your problem solving.

Kaitlyn Guay on Creative Growth as an Evolution, Finding Beauty an Gratitude, and Overcoming Resistance – Cracking Creativity Episode 61

Kaitlyn Guay on Creative Growth as and Evolution, Finding Beauty an Gratitude, and Overcoming Resistance – Cracking Creativity Episode 61

September 27, 2016 / Kevin Chung / 0 Comments

Kaitlyn Guay grew up wanting to be in Broadway. She grew up in a household where she wasn’t allowed to watch TV and could only watch movies on the weekends. She grew up in a cultural bubble where she entertained herself by writing poems and song lyrics for fun.

While she wanted to be an artist and entertainer, those around her thought it would be too risky, so she became a musical teacher. This allowed her to share her passion for the arts with others. That is until a severe case of Chronic Lyme Disease forced her to change her path. Instead of letting the disease break her, she leveraged it into creating a young adult book series and jewelry line.

In this episode, learn why creative growth is an evolution, how to find beauty and gratitude in every day life, and ways you can overcome Resistance.

“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.” – Scott Adams Quote Art

December 19, 2015 / Kevin Chung / 1 Comment

“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.” – Scott Adams

Print available on Storenvy.

Creativity and art are two separate yet interconnected pieces of the same puzzle. They exist in a constant ebb and flow. They can, and do, exist separately but they are better when they work together.

People often mistake creativity as a thing only artists have and use. “I’m not creative. I don’t know how to draw or paint.” That sentiment is shared by many people, but it is a mistake to do so.

I have spoken to many people about the topic of creativity and there are a few common things that consistently come up:

Be Open to Play

Creative people have one thing in common. They are open to exploration and play. They are not hindered by pre-conceived notions. They don’t worry about whether something will succeed or fail. Just like children, they are willing and open to try new things.

You Can’t Force It

Creative people do not try to force their ideas onto a problem. They look at problems from multiple angles. They scrape the depths of their mind looking for a solution that fits the problem at hand. They are not hindered by the idea of a single best solution. They don’t let mistakes discourage them. They turn those impediments into action.

Constantly Create

[bctt tweet=”Creative people are constantly creating. They do not wait for the muse to sing to them”]

Creative people are constantly creating. They do not wait for the muse to sing to them. They find the muse through consistent and persistent action. Some of their art will be better than others, but that doesn’t stop them from creating.

—

Art, on the other hand requires discernment. When you are creating art, you use your creativity to come up with ideas, but you also have to decide what to keep and what to leave out.

Art allows you to express your feelings in a way that makes sense. It takes your ideas and brings them to life.

As artists, we all want to be perfectionists, but if you want to keep your sanity, you will know when to stop. That moment of finality is the difference between creativity and art.

Art is the end result of all that creativity. It is the final product that of all that experimentation.

[bctt tweet=”Creativity is an endless cycle. Art is what you have to show for it”]

Creativity is an endless cycle. Art is what you have to show for it.

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Photo by Andrew Phillips

“Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking.” – W.B. Yeats Quote Art

December 12, 2015 / Kevin Chung / 0 Comments

“Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking.” – W.B. Yeats

Print available on Storenvy.

For a long time, I believed in the myth of sudden and instantaneous inspiration. I believed that an apple would hit me while sitting under a tree. I believed that lightning would strike my key while flying a kite in a storm. I believed that a tiny lightbulb would appear above my head when I had an insight.

The biggest myth about creativity is that you will have these moments of clarity. That you don’t have to do any work for inspiration to strike. That you just have to wait for the muse to descend upon you.

[bctt tweet=”If you want great ideas to come to you, you must seek them first.”]

What I’ve learned through a lot of reading, some interviews, and a lot of effort is inspiration doesn’t work like that. If you want great ideas to come to you, you must seek them first.

Creativity is a muscle, just like any other muscle. You must put it to use or it will atrophy. If you want to be creative, you must follow the stages of creativity.

According to psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman, creativity comes in four basic stages.

Preparation

In order to come up with new solutions, you have to first learn a lot about the subject you are tackling. This is the information gathering stage.

Incubation

Then, you must walk away. This is the stage many people neglect. They pour over the problem until they can’t think anymore. But, you must let your mind wander if you want it to come up with a creative solution.

Illumination

This is the spark of inspiration many of us have been looking for. It is that moment when all those ideas you were exploring come together and finally make sense.

Verification

Most people will stop once they have that eureka moment, but creativity doesn’t end there. Your idea must be put into action. Anyone can have a good idea, but true creativity is harnessing your ideas and putting them to use.

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[bctt tweet=”Far too many people wait for the right moment before they take action”]

Far too many people wait for the right moment before they take action. They want the benefits of success without the work required to achieve it. Luckily for you, you now know better.

[bctt tweet=”If you want to find success for your art, you have to do the work”]

If you want good ideas to come to you, you must seek them. If you want to find success for your art, you have to do the work.

Taking action is the only way to make your dreams come true. Don’t wait around for someone or something to give you an opportunity. Make your own opportunities.

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Photo by TiBine

Photo by Unsplash

“Creativity takes courage.” – Henri Matisse Quote Art

October 31, 2015 / Kevin Chung / 0 Comments

“Creativity takes courage.” – Henri Matisse

Print available on Storenvy.

Whether you’ve been creative your entire life, or you are just now exploring it, one thing is true. Creativity takes courage.

As creatives, we spend our whole lives fighting against the system. Our parents tells us to stop drawing on the walls. Our teachers gave us bad grades because we didn’t do their assignment the “right” way. Our bosses are dead set in their ways.

Each day we live within the confines of the establishment. Most of us fall right in line. We feel stifled and held back by the people around us, but it doesn’t have to be this way.

[bctt tweet=”We can choose to be courageous. We can take the unbeaten path”]

We can choose to be courageous. We can take the unbeaten path. We can take risks without knowing how things will turn out.

Most of us choose to accept the status quo, but there are many people out there who have created their own way. Here are a few of the people I look to while trying to form my own path:

Tim Ferriss

Tim is one of the best known examples of someone who doesn’t let people dictate his life. He built and sold his own company after deciding he could maximize his time and delegate his work.

He has written multiple best-selling books including his seminal work The Four Hour Workweek, he has one of the top ranked podcasts on iTunes, and he is also an angel investor.

Tim has built a massive following around the idea of doing maximizing your efforts to get the greatest results and has inspired many people to do the same.

Lewis Howes

Lewis was fulfilling his dream as a professional football player until an injury ended his playing career. This injury devastated him. He was broken and living on his sister’s couch.

At that moment, he could have felt sorry for himself and accepted his place in the world. Many people would. Instead he embarked on a new path.

Since that moment, he has built multiple companies, he has created an extremely popular podcast, and he recently released his first traditionally published book about achieving greatness.

In that moment of weakness, instead of giving up, he chose to seek greatness. Now he is helping people seek their greatness too.

Maria Popova

Maria is the wonderful mind behind one of the internet’s favorite blogs: Brain Pickings. While most blogs on the internet explore very specific topics, Brain Pickings features Maria’s thoughts on culture, books, and any topic that interests her.

Brain Pickings started as a weekly email to seven of her friends. Now it receives millions of visitors a month. She has built that following by exploring her own interests, and is able to sustain her blog through donations from her readers.

Although she could be making much more money through ads, she chooses to make money through affiliate links and donations from her readers. This allows her to work on things she enjoys instead of working on things that will make her money.

Srinivas Rao

Srinivas is the creative force behind one of my favorite podcasts: The Unmistakable Creative. This podcast features amazing interviews with everyone from artists to entrepreneurs to ex-cons.

Like many people, Srinivas thought he had to seek the traditional path to success. He went to business school and got a 9-5 job, but wasn’t fulfilled. So he hosted a podcast called BlogCast FM and gradually grew the podcast interview by interview. He then re-branded it into what it is today, the Unmistakable Creative. It is now one of the most popular podcasts for creatives.

Tina Roth Eisenberg aka swissmiss

Tina is one of the most popular designers on the internet. She came to the US from Switzerland and worked for several prominent NYC design firms.

In 2005, she started her popular blog, swissmiss, and ran her own design studio with clients including the Museum of Modern Art and Food Network. While building the studio she also started other side projects including Creative Mornings, TeuxDeux, and Tattly. These projects allowed her to drop all her clients to work on them full-time.

Chase Jarvis

While at San Diego State University, Chase had plans of going to medical school after graduating. A few weeks before graduation, his grandfather passed and left him all of his photography equipment.

Instead of going to school after graduating, he took a trip to Europe, where he discovered his passion for photography. While pursuing his Masters degree at the University of Washington, he licensed photos to REI, which allowed him to leave school and start up his own studio.

Since then, Chase has photographed for clients like Nike, Apple, Miscrosoft, REI, and Lady Gaga. He also launched CreativeLive which offers free classes for people who want to learn photography, design, and other creative topics, and hosts interviews with creatives on Chase Jarvis Live.

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[bctt tweet=”Be courageous and let your creativity guide you”]

Most of us believe we can’t pursue our creative dreams. We lack the conviction to step out of our comfort zones and do the thing we love most. Instead of letting your preconceived notions stop you, let them go. Be courageous and let your creativity guide you.

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Photo by Mike Kniec

Cracking Creativity Episode 7: Christina Salerno on Living Quirky, Finding Yourself, Connecting with Others, and Being Creative

June 22, 2015 / Kevin Chung / 1 Comment

Christina Salerno is the founder of Living Quirky, a site where people can discover and celebrate what makes us extraordinary. In this episode, Christina talks about finding her purpose in life, how we can connect with others, and things we can do to be more creative.

Tag: creativity (Page 1 of 2)

Katie Hornor on Sharing Your Gifts, Respecting People, and Defining Success – Cracking Creativity Episode 86

Ron Dawson on the Power of Stories, Putting in the Work, Learning on the Fly – Cracking Creativity Episode 85

Show Your Work! by Austin Kleon Book Review & Highlights

Show Your Work!

Why Every Creative MUST Listen to The Unmistakable Creative

Monica Kang on Thinking Like an Outsider, the Importance of Asking Questions, and the Power of Self-Awareness – Cracking Creativity Episode 62

Kaitlyn Guay on Creative Growth as and Evolution, Finding Beauty an Gratitude, and Overcoming Resistance – Cracking Creativity Episode 61

“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.” – Scott Adams Quote Art