TableofContentsTitlePageCopyrightPageDedicationIntroductionPART1-THEDYNAMICS

Chapter1.-THEDYNAMICSOFCREATIVEWORKChapter2.-THEDYNAMICSOFTEAMWORKChapter 3. - THE SIDE EFFECTS:DEALINGWITH THEASSASSINSOFCREATIVITYPART2-CREATIVERHYTHM

Chapter4.-FOCUS:ZEROINGINONWHAT’SCRITICALChapter5.-RELATIONSHIPS:BEINGBRILLIANTTOGETHERChapter6.-ENERGY:YOURINVISIBLEALLYChapter7.-STIMULI:WHATGOESINMUSTCOMEOUTChapter8.-HOURS:THEY’RETHECURRENCYOFPRODUCTIVITYChapter9-PUTTINGITALLTOGETHER:THECHECKPOINTS.Chapter10.-COVERBANDSDON’TCHANGETHEWORLDAcknowledgementsAPPENDIXINDEX

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ToEthan,Owen,andAva,whoregularlyshowmewhatcreativityisallabout,andtoRachelforthefreedom.

Iloveyouall.

INTRODUCTION

THEACCIDENTALCREATIVE

Insomecircles,theword“creative”hasrecentlymorphedfromadjectivetonoun. If you are one of themillions among us whomake a living with yourmind, you could be tagged a “creative.” Every day, you solve problems,innovate, develop systems, design things,write, think, and strategize.You areresponsible for moving big conceptual rocks, crafting systems that form thefoundations for future growth—creating value that didn’t exist before youarrivedonthescene.Maybeyoudidn’t set out to be a creative. In fact, perhaps you even cringe

when you hear the word applied to you. Understandably, the tag “creative”sometimesconjuresupimagesofSoHoadvertisinggurusflittingaboutinfive-hundred-dollar designer jeans. You may prefer the term “strategist” or“manager,” or something else that feelsmore concrete.Call yourself anythingyouwant,butifyou’reresponsibleforsolvingproblems,developingstrategies,orotherwisestrainingyourbrainfornewideas,I’mgoingtocallyouacreative—evenifyouendedupbeingoneaccidentally.Somepeople deliberately choose a career that allows them to exercise their

creativity on a daily basis. They make their livings designing, writing,developingadcampaigns,ordoing someotherkindof conceptualwork.Theygettodosomethingtheylove,andsomeonegivesthemmoneyforit.Speakingasoneofthelastgroup,Ithinkit’saprettygreatdeal.Onourbestdaysitseemsalmostunfairthatwegetpaidtodowhatwedo,butonourworstdaysourjobsfeel pretty much like any other. Though creative fields may sound exotic tostrangers at cocktail parties, our day-to-day work can often feel a lot likefollowing recipes, taking familiar ingredients and mixing them together inslightlydifferentways.Whichevertypeyouare,creativeor“accidentalcreative,”thisbookwillhelp

youcreatefasterandmoreeffectivelythanyoueverimaginedpossible.For the traditional creatives, such as designers, writers, visual artists,

musicians,andperformers,thisbookwillhelpyouestablishenoughstructureinyourlifetogetthemostoutofyourcreativeprocess.Itwillalsoteachyouhowto stay engaged and prolific over the long term,which is often a problem forartistswhomustproducecontinuallyondemand.

For the nontraditional creatives, such as managers, strategists, consultants,salespeople,andclientservicereps, thisbookwillhelpyouunlockyour latentcreativeabilities.Youwilllearnhowtodowhatmanybrilliantcreativesalreadydoinstinctively,andhowtodoitconsistently.Inshort,youwilllearnhowtobebrilliantwhenitcountsthemost.Therearetremendousbenefitstodoingcreativework.Yougettoaddunique

value,carveoutyourownnicheinthemarketplace,andwatchyournotionsandhunchesgofromconceptiontoexecution;couldtherebeanytypeofworkmoregratifying?Buttheflipsideofthisisthatwhetheryouareadesigner,manager,writer, consultant, or programmer, you are required to create value each andeverydaywithout reprieve.Theworkneverends,andas longas there is“justone more thing” to think about, finding time to rest can be difficult. Yourprimary tool, your mind, goes with you everywhere. If your job is to solveproblems—to create—then you are always looking for new ideas. In addition,you won’t always have the option of going back to your desk to quietlybrainstorm,vettingyourideasonebyone.Asacreative,youwillregularlyfindyourself in situations that requireyou togeneratebrilliant ideasatamoment’snotice.Thisisnoeasyfeat.Ifyouwanttodelivertherightideaattherightmoment,

youmust begin the process far upstream fromwhen you need that idea. Youneed to build practices into your life that will help you focus your creativeenergy.ThereisapersistentmythintheworkplacethatcreativityisamysticalandelusiveforcethatsitssomewherebetweenprayerandtheU.S.taxcodeontheambiguityscale.Buttherealityisthatyoucanunquestionablyincreaseyourcapacity to experience regular flashes of creative insight—“creativeaccidents”—bring the best of who you are to your work, and execute moreeffectively,allbybuildingpurposefulpracticesintoyourlifetohelpyoudoso.Thesepracticeswill helpyou stay engaged andproductiveover the long termwithoutexperiencingtherampantburnoutthatoftenplaguescreativeworkers.In other words, purposeful preparation and training using the tools in this

bookwilldirectlyincreaseyourcapacitytodobrilliantwork,dayafterday,yearafteryear.

If you want to deliver the right idea at the rightmoment, youmustbegintheprocessfarupstreamfromwhenyouneedthatidea.

Why am I so sure it works? I’ve spent years working with traditionally

“creative”workers(designers,writers,musicians,filmmakers)andtraditionally“noncreative” workers (salespeople, real estate agents, accountants), helping

themdevelop theircreativestrengthandstamina. Inaddition to thisworkwithmy company, Accidental Creative, andmy experience as a leader of creativeteams, I’ve also conducted countless interviews with creative thinkers,productivity experts, and organizational leaders, such asDavidAllen (GettingThings Done); Seth Godin (Linchpin, Tribes, Purple Cow); riCardo Crespo(Senior Vice President, Global Creative Chief, Twentieth Century Fox FCP);Richard Westendorf (Executive Creative Director, Landor Associates); ScottBelsky(CEOofBehanceandauthorofMakingIdeasHappen);TonySchwartz(TheWayWe’reWorking Isn’tWorking,The Power of Full Engagement); andKeithFerrazzi(NeverEatAlone,Who’sGotYourBack);amongothers.Astonishingly,I’vefoundlittledifferenceamongthepressuresexperiencedby

thesediversegroupsofpeople.Theyeachuseadifferentsetofspecificskillsintheirwork,ofcourse.Whileadesignerwillsolveaproblemvisually,amanagermaysolveitbydevelopinganewprocess.Butthey’rebothemployingthesamecreativetoolsandwrestlingwithmanyofthesameobstacles.Thegoodnewsisthat, regardless of role, you can improve your ability to generate good ideasconsistentlyifyouarewillingtobealittlemorepurposefulinhowyouapproachthe creative process. Itwon’t be easy, but in the end yourworkwill bemoresatisfying,moreproductive,andmorefun.

HOWTOREADTHISBOOK

Thisbookisdividedintotwosections.Chapters1through3dealwithmanyofthepressuresfacedbycreativesintheworkplace,andwhydoingbrilliantworkdayafterdaycanbesochallenging.Chapters4through10offersomepracticesthatyoucanimplementtohelpyouexperiencehigherlevelsofcreativeinsightonadailybasis.Whileyoumaybetemptedtoskipaheadtothelatterportionofthe book, I would recommend that you begin with the first chapters. Somedynamics thataffect theeverydayexperiencesof thecreativearepainfully feltbutareseldomdiagnosed,andcanhaveadramaticeffectonyourabilitytodoyourbestwork.

Anyone can improve his ability to generate good ideas consistently ifwilling tobea littlemorepurposeful inhowtoapproach thecreativeprocess.

Beforeyoudivein,however,thereareafewcriticalideastodigest:It’s not what you know thatmatters, it’s what you do. Regardless ofwhat others may promise, there are no quick fixes or easy steps tosupercharge your creativity. You will unleash your latent creative abilitythroughregular,purposefulpracticeoftheprinciplesinthisbook.Therearemostcertainlyinsightsand“aha!”momentstobefoundinthesepages,butknowledgealonewon’tdothejobanymorethanknowingthefundamentalsof how to exercise will keep you physically healthy. You must bepurposefulandintentional.Theresultsareworthit.

You own your growth. Regardless of your circumstances, you are theultimate owner of your own creative growth. It’s not your manager’sresponsibility, or yourHR director’s, or yourmother’s—it’s yours.Manypeoplewaste years of their life pointing fingers at other people for theirownproblems.Nodoubt therearesomeveryunhealthyorganizationsandmanagersoutthere,butattheendoftheday,playingthevictimisaloser’sgame.Ownyourgrowth.

It’s going to take time, and short-term results may vary. As withanything worthwhile, restructuring your life to work in concert with thedynamicsofthecreativeprocesswilltaketimeanddedication.Inaddition,there will always be circumstances beyond your control that affect yourengagementfromtimetotime.Becauseofthis,theresultsofimplementingthesepracticesmayvaryduring a specificperiod.Your eye shouldbeonincreasedperformanceover time,notonsnapshotproductivity.Don’t loseheart.Stayengaged.

Thisisaboutmorethanjustyourworklife.It’smoreandmoredifficultin today’s world to segment your life into buckets like “work,” “home,”“relationships,”“hobbies,”andsoon.Everyareaofyourlifeaffectseveryother,andalackofengagementinoneareawillquicklyinfecttherest.Asyou implement thesepractices, youwill find thatyournewfoundcreativeenergywillinfiltratenotjustyourworklife,butallotherareasofyourlifeaswell.Arisingtideraisesallboats.

Ibelievethatyourbestworkisaheadofyou.Remember:Nooneliesonhisdeathbed wishing he’d had the time to reply to onemore e-mail, but a greatmanypeopleexpressregretsaboutnothavingtreatedlifewithmorepurpose.Byapplying the principles and practices in this book, you will be poised to getmovingonthingsthatpreviouslyseemedunattainable.Nowlet’sgetstarted.

PART1

THEDYNAMICS

1.

THEDYNAMICSOFCREATIVEWORK

Creativeworkcomeswithauniquesetofpressures.We’re compensated for the ideaswe generate, the valuewe create, and the

problemswesolve,andthoughwemaybegoodatwhatwedo,manyofusmayfeelatleastalittleoutoftouchwiththemysteriousprocessbywhichanyofthishappens. On some days, ideas spring forth effortlessly, andwe feel poised toattack any problem that comes ourway.On others,we strugglewith a singleobstacle without any significant momentum. It can be frustrating to be heldresponsible for something we have so little control over, especially in themarketplace,whereourcareersuccess isdirectly tiedtoourability togenerategreatideasconsistently.Manyofusassumethatourcreativeprocessisbeyondourabilitytoinfluence,

andwepayattentiontoitonlywhenitisn’tworkingproperly.Forthemostpart,wego about our daily tasks and everything just “works.”Until it doesn’t.Wetreatourcreativeprocesslikeahouseholdappliance.It’sjustexpectedtoworkquietlyinthebackground,andwelosesightofhowmuchwedependonituntilthedaywe’restuckwithdirtysocks.Addingtothislackofunderstandingistherapidlyacceleratingpaceofwork.

Eachdaywearefacedwithescalatingexpectationsandacontinualsqueeze todo more with less. We are asked to produce ever-increasing amounts ofbrillianceinever-shrinkingamountsoftime.Thereisanunspoken(orspoken!)expectationthatwe’llbeaccessible24/7,andasaresultwefrequentlyfeellikewe’re“alwayson.”Andbecauseeachnewprojectstartswithablankslate,wefeellikewehavetoproveourselvesagainandagain.Nomatterhowsuccessfulwe’vebeeninthepast,eachnewprojectelicitsthequestion:“DoIstillhaveitinme?”

LIFEINTHE“CREATEONDEMAND”WORLD

A fewyears agomy company,AccidentalCreative, coined a term to describethisworkplacedynamic:“createondemand.”Yougo toworkeachday taskedwith (1) inventing brilliant solutions that (2) meet specific objectives by (3)defineddeadlines. Ifyoudo this successfullyyouget tokeepyour job. Ifyoudon’t,yougettoworkonyourrésumé.Themomentyouexchangeyourcreativeefforts formoney, you enter a worldwhere youwill have to be brilliant at amoment’snotice.(Nopressure,right?)Nomatterwhetheryouare leadinga team,developingmarketing strategies,

running a small business, or writing copy, when you are compensated forcreating value with your mind, the pressure to perform is palpable. Becausebrilliant ideasseemtobeafreeandrenewableresource, it’seasyforyou(andyour boss) to believe that you can incrementally ratchet up your productivitywithout experiencing side effects. But this understanding of the economics ofcreatingisnotonlyfalse,itcanalsobedamagingbothtoyourabilitytodoyourbestworknowandtoyourlong-termsustainabilityasacreative.Toattempttobeperpetuallybrilliantandincreasinglyproductive,withoutchangingthebasichabits and structure of your life to accommodate that undertaking, is a futileeffort.The always-on manner with which many creatives approach their work is

arrhythmic,but thecreativeprocess isnaturally rhythmic.Therearepeaksandtroughsofproductivity,anebbandflowtoideageneration.Workingharderandstaring more intently at the problem to achieve better ideas is like trying tocontrol the weather by staring at the clouds. Rather, you need to incorporatepracticesthatinstillasenseofstructure,rhythm,andpurposeintoyourlife.Youneed tocreatespace foryourcreativeprocess to thrive rather thanexpect it tooperate in the cracks of your frenetic schedule. This will not only help yougeneratebetterideasnow,butitwillalsoensurethatyouareactingonthethingsthatmattermostinsteadofdriftingthroughyourdays.Manyyoung creatives I’veworkedwith have looked atme skeptically, and

evenangrily,whenI talkaboutbeingmorepurposefulaboutwheretheyspendtheir timeandenergy.To them,creativity flows freely froma spigot; theycan

work fifteen-hour days with little reprieve and no apparent side effects. Buteventuallythiskindofbehaviorcatchesuptoyou.Whenyouviolatethenaturalrhythmsofthecreativeprocess,youmayinitiallyproduceaveryhighvolumeofwork, but youwill eventually find that you’re not producing your best work.Instead, youmay find that you are trending towardmediocrity, and that greatideas are no longer coming with the frequency you’d prefer. This is a veryunsatisfyingway to live and towork, and feels a lotmore like surviving thanthriving.

To attempt to be perpetually brilliant and increasingly productive,without changing the basic habits and structure of your life toaccommodatethatundertaking,isafutileeffort.

Thisbookisaboutlearningtothriveinthecreate-on-demandworld.Todoso

willrequireyoutomakesomerealchangestothewayyoustructureyourlife,andthewayyouthinkaboutwhatyoudo.Yourbestcreativeworkwillfollow.

BEINGSUSTAINABLYBRILLIANT

WheneversomeoneasksmewhatIdo,IliketosaythatI’man“armsdealerforthe creative revolution.” My job is to equip creatives for the pressures anddemands of the marketplace by providing them with the tools they need toexperienceconsistentbrillianceintheirlifeandwork.Becauseofthis,wheneverIspeak toagroupofcreativesatacompanyorconference,orsitwithanyoneone-on-one in a coaching session, I challenge them to adopt thegoalofbeingprolific,brilliant,andhealthy:

Prolific+Brilliant+Healthy=producinggreatworkconsistentlyandinasustainableway

This is themosteffectiveway to liveandwork. Itmeansproducinga large

volumeofhigh-qualityworkoverlongperiodsoftime.Inmyexperience,mostcreativesconsistentlyperformverywellintwooftheseareas,butarelackingatleastoneofthem.Forinstance,

Prolific+Brilliant–Healthy=BurnoutWhile the overstressed, “gasping for air” worker is the celebrated hero of

officefolklore,forthecreative,beingoneoftheseissimplynotarealisticandsustainable way to do great work. Many creatives sacrifice their long-termviabilityonthealtarofshort-termproductivity;theyeventuallydiscoverthatthetrade-off simply isn’tworth it.They find that they can no longer sustain theirpaceand that their ideas—whichwereonceplentifulandbrilliant—havedriedup. The common term for this is “burnout,” and unfortunately, it doesn’t justaffect our work. Creatives who struggle with burnout find it infiltrating theirhomelife,relationships,andpersonalprojectsaswell.Notgood.Hardworkisanabsolutenecessityifyouwanttodoanythingworthwhile.In

fact,ifyouapplytheprinciplesinthisbook,youwillprobablyendupworkingharderthanyoueverhaveinyourentirecareer.Butwhatyoumustavoidisthekindoffreneticactivitythatseemslikeproductivitybutisreallymoreabouttheappearanceofbeingbusythantheactualaccomplishmentofeffectivework.Youwanttoworkstrategically,notdesperately.Whenitcomestoyoureffectiveness,

fakeworkisoftenmoredangerousthannoworkatall.

Brilliant+Healthy–Prolific=UnreliableThe create-on-demand world requires that you produce results consistently.

Whilethereareafewuntouchablegeniuscreativeswhoarecapableofcrankingoutonlyafewnewprojectsperyear—andthenarepaidtonsofmoneyfortheirefforts—mostcreativesarerequiredtoproduceconsistentlyiftheywanttokeeptheir jobs. This means that you need to have great ideas and execute themconsistentlyinordertomeetexpectations.

Whenitcomestoyoureffectiveness,fakeworkisoftenmoredangerousthannoworkatall.

Similarly, many creatives have a lot of great ideas but are ineffective at

execution.Theynever“ship”because theyare toobusyobsessivelyperfectingandtweakingtheirideas.Tobeprolificmeansthatyounotonlyhavegreatideas,butthatyouactuallydosomethingwiththem.Youcan’tbeboundbyinsecurityandneurosis.Youmustshipifyouwanttothrive.

Healthy+Prolific–Brilliant=FiredAt one point or another you’ve probably worked with someone who just

couldn’tkeeppacewitheveryoneelse in theoffice.Youdon’twant tobe thatperson.With the ever-increasing competition in the workplace, creatives whokeeptheirjobsandgetpromotedaretheoneswhocanseparatethemselvesfromthepack.Mediocrityisunacceptableandwillnotbetoleratedforlonginmostgoodorganizations.Brilliance,ontheotherhand,isaboutrisingtotheoccasion,seeing clearly and incisively to the core of the problem, and identifying greatsolutions quickly. If you apply the practices in the later chapters of this book,youcanconsistentlyexperiencethiskindofbrillianceinyourwork.So where do you fall in this equation?Would you describe yourself as all

three—prolific,brilliant,andhealthy?Oristhereroomforimprovementinoneormoreareas?Ifyoufindthatyou’redoingprettywellontwoofthethree,don’tworry, you’re not alone. I rarelymeet creatives or teams that are firing on allcylinders.Withthecomplexitiesandshiftinglandscapeofmanyworkplaces,justtostayaheadoftheworkisoftenchallengingenough.

CANCREATIVITYTRULYBEINFLUENCED?

WhenIconsidertheconfusionthatsurroundsthecreativeprocess,I’mremindedof an insight I hadwhile sick as adogon the living-roomcouch.Home fromwork and bored silly, I decided to see what was on TV at two o’clock on aWednesday afternoon. (If you’ve never tried it, prepare for disappointment.)Eventually,IlandedonPBS,whereIwasimmediatelyentrancedbythepersonaof Dr. Julius Sumner Miller, host of Demonstrations in Physics. Dr. Millerwieldedaplankofwoodinonehandandanewspaperintheother.Heplacedtheplankonatableinfrontofhimwithaboutathirdofitprotrudingofftheedge.Helaid thenewspapercarefullyover thepartof theplankrestingonthetable.Glaring intensely into the camera, he asked, “What do you thinkwill happenwhenIstriketheprotrudingendofthisplankofwood?”Havingabasicunderstandingofhowleverswork,Ideducedthattheedgeof

thetablewouldactasafulcrumandthattheplankwouldflipthenewspaperintotheairand,ifIwaslucky,providesomecomicreliefastheplankbrokeaflaskor twoonthetablebehindDr.Miller. (Maybemyafternooncouldbesalvagedafterall!)ImaginemysurprisewhenDr.Miller’shandsnappedtheplankintwo!How

couldthisbe?Itmadenosense.Thenewspapersurelywasn’theavyenoughtohold a quarter-inch-thick wooden plank so tightly. There was something elsegoingonhere.Coldforgotten,IsatforwardonthecouchasDr.Millerexplainedtheunseen

force at work: There were close to fifteen pounds of atmospheric pressurepushingdownoneverysquareinchofthenewspaper.Thisaddeduptoseveralthousandpoundsofpressureonthepaperasawhole.Whentheplankofwoodwasstruck,aslongastherewasn’ttimefortheairpressuretoequalizeunderthepaper,thisinvisibleforcewouldholdtheplanklikeaviseasthestrikesnappeditinhalf.Ihadasuddeninsight.Icouldn’tseeatmosphericpressure,soIhadn’tbeen

awareof itspowerprior to this littleexperiment. Ididn’tconsider itspotentialinfluenceuntilDr.Miller’skaratechopshowedmehowitcouldbeleveragedtoaccomplishatask—breakingaplank.

Idon’t think it’smuchofa stretch to say thatmanyofusview thecreativeprocessinthesameway.Itisamysterious,unseenforcethatcanhavepowerful,unanticipatedeffects.Weknowit’s there,butwedon’tunderstand it,andso itseems beyond our ability to control. But like atmospheric pressure, once wegrasp a few of its governing dynamics,we can harness its power by buildingstructuretoleverageit.

“Theenemyofartistheabsenceoflimitations.”

—OrsonWelles

Thissuggestionthatstructureandcreativityaretwosidesofthesamecoinisoften an eyebrow-raiser for my clients. There is the persistent myth thatcreativityresultsonlyfromcompletelackofboundariesandtotalfreedom.Therealityisthatwearenotcapableofoperatingwithoutboundaries.Weneedthemin order to focus our creative energy into the right channels. Total freedom isfalsefreedom.Truefreedomhashealthyboundaries.Ioftenseeinnewlymintedentrepreneurstheparalysisthatresultsfromtotal

freedom.OnepersonIencounteredwasahighlyfunctioning,brilliantlycreativemanagerinalargecompany.Hehadbeenbuildinghisbusinessonthesideforquitesometimeandwassomehowabletobalancethepressuresofhisnormal9-to-5rolewiththedemandsofhisnewventure.Atthepointhethoughtitmadesense,hestruckoutonhisownandleftthecorporateworld.Finally,hethought,he’dhavethecapacitytofocusfulltimeonhispassionforbuildinghisbusiness.But itdidn’tworkthatway.Instead,hefoundthathisdayslackedstructure.

Hewasn’tproducinggoodwork.Infact,hewasn’tproducingmuchworkatall.The highly capable, broadshouldered manager had vanished, and in his placewasadrifting,overwhelmedslacker.What happened? Itwasn’t that hewas no longermotivated. In fact, hewas

moremotivatedthanever.Whatchangedwasthattherhythmsinhislife—manyofwhichwereforcedbyhisdayjob—haddisappeared.Henolongerhadtoplanhisweekaccordingtowhenhecouldgetworkinonhissideproject,becausehehadallthetimeheneeded.Buttimealoneisn’tsufficientwithoutgoodstructure.OnceIwasabletoworkwithhimtobuildsomesimplestructureintohisweekforcreating, strategy,and relationships,he foundhisproductivityskyrocketingagain.Allhelackedwasthefoundationofrhythminafewkeyareas.You must not confuse structure with formula. They are not the same. A

formula is something you apply to get a predictable result on the other side.There is no formula for effective creating. Structure, on the other hand, is theundergirdingplatformthatgivesyouenoughstabilitytofeelfreetakingrisks.Itgivesyouasenseofmasteryoveryourprocess.Mastery over your creative process is critical in today’s workplace.

Unfortunately,whenyoufallintoapatternofreactingtotheeverydaypressuresofyourwork,youmayunknowinglydothingsthatcauseseriousdamagetoyourcreativemuscles.Whenyoufeelnocontroloverwhereandwhenyournextgoodidea will arrive, you may compensate by working harder and staring moreintentlyattheprobleminthehopesthattheextraeffortwillcausebrilliancetoflow.Butthis“alwayson”approachworksagainstyou.

AMOS—THE“ACCIDENTAL”CREATIVE

MeetAmos.HeisamanagerataFortune100company,andthoughhe’snotatypicalcreative,hefacesallthepressuresthataccompanycreativework.Amosisabrilliant,accomplished,andfast-risingleaderwhoiscurrentlyhelmingfivemajorprojectsforthecompany.Hemanagesthecommunicationandmarketingneeds forhisdepartment,gleansconsumer insights that canbeapplied tonewprojects, and coordinates product development input from R&D. In addition,Amos is responsible for developing his direct reports and ensuring that theorganization that reports to him is in alignmentwith the company’s priorities.Thereareseveralconstituenciestopleaseatmultiplelevelsintheorganization,and Amos spends a lot of his time just trying to identify his true objectiveswithinthebarrageofinputhereceivesfromhissuperiors.Amoshasseveralmeetingsoverthecourseofatypicalday.Manyoftheseare

simplecheckinswithhisdirectreportsorwithhismanagertodiscussprogress.He may also have longer meetings with his leadership team or with therepresentatives from the agencies that help his company craft theircommunications. In addition, Amos manages an insane amount of internalcommunication,especiallye-mail.“It’slikeadogtryingtoswimonalake,”hesays,“andthelakeismye-mail.I’mnevercaughtuporabletoswimmywayoutofthelake.”Themostdifficultthing,accordingtoAmos,isthatinthemidstofallofthe

meetingsand“pseudowork,”heknowsthathismainjobisto“movetheneedle”andmakeprogressonhisprojects.Heknowsthattherealvaluehebringstohiscompany is the ability to generate key ideas at just the right time to properlydirect the course of a project. But due to the frenetic schedule he keeps, theconstant influx of e-mail, and the pressures of managing the relationalexpectations,hefinds“thereisnotverymuchtimetoactuallydowork.”Amosgetstothinkabouthisworkmuchlessthanhe’dlikebecausehe’ssobusyjusttryingtostayaheadofeverythingelse.Amos’sstrugglestogaincreativetractionarelargelytheresultofpressureshe

feels in five key areas of work: Focus, Relationships, Energy, Stimuli, andHours.Let’stakealookathowAmosisaffectedbyeachofthesefiveareas:

FOCUSAmossays thatgainingFocuscanbea realproblem inhis role.“Noonewants tomakechoices,”he explains, “andeveryone likes to revisit everydecision.”Asaresult,hefindsitdifficulttoknowwhattofocusonatanygiventime.Olddecisionsarealwaysopenforreanalysis.Inaddition,Amossaysthat“workispusheddown,butdecisionsarepushedup.Thus,it’shardto ever make things move together.” For example, critical and timelyprojects frequently appear on Amos’s plate from his manager, but afterAmos rearranges his life in order to squeeze the extra work into hisschedule, it then takesweeks topushapprovalofhisdecisions throughtothe upper layers of the organization, or he discovers that the scope andpriorityof theprojecthaschanged in theprocess.ToAmos, it seems thatobjectivesareaconstantlymovingtarget.

RELATIONSHIPSTogetstuffdone,Amosneedsbuy-infromaherdofstakeholders.Assuch,there arenumerous relationships tomanage inorder tomakeprogressonhiswork.This face time takesa tollonhim,sincemuchofhis realworkgetsdoneinhisever-shrinkingalonetime.

ENERGYAlthough Amos says that he’s kind of a dynamo and energy is rarely aproblem, he frequently struggles with motivation and sometimes lacks agenuinedesiretoengagewithhiswork.Hebelievesthatthisisbecausehehas somany conflicting priorities that by the timehemanages to engagewithoneofthem,hehastodisengageandmoveontosomethingelse.Assuch,it’sdifficulttoeverfeellikehe’sdoinghisbestwork.Hislifeisfullofworkofvariouslevelsofurgencyscreamingforhisattention.

STIMULIAmosisrequiredtoregularlyprocesstruckloadsofinformation.Inadditiontoe-mail,phonecalls,andface-to-faceconversations,he’srequiredtostayabreastofindustrytrends,processstudies,andreportsthatmaybehelpfulinmakingstrategicdecisions.“Didyoureadthiscasestudy?”“Have you connected with XYZ Learning Organization to get their

thoughts?”“Aretiredemployeeworkedonanideasimilartothistwenty-fiveyears

ago—youshouldgivehimacalltodiscussit.”Allofthesearevaluableleadsthatcouldhelphimgenerateideasforhis

projects,but thesheerquantityofdata tosynthesize isoverwhelming.Hefeelsasthoughhe’stryingtodrinkfromafirehose.

HOURSMuch of Amos’s time is spent in obligatory meetings discussing hisprojects,managing internal relationships,anddealingwithothercompanypriorities.“MyplateisalwaysAmerican-sized,foodfallingoffthesides,”he explains. “Finding time to think during the day is nearly impossible.Thus,Ihavetoworknights,letstuffgo,orjustacceptthatnoteverythingIdocanbegreat,eventhoughthat’stheexpectation.”Amosfeelslikemuchof his time is spoken for, and there’s precious little left to actually thinkaboutthework.Amos’ssituationistypical.It’sreflectiveofconversationsI’vehadwith

creativesinvariousrolesandnearlyeveryindustry.Thesinglecontributionthey feelmost accountable for—bringing brilliant new insights and ideasintotheirbusiness—isthefirstthingthatgetssqueezedoutbytheeverydaydemandsoftheirrole.

CREATIVERHYTHM

Tounleashyourcreativepotentialnowandthriveoverthelongterm,youneedto establish your own rhythm—one that is independent of the pressures andexpectationsyoufaceeachday.ThisCreativeRhythmwillprovideyouwiththestabilityandclaritytoengageyourproblemshead-on.ThisrhythmissetbyhowyoustructurethefiveelementsyouobservedinAmos’sstoryabove.

Focus

Ifwecouldharnessthesumtotalofwastedenergyeachdayintheworkplace,wecouldprobablypowertheearthforayear.Thereissomuchineffectiveworkbecausethereisoftenalackofclarityaroundwhatwe’rereallytryingtodo.Inordertocreateeffectively,youneedaclearandconcreteunderstandingofyourobjectives.Inchapter4youwilllearnhowtoweedouturgentbutunimportantactivities, and how to direct your efforts toward only those things that willincreaseyourlevelofcreativeengagement.

Relationships

One of the most powerful sources of creative inspiration and rejuvenation isotherpeople.Unfortunately,manysuccessfulcreativesarehaphazardabouttheirrelationshipsandonlyintentionallybuildonthemwhenthestarsalignorwhenit’sotherwiseconvenientorexpedient.Whenyougo“outsideyourself,”itfreesyouupandunlockslatentpartsofyourcreativity.Ifyouwanttothrive,youneedto systematically engagewith other people, in part to be reminded that life isbigger than your immediate problems. In chapter 5 you will learn how to bepurposeful about the relationships in your life, how to build creativelystimulatingfriendships,andhowtolimitaccesstothecreativityvampires.

Energy

Simple timemanagement is not enough. It doesyounogood tomicromanageyourtimedowntothelastsecondifyoudon’thavetheenergytoremainfullyengaged for that time. To make the most of your day, you need to establishpracticesaroundenergymanagement.Inchapter6youwilllearnhowtoaccountforenergyinyourdailylifeandhowtobuildbulwarksagainstsomeofthemorepervasiveenergydrains.

Stimuli

Thequalityoftheoutputofanyprocessisdependentonthequalityofitsinputs,and this holds true for the creative process. I call creative inputs “stimuli”because they stimulate creative thought. Despite their importance, remarkablyfewpeopleareintentionalaboutthekindsofstimulitheyabsorbonaday-to-daybasis. Ifyouwant to regularlygeneratebrilliant ideas,youmustbepurposefulaboutwhatyouareputtingintoyourhead.Astheoldsayinggoes,“Garbagein,garbageout.”Inchapter7youwilllearnhowtoensurethatyouaregettinggoodcreativenutrition.

Hours

Time is the currency of productivity, and how you handle it will ultimatelydetermineyoursuccessorfailure.Butinordertoreallythrive,youneedtoshakeyourself of our collective obsession with time efficiency and learn instead tofocusoneffectiveness.Youneedtoensurethatthepracticesthattrulymakeyouamoreeffectivecreatoraremakingitontoyourcalendar.Inchapter8youwilllearnhowtoensurethatyourtimeisbeingspenteffectivelyandtogreatresult.Practices in eachof these five areas (F-R-E-S-H)provide the foundation for alife that isprolific,brilliant,andhealthy. In laterchapters,wewilldivedeeplyinto each of these. But there are obstacles we face on the road to everydaybrilliance. Often these pitfalls are the result of organizational tensions thatinevitablyemergewheneverthereisanattempttoorganizethecreativeprocessortoinstillsystemsaroundcreativework.

POSSIBILITIESVERSUSPRAGMATICS

To create is to explore possibilities. There are a nearly infinite number ofpossiblesolutionstoanygivenproblem,andifyouexplorelongenoughyouwillalmost always uncover another one. In many ways, the creative process is anever-ending chase after the possible.You have permission to think big aboutyourprojects, todreamand to innovate.Youare told to really stretchyourselfandtotrytocomeupwithsomethingtrulynew.Thiscreatesakindof“racetobrilliance”witheachnewproject.But no matter what is said, the reality is that your work life is full of

constraints.You have deadlines, budget limitations, and client requirements todeal with. The result is that you probably often feel pulled back and forthbetween possibilities and pragmatics. On the one hand, the lure of anotherconceptualbreakthrough is seductive,buton theother,youmustdealwith therealitythatyourworkisbeingbothtimedandjudged.

“Youcan’twaitforinspiration,youhavetogoafteritwithaclub.”

—JackLondon

Thepullbetweenpossibilitiesandpragmaticshasus serving twomasters at

once.Evenaswe’reexploringsomenew ideaandgetting reallyexcitedaboutourdirection,wehearthelittlevoiceinthebackofourheadaskingus,“Areyousureyouwanttotrythis?Thisisrisky!”Sowedon’tgoquiteasfaraswemight.Overtime,aswedealwithmoreandmoreofthesepracticalcompromises,wefeeltheeffectsonourcreativedrive.Ourpassionwanes,becauseit’sdifficulttostay excited about the work when we feel that practical limitations willultimatelypreventusfromreallydoingsomethingwebelievetobetrulygreat.Both creatives and organizations are constantly dealing with this tension.

Organizations recognize the need to give creatives permission to innovate andexplore, but they also realize that boundaries are necessary to ensure the

sustainabilityoftheorganization.Nooneistoblamehere—it’sjustareality—but itcan feelvery frustrating.Creativesarehiredbecauseof theircapacity tocreatevalue for theorganization,yet they frequently feel theymustnavigateaseriesofhurdlesinordertodotheirbestwork.How does this affect your creativity? You probably feel the pressure to be

brilliantand—atthesametime—tobepractical.Theseareconflictingtensions,and they are the sourceofmost of theburnout, frustration, andorganizationalstrife I’ve seenwithin creativeorganizations. It’s such a significant factor thatwe’regoingtotackleitindepthinthenextchapter.

2.

THEDYNAMICSOFTEAMWORK

In 2005, military strategist Thomas Barnett took the stage at the TEDConference, a gathering of intellectuals, innovators, and artists, to share someboldthoughtsaboutthecurrentstateoftheU.S.military.AccordingtoBarnett,therearetwofundamentalrolesplayedbyanymilitaryforce:advancinginorderto take new ground and occupying the ground after it has been taken. Thechallenge thatmilitary strategists perpetuallywrestlewith is how to train andequipaforcetodobotheffectively.Eachroledemandsauniquesetofskills,andthere is an intricate balance between the two.Without a “leviathan” force (asBarnettcallstheforcethattakesnewground),thereisnoneedforanoccupyingforce,andtorequiresoldierswhoaretrainedtoaggressivelytakegroundtodothelargelyadministrativeworkofoccupyingthatgroundischallengingtoboththesoldiersandtheoverallmission.Ascreatives,wearewiredtotakenewground.Welovethethrillofthechase,

pursuingobjectivesandtacklinggoalsthatseemjustbeyondourreach.Wearefundamentallywiredtobeapartoftheleviathanforce,orwewouldneverhavechosen jobs that require so much self-definition. Much of our time asorganizational creatives, however, is spent occupying the ground that we’vealreadytaken.Wemustdealwithsystems,processes,andprotocolinexecutingour ideas.Wehave to dealwith the everydaydemandsof communicating andcreating interdependently.Whilewecertainlygainnewopportunitieswhenweorganize around the creative process, we must also deal with the inherentlimitationsandsideeffectsofcollaborativecreativework.

THEPROSANDCONSOFTEAMCREATING

Organizations organize. It’s their reason for being. And organization is good,becauseitallowsgroupsofpeopletoleverageassetsmoreefficientlyandscaleinwaysthataren’tpossibleforindividuals.Manypeoplehavebrilliantideas,butunless theyarecapableoforganizingaround those ideas, itwillbe impossibleforthemtogetmuchofanysignificancedone.Asmuchaswemayveneratetheidealoftheloneinnovator,slavingawayinthegarageorstudiotobringavisionto life, the reality is thatmost of the time brilliant creations are the result ofteamsofpeoplestumblingawkwardlyintotheunknown.

Ascreatives,wearewiredtotakenewground.Welovethethrillofthechase,pursuingobjectivesandtacklinggoalsthatseemjustbeyondourreach.

ScottBelskyisCEOofBehance,aNewYork–basedcompanydedicatedto

helping creatives execute their ideas, and author of Making Ideas Happen.Belskybelievesthat“thegreatestbreakthroughsacrossallindustriesarearesultofcreativepeopleandteamsthatareespeciallyproductive.”Asignificantfactorintheirproductivity,Belskyhasdiscovered,istheirabilitytoorganize.Inmostwork,awell-organizedteamofcreatives—eveniftheyarenothighlyskilled—will produce exponentiallymore and better results than a lone genius. Strongorganizationiscriticalforteamsofpeoplewhowanttoaccomplishgreatthingsintheworld,andacriticalelementofthatorganizationistheabilitytoleadbyestablishing a culture obsessed with execution. Belsky continues, “History ismade by passionate, creative people and organizationswith the rare ability toleadothers—andthemselves.”While important, effective organization alone is not sufficient to ensure the

success of a creative team. An environment must be established that offerssufficientresources,fosterstherightorganizationalmind-set,andallowsforthenatural ebb and flow of the creative process—because creative productivity isnaturallyrhythmic,andtherewillbeperiodsofincredibleproductivityfollowedbyperiodswhen it seems likewecan’t thinkourwayoutofapaperbag.For

those of us whowork primarily on our own, this is notmuch of a challengebecausewehavetheflexibilitytoadjustourworklifeasneeded,butforthoseofuswhoworkinateamcontextthiscanbealotmorechallenging.Wedon’thavethe luxury of having an “off day,” andwhenwe do have one the entire teamsuffers. None of us are machines, and there will always be an element ofunpredictabilityaboutourwork.There are a few creativity-draining tensions that result from any attempt to

organizecreativework.Someofthesetensionshavebecomesoengrainedinourworkplace experience that they just seem like the natural order of things, butoncewelearntospotthem,wecanestablishpracticestocounteractthem.Inthischapterwe’re going to examine the dynamics of organizational creativeworkandhowtheyaffectourabilitytobeconsistentlybrilliantandeffective.

CONTRADICTORYEXPECTATIONS

Creativeteamsfacetwoconflictingpressures:toproducetimelyandconsistentwork, and to produce unique and brilliant work. The pull between these twoexpectationscreatesatensionlikethatfromtwopeoplepullingonarope.Whenthispull—betweenpossibilitiesandpragmatics—becomestoostrong,theropeistaut, eliminating the peaks and troughs of productivity required do our bestcreativework.Weareconstantlyforcedtochoosebetweenstrivingtoimprovethequalityof

ourwork and driving it to completion. This dynamicmanifests itself in threetensions:thetime-versus-valuetension,thepredictable-versus-rhythmictension,andtheproduct-versus-processtension.

TheTime-Versus-ValueTension

Thetraditionalmodelofcompensationisbasedontime.Aworkerexchangesacertainnumberofhoursperweekforafairwage.Ifyouareagoodworker,youworkhardalldaylongforyourpaycheck,andthenatquittingtimeyougohomeandforgetaboutyourjobfortheevening.Asacreativeworker,you’renotreallypaidforyourtime,you’repaidforthe

valueyoucreate.Justshowingupanddoingasetoftaskseverydaydoesn’tcutit.Youarerequiredtoperpetuallycreatenewvalueinordertoproveyourworthtoyouremployer,yourpeers,andeventoyourself.Andthoughmanycreativeshavemoreflexibilitythaneverregardinghowandwheretheydotheirwork,thisflexibility introduces anewkindofperformancepressure: completion anxiety.Because we’re capable of working at all times—our mind goes with useverywhere, after all—wecontinueworkingonour projects for as long aswepossiblycan.We’reneverreallycertainwhenwe’vedoneenough.

“Anideathatisdevelopedandputintoactionismoreimportantthanan idea that exists only as an idea.” —Edward de Bono, creativityexpertandauthorofLateralThinking

In order to pacify this insecurity,many of us find thatwe’reworking even

whenwe’re supposed to be off the clock. Just a littlemore research. Just onemorebrainstormingsession.Justafewmoreminutestweakingtheproposal.Itisanever-endingpursuitofvaluecreation.Inspiteoftheincreasingflexibilitythatmanyworkplacesareintroducingand

thegrowingnumberoffreelancers,manyofusareactuallyworkingmorehoursthan ever because it’s so difficult to draw the line between work time andnonwork time. And because we are not just doing repeatable processes, eachprojectwe’reworkingonrequiressomethingnewfromus.Thepressuretokeepthemomentumgoingonourprojectscanfeelabitlikepushingarockupaverysteephill.Wemightstoptositandtocatchourbreath,butwestillhavetoexertasmallamountofeffortatalltimestokeeptherockfromrollingbackdownthehill.There are a few questions that this time-versus-value tension forces us to

wrestlewith.

AmIprovingmyworth?

This question keeps performance-driven people up at night.Wewonder ifwecouldhavedonemore,orifwewillberecognizedforwhatwedid.Wewonderifourcareerisontrack,andwethinkthatperhapsifwejustdothatonemorethingitwillpushusoverthetopforournextpromotion.Andnowthatwehavetechnologytokeepusconnectedtoourworkandourpeersatalltimes,thereisalwaysonemorethingthatwecandorightnowtomovetheballforward.Wehaveeliminatedtheoffswitch.We’reonallthetime.Onecreativedirectoroftenfoundhimselfupatveryearlyhourscheckinge-

mail,sometimeseventurningonhisphone,whichhekeptnexttohisbed,inthemiddle of the night just to check if anything noteworthy was going on.Additionally, responding to e-mail was typically the last thing he did beforegoingtobedeachnight,makingitdifficulttoslowhismindandrest.Thisperpetualinboxobsessionwasn’tanorganizationalexpectation;rather,it

wasfueledbyadeepinsecurity thatsomethingimportantwasgoingtohappenand that he wouldn’t respond in time to contribute meaningfully to theconversation. He admitted that it was rare that this behavior had actuallyincreasedhisperformance,but that itwas really just akindofpacifier tohelphimfeelwired-inandneeded.Hewasalwaysconcernedaboutwhetherhewasaddingenoughvaluetothecompany.Heimplementedsomeofthetechniquesinthe forthcomingchapterson focusandenergy, includingsettingdedicated (butfrequent)timesforcheckinge-mailandbuffersbeforebedtimetoallowhismindtoslowbeforesleep.Graduallyhefelthisenergylevelandcreativeperformanceriseasaresult.While there are certainly career-related factors that drive this insecurity, the

drive to produce goes beyond the desire to be a good employee.Wewant toknow that what we’re doing matters. We want to know that if we were todisappear tomorrow,someonewouldnotice. Inasense,we feel likewedefineourspaceintheworldaswecreatevalue.Unhealthy?Probably.Butoftentruenonetheless.WhatkindofvalueshouldIcreate?

Asa creative,youprobablyhave latitude indefiningyourcourseof actiononyourprojects.Youmayhaveageneralsenseofdirectionorsomeobjectives,but

youcontinuallyfacethequestion:WhatdoIdonext?This introduces the pressure to get it right each time, because there is

tremendous opportunity cost associated with getting it wrong. It’s possible tospend hours or even days heading down thewrong trail if youmake one badchoiceaboutwhereyoushouldbespendingyourtimeandenergy.Thispressurecanbeparalyzing,especiallywhenyou’reworkingoncriticalandtimelywork.I was once involved in an off-site team-building session designed to teach

bettermethods forcollaboration.Foroneexercisewewentout into thewoodsforalittle“orienteering.”Wewerebrokenintoteamsandtaskedwithfindinganobjecthiddeninthewoodsusingonlyacompassandasetofinstructionsuniquetoourstartingposition.PridewasonthelineasmyteammatesandIhurriedlyworkedourwaythroughthefirstfewinstructions.“Forty-fivedegreesnorthwest,twentypaces.”“Duesouth,thirty-fivepaces.”Wepracticallyranthroughthefirstseveralstepsbeforerealizingthatwewere

a significantdistance fromeveryoneelse.Our initial thoughtwas thatperhapsweweretheonlygeniusesinthebunch,butwequicklyconcludedthatwewereactuallytheoneswho’dmessedup—inabigway.As we backed our way through the previous instructions, we realized that

we’dbeenoffbyafewdegreesinoneofthefirstfewsteps.Nowthatwewereseveral instructions down the list, the compounding effect of that onemistakehadledussignificantlyoffcourse.Inasimilarway,onewrongdecisionearlyinaprojectcansignificantlyaffect

theendvalueofyourwork.Asaresult,thepressuretodeterminetherightkindofvaluetoproducecanbecomeparalyzingtoyourcreativeprocess.Whoisresponsibleforwhat?

Collaboration gives you the opportunity to accomplish more than you couldalone,butitalsointroducesnewcomplexityintothework.Youmustdealwiththe distribution of responsibilities across the team and with minor (or major)disagreementsaboutthekindofvaluethat’sbeingcreated.

“Few things in life are less efficient than a group of people trying towriteasentence.Theadvantageofthismethodisthatyouendupwithsomethingforwhichyouwillnotbepersonallyblamed.”

—ScottAdams,creatorofDilbert

There’salotofoverlapinhighlyconceptual,creativework,whichcanresult

inredundancy,confusion,anddisagreement.Also,becausethetasksfortheteammustcontinuallybedefined,ahigh levelofcommunicationmustbeemployedjusttostayoncourse.Ifit’sdifficultforyoutoanswerquestionsaboutthevalueyou’recreatingas

anindividual,itbecomesvastlymoredifficultforteamstodoso.Eachmemberiswrestlingwith the samequestions of howmuchvalue he should create andwhichtasksheshouldchoose.Everyoneisalsorightlyconcernedwithhisownvalue to the company andwhether he’s doing enough to justify his continuedemployment. Inunhealthy teams, thiscan result ina lotofposturingorblameshiftingthroughoutaproject,dependingonwhetherit’sgoingwellorpoorly.Noonewantstobeleftwithoutachairwhenthemusicstops!

▶THEEFFECTSOFTHETIME-VERSUS-VALUETENSION

Itcanbeverydifficulttofullyengageinyourworkwhenyouaren’tcertainhowtoknowwhenyou’refinished.Whenthemainindicatorofyourperformanceistheamountofvalueyoucreate,it’seasytofeelliketheworkisneverdone.Thebehaviorformanycreativeteamsistoworkuntiltheysimplyrunoutoftime.One team I encountered had become addicted to last-minute change. They

would continue to tweak and change a project right up until itwas delivered,oftendiscardingweeksor evenmonthsof thought andpreparation.While thissometimeshad theshort-termeffectofan improvedendproduct, thenet long-term effect on the team was that people stopped thinking strategically at thebeginning of the process, knowing that everythingwould likely change in theendanyway.Untilitwaspointedout,theydidn’trealizethatthisbehaviorwassignificantly affecting the overall value they created as a team. They wereallowingafewminorimprovementsatthelastminutetoaffecttheirlargersenseofengagementasateam,andtheirworkwassuffering.The tension to continually improve weighs on individual creatives as well.

Because most of us are managing multiple projects simultaneously, there isalways somethingwe couldbe doing right now tomoveourwork forward. It

takesanincredibleamountofwillpowernottoworkwhenwearetechnicallyoffthe clock.Additionally,many of us love theworkwe do andwould probablyratherbeworkingthandoinganyof themanyother thingswecouldbedoing.We’reactuallychoosingtoworkperpetually!We’veadoptedaworkinglifestyle.It’sasnaturaltousasblinkingandbreathing.InhismasterworkCreativity,inwhichheprofilesthelifeandworkofbrilliant

creatives across a broad spectrum of fields, researcher and author MihalyCsikszentmihalyiwrites,“Onethingaboutcreativeworkisthatit’sneverdone.Indifferentwords,everypersonweinterviewedsaidthatitwasequallytruethattheyhadworkedeveryminuteoftheircareers,andthattheyhadneverworkedaday in all their lives. They experienced even the most focused immersion inextremelydifficulttasksasalark,anexhilaratingandplayfuladventure.”It’struethatthereisoftensuchanaffinityforourworkthatwewouldchoose

it over other activities, even recreational ones. But in our pursuit of valuecreation it’spossible tooverworkourmindswithoutobvious signsofdistress.We don’t have the same aches and pains that may accompany a day spentrunningamarathonorchoppingwood.Asaresult,beingawareofhowmentaloverexertionisaffectingusisoftendifficult,untilwesuddenlyrealizethatwe’renotcreatingatthelevelweoncedidorthatwe’rejustnotasexcitedaboutourworkasweusedtobe.You’ll learn some ways to mitigate this time-versus-value tension in the

chaptersonfocus,energy,andhours.

ThePredictable-Versus-RhythmicTension

Inasmallerorganization,eachworkerwearsmultiplehats,andtheorderofthedayisallaboutgettingthingsdone,regardlessofhow.Butas theorganizationgrows,somedegreeofpredictabilitybecomesnecessary—toallocateresources,hire appropriately, and make reasonable promises to clients or customers.Consistent and predictable production makes it possible to analyze howefficiently individuals and systems are performing across the organization—asthecompanygetsbigger,thereismoretoprotect,andthepressuretonotscrewituponlygrowsovertime.Butthisneedforpredictabilitycanbegintotakeatollonthoseresponsiblefor

doingthework.Whileit’spossible,evennecessary,tomeasuretherelationshipof resources to output in highly systemized, repeatable work, like sales ormanufacturing, it’snearly impossible todoso reliably forcreativework.Afterall, how canwe predictwhen business-changing insightswill occur?How doyoucreateasystemthatensuresthatonlythebest ideasareexecuted,andthatthe not-so-good ones fade away? Because these problems depend on thediscretionandinsightsofindividuals,tensionisinevitable.Thispushtowardsystemizedandpredictablecreativitycansometimescause

creatives to feel like we’re expected to perform like machines. As a result,thoughweresentit,weoftenbegintobehavethatway.(Noworries—we’lllearnhowtomitigatethisinlaterchapters.)

Every organization begins as an advance force and ends up as anoccupyingforce.

Despitethenegativeeffectsoncreativeoutput,theorganizationaltendencyis

togravitatetowardpredictablebutstillprofitableproductivity.OneCEOtoldmethathecallsthis“buntingforsingles”:It’sbettertogetonbaseconsistentlythantoswingforthefence.Sure,swingingforthefencemayyieldafewhomeruns,butit’salsogoingtoresultinalotofstrikeouts.Inmanyorganizations,victoryiswon andmeasured over decades, even if this is never outwardly expressed.Ultimately,theorganization’sinstinctistoprotectthegroundthat’salreadybeentaken rather than take new ground. Every organization begins as an advanceforceandendsupasanoccupyingforce.

This is fine, as long as the expectations are consistent. But thenwe hear amandate tobe “innovative” and“shake thingsup.”We feel thepressure todosomething brilliant. To change the game. These mandates requireunpredictability, risk, andunbalanced effort.They aredirectly contradictory tothe systems the organization has set up, and we ultimately begin to feel thetension.A highly productive creative process isn’t at all predictable and is directly

opposedtothe“buntingforsingles”ethic.Ineffectivecreatingtherearepeaksandtroughs.Thereareseasonsof incredibleproductivityandthereareseasonsin between. But over the long term, a healthy, rhythmic creative process iscapableofcreatinganexponential returnonresources.Theproblemis thatweoften don’t experience these exponential returns because we—or theorganization—arenotcomfortablewith thesometimes lessproductive times inthe short term. In other words, in the effort to cut off the troughs weinadvertentlycutoffthepeaksaswell.Therhythmicnatureofahealthycreativeprocesscanbeveryuncomfortable

for managers because of the constant pressure from the organization to beefficient.Efficiencydoesn’tallowforpeaksandtroughs,somanagerssometimestrytoensurethatthereisatleasttheappearanceofproductivityatalltimes.

▶SNAPSHOTPRODUCTIVITY

Imagine that, at some point in the next week, I show up randomly at yourworkplaceandtakeaphotoofyouworking.Youdon’tknowwhenIwillappear,but I amgoing to base your salary and next promotion on the content of thatsnapshot.IfIcatchyouatatimewhenyouareespeciallyproductive,thingswillworkoutwell for you. If I happen to catchyouon a coffeebreak, youmightwanttostartpackingyourthings.Doesthissoundalittlesillyandarbitrary?Ofcourse.Butaverysimilarthing

happens within organizations. Because of the drive toward predictability andefficiency, there is a constant and worried eye toward the productivity ofemployees.Butthewaymanyorganizationsmeasuretheproductivityofcreativeworkers often has more in common with how they would measure theproductivityofacopierthanofaperson.As Iwas standing in thebackof the roomafter speakingataconference,a

designmanager fora softwarecompanyspottedme,gotup fromhis seat, andmadeabeelineinmydirection.Fromthelookonhisface,myfirstreactionwas

thathewasangryaboutsomethingI’dsaid.AshegotcloserIcouldseethathewasn’t angry, just emotional.Heexpressed that this“machinelike”expectationwasthenormwithinhisorganizationbutthathehadn’tpreviouslybeenabletoputwords to it.He had feltmany times that theappearance of busynesswasmuchmore important than theactualwork thatwasgettingdone.Preservationand predictability had become the norm, and expectationswere set upon veryrecentperformanceversuscontributionover time.Hewasexcited toapply thepracticesI’djusttaughtinmykeynoteasawaytomitigatethesepressures.Hisexperienceisnotunique.Manymanagerssubconsciouslytakeasnapshot

ofhowsomeoneisdoingrightnowandusethatasthemetricfor theworker’soverall performance.What is potentially devastating is when the organizationcatchesthecreativeatapeakofproductivity.Fromthatpointforwardthereisanunspoken expectation that he will predictably produce at this high level ofoutput.Everythinghedoesinthefuturewillbecomparedtothishighpoint,andif he doesn’t hit thismark he is deemed to be in a slump. For organizations,managers,orindividualcreativestoexpectthesekindsofpeakscontinuallyistoviolatetheverydynamicsthatallowedforthiskindofhigh-levelproductivitytobeginwith!

▶ THE EFFECTS OF THE PREDICTABLE-VERSUS-RHYTHMICTENSION

Because of the predictable-versus-rhythmic tension, expectations continue torise. In the effort to make productivity predictable to the organization, ourcurrentworkisbenchmarkedagainstourpreviouswork.Overtime,asamatterof self-protection,creativesbegin toconserve theirenergyand take their shotswhere they seem most effective rather than pour themselves fully into theirwork,becausetheydon’twanttohavetosustainsuchahighlevelofoutputovertime.As a result, theyplug along,meeting their objectives, but knowingdeepdownthattheycoulddobetterwork.Thiscancausethemtofeeldisconnectedfromthework,fromtheircoworkers,andfromtheorganizationalmission.Theymayevenbegintofeelcontemptfor theorganizationandfeelusedorentitled.(Awordofcaution:thisisnottheorganization’sfault.Organizationsaremadeofpeople,andthepeopleinvolvedaretypicallydoingwhattheythinkistherightthingfortheoverallorganization.It’snotpersonal,thoughitcanfeelintenselyso.)Thesolutiontoallthisistoregainasenseofmasteryovertimeandfocus,

aswe’lldiscussinlaterchapters.Forleaders,expectationescalationcanhappenwithoutourevenrealizingit.A

key solution is to have regular conversations about expectations in order toensure that everyone really understands what’s expected. A few questions toincludeintheseconversationsarethefollowing:

•Doyouknowwhat’sexpectedofyourightnow?Tellmewhatyouthinkareyourtopthreepriorities.

•Whatexpectationsdoyouhaveofme,andamImeetingthem?It takes guts to ask for the truth, but simply having these short, scheduled

conversations can help teams avoid many of the pitfalls of the predictable-versus-rhythmic tensionandcanallowallmembersof the team to feel free toengagefullyandcreativelyintheirwork.

TheProduct-Versus-ProcessTension

The organization is primarily concerned with the finished product, but 99percent ofwhatwe do as creatives is process. In fact,many creative jobs arefundamentally oriented around perpetuating processes rather than generatingproducts.Therearerarelytimeswhenwecanholdsomethinginourhandsattheendofthedayandsay,“IfIhadn’tbeenhere,thiswouldn’texist.”Instead,weareoftenoneofmanyvalue-addlaborerswhocontributelayersofcreativeworktoagivenproject.Responsibilityandaccountabilityforourprojects,especiallyinlargerorganizations,areoftenspreadquitethin.What’s more, the final result of our creative work is typically judged

subjectively,andbysomeoneotherthanus.Asaresult,beingabletogaugeinthe middle of the process whether what we’re working on will please our“judge” can often be difficult. We frequently engage in the entire creativeprocessandemergeon theother sidewitha finishedproductonly tohearourclientormanagersay,“Yeah...Ikindofgetwhatyou’regoingforhere,butit’sjust not quite thereyet.” It canbedifficult to understandwhat todowith thiskind of input, and chances are that themanager is probably struggling just asmuchasweareforadirectiononwhattodonext.Yes, this is tobeexpected.We’rebeingpaid todoa job.Butover time this

dynamic can tempt us to gravitate toward doing whatever will get approvedratherthantakingrisksandexploringaswe’recreating.Wedolessthanwe’recapableofbecausewedon’twanttodealwiththeconsequencesofdisapprovalattheendoftheprocess.Oneeditordescribed thisas“neverknowingwhat’sover thenexthill.”She

said that she’s more than willing to work hard, but that it’s difficult to fullyexpend herself creatively when she’s not certain that her work will result inapproval,especiallywhenobjectivesarelessthanclear.Asaresult,shetendedto ignore her own creative discretion andwould instead just dowhatever shethought was likely to “make the cut.” I was able to help her build specificconversations about objectives with her manager into her weekly rituals toensure that themanagerwasstayingin touchwithherprocess,rather thanjustcheckinginatthebeginningandtheendofaproject.Thesesimplecheckpointshelpedherengagemorefullyandinconfidence,knowingthatprojectmilestones

andobjectiveswereclear.In many ways, this process of developing ideas is similar to the childbirth

process.First there is abriefandecstaticmomentof“conception.”Wehaveaflashof insightwhen twoormore idea fragmentscombine to formanewandbetterone:the“creativeaccident.”Althoughthisistypicallythemostattractivepart of the process, it is only the very beginning.The idea hasn’t really takenformyet;it’sstilljustanimpressioninourmind.Manyideasnevergetpastthemomentofconceptionbecausetheyaren’tactedupon.Assumingthatwedecidetomoveforwardwithouridea,therewillnextbea

period of gestation in which the idea takes form. This is the real work ofcreating. We gradually develop the idea, building on the initial inspiration,refiningitthroughmultipleiterations.Wewilloftencollaboratewithothers.Thiscan be a very challenging time. There will be highs and lows. We may gothrough periods of alternating excitement and loathing for our work. Successdepends on our persistence and our willingness to keep refining and iteratingevenwhenwefeellikemovingontosomethingnew.Manyteamsfailbecausetheyareunabletopersist.Commitment to the process is critical in this gestation period.Whilemany

organizations treat it like a linear progression toward the end product, greatcreativework requires risk and experimentation,whichmeans somedegreeofunpredictability. For example,when an advertising agency lands a new client,theprojectisthrownintoapipelinewithdefinedstepsandaspecifictimeframeforaccomplishingcertain tasks. It’s avery linearprocess: establishobjectives,set thescope,generateideas,developconcepts,pitchconceptstotheclient,gothroughapprovals,production,etcetera.Becauseoftheorganization’sneedforadegreeofpredictability,thesepipelinesmustbeinplace.Butthetensionisthateachofthesestagesofthepipelineisfilledwithexperimentation,risk,andtrialanderror.While to theorganization“developconceptforABCcampaign”isatwo-dayprocess, the artificial establishmentof a time linedoesn’t account fortheunpredictabilityofwhathappensduringthistime.Inotherwords,itdoesn’taccountforthetruedynamicsofprocess,andthusthecreativesfeelthetensiontobebrilliant,buttobesowithinthearbitrarilyimposeddeadline.

The“conception”and“birth”of our ideasare smallbookends to therealworkofcreating—theprocess.

Eventually,ifwestickwithit,wewillhaveafinishedproduct.The“birth”of

ourideaasafinishedproductistheendresultofaverylongprocessand,aswithanewborn,rarelylookslikewhatweimagineditwould.Theprocessoftentakes

ustonewandunexpectedplacesinourwork.The“conception”and“birth”ofourideasaresmallbookendstotherealworkofcreating—theprocess.Whyisthisimportant?Becausemanyorganizationsspendalotofenergyboth

on generating ideas and vetting the finished product, but very little time andeffort creating healthy systems and expectations around the bulk of thework,which is the long process between idea and product. This is why AccidentalCreative spends so much time working with creative teams to help themestablish an “idea culture,” meaning a culture that values the process ofperpetual ideagenerationanddevelopment,rather thanonethat’sdrivensolelybytheendproduct.

▶ THE EFFECTS OF THE PRODUCT-VERSUS-PROCESSTENSION

Itcanbeverychallengingtospenddaysorweeksinaprocessonlytohaveyourfinishedworkjudgedinathirty-minuteclientrevieworasit-downmeetingwithyourmanager’smanager.Therearemanydecisionsyouhadtomakeinordertoarriveat thefinishedproduct,butmostof thosedecisionsare invisible toyourjudge.The only results they experience are the finished product andwhateverwordsyoucanuse to justifywhy itendedup theway it is.This is,ofcourse,whatyou’rebeingpaidfor,buttheexperienceofhavingweeksofworkjudgedinamatterofminutesisde-motivatingtosaytheleast.One friend relayed tome that the internal creatives in his company call the

decisionmakers “vampires,” because they tend to suck all the creative energyoutoftheroom.Inaproject-reviewsessionthereisadefinedreviewprocess—from juniormost to seniormost, in rank order—when offering opinions on thefinishedproduct.Bytheendofthesesessions,creativesareoftenleftwithalotoffeedbackontheirfinishedproductbutlittleunderstandingofthemind-setthatled to the feedback. Inotherwords, theconversation focusesmoreonproductthanonprocess,whichcontributessignificantlytothetensionbetweenthetwointhisparticularorganization.Thetensionbetweenproductandprocessisanaturaltensionwithinanykind

oforganizedcreativework,sowecan’tignoreitseffects.Wecan,however,learntomitigatethembyapplyingprinciplesrelatedtotime,focus,andrelationships,whichwe’lldiscussinlaterchapters.

There are a few side effects that result from working in the three tensionsdiscussed in this chapter. In order to do your most effective work, you mustunderstandhowthesesideeffectsderailyourcreativeprocessandhowtospotthembeforetheytakeroot.That’sthesubjectofthenextchapter.

3.

THESIDEEFFECTS:DEALINGWITHTHEASSASSINSOFCREATIVITY

Imagine that one day you hear a knocking in your car’s engine. Eventhoughit’sannoying, thereseemstobenothingmechanicallywrongwithyourcar—itstilldrives,stops,andturnsjustfine—soyouchoosetoignoreit.Butoneday,whileonabusyhighway,yourcarsuddenlybreaksdownin thefast lane,and there’snomedian tonavigate to for safety.You’reunexpectedly inaveryprecarious situation. Though it seems to have happened all of a sudden, it allbegan when you chose to ignore the obvious warning signs several weeksbefore.Similarly, whenever we choose to ignore the warning signs that we are

violatingthenaturalrhythmsofthecreativeprocess,eitherbychoiceorbecauseofourworkenvironment,therewillbeunhealthysideeffects.Wecanoftengofor weeks at a time without feeling them, but we will eventually begin toexperience these drawbacks: apathy, discontent, boredom, exhaustion,frustration, a general lack of ideas. Working in the create-on-demand world,expectedtobeconstantlyon,youprobablyexperienceeachofthesesideeffectsonaregularbasis.Justlikeyourcarmaycontinuetorunforawhileindisrepair,youcanbeveryeffectiveinshortbursts,evenviolatingyournaturalrhythmsforatime,buteventuallythenegativesideeffectswillcatchuptoyouintheformofthesesymptoms.Whilecreativeworkplacesareverycomplexandtherearemanydynamicsat

play,therearethreedamagingsideeffectsthatserveasbroadcategoriesforallthe others. I like to call them the “assassins” of the creative process, becausetheyarestealthyandtheyeffectivelyneutralizeourcreativecapacity.Theycancreepintoaworkenvironmentalmostunseenandbegintoundoourcapacitytoperform at our best. Once you understand these assassins and can spot theireffects,youcanbegintosystematicallyweedthemout.The three assassins of the creative process are dissonance, fear, and

expectation escalation. While each of these dynamics is present in varyingdegreesineveryorganization,forsometeamsandcreativestheyhavebecomeawayoflife.Thenetresultisaworkplaceinwhichrationalizationandmediocrity

becomethenorm.Innovationisoftentherallyingcry,butbuntingforsinglesistheeverydayethic.Solet’smeettheenemies.

DISSONANCE:ITJUSTDOESN’TADDUP

Whilewatchingamovie,haveyoueverhadasensethatsomethingbadisabouttohappen to thecharacteronscreen?Often thissenseof impendingdoomhaslittletodowiththevisualcuesofthefilmandmoretodowiththesoundtrack.Thesubtlemusicplaying throughout thescenesendscues that something isn’tright.Oneofthetoolsthatfilmcomposersusetocreatethiseffectisdissonance.Dissonanceisamusicaltermusedtodescribetwonotesplayedsimultaneouslythatseemasiftheydon’tbelongtogetheranddon’tresolve.Thiscreatesakindofmusicaltension,andbecausethehumanmindcravesresolutionofunresolvedpatterns, it waits expectantly for that resolution, which never comes. If usedeffectively, dissonance can make an absolutely benign scene of a womanwalkingdownahallwayintoanedge-of-your-seatthrillride.

“Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers aresimple.”

—Dr.Seuss

Resolvingdissonanceisoneofthemainfunctionsofcreativethought.Weare

quick tonoticewhen thingsdon’t addup.Butwhile it’s usuallyhelpfulwhenused to solve the creative problems in your life and work, this ability torecognize and resolve patterns can also provide unwanted distractions to yourcreative process. You have only so much capacity to process data, and whenthereisahighamountofdissonanceinyourenvironment,itcanrobyouofsomeof that capacity. You can spend a lot of time spinning your wheels trying toresolvethingsthatareultimatelyunresolvable.Organizationaldissonance is rampantwithinmanycreativeworkplaces.The

mostsignificantdissonancewithinorganizationsexistswhen the“why”ofourwork isn’t lining up with the “what” of our day-to-day activity. When this

happensourmindsgotoworktotrytoresolvethesemisalignments,andmuchof our creative problem-solving bandwidth is hijacked by ourmind’s need toresolve theseenvironmental incongruities.Thesepointsofdissonancecauseustofeelperpetuallyuneasyandmakeitdifficultforustoknowhowtoengageinourwork.Forexample:“We deliver innovative solutions to clients!” (But just give the clients

whatevertheyaskfor.)“Wevalueteamandcollaboration!”(Butreally,justdowhatwetellyouand

don’taskquestions.)“Wevalueourpeople!”(Butwe’regoingtohavetoaskyoutoworkagainthis

weekend.)In his bookHow theMightyFall, author and researcher JimCollins claims

thatoneofthefirstsignsofthedeclineofmanygreatcompaniesiswhentheyfail to recognize the “why” behind their day-to-day activities. Once anorganizationhas lost sightof this importantconnection, it inevitablygravitatestoward mediocrity. He says, “When institutions fail to distinguish betweencurrent practices and the enduring principles of their success, andmistakenlyfossilizearoundtheirpractices,they’vesetthemselvesupfordecline.”Oneofthemostimportantresponsibilitiesofacreativeleaderistoeliminate

theselittleareasofdissonanceasoftenaspossible.Theyneedtoensurethatthe“why” and the “what” are lining up for people on their team by consistentlyreminding teammembers of the overall strategy and how it aligns with theircurrent day-to-day work. Doing this helps creative workers stay focused andenergized,andeasesthesubterraneandissonancethatcanquicklyemergewhendoingcomplexwork.So where do you find this dissonance? There are three major sources. By

monitoring each of these we can effectively reduce the degree to whichdissonancezapscreativeeffectiveness.

UnnecessaryComplexity

Hello,mynameisTodd,andIamarecoveringcomplexityjunkie.Itendtocomplicate thingswhen I feel uncomfortable or insecure. It’s a defensivemeasure;I’lldoanythingtoavoidbeingseenasuncertain.Afewyearsago,acoworkercalledmeoutonmycomplexityaddiction,andeversincethenIhavekeptaprintoutofthefollowingonmyofficedoor:

1+1=[[(9×3)3]3]–1You’ll notice that the formula balances, but that the right side of the

equationaddsalotofstepsandunnecessarycomplexity.It’stheretoremindmethatthesimplestapproachisalwaysthebestplacetostart,andit’sthefirstthingIseewhenIarriveatworkeachday.

Unnecessarycomplexityisanunfortunate,butnatural,resultoforganizationalgrowth.Thingsareverysimpleintheearlystagesofabusiness.Therearefewpeople involved,andeveryonehas tobeageneralist. It’sveryentrepreneurial,andeveryoneisveryclosetothe“mainthing”forthecompany.It’seasytoseehowindividualeffortscontributetotheoverallobjectivesofthecompany.Itmaybechallengingtokeepup,buttherulesareprettysimple:Doyourjob,whateverittakes.As the company grows, however, there is more and more demand for

specialization.Divisionsarecreatedandsilosareestablishedtomanagedifferentareas of business. Each division has its main thing, which is a subset of theoverallmain thing.Peoplearehiredwithin thesedivisions,and theyalsohavetheir individual objectives and responsibilities. Systems are established, goalsand quotas are implemented, and workers dive deeply into their highlyspecializedwork. Some of theseworkers are now three, or four, or five stepsaway from the central objectives of the company. There are objectives uponobjectives,andsystemsuponsystems.Itcangetverycomplex.Itbecomeseasytogrowconfusedabouthowweshouldprioritizeourworkandevenwhatwe’rereallytryingtodowhenwehavetonavigateamatrixofprioritiesjusttodevelopasimpletasklist.

“Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making thecomplicatedsimple,awesomelysimple,that’screativity.”

—CharlesMingus

Butthiskindofunnecessarycomplexityisn’tlimitedtocompaniesandteams.

Inventingchaosisacommondefensemechanismearlyin thecreativeprocess,especially when we’re uncertain about what we’re trying to do. Even worse,sometimes we introduce complexity into the later stages of the project byadoptingnewideasorstrategies thatcreateunduestress.Wemakethingsverycomplexinordertomasktherealitythat,deepdown,we’reconfusedaboutourtrueobjectives.Someofus(myself included)useunnecessarycomplexityasamaskfor insecurity. (Ifwearen’tcertainwecannail theproject,we’llat leastconfusetheheckoutofthemandshowthemhowsmartweare.)Thisisawasteofcreativebrainpoweranddoesnothingtogetusclosertoourobjectives.Several years ago I was leading an organizational restructure that involved

bringing other departments ontomy team. Because of the new people on theteam,itwasaperfecttimetorevisitourworkflowandtodevelopnewsystemsforgettingourworkdone, but Iwasuncertain about exactlywhat that shouldlook like. It wasmy first time leading this kind of effort, and I was nervousabout what failure might mean for everyone involved. As a result, Isubconsciouslycreatedproblemswherenoneexisted—andsolvedthem—sothatIcouldfeellikeIwasmakingprogress.AllIwasdoingwascreatingbusyworkwhere none existed in order to avoidmaking the hard decisions necessary tofinish the reorganization.Thismade theentireprocessmuchmoredifficult foreveryoneinvolved,andespeciallyforme.But unnecessary complexity is not always the result of insecurity or

uncertainty.Sometimesit’ssimplyafunctionofgrowth.Asorganizationsgrow,newsystemsareneededtomovetheworkforward.Overtime,thesesystemscanbecomeantiquated,butbecausethey’vebeenaroundforsolong,noonethinkstoaskthequestion.Isthisreallythebestway?Systemspileuponsystems,andsoonpeoplewithintheorganizationdevelopcompensatorybehaviorsinordertoget around these unnecessarily complex systems. This means a lot of wastedcreativeenergygoestowardfiguringoutthesystemratherthantowardtheactualworkoftheorganization.Youneedtobediligentaboutaskingyourself,“CanImakethisprocessmore

simple?”Because therewillalwaysbea lotofcomplexity that isbeyondyour

control, you must ensure that those places where you have influence arestreamlinedandaligned.Youmustalsogetcomfortablewitheliminatingthingsinyourlifethataregettinginthewayofclarityandfocus.(Iwillgiveyousomestrategiesforhowtodothisinthechapteronfocus.)Question:Arethereunnecessarilycomplexsystemsinyourlifeandwork

rightnow?Aretherewaysyoucansimplifythem?

UnclearObjectives

Thereisanareaoutsideoneofourfavoriterestaurantswhereourchildrenloveto run aroundandplay.Afterdinnerwewill oftengive them time toburnofftheirexcessenergybeforebedbyplayinggames.Our twoyoungboys love torace each other, and our daughter always wants to get in on the action.Unfortunately for the boys, she is not content to simply be a participant; sheneedstoreferee,too.Shewillrunaroundincircles,withtheboysfollowingherlead,untilshestops,throwsherhandsintheair,andshouts,“Iwin!”Ourolderson is a strict rule follower and—of course—finds this totally unacceptable.Afterall,howcanshedeclareherselfthewinnerwhentherewerenoestablishedrules?Aftermanyargumentsandnearbrawls,wehadtoexplaintothekidsthatitmightbeagoodideatoclarifytherulesofthegamebeforetheystartplaying.Iftheydon’t,howwilltheyknowwhat“winning”evenlookslike?

Youmustgetcomfortablewitheliminatingthingsinyourlifethataregettinginthewayofclarityandfocus.

Inprinciplethissoundsobvious,butthissamedynamicplaysouteverydayin

the workplace, and it’s a common source of organizational dissonance. Eventhoughwe’vetalkedaboutaprojectextensively,theobjectivesarestillunclear,andwe’reuncertainaboutwhatwe’rereallytryingtodo.It’sastoundingtomehow often I encounter people who are stuck on a creative problem and can’tarticulatewhat they’re trying to accomplish. They have no ideawhat a “win”willlooklike.They’rejustrunningaroundincirclesandwaitingforsomeonetodeclarethatthegameisover.Thisproblemstemsfromourdifficultyparsingprojectstrategyfromcreative

strategy.ProjectstrategyboilsdowntothefiveW’s:Why?Who?What?When?Where?Thecreativestrategyliesinhowweplantoaccomplishtheseobjectives.Often,whenwe’retryingtosolveacreativeproblem,wejumpstraight tohowwe’re going to do it, the creative strategy, before we’ve even settled on aconcretesetofobjectives,aprojectstrategy.Whenwedothis,wearesignificantlyhandicappingourabilitytoeffectively

solve the problem. If we want to set ourselves up for success and eliminatedissonance,wemust learn to setprojectobjectivesbyanswering the fiveW’s.

Themorecomprehensivelywedefineourobjectives, themorelikelywearetoexperiencecreativeinsight.Wearegivingourmindsasetofconstraintstoworkwithin.For every project, answer the following questions to determine the project

strategy:Why?Whyareweundertakingthiswork?Whatpurposedoesitserve?Who? Whose approval is required? Who needs to be involved in the

work?Whoarewereaching?What?What arewe really trying to accomplishwith this project? (No

consultant-speak.Beveryconcrete.)When?Whatarethehard(andsoft)deadlinesforthework?Whenwillit

beimplemented?Where?Wherewill thework be done?Wherewill the results ofwork

appear?Finally,once—andonlyonce—we’veestablishedtheprojectstrategywe

canworkonthecreativestrategy:How? How will we accomplish these objectives? What is the most

appropriatewaytosolvetheseproblems?Becausesomanyteamsbeginwithexecution(creativestrategy)andskipover

theobjectives(projectstrategy),dissonancecreepsintothework.Wemustmakecertainthatthewhy(projectstrategy)andthehow(creativestrategy)lineup.Aweb-designfirmIencounteredsaidthatonecomplexityoftheirworkisthat

manyclientscometothemwithspecificexecutions—“Buildusawebsitethat...”or“Wewantanappthatdoes.. .”—ratherthanobjectives.Asaresult,theyfrequentlyhavetoadjusttheclients’ingoingexpectationsenoughtohaveaclearconversationaboutwhattheirobjectivestrulyare.Thisoftenchangestheentiredirectionoftheirwork,becauseoncetheobjectivesareclear,itbecomesobviousthattherearesolutionsavailablethattheclientswouldneverhavethoughtofontheir own. Overall, though they’re initially suspicious about this objectives-clarifyingprocess,clientsaretypicallythrilledwiththeresults.

Challenge:Thinkofaproblemyou’recurrentlyworkingon,oroneonwhich you are currently stuck creatively. Can you effectively andconcretelyanswerthefiveW’s:Why?Who?What?When?Where?Orareyoustartingwithexecution:How?

Opacity

A third source of dissonance in creative teams is opacity, the result of keystrategy and creative decisions being made in a “secret chamber,” and thenhanded down to the rest of the organization for execution with little or noexplanation ofwhy. The more opaque the decision-making process, the morelikelythatmisinterpretationandmisalignmentwillfollow.In the physicalworld, a vacuumwants to be filled. In the sameway,when

thereisalackofexplanationofwhythingsareacertainway,wewilloftenfillinthat vacuum with whatever makes the most sense to us. That doesn’t mean,however, thatourunderstandingofwhywearedoingsomething linesupwithour manager’s why. As a result, we can spin our wheels trying to solve aproblemwithout a true understanding ofwhatwe’re really being asked to do.Theselittleincongruitiesaffectourcreating,cloudingourthinking.

The more opaque the decision-making process, the more likely thatmisinterpretationandmisalignmentwillfollow.

Onedesignfirmhadconcentratedmuchofitsclientinteractionsinthehands

ofveryfewpeople.Thisisn’tatypical,butinthiscasethefirm’screativeleaderswerenotverygoodaboutcommunicatingclientexpectations,orkeydecisionsaboutthedirectionoftheproject,tothoseactuallydoingthedesignwork.Ratherthanexplainingthereasoningbehindthedecisions,therewouldoftenbevagueandunsupportedrequeststo“cleanthisup”or“makethatelementslightlymoredominant.” This created a lot of dissonance for the junior designers as theyattemptedtodotheworkwithoutunderstandingwhytheywerebeingaskedforspecific changes. I helped these leaders understand that being more specificaboutthereasonfortheirdirection—forexample,“Theclientthinksthedesignistoobusy”or“Theclientwantsthistodrawmoreattentiontoitself”—wouldhelpclarifytheobjectivesandallowtheirdesignerstointroduceotherpotentialsolutions.While therearecertainly reasons tokeepsensitive informationunderwraps,

theclearertheorganizationcanbeaboutwhydecisionsaremade,thebetter.

Challenge: Take a minute to look at your organization’s current

priorities.Canyouexplainwhytheseprioritiesarecurrentlythemostimportant,oristherealackofalignmentbetweenthewhyandthehowoftheworkyou’redoing?

Although the examples we described above are largely organizational, theprincipleofdissonanceasacreativityassassinplaysoutineveryareaofourlife.If you can better align thewhy and thehow in your life, youwill experiencemorecreativeaccidents.Forexample,theremaybemanyactivitiesthatyoucontinuetoengageinlong

after they have ceased to be effective to your currentwork.They are artifactsfrom old goals, projects, or relationships, but they have nothing to do withwhat’s currently important to you. You are simply doing them as amatter ofhabit. The result is that your daily activity isn’t aligned with what is reallyimportanttoyourightnow,anditcreatescomplexitythatyoumustnavigateinorder to do your work. We will be addressing how to eliminate thesemisalignments and ensure that your efforts match your objectives in the nextchapter.

Question:Are there systems you’re still using that are ineffective foryour currentwork but that you’re using as amatter of habit ratherthanbypurposefulchoice?

FEAR:THEINVISIBLECEILING

Humanshaveevolvedwithasetoftraitsthatmadeitpossibleforourancestorsto form social groups, develop new technologies, and outwit their enemies.Unfortunately, these are the sameattributes that can inhibit our creativity.Themostdamagingofthesehardwiredtraitsisfear.Insomecircumstances, fear isundeniablyauseful tool.Forexample, if I’m

standingontheedgeofahundred-footcliff,Ishouldfeelalittlefearandtakeasteportwoback.Ialsowantmykidstohaveahealthyrespectfortrafficsothattheyavoidthestreetwhenplaying.Thesetypesoffearareandalwayshavebeencrucialtooursurvival.But thereareother typesof fear that,whenallowed todictateourbehavior,

cancauseus toperformat significantly lower levels thanour truecapabilities.Weprojectnegativeconsequencestoourbehaviorandlimitourengagementoutofafearofwhatmighthappen,nomatterhowunlikely.In his book The Now Habit, about fighting procrastination, Dr. Neil Fiore

describes an experiment he performs with his patients to help them identifywhen they are behaving irrationally because of fear.He asks them to imaginethatthereisawoodplanklyingacrossthefloor,twentyfeetlongandsixincheswide. He asks them if they would be able to walk across this plank withoutfallingoff.Inevitably,thepatientsrespondthatwalkingacrossthisplankwouldbenoproblem.Fiorethenasksthemtoimaginethattheplankhasbeenelevatedto a height of one hundred feet in the air and is suspended between twobuildings.Heagainasksthepatientsiftheybelievetheycouldwalkacrosstheplankwithoutfallingoff.Thistime,however,veryfewofthepatientsarewillingto“walktheplank.”Whathaschanged?Certainlynotthetechnicalskillrequiredforthetask.It’s

thesameplank.But for somereason the respondentsarenowhesitant towalkacross it. The only thing that has changed is the consequence of making amistake.Suddenly,aslightmisstepwillmeandeath...oratleastseveralbrokenbones. The perceived consequence of a mistake caused the respondents tochoosenottoengageinanactivitythat,onlymomentsbefore,theyhaddeemedeasy.

Soundfamiliar?It’softenthecasethatbecauseofafearofwhatmighthappenif they make a mistake, creatives play it safe. They elevate the potentialconsequencesofmakingamistake tounhealthy(andunrealistic) levelsand, inordertoavoidthoseconsequences,domediocrework.Forsomeofus,thisfearisanaturalresultofourenvironment.Ihaveworked

with a few creatives who have been told pointblank, “If you screw this up,you’refired.”Butinmyexperience,thatisarareexception.Forthemostpart,our fearsare largelyexaggerated; fewofuscanpoint toapersonwho losthisjob because of a reasonable idea that didn’t pan out.More often than not,wesimplydon’twanttostandout,whetherpositivelyornegatively,becauseofthefearofbeingostracizedbyourpeersormanagers.Thiskindoffearcanbecorralledintotwocategories:fearoffailureand,even

worse,fearofsuccess.

FearofFailure

Whenwethinkoffear,thisisprobablythekindthatcomestomind.Webecomeriskaversebecausewedon’twanttocomeupshort.We’vebeendoingwhatwedo for longenough thatweunderstandhow todopassablework ina risk-freeway, sowhy take the chance on doing somethingmore?But brilliant creativeworkisalwaystheresultofrisk.Inordertosucceed,wemustreachbeyondourpresent circumstances and take chances that ourworkmight fail. PeterBlock,authorofTheAnswertoHowIsYesandCommunity,toldmeinaninterviewthatwemustgrowcomfortable“livinginthemarginsratherthaninthecenter.”Whatarewereallyriskingwhenwecreate?Wemightfearlosingourjob,but

moreoftenwe’reconcernedaboutbeingperceivedasinadequateorineffective.We’re afraid that no onewillwant toworkwith us on future projects.We’reworriedaboutourreputation.Thisfearisnotcompletelyunfounded.Ifwepushourselvestogobeyondthe

triedandtrue,otherswillinevitablythinksomeofourideasarebad.Butintheend,theconsequencesofnevertakingcreativeriskswillbesignificantlygreaterthansomeofourpeersthinkingwehavepoortaste.Alifetimeofmediocrityisahighpricetopayforsafety.Paranoiaundoesgreatness.

A lifetime of mediocrity is a high price to pay for safety. Paranoiaundoesgreatness.

Youneed to push through those placeswhere it’s easier to gravitate toward

comfortinsteadofaggressivelypursuingyourbestwork.riCardoCrespo,SeniorVicePresidentandGlobalCreativeChiefforTwentiethCenturyFoxFCP,toldmethathisbestadviceforcreativesisto“knowyourcomfortzoneandtoworkhardtostayoutofit.”Sharingfromhispersonalexperience,hesaidthatadesirefor comfort is the “single biggest factor that causes many creatives to shrinkbackfromopportunity”andthebiggestblocktocreativegrowth.Whenwe curtail our creative engagement out of a fear ofwhat otherswill

think, we are “elevating the plank.” We are exaggerating the potentialconsequencesofamistake.Soratherthandoingsomethingthatwe’rewiredfor,something we’re passionate about, or something that we believe could reallymake a difference, we back away from the ledge. We settle. We accept

mediocrity.It’s conceivable that none of this is new information. We know that it’s

unlikelythatwe’regoingtobefiredforabadidea,butwe’restillreservedandoftenholdbackfrombringingourselves fully to thecreativeprocess.Fearcanhaveastrongholdoverourengagement.InLinchpin,authorSethGodinarguesthatthisistheresultofsomethingcalledthe“lizardbrain,”theprimalpartofourbrain thatcausesus toshrinkbackfromanything that isperceivedasa threat.We are hardwired to stay close to the herd and blend in asmuch as possible.After all, in the animalworld themembers of a tribe that stand out are ofteneatenfirst.But we must learn to identify and circumvent the impulse of our survival

instinct.Todosorequiresbothawarenessand thediscipline to takecalculatedcreativerisks.Wemustpracticetakingriskswhenthestakesarelowersothatwecanperformwhenthepressureisonanditreallymatters.We’lltalkaboutthismoreaswediscussbestpractices.

Question:Whereisfearoffailurecausingyoutocurtailyourcreativeengagement?Whereareyourefusingtotakerisksinyourwork?Whataretheperceivedconsequencesthatareholdingyouback,anddoyouthinkthey’rerealorimagined?

FearofSuccess

There is a second andmore subversive formof fear that I’ve seen atwork inmanycreatives.Inyourhead,itsoundssomethinglikethis:

DoIreallywanttoknockthisoneoutofthepark?DoIreallywanttosetmyselfupforthatkindoffutureexpectation?Whatwilleveryoneelsethink?Will Ibeable tocontinue tosustain thatpace?CanIcontinue toprovidecreativeinsightatthatlevel?MaybeIshouldpacemyselfinstead.

None of these thoughts are necessarily conscious, but they flit through our

mindsaswegoaboutourwork.Thiskindoffearplaysontheparanoiathatwecan’t continue to perform at a certain level of expectation or deal with theongoingexecutionofan ideaonce it’s launched.Asaresultwearehesitant toengage fully becausewe don’twant to get in over our heads or dealwith theconsequencesofsuccess.Fearofsuccesscanbecomeanepidemicwithincreativeteams.Ablindeyeis

turned towardsubparperformance,and there’sa strong“youscratchmyback,I’llscratchyours”ethicinwhicheveryonerationalizesteammembers’workasgreatinordertomaintainstabilityandavoidstretchingthemselves.Therationaleisthatbydoingthiswecanlowerexpectationsacrosstheboard,resultinginlessriskofsustainedfutureexpectationsforusandforourteam.Itsoundsridiculousonthesurface,butI’llbetthatifyouthinkhardyoucouldidentifyatleastoneinstancewhenyou’veexperiencedthisdynamicatwork.Itoftenbeginswithasingleinstancewhentheteamunderperforms,buttheresultsarerationalizedasgoodinsomeway.Oncetheteamseesthatperformancehasbecomeasubjectivething rather than one measured against hard metrics, rationalization for othersubparworkoftenbegins. It’snot aneffort to shirkhardwork, it’s simply thegroup’swayofdealingwithitsfearaboutincreasedfutureexpectations.Somecreativesstrugglewiththisfearofsuccessfortheirentirecareers.They

perpetually shrink back from challenges because they are afraid that theywillend up “out of their league” or withmore work on their plate than they canhandle.Whilewehavetobewiseabouttheamountofworkwechoosetotakeon,wealsomustbewilling to ignore these subtle anddestructive impulses to“coast” and “gowith the flow.” Ifwe don’t stretch ourselves,we don’t grow.

Growth is uncomfortable, but without the discomfort our capacity doesn’tremain the same, it shrinks. If we’re not growing, we’re dying. In the nextseveralchaptersyouwilllearnsomeverypractical(andmanageable!)practicesthatwillhelpyougrow,letyoupracticetakingrisksincontrolledenvironments,and cultivate the energy you need to face the ever-increasing expectations ofyourwork.

Growth is uncomfortable, but without the discomfort our capacitydoesn’tremainthesame,itshrinks.Ifwe’renotgrowing,we’redying.

Fear of success is often more destructive than fear of failure because it’s

maskedintheguiseofwisdom.Itsoundslikeourfriend.Itcanfeellikeamatureattitude towardknowingyour role,playingyourpart,andpacingyourself.Butultimatelyitwillcauseustomissopportunities.

Question: Are you withholding yourself creatively because you’reafraidyoucan’tsustainthepaceofyoursuccess?Haveyoueverheldanideabackbecauseyouwereafraidoftheconsequences?Doyou,inanyway,feel“unworthy”ofsuccessinyourlifeorcareer?

EXPECTATIONESCALATIONANDTHEINHIBITINGNATUREOFCOMPARISON

Thefinalassassinofcreativityisexpectationescalation.Weallowcomparisonsto affect our current creative engagement. The moment we place concreteexpectationsontheendresultsofaproject—thisupgradeisgoingtodoublelastyear’s sales figures! —we begin closing off potential executions and helpfulthoughts because we deem them “not useful enough” in accomplishing ourescalatedexpectations.Doingthistooearlyinthecreativeprocesscanseriouslyderailbrilliantideasandpreventthemfromeverseeingthelightofday.TheresultofallthisisaphenomenonIcall“expectationescalation.”Asour

perceived expectations escalate, we become almost paralyzed with concernabout not measuring up. We want our ideas to be fully formed from thebeginning rather thangivingourcreativeprocess time toplayout. Ifwedon’tseetheideaasstackingupagainstthebestofthebest,thenwedon’tspendtimeon it.But this ignores the reality that allbrilliant creativeexecutionsbeganasinfantideasandhadtobetweakedanddeveloped.I’vewitnessed three sourcesofunhealthyexpectations, andeachaffectsour

creatinginthesamefundamentalway.Expectationescalationcausesustoself-limitasaresultofcomparison.

OurPastWork

Haveyoueverhaddifficultygettingstartedonanideabecauseyouwereafraidthatitwouldn’tmeasureuptosomethingyou’dpreviouslydone?Sometimesourexpectationsforourownworkcanget in thewayoffullcreativeengagement.It’sunfortunatethatweareoftenourownworstcriticandthatweoftencriticizeanddeconstructourworkwellbeforeit’sready.You have a great idea and, at first, you’re very excited. Soon, though, you

begin to thinkback topreviousworkyou’vecompleted,comparing thosefinalproducts with the seed you’re currently nurturing. Even though your currentworkisstillinitsinfancyandsoofcoursecan’tstackuptoafullyformedandexecutedidea,you’renotwillingtogiveyourselfthatgraceperiod.Instead,youdoaquickassessmentofwhethertheworkisworthwhilebasedonnothingmorethan these artificial expectations. As a result, you don’t give the idea time todevelop.When you do this you fail to realize that (1) all your past work was once

unformedandinmidprocess,andthat(2)youalwaysrememberpastworkmorefondly thanyouactually feltabout itat the time. Inhindsight, recallinghowaprojectsucceedediseasy,but inmidproject, there isalwaysa lotofdoubtandconfusion involved.We tend to forget the angst and uncertaintywe feltwhiledoingtheworkandinsteadlookonlyattheendresults.Idon’tmeantoimplythatallcomparisonisbad.Thereisbothgoodandbad

inplayingthiscomparisongame.Youwant tocontinuegrowinginyourskills,andcomparingyourcurrentworktopastworkcanhelpbenchmarkyourgrowth.But you don’t want to fall into the trap of shrinking back from engagementsimplybecauseyou’reafraidofnotmeasuringup.Thekeytousingcomparisoneffectivelyistowithholdituntillaterintheprocess.Whenyouareintheearlystages of a project you need asmany possibilities in front of you as possible.There are enough limitations in place thanks to your organization, your peers,andyourclient;youdon’tneedtolimityourself,too.

Question: Do you find yourself frequently putting past work on apedestal?Doyouthinkthatthislimitsyourcurrentabilitytocreativelyengageinanyway?

Thereareenoughlimitationsinplacethankstoyourorganization,yourpeers,andyourclient;youdon’tneedtolimityourself,too.

OurManagersandPeers

In the same way that we can experience escalated expectations for our workbased upon our own pastwork,we can be tempted to artificially escalate theexpectationsofourmanagersandpeerswhentheyarenotcommunicatedclearly.Because of the already complex nature of creativework, and the time-versus-value tension discussed in the previous chapter, a lack of clarity aroundorganizationalexpectationswillsometimesresultinourgoingoverboardinourwork aswe try to coverourbases.But thismeans thatweoftendo extra andunnecessary work, and waste energy that could have been more effectivelyappliedtothecreativeproblemsathand.

Question:Doyouhaveanaccurateunderstandingofwhat’s expectedfromyoubytheorganization?Byyourcoworkers?Whenwasthelasttimeyouhadan“expectations”conversationwithyourmanager?

OurHeroesandCompetition

I love to read industry trade magazines and blogs. They can be a wonderfulsourceofinspirationandinformationaboutwhat’shappeninginthewideworldofbusiness.But theycan lead toa sinister sideeffect: it’sveryeasy to let theworkofothersparalyzeus.Thisisarealprobleminthedesignworld.I’vespokenwithmanydesigners

andcreativedirectorswhofeeltheconstantpressuretomeasureuptotheworktheyareseeingon thecoversof industrymagazines.Somecompanieswillcutthesepiecesoutandhangthemonthewallasaformofinspirationtotheteam,butthesedisplayscansometimesfeelmorelikea“whycan’tyoubemorelikeyourolderbrother?”talkfromyourparents.Whileyoucertainlyneedtobewillingtolearnfromthecompetitionandfrom

ourowncreativeheroes,don’t let their influencescauseyou tocondemnyourown abilities. In his book Free Play, improvisational violinist StephenNachmanovitchwrites,“It’sgreattositontheshouldersofgiants,butdon’tletthegiantssitonyourshoulders.There’snoroomfortheirlegstodangle!”Inotherwords,thereisaformofoppressionthatemergeswhenweallowthe

workofourinfluencesorcompetitorstodriveourcreatinginanunhealthyway.Thecreativeprocessisapersonalassaultonthebeachheadofapathyandapushtoexploreandbreaknewground, evenwhenweareuncertainof a successfulresult. Themore we try to force a successful (and derivative) result, the lesslikelywearetoseetruebreakthrough.It’sonlywhenwearefreetoabandonourneed tomeasureupand insteadsimply trustourabilities thatwewillbegin toseerealcreativebrillianceemerge.

“It’sgreattositontheshouldersofgiants,butdon’t letthegiantssitonyourshoulders.There’snoroomfortheirlegstodangle!”

—StephenNachmanovitch

Question:Areyou in thehabit of comparingyour currentworkwith

thefinishedworkofyourheroes?Doesthataffectwhichideasyouarewillingtoexploreorcauseyoutocondemnyourabilities?

TimSenff,directorofReachOutatCrossroadsChurch inCincinnati, regularlyleads trips for people to travel to other continents to participate in serviceprojects.Someofthesetripsdrawhundredsofparticipants.Timfindsthatrigidexpectationsstandinthewayofagoodexperienceforthesegroups.Hisadviceto participants? “Wewant to be expectant, butwithout expectations.” In otherwords,expectthatgreatthingsaregoingtohappen,butdon’tplaceparameterson what those things will be; inevitably, they will lead to disappointment orcauseyoutomissopportunitiessimplybecauseyou’renotlookingforthem.I think this is a wonderful description of what a healthy and productive

creativeprocess looks like.Wewant tobeexpectantwithoutexpectations.Wewant to be able to engage in the creative process without requiring concreteresults too early. When we do this, we neutralize the effects of unhealthyexpectationsandallowourselvesthefullfreedomthatisrequiredinordertotakecreativerisksandseeourinfantideastocompletion.

The creative process requires that we be expectant withoutexpectations.

While dealing with the specter of expectation escalation within an

organization can be difficult, doing so is critical to doing your best work.Concreteobjectivesandaclearpathtocompletionarekey,butyouneedtobecareful to suspend your judgment until later in the project.You can’t becomeparalyzedbyotherpeople,byyourpastwork,orbyanunclearunderstandingoforganizationalexpectations.Anyoneof thesecancauseyoutoperformat lessthanyourbest.Theassassinsofthecreativeprocesswillcreepuponusandinvadeourlife.

It’s possible to spend days, weeks, or years trying to recover the clarity andpassion we once had for our work. The only way to counteract them is toestablish practices in our life to keep us focused and engaged. That’s wherewe’reheadedinthenextsection.

THEPRACTICES

We often reject ideas that seem too simple or too obvious out of hand. Ifsomething is simple, the thinkinggoes, itmustbe ineffective.But thegreatestperformersacrossawidespectrumoffieldsunderstandthatthemostbasicandfundamentalpracticesultimatelylaythefoundationforbrilliantresults.VinceLombardiwasunarguablyoneof thegreatestcoaches inNFLhistory.

Aseachnewseasonbegan,hewouldgatherhisteamtogetheronthefirstdayofpracticeforhisopeningpeptalk.InthecirclewereNFLlegends,suchasPaulHornung, Bart Starr, and Jim Taylor, as well as numerous other veterans andreturningSuperBowlwinners.Astheplayersleanedintohearthegreatcoach’sopeningwords,Lombardiwouldbeginhispep talkby thrustingaball into theair,declaring,“Gentlemen,thisisafootball!”Howinsulting!Theseplayersweresomeofthegreatsofthegame!Theyhad

accomplishedmoreintheirtimethanmanyoftoday’stopplayerswouldhopetoaccomplishintheirentirecareers.Whynotbeginbytalkingabouttheoffense,orabout why last season was so successful, or about the strategy for their firstgame?CoachLombardiunderstoodthatthefoundationofeverygreatworkisasolid

graspofthefundamentals.Hewassendingamessagetohisteamthatnomatterhowgreattheiraccomplishments,andnomatterhowtalentedtheyare,theonlypath to consistent, long-term success is tomaintain focus on the basics as thefoundationforeverythingyoudo.Thoughtheframeworkforhowwelookatthemisunique,someofthepracticeswe’lldiscussinupcomingchaptershavebeenimplementedbymanycreativestogreat success for centuries.Mygoal is simply to help you establish them andfind a foundation of stability and rhythm that will allow you to experiencecreative accidents in your everyday life.Remember that common sense is notcommonpractice,andthatpeoplewhosucceedareoftenthosewhodothelittle,everydaythingsthatotherswon’t.

PART2

CREATIVERHYTHM

4.

FOCUS:ZEROINGINONWHAT’SCRITICAL

Ifyouwanttothriveinthecreate-on-demandworld,youmustdevelopthecapacity to focus deeply. Though broad and shallow engagement may feelnecessarybecauseofthenumberofprioritiesonyourplate,tobetrulyeffectiveyoumust cultivate the ability to do quick, focused dives into the depths of aprojectandemergewithusefulideas.Moreimportant,thismustbedoneinspiteoftheincreasingpressuretodothingsfaster,better,andcheaper.Because we tend to gravitate toward possibilities, many creative people

wrestlewithfocus.Wecanquicklybecomefascinatedwithnewideasorbouncefromunsolvedproblemtounsolvedproblemwithoutreallysolvinganyofthem.This “priority ping-pong” prevents us from engaging in the kind of deeply

focusedthinkingthatfacilitatesinsightandmovestheneedleonourprojects.Asthe number of unresolved creative problems in our work increases, we canbecomeoverwhelmedorgenerallydiscouragedbyallthat’sleftundone.

“Whereobservationisconcerned,chancefavorsthepreparedmind.”—LouisPasteur

Theonlysolutionistostoplivingreactivelyandtoinstillanewpracticefor

thinking deeply about yourwork: lock in on the heart of the problemquickly(define), establish your game plan to center your activities around the mostcrucial priorities (refine), and organize your work so that you’re minimizingdistractions and staying on course (cluster). Developing these practices willincreasethenumberandqualityofspontaneousinsightsyouexperience.Twokey factors,which largely stemfromdissonance,affectourcapacity to

focus:unhealthyassumptionsandthe“ping.”

UNHEALTHYASSUMPTIONS

AfewyearsagomyfamilyvisitedLakeErieforalongFourthofJulyholiday.As evening approached, we were preparing to walk to the pier to watch thefireworks when our five-year-old middle son started getting nervous. Weexplainedthatfireworksarefunandthattherewasnoreasontobeafraid,buthewashavingnoneofit.Wefinallypersuadedhimtomakethetrektothelake,butheprotestedalltheway.Whenwearrivedattheperfectvantagepointandbegansettingupourblankets,hisprotestsgrewfrantic.“Owen,” I said, “fireworks are perfectly safe. They’re not going to fall on

you.”“I’mnotworriedaboutthemfallingonme,”Owenreplied.“Fireworksmake

myfeetfuzzy.”“Theymakeyourfeetfuzzy?”Ireplied,puzzled.“Yes.LikeatDisneyWorld.”WehadtakenavacationtoDisneyWorldthepreviousyear,andbecausehis

short legs prevented him from keeping up, Owen had ridden my shouldersaroundthepark.Atonepointanunexpectedplumeoffireworksstartledhim.Atthetime,hehadbeensittingonmyshouldersforanhourorso,andhislegshadfallenasleep.Shakenoutofhisreveriebythefireworks,herealizedthathehadlost all feeling in his feet. His four-year-old mind assumed that it was thefireworksthathadmadehisfeet“fuzzy.”Formorethanayear,Irealized,Owenhadcarriedthisassumptionwithhim

and had lived in terror of feet-zapping fireworks. I was eventually able toconvincehimthatfireworkshaveabsolutelynothingtodowithwhathefelt inhisfeetwhenhewasonmyshoulders,buttothisdayheisstillalittlenervousaroundthem.Whatmysonexperiencedissomethingwemustguardagainstinourcreative

work.Ourmindsareexcellentatsolvingproblemsandformingpatterns.It’stheprimary reasonwe’re able to survive past the age of two.We learn from ourexperiences,andsomeofthoselessonskeepusfrommakingmistakesthatcouldsignificantlyharmus,liketouchingahotstoveorpunchingsomeonebiggerthanus. But this ability to connect the dots can also cause us to adopt false

assumptionsaboutcauseandeffect.For example, it’s easy to assume that because something has always been

done a certain way, that must be the one and only right way to do it. Wesometimesdeveloptheassumptionthatbecauseasystemormethodbroughtussuccess inone instance, itwill alwaysdo so.Orwemayassume thatbecausesomething didn’t work in one instance, it will never work under anycircumstances. Any of these assumptions can, over time, be disastrous to ourcreativeprocessbecausetheylimithowwelookatproblems.A theory advocated by brain scientist and founder of PalmComputing Jeff

Hawkins in his book On Intelligence contends that our minds function byconstantly predicting what will happen next and then comparing thesepredictionswithwhatweactuallyexperience. Indoingsowedeveloppatternsthatmakeourfuturepredictionsmoreaccurate,alibraryofexperiencesagainstwhichwecanvalidatenewinformation.Thisallowsustomakemanydecisionsinourlifequickly,oftenbaseduponhunchesandwithverylittleinformation.

Assumptions can be disastrous to our creative process because theylimithowwelookatproblems.

Whilethiscapacityishelpfulinallowingustoassimilatenewinformationand

experiencesquicklyandusefully,itcanalsomireusinmentalrutsthatpreventusfromseeingopportunitiesthatareobvioustoothers.Instead,weseeonlytheworld throughthe lensofourassumptions,whether they’re trueorfalse.Falseassumptions can limit the options we have at our disposal as we attempt togenerateideas.Anygoodstatisticiandifferentiatesbetweencausalityandcorrelation.There’s

acriticaldifferencebetween“thesetwothingshappenedatthesametime”and“thisthingcausedthatthingtohappen.”Butthisdistinctionisoftenlostinthehustleandurgencyofourdailyactivities.We’reoftensobusythatwefallintohabitsthatpreventusfromfocusingontherealissuesorthatcauseustoignoreopportunitiessimplybecausewe’renotlookingforthem.Becausethemethodbywhichideasemergeoftenseemsbeyondourcontrol,

thetemptationtodevelopritualsaroundbehaviorsthathaveprovensuccessfulinthe past is real. For example, ifwe had a creative breakthrough in ameetingattendedbya certaingroup,wemight establisha standingmeetingwith thosepeople. If visiting a certain website yielded inspiration for a project, the sitebecomesourgo-tosourceofinspirationforallprojectsthatfollow.Wedevelopsystems to replicate our past successes—or to prevent replicating our pastfailures—butallwe reallydo is fossilize theseprocessesandcreate rigidity in

ourlife.Onemanager I encounteredhaddeveloped a ritual for getting toworkvery

earlyinthemorningasawaytogetaheadstartontheday.Thispracticewasremarkably effective for awhile, but over timehis productivity in these timesbegan towane significantly.His solution?Getupearlier!Get towork sooner!Butthisdidn’timprovehisperformance.Afterabriefdiscussion,Iwasabletoconvincehimthathisincredibleproductivityduringthoseinitialearlymorningsessions had little to dowith themechanics of his schedule butwasmore theresultofwhatthechangeinroutinedidforhisfocus.Whatbeganasameansforgettinganearlystartonhis trulyimportantworkhadturnedintonothingmorethanadditional timetochecke-mail,shufflepapers,andworkhistasklist.Weestablishedafewobjectivesforhismorningtime,includingwhatheshouldandshouldnotdo,andsoonhewasbacktohishighlyproductiveways.It’spossible togo fordays,weeks,ormonthsata timedrifting throughour

schedules,attendingmeetings,andgoingaboutourworkwithouteverstoppingto thinkaboutwhetheranyof theseactivitiesare reallybeneficial to thework.While effective boundaries can be useful in helping us gain focus (as we’lldiscussshortly),falseboundariesbaseduponassumptionscanactuallycauseustouseourenergyineffectivelyanddistractusfromwhatwe’rereallytryingtodo.Myfamilylivesinahomethatbacksuptoanaturepreserve.Afewyearsago,whenweweredoingsomeremodeling,wedecidedtobuildahomeofficeonthebackofourhouseasaplaceformetoread,think,andwrite.Igreatlyenjoytheviewofthewoodsandtheanimalsthatfrequentlywalkpastmywindow.(Withtheexceptionofthecoyotepack.Wewantthemtoleave.Now,please.)Oneoftheunfortunateannoyancesoflivingclosetonatureisthatinsectsfind

theirwayintoourhomefromtimetotime.Aboutayearago,Iwasnestlinginfor somemorning reading on the sofa inmy officewhen I saw awolf spidersidleupthroughthegapbetweenthecushions.I despise spiders more than just about anything else in the world. After

usheringhimintothespiderafterlife,Ipracticallytooktheofficeapartlookingfor any of his eight-legged colleagues before resuming my morning studyroutine.Here’sthething:everysinglemorningthereafter,Iinspectedthecushionsfor

unwantedguests.That’s1minuteperdayfor365days,orabout6hoursayearof wasted energy trying to prevent something that hadn’t happened since. Idevelopedapermanent system toprotectagainst something thathadhappened

once.(I’vesincerealizedtheerrorofmywaysandstoppedtheritual.)Thiswassignificantly misplaced focus and energy based on a one-time negativeexperience.In the same way, we may misplace our creative energy because of false

assumptions that are based upon one-time experiences—either successes orfailures.Ioncecoachedawriteraboutsomesignificantlifeandcareerchangesshewasplanningtomake.Overthecourseofseveralsessions,wekeptcomingback to the issue of her lifestyle and her need to generate enough income tomaintainherstandardofliving.AsIproddedhertoquestionwhetherhermultipleresidencesandallherother

expenseswere really indispensable, she came to realize thatmany of her lifedecisionsover thepast severalyearshadbeenbasedupon theassumption thather lifestyleandspendinghabitswerenonnegotiable.Thisassumption led toakindofcreativestasis,becauseshewasabletotakeononlyworkthatwouldpaywellenoughforhertomaintainherlifestyle,andasaresultshehadlittletimeavailable to take on the kind of work she loved. She had lived with a self-limitingfalseassumption,andtheresultwasthatmanyexcellentoptionsweren’tevenon the table as she plannedher career.Over time this had devolved intocreativeblock,careerconfusion,andprocrastination.Onceshewasabletobreakthroughtheseassumptions,shewasabletoseehowshehadmanymoreoptionsthanshe’doriginallythoughtandfoundnewenergyinherwork.When you allow false assumptions to creep into your life, you become

inflexible,lesscapableoffocusingontheissuesathand.Thekeytoovercomingthem,aswewill explore shortly, is to effectivelydefine thecreativeproblemsyou’rereallytryingtosolve.

Question:Are there assumptions you’re making about your currentprojectsthatareartificially limitingyouroptions?Thesecouldbetheresultofwhat’sworkedorfailedinthepast,somethingyourmanageroncesaidinameeting,orthewayinwhichyou’retryingtoavoidtheworst-case scenario.Take a fewminutes to list assumptions thatmayhave crept in and are causing you to lose traction or do less-than-optimalwork.

THE“PING”

Welive inanageofunprecedentedaccess to information. Ifwewant toknowsomething,wecangainaccess to thatknowledgewithinafewkeystrokes.I’moldenoughtorememberthedayswhendoingaresearchprojectmeanthoppinginthecarandmakingthetriptothelibrarytocrackopentheencyclopediasorto(God forbid!) attempt to find something on microfiche. Many people undertwenty years old have never had to leave their homes to gain the informationtheyneed.WiththeubiquityofcheapInternetaccess,aworldofinformationisnow at our fingertips.While technology is the great equalizer with regard toinformationandcommunication,therearealsosomeuniquenewpressuresthataccompanyitsnewfoundplaceatthecenterofourlifeandwork.Technology is an extension of our capacity to accomplish our will. If we

desiretodosomething,technologycanhelpusdoitcheaperandfaster.Butnotall the thingswewantarenecessarilybeneficial tous.Weareoftenwilling tosacrifice long-termgain for the sake of a little short-term satisfaction, and formany of us this tendency is seriously affecting our capacity to focus and bepresentinthemoment.Wehavealmostlimitlessoptionsatourdisposaltocureeventheslightestcaseofboredom.It’shumannaturetocraveentertainment,andif that’s our will, then technology serves it very well. Entertainment doesn’tnecessarilymeangamesormovies;itcanbeanythingthatgivesusachargeorprovides somekindof distraction fromourwork, even e-mail or randomwebsurfing. More than ever, we have the capacity to live in a state of perpetualentertainment.A few years ago I noticed a disturbing pattern in my life. It was a tiny

sensation,a littlepinprickinmyguteverysooften.Icalledit the“Ping.”ThePingisthatlittlesensationthatoccasionallypromptsmetocheckmye-mailormysocialmediaaccounts.It’stheimpulsetomindlesslysurfnewssitesinsteadofdoing somethingproductive.Andasmynumberofoptionsgrew (turnsoutthereisanappforthat),thepullofthePingbecameevermorepowerful.ThePingwantstobemymaster.Itwantstoownme.Itwantsmetoserveit.

The Ping even has a life philosophy for me: “Something out there is moreimportantthatwhateverisrighthere.”

Ifameetinggetseventheslightestbitboring,Ireachintomypockettocheckmy e-mail. If I have a fewminutes in line at the store, I checkmy feeds onGoogle Reader. Rather than being heads up and actually paying attention towhat’shappeninginfrontofme,thePingtellsme,“Hey,youdon’thavetobebored.Youhaveoptions.”Thenetresult?It’smoreandmoredifficultformetobefullyinoneplace,to

focus onwhat’s in front ofme. I’m losing the capacity to think deeply aboutwhatever I’m experiencing because I tend to gravitate to whatever feeds thePing. I default to whatever will entertainme right now. Neil Postman’s 1985workAmusingOurselvestoDeathismorerelevantthaneverintheerainwhichwe are fiber-optically wired to our every desire. Postman argued that ourobsessionwithtelevisionisruiningourculture’scapacitytothinkandengageinimportant societal issues. But now, with smartphones, netbooks, and tabletdevices connected 24/7 to anything and everything we could want, we haveunprecedentedcapacitytobeinastateofperpetualdistraction.Ourworkdemandsmakeitdifficulttobeinoneplaceatatime.Wefeelthe

weight of our overflowing inbox, orwe need to break away in themiddle ofwritingapresentationinordertocheckthetextmessagethatjustcameinonourphone.But in order to do our bestwork,we need to learn to pay attention towhat’s in front of us and to develop the capacity to stay focused on ourobjectives.ThePingslowlyeatsawayatoureffectiveness.

In order to do our best work, we need to learn to pay attention towhat’sinfrontofusandtodevelopthecapacitytostayfocusedonourobjectives.

Author Linda Stone coined a term for the way many of us are living:

“continuous partial attention.” We’re always kind of here, and kind ofsomewhereelse.(We’vehadtopasslawstopreventpeoplefromtextmessagingwhiledrivingwiththeirkneesat65milesperhour!)Thisdividedfocuspreventsusfrombringingourfullenergyandskilltotheworkwe’redoing.Someofusslipinandoutofzombielikeengagementwithourworkaswescanthehorizonforsomethingmoreappealing to feedon.Canwereallydoourbestwork thisway?ProductivitybloggerMerlinManncalculatedthatifonaverageweworkan8-

hourday,50weeksperyear,andcheckoure-mailevery5minutes—justtoseeif anything is there—we check our e-mail 24,000 times per year. That’s notrespondingtoe-mails,andthat’snotdoinganythingaboutwhat’sactuallyinthee-mails.That’snoteven thinkingabout thecontentsof thee-mails.That’s just

checkingtoseeifthelittlemailiconisbouncinginourdock.Let’stakethisalittlefurther.Let’ssaythateachtimeyoucheckyoure-mail—

justglancedownat that little icon—it takesyou10seconds todosoand thenregainyourfocusonwhatyouwereworkingonbeforethePingstoleyourfocus.(That’s pretty conservative, given that many experts would say that it takesanywhere from 30 seconds to 3 minutes to regain concentration after even amomentaryinterruption.)Thismeansthatoverthecourseoftheyearyouspend66.6 hours just checking to see if there’s anything that would be morestimulatingthanwhatyou’redoingrightnow.Whatcouldyoudowith67hoursperyearoffocused,concentratedtime?Do

youthinkyoucouldgetsomethingdone?Doyouthinkyoucouldgetmovingonaprojectorgenerateafewbusiness-changingideas?WhenweallowthePingtoruleourlife,weallowittorobus.Andwedon’t

evennoticeithappeningbecausethePingisrobbingusofourfocus10secondsatatime.Fortunately,therightpracticescanrefineourfocusandkeepusdeeplyengaged inourwork for longer stretchesof time.Youdon’tneed toget ridoftechnology;you justneed touse it inaway that increasesyourcapacity todowhatmatterstoyou.Youneedtosetprioritiesandhomeinonthemratherthanlivinginastateofcontinuouspartialattention.Youcan’tdoyourbestandmostinsightfulworkwhenyouallowthePingtoruleyourlife.

Question:WheredoyoufindthePingatworkinyourlife?Doyoufindit difficult tomaintain your focus on what’s in front of you becauseyou’realways scanning thehorizon for somethingmoreentertaining?List a fewways you think you couldmitigate this in your life. Somemethods might include occasionally (and strategically) leaving yoursmartphoneathome,loggingintoyoure-mailonlyatpredefinedtimes,orsettingasidespecific timesforentertainmentsothatyoudon’t feelentitledtooccasionallyzoneoutinthemiddleoftimeswhenyouneedtobedeeplyfocused.(Ifsomethingmakesyoufeelalittlenervousjustthinkingaboutit,thatmeansyou’reprobablyontherighttrack.)

DRIFTERS,DRIVERS,ANDDEVELOPERS

Asyoustrivetogainfocus,therearethreemodesyoucanfallintoinyourwork.Inordertoworkeffectivelyyoumustbroadenyourfocusenoughtoallowyoutosee potential connections, but not somuch that everything seems random andyouareunabletogaintraction.ADrifterissomeonewhodoeswhateverworktheyfeellikefrommomentto

moment. In thismode,acreativefloatsfromobjective toobjectiveand task totask without really thinking about how any of them connect. You might beansweringe-mailsoneminute,writingafewwordsonaproposalthenext,andthenmakingaphonecallortwo.Yourworkisfragmented.Whileyoumightgetthingsdone,there’snooverarchingsenseofpurposebehindhowyouapproachyourwork, and you don’t really have a prescribed plan for how youwill getthingsdone.To the Drifter, finishing a project feels a lot like pushing a wall forward

becauseyouhavenopriorities—youreffortsandattentionarespreadthinacrosseverythingyouneedtodo.Youwasteeffortontaskswitchingandmayhaveadifficult time deciding what to do next. This is not to say that you’re notproductive; Drifters can accomplish quite a lot. But your approach is soscattershot thatyouaren’table to leveragecriticalopportunities.Whilenoonewantstothinkofthemselvesthisway,manyofusstumbleintoDrifterbehaviorfromtimetotime.Whenwerealizethatwe’redrifting,wesometimesoverreactandslipintothe

secondmode:theDriver.Thisiswhenyoubecomeveryfocusedonoutcomes.Fromthemomentyoureceiveanobjective,youmapoutaworkflow,breakthelargergoalintotasksandsubtasks,andstructureyourworkscheduleinordertoget itdoneasefficientlyaspossible.Youbecomedrivenbycheckingtasksofflistsandprobablycarrytonsofdataaroundjustincaseitwillcomeinhandy.Drivers have a very strong sense of what they’re trying to do, and they

typicallyfollowaprescribedsystemforaccomplishing theirwork.But in theirefforttodrivetotheendobjective,theyoftenoverlookordiscountopportunities.Drivers have a narrowfocus horizon.They are toomicroscopically focused onthe objective (as they saw it from the beginning) and are often reluctant to

redirecttheirenergywhennewopportunitiesemergeinthecourseoftheirwork.They’re simply too busy trying to get through the project to respond to newinsightsthat—theyfear—couldlurethemofftrack.The third, and most desirable, mode is the Developer. Developers have a

strongsenseoftheoverallobjectiveandhaveasenseofpurposeandprioritiesinnavigating there,but insteadof justplowingthroughtheworkwith theirnosesdown, they purposefully approach each task or element of a project as anopportunitytodevelopnewconnectionsorpotentialideas.Developersareworldmakers.Theyareabletotakealotofdisparate-seeming

elementsintheirworkandweavethemtogetherintosomethingusefulbecausetheyarenottoohyperfocusedtorecognizethepatternsaroundthem.Theyhavecultivatedtheskillsnecessarytofocusintenselyforaperiodoftime,thenreleasetheir focus in order to assess the lay of the land. This allows them to iteraterapidlyandquicklyredirecttheirefforts.Theyalsotreattheirworkactivitieslikeinvestments.Theyaretryingtomaximizereturnratherthansimplygetthroughtheworkasefficientlyaspossible.ThemoreyoucancultivateaDevelopermind-set,themorelikelyyouareto

experienceunexpectedcreativeinsightsthatmoveaprojectforward.Developerslock inon theheartof theproblemquickly (define), establish theirgameplanand center their activities around their most crucial priorities (refine), andorganizetheirworksothatthey’reminimizingdistractionsandstayingoncourse(cluster).However, unlike theDriver, they are able to occasionally take a fewstepsbackandredirecttheireffortsasneededratherthansimplyfollowingtheirpredefinedplan.FortheremainderofthischapterwewilllookatafewpracticesthatwillhelpyoucultivateaDevelopermind-set.

DEFINE:USINGCHALLENGESTOLOCKINONTHEPROBLEM

Despite the lip service that managers pay to the importance of setting goodobjectives, I frequently encounter creatives and teams who are unclear aboutwhatthey’retryingtoaccomplish.Whilethegeneraldirectionofaprojectmaybeapparent,thespecificobjectivesaresignificantlylessthanclear.Forexample,manymanagerswill throwoutmeaninglessobjectives suchas “increasingourclient’smarketshare”or“refreshingthebrandidentity”withoutgivingconcreteexamplesofwhatthatmeansinpractice.Asaresult,manycreativeshavetonotonly solve the problems posed by the project itself but also overcome thedissonance stemming from a total lack of clarity. Much of this churning andconfusion happens on a subconscious level, and it’s a waste of creativebrainpowerthatcouldbeharnessedtomoreeffectiveends.InventorCharlesF.Kettering famously said that “aproblemwell-stated is a

problemhalf-solved.”Wecanspendalotof timespinningourwheelsifwe’renot clear about what we’re really trying to do. There’s a difference betweenhaving a sense of where the project is headed and truly understanding theobjectives,andthisiswheremanyofusgoofftherails.Wemayknowenoughabout a project to getmoving on it, but we never really stop to think deeplyaboutwhatwe’re trying toaccomplishandhowwe’llknowwhenwe’redone.Sowesetoffinavaguedirectionfueledbyvagueobjectives.Thisoftenmeansthatwewastevaluabletimeandenergytryingtogainclaritylaterintheprojectorcoursecorrectingwhenit’smuchmoreexpensiveandstressfultodoso.I once had a conversation with a designer about the importance of setting

goodrailsinhiscreating.Hesharedwithmethathehadsimplylosthispassionfor his work and that he felt like much of what he was doing was simplyrehashingoldideasoverandover.Iaskedhimifhehadevertakenthetimetowriteoutobjectivesforhisprojects,andherepliedthathe’dneverthoughttodoit.Icontinuedtoprobeandaskedhimifhe’deverthoughttowriteobjectivesforhispersonallife.Again,theanswerwasno,butIcouldseethatourconversationwasunlockingsomethingforhim.Aftersometime,Icheckedbacktoseehowthingswereprogressing.Itwasas

if somethinghadunlocked inhimsimplybecausehe’d taken the time towritedownclearobjectivesforhisprojectsandforotherareasofhislife.Havingexperiencedpainful,late-projectcoursecorrectionsmanytimes,Ican

comfortablysay that themost importantworkofaprojecthappensat theverybeginning.Inanyproject,thereisthemainproblemwe’retryingtosolve,buttherearealsomanysubproblems.Oneeffectivewaytogaintractionquicklyisbypositioningprojectobjectivesintheformofquestionsdesignedtosurroundtheproblem.Wecallthisestablishing“Challenges.”WhenIsitinonclientbrainstormingsessions,I’msurprisedbyhowoftenthe

statedobjectiveisobscuredbycomplexlanguageorcorporatejargon.Whilethelingo might impress upper management or reflect the latest overhypedbuzzwordsfrombusinessgurus, theyonlymake itharder tosolve theproblemwe’refacingbyobscuringthediscussion.Whenwephraseourobjectivessimplyandintheformofaquestion,welead

ourminds directly to solving the problem. For example,when theAccidentalCreative teamwas developing Idea Traction, our online collaboration tool forteams,wedividedtheprojectintoseveralChallenges:

•Whatarethekeyfunctionsteamsneedtocollaborateonline?•Howdoweenableremotecreativedirectionforleaders?•Howcanteammembersshareinspirationforprojects?•Howcan teammembersmosteffectivelyshareopinionsandcollaboratearoundideas?

•Howdowegiveleadersaquicklookattheirteam’sprogress?Thecommonapproachwouldbetowrite“IdeaTraction”onawhiteboardand

say, “OK . . . anyone have any ideas?”Becausewe defined the problemwithclear, specific questions, we could focus our thinking, thoroughly explore theproblem,andanalyzeaspectswewouldsurelyhavemissedotherwise.One of a leader’s most critical roles is to identify the Challenges for each

project.SettingoutfourtosixChallengequestionsforeachprojectwillhelptheteamsurroundtheproblemandensurethatallcriticalaspectsaregivenadequateattention. The more quickly you can focus your mind on what you’re reallytryingtodo,thefasteryougaincreativetraction.Ifyou’relikemostcreatives,you’reprobablycurrentlyjugglingseveralwork

projects,eachofwhichisatdifferentlevelsofpriorityandcompletion,andyouprobablyalsohavemanypersonalprojectsyou’dliketogetmovingonatsome

pointinthenearfuture.Whentherearethismanyprioritiesonourplate,itcanbe difficult to zero in on what’s really important as the swirling complexitycauses us to lose our sense of focus. In addition, bridging the gap between aproject’sstatedobjectivesandourdailyworkisoftendifficult.BydividingeachprojectintofourtosixChallenges,youallowyourmindtodowhatitdoesbest—identifyusefulpatterns.

Themorequicklyyoucanfocusyourmindonwhatyou’rereallytryingtodo,thefasteryougaincreativetraction.

Makeahabitofblockingoffaboutthirtyminutesatthebeginningofaproject

toclarifyyourobjectivesandestablishChallenges.Listeachprojectthatyouarecurrently working on. Under each project’s name, list four or six questionsidentifyingproblemstosolveinordertocompletetheprojectsuccessfully.Forexample,you’rechargedwithdevelopingandreleasingaproductcalled“X”:▶PROJECT:“X”CHALLENGES:•Whatistheuniquefunctionalityof“X”?•Whatwouldmake“X”appealingtotwentysomethings?•Howcanourmessagingdifferentiate“X”inthemarketplace?•Howcanwekeepproductioncostsfor“X”low?

Before, youmay have seen “X” as a giantmess of issues and problems to

solve,withnoclearsenseofpriorityorpurpose.WiththeseChallenges,yougiveyourself permission to home in on one problemat a time.You’re also able toidentifynewopportunitiesasyourecognizepatternsbetweenyourresponsestovariousChallenges that youwouldn’t have otherwise seen. For example, yourexploration of how to make “X” more appealing to twentysomethings(“communicate authentically and transparently”) may give you insight into auniquefunctionality“X”needstopossess(“createafeaturethatshowstotalcostofuseovertime”).Yourlifebecomesaseriesofconcreteproblemstobesolvedrather than a series of vague concepts (“guard the brand identity,” “increasemarket share,” “make new employees feel welcome”) that you’re responsiblefor.Thishelpsyoustayattunedtopotentiallyusefulideasthroughoutthecourseofyourdaybecauseyouarefocusedonspecificsratherthangeneralities.This practice is also effective for personal projects and career and life

planning. You can use the practice of establishing Challenges to identifyopportunities in your life and to help you work more effectively on personalcreativeprojects.(We’lltalkmorelaterabouthowtouseChallengestopullallofthepracticestogetherandgetmovingonwhatmattersmost.)

REFINE:THEBIG3

Onmyofficewhiteboardyouwillsee“TheBig3”followedbyashortlistofmycurrent creative priorities. The Big 3 refers to the three things I need to gaincreative traction on right now. They aren’t necessarily my biggest projects,though they often are. Rather, the Big 3 is best described as the three mostimportant“openloops”inmylifeandwork.TheyarethethreemostimportantitemsthatI’mstilllookingforcriticalinsighton.The Big 3 is a constant reminder of where I need to dedicate my creative

bandwidth.WhileImayhaveotherprojectsonmyplate,thelistisareminderofthemore important creativeproblems that are still outstanding.When I readabook, I’m looking for connections or concepts that are relevant tomyBig 3.When I have a conversation, I check it against my Big 3 for possible newinsights.WhenIwatchamovie,I’monthehuntforanythingrelevanttomytoppriorities (while, hopefully, enjoying the flick).When Imeet someone new, IstayopentohowtheymaybeabletohelpmewithmyBig3.ManytimesI’veglancedattheBig3andfiveminuteslaterhadaconceptual

breakthrough simply becausemy creative prioritieswere top ofmind. If theyhadn’tbeen,ImayhavemissedthoseinsightsbecauseIwasn’tlookingforthem.Yourmind is a wonderful servant but a terriblemaster. If you don’t refine

yourcreativeprioritiesonaregularbasisandfocusinonafewthingsatatime,yourmindwillgointoafullretreat,andyouwillbecomeoverwhelmedwithallthat’sleftundone.Bychoosingwhatyou’regoingtofocuson,you’rerelievingyourmindofthepressuretoresolveeverycreativeproblemsimultaneously.Youaregivingyourselfpermissiontolockinononlythreeproblemsatatimeratherthanthedozenormorethatmaybeonyourplate.Thisalsoappliestoateamcontext.Clarifyingthetopcreativeproblemsyetto

be solved helps the team know where to put its energy and eliminates theguesswork often required to establish priorities. One of the greatest gifts anycreativeleadercangivetotheirteamistoregularlyrefinefocusbyutilizingthepracticeofestablishingtheBig3.It’simportanttonotethattheBig3isnotnecessarilydeterminedbylevelof

urgency.Some items are urgent but are chugging along fine anddon’t require

top-of-mind focus;othersmayhavea longhorizonbut require traction soonerratherthanlaterinordertodoyourbestwork.Afewthingstokeepinmind:

•TheBig3isnotato-dolist.Inotherwords,it’snottheplacewhereyouput your urgent daily items or overdue projects. It’s the place for youropen conceptual loops, projects where you’re still looking for a keyinsight,likethenameofanewproductoranewmarketingstrategy.

•TheBig3isnotawishlist.Youdon’tputyourlifelongdreamsandvagueambitions on it. It’s a practical tool to help you focus on your currentwork.

•TheBig3isnotyourprojectlist.Therewillalwaysbeotherthingsyou’reworkingon.This is just intended tobe awayof promptingyourmindabout yourmost important creative priorities right now so that they’retopofmindtohelpyouidentifypotentialconnections.

HowtoEstablishYourBig3

Beginbylistingalltheprojectsinyourlife,bothworkandpersonal.(Thereisnodifferencebetweenthetwo—ifsomethingisonyourmind, it’sonyourmind.)Thengothroughthelist,askingyourselfwhichrequiresomekindofconceptualbreakthrough in order tomove forward?Which are in stasis until you set thestrategy?TheseareyourcandidatesfortheBig3.Oftheremainingcandidates,whichthreearemostpressing?Whichweighthe

heaviest on yourmind, keep you up at night, or incite themost conversationsamongthemembersoftheteam?Keepthelistinfrontofyouasmuchaspossible.I’vedevelopedthehabitof

writingmy Big 3 on an index card and keeping it in my notebook or in mypocket.AsImentionedbefore,Ialsowritethemprominentlyonthewhiteboardin my office as a reminder of the projects that are still missing a creativebreakthrough.SeeingmyBig3on a regular basis remindsmeofwhat’smostcriticalrightnowandhelpsmetofilterthestimuliItakeineachdaythroughthelensofmymostimportantcreativepriorities.One member of our online coaching community, AC Engage, relayed that

simply having herBig 3 regularly in front of her hadmarkedly increased herproductivity. “From this practice alone I was able to double the number ofchildren’sbookillustrationsIdidinthesixmonthsbefore—justbecausetheBig3wasalwaysinfrontofme.”We’vefoundthattherefinedsenseofprioritythataccompanies the use of the Big 3 frequently yields this kind of productivityboost.NooneelseneedstoknowaboutyourBig3,evenifyouareusingittohelp

youleadanorganization.Iintroducedonemanagertothispractice,andhehasbeen using it effectively for quite some time to clarify his team’s creativepriorities, even though no one on the team is aware his Big 3 list exists. Herelayedthatit’sbroughtagreatamountofclaritytohisteam’sprocessbecausehisincreasedfocushastrickleddownintohisconversationswithteammembers.Onceyouexperienceakey insight thatyouwere lookingforwithaproject,

youcanremovetheitemfromthelistandaddsomethingelse.It’salsopossiblethat something will come along and become a higher priority before you’veachievedyour insight.That’s fineaswell.Therearenohard-and-fast rules for

this; it’s not intended to be a task list or a Project Queue. It’s simply oneeffectiveway tokeep theconceptualhurdleswestillneed to jumpsquarely infrontofusaswegothroughoutourday.It’salensthroughwhichtoprocesstheworld.Thissetsusupforunexpectedinsightsandcreativebreakthroughs.

CLUSTER:CHUNKINGSIMILARTASKS

There is a practice in retail management known as “intelligent adjacency.” Itmeans placing complementary items next to each other, like toothbrushes andtoothpaste, so that when a customer finds one item, the proximity of thecomplementaryitemmakesitmorelikelythey’llbuyboth.Manyofus reflexivelyplace itemsaccording to intelligentadjacencyall the

time in our own lives aswell.Weplace items in convenient proximity to oneanother inourworkspaceand inourhomes inorder to save timeorenergy insomeway.AsIsitheretyping,mostof thetoolsIwouldneedforworkingonthis chapter arewithinmy reach, suchasmy research, pens, notebooks, indexcards,andastapler.ImakesurethatIdon’twastetimegettingupandwalkingacrosstheroomeachtimeIneedtotakeanoteorchecksomething.It’snaturalforustothinkaboutbasicusabilitywhenitcomestoourphysicalsurroundings,buthowoftendowethinkabouthowconvenientlyourworkflowisstructured?Haveyoueverconsideredclusteringworkprojectsthatrequiresimilarkindsofthoughtintothesameblocksoftime?Manyofusdon’tdothis,withtheresultbeing that we waste precious focus shifting gears between different kinds oftasks.Forexample,wemayspendalldayone-mail,jumpinginandoutofourinboxor evencheckinge-mailwhilewe’re in themiddleofdoing someotherkindofwork.But eachof these littlemental breaks causesus to lose creativetractionandcanultimatelyadduptolessthanoptimalwork.Thepracticeofclusteringisaboutfindingintelligentadjacencieswithinyour

workandclusteringyoureffortstokeepyouengagedandfocusedmoredeeplyand for longer periods of time.By doing this youminimize the psychologicalcostofswitchingtasksandconstantlyhavingtorefocusyourefforts.Thereareseveralbenefitstoclusteringyourwork:

▶LIMITINGFOCUSSHIFTSEach timeyoubreak fromwhatyou’redoing to focuson somethingelse, youlosetraction,andregainingittakesmoretimethanyoumaythink.Ifyoucluster

similarkindsofworkintoblocksoftimededicatedtothework,thepenaltyforthesefocusshiftsisminimized.Forexample,clusteringallyoure-mailintoonesession,or several sessionsbrokenup throughoutyourday,prevents the focusshift thatoccurseach timeyou leaveyourcreativework to seewhat’s inyourinbox.▶UNEXPECTEDBREAKTHROUGHSAs you cluster similarwork youwill begin to notice reoccurring patterns andareasofpotentialoverlap.Youmayalsofindthattherearesimilarissuesyou’refacing on different projects that stem from the same source. As a result,clusteringcan leadtoconceptualbreakthroughs.Forexample,adiscardedideaforoneprojectmaybeperfectlyappropriateforanother,orresearchthatyou’redoing foroneclientmayyield anunexpected insight for another client.Thesebreakthroughsmayneverhaveoccurredifyourworkflowwasfragmentedratherthanclustered.▶IMPROVEDFLOWBecause you are focusing for longer periods on similar work, you willexperienceagreater senseof immersion in thework,making itmore likely tohave a breakthrough (and more likely you’ll enjoy the work). You can divedeeperwithanoxygentankthanifyouhavetoresurfaceeveryfewminutesforair.Thenetresultisthatyouwillspendmoreconcentratedtimethinkingdeeplyabouttheproblemsyouarefacingandwillbemorelikelytogettothebrilliantideasthatoftentaketimetoemerge.HerearesomewaysI’veseenclientsapplythispracticetogreateffect:• Set aside an hour in your day to do strategic thinking and plan yourprojects. It’s much easier to maintain a conceptual, strategic mode ofthinkingthanitistotrytoregainitonceyou’veswitchedovertomoreconcretetasks.

•Clustermeetingsasmuchaspossible,andmakesuretoleavelargeblocksof uninterrupted time open each week. People tend to spread theirmeetingsthroughouttheday,withfifteenminutestoahalfhourbetweenthem.Thispracticallyeliminatesyourabilitytoengageindeepthought.To immerse yourself in a problem requires stretches of time, and ifyou’reallowingforonlysmallpocketsoftimetothinkcreatively,you’re

probablywrappingupjustwhenyou’regettingtoaplacewhereyou’relikely to start experiencing insights. In addition, you may want toschedule your strategic thinking time ahead of meetings if possible toavoidtheenergylagthatoftenhappensintheirwake,andsothatyou’llhavetimetothinkaheadabouttheissuesyou’llbediscussing.

•Setasideadedicatedtimeeachdayforrespondingtoe-mail.Ratherthanliving perpetually in the inbox, cluster all your communication indedicated blocks of time. This will help you focus more deeplythroughout the day rather than being constantly interrupted by thedemandsofothers.Ifyouneedtodofrequente-mailchecksthroughouttheday,that’sfine,too.Youcanscheduletenminutesatthebeginningofeach hour to address your inbox.While there are certainly exceptions,there are very few e-mails thatwill cause ourworld to come crashingdownifnotaddressedwithinanhour.

• The same advice goes for phone calls and face-to-face encounters.Whenever possible, try to clump these together so that you avoid theenergy drain required to gear up for and gear down from personalinteractions.

• Separate your conceptual/creative time from your concrete /task time.Whenyoufragmentyourdaywithfifteenminutesofdesignorwriting,ten minutes of invoicing and time tracking, five minutes of e-mail, etcetera, you are paying a significant task-switching penalty.Try to giveyourself—as much as you are able—no less than a half hour ofuninterrupted time whenever you are doing design, writing, or otherlargelyconceptualwork,andanhour ispreferable.If theprojectsdon’trequire thatmuch time, try toclustera few together.Notonlywill thishelpyoustayfocusedlonger,youwillalsoregainasignificantamountoftime wasted by switching programs, moving windows around on yourscreen,andquicklychecking that funny littleheadline thatcaughtyoureye.

This is not an exhaustive list, and I’m certain that there are many other

opportunitiesyoucanseeforhowtoclusteryourownwork.Regardlessofthelevelofflexibilityinyourschedule,therearealwayssmallwaysyoucanmoreeffectivelystructureyourworksothatyou’reminimizingtask-switchingcost.Gaining focus and quickly establishing a game plan gives us a significantadvantageinourcreativework.Thebetterwebecomeatweedingoutirrelevant

information and staying alert for potential insights, themore likelywe are toexperience creativebreakthroughs.Similarly, thebetterwe are at defining andrefining theproblemswe’re trying to solve, themore likelyourmindswilldowhattheydobest—identifypotentiallyusefulinsights.

5.

RELATIONSHIPS:BEINGBRILLIANTTOGETHER

Creative work isolates you because a substantial amount of it must beaccomplishedalone.Butyour relationshipswithothersare someofyourmostvaluablecreativeresources. Ifyouneglect theserelationships,youarestarvingyourself of a substantial and potentially game-changing influence on yourcreativework.Whenyouneglectyourrelationships,youlimityourself toyourownexperiences.Butwhenyouapproachyourrelationshipswithpurpose,youwill be able to draw on many lifetimes’ worth of experience for insight andinspiration.Manyofusdon’tthinkmuchaboutwhomweinviteintoourlivesorhowwe

managethoserelationships.Insteadwetreattheconnectionsweformwithothersassomethingthathappensnaturallyasamatterofcircumstanceorconvenience.Coworkersandfamilyaretheonlypeoplemanybusycreativestakethetimetoconnectwith.Andthoughtheylovetheirfamiliesandliketheircoworkers,thiscanquicklyleadtoasituationwhererelationshipsfeelmorelikeobligationsthananythingelse.Ourrelationshipswilleventuallygrowstaleunlesswearediligentaboutdirectingandcultivatingthem.Investing in healthy, thriving relationships yields long-term benefits for

everyone involved and can be especially beneficial in allowingyou to see theworldfromnewperspectives,exposingyoutounexpectedcreativeinsightsandhelpingyoustayinspired.InhisbookWhereGoodIdeasComeFrom,StevenJohnsonstatesthatmany

of the brilliant and innovative ideas throughout history have resulted fromnetworksofcreativepeoplesharing,collaborating,andchallengingoneanothertoexploretheadjacentpossible.Hesays,“Thetricktohavinggoodideasisnottositaroundingloriousisolationandtrytothinkbigthoughts.Thetrickistogetmorepartsonthetable.”Johnsonsaysthatakeywaytogetmorepartsonthetable is to put yourself in networksof other creativeswho are striving for thesamething.Hecontinues,“Whatkindofenvironmentcreatesgoodideas?Thesimplestwaytoanswerit is this: innovativeenvironmentsarebetterathelpingtheirinhabitantsexploretheadjacentpossible,becausetheyexposeawideanddiverse sampleof spareparts—mechanicalorconceptual—and theyencourage

novelwaysofrecombiningthoseparts.”Wecanputourselvesinthesekindsofenvironments—and experience creative accidentsmore consistently—by beingpurposefulabouthowwecultivatetherelationshipsinourlives.The key to cultivating creatively stimulating relationships is threefold: you

needrelationshipsinyourlifeinwhichyoucanbereal,youneedrelationshipsinyourlifeinwhichyoucanlearntorisk,andyouneedrelationshipsinyourlifeinwhichyoucanlearntosubmittothewisdomofothers.

CREATIVESANDINTROVERSION

Theworkplacedemandsalotofus.Wearefrequentlybalancingthedemandsofmultiplepersonalities(sometimeswithinthesamecoworker),processingvariouscommunications,anddealingwithdifficultconversations.Navigatingallthiscantakeatollonourmentalandemotionalreserves.It’snotarulebyanymeans,butmanycreativelygiftedpeopletendtodisplay

a natural tendency toward introversion. Perhaps the isolated nature of a lot ofcreativeworkiswhatcallsmanyofus toourchosenprofessiontobeginwith.We love to get lost in the process of moving big conceptual rocks anddevelopingexcitingandelaboratenewsystems,strategies,andventures.Duetothisnaturaltendencytowardintroversion,collaborationanddealingwithothersthroughoutthedaycandrainourbatteriesprettyquickly.Introversiondoesn’tmean thatwedon’t likebeingaroundpeople; it simply

meansthatwederiveourenergyfrombeingaloneratherthanfrombeingaroundothers.Wemay prefer to curl up with a good book after a period of intenseinterpersonal interaction, or find a quiet conference room to do our work inpeace.Theseareimportantandeffectivemethodsforrecovery,buttheslipperyslopeofintroversionforthecreativeisthatwemayisolateourselvesmorethanweshould.Wesometimesbegintoseetheactofmaintainingarelationshipasanobligation that pulls us away from our important work, rather than as anopportunitytostretchourselves,explorenewpossibilities,andtakeadvantageofcollaborativeopportunitieswithinour team. Ifwewant to thriveover the longterm, we must reclaim the power of relationships in our life and establishpractices that help us leverage the gifts and accountability that only thrivingrelationshipscanprovide.

INTIMACYANDGENEROSITY

KeithFerrazzi, author ofNeverEatAlone andWho’sGotYourBack, believesthatrelationshipsarethekeytosuccess,enhancingourabilitytothriveoverthelong term in our life and career.As he explained tome, there are two criticalelementsofanysuccessfulrelationship:intimacyandgenerosity.Intimacy is when we regularly share our life with others, and they in turn

sharetheir liveswithus.Byallowinganotherintotheinnercircleofyourlife,younotonlygivethemtheopportunitytolearnfromyourexperiences,youalsolearnhowtobettercommunicatethoseexperiencestoothers.Relationshipsaremessybecausetheyforceusoutofourcomfortzone,buttheyalsohelpusseeproblemsandopportunitiesfromanewperspective.Whenweinviteothersintoourlife,whenweallowourselvestobeintimate,wequicklycometorealizethatthereisanentiresphereofexperiencethatwemisswhenweliveinasilo.

“Anyonecansympathizewiththesufferingsofafriend,butitrequiresaveryfinenaturetosympathizewithafriend’ssuccess.”

—OscarWilde

The other crucial element of successful relationships is generosity. The

creative process is an inherently generous act. Whether we are developing astrategyorcraftingapieceofart,creatingisprimarilyaboutsharingourinsightsandperspectiveswithothers.My friend Jeni Herberger has a theory about the nature of generosity and

relationships. Jeniposits that thereare two typesofpeople in theworld: thosewholivetofillotherpeople’sbucketsandthosewhoarealwayslookingtogettheirownbucket filled.For the latter,even theactofcomplimentingsomeoneelseisaninherentlyselfishactbecausetheyaresomehowsecretlytryingtotakecredit for the other person’s work. When they offer up, “Hey! Great job on

executingthat idea!It’salot likesomethingIdidlastyear.DidIevertellyouaboutit?”itcontainsasubtlepatontheirownback.They’relookingtofilltheirownbucket.Butthereareotherpeoplewhoderivetheirenergyfromfillingotherpeople’s

buckets.Theylovethethrillofseeingotherpeoplecomealive,ofcollaborating,of giving away their ideas and subsequently the credit they deserve. Theyrecognize thatmore ideaswill alwayscome,but investing in relationshipsandmaintaining an ethic of generosity yields results we can’t gainwhenwe holdtightlyandselfishly towhatwe thinkwedeserve.Theseare thepeopleothersflock to and who invigorate an entire room with their creative energy. Theythrivebecause theymake it theirmission tohelpothers to thrive. IagreewithJeni—these people are the meaning makers, and in my experience theyeventuallycomeoutontopbecauseeveryonewantstoworkwith,andfor,them.When we obsess over getting our own buckets filled, we not only find

ourselves disappointedwith the results,we also regularly disappoint everyonearound us. Our best creative work comes from a mind-set of abundance andgenerosityratherthanoneofscarcity.Whenweclamorforcreditandfightoverresourcesweperceivetobescarce,itinfiltrateseveryareaofourlifeandwork.

Whenweobsessovergettingourownbuckets filled,wenotonlyfindourselves disappointed with the results, we also regularly disappointeveryonearoundus.

THREESTRATEGIESTOENRICHRELATIONSHIPS

There are three strategies that can help you be more purposeful about yourrelationships. Each is designed to help you achieve more interdependence,inspiration,andaccountabilityinyourwork.Wearenotwiredtodolifealone;the more we can network ourselves with others, the better. In his book TheNeuroscience of Human Relations, professor and clinical psychologist LouisCozolino says that “without mutually stimulating interactions, people andneuronswitheranddie.”Inotherwords,weneedothersasmuchas theyneedus.Hecontinues,“Frombirthuntildeath,eachofusneedsotherswhoseekusout, show interest in discovering who we are, and help us feel safe. Thus,understandingthebrainrequiresknowledgeofthehealthy,livingbrainwithinacommunityofotherbrains:Relationshipsareournaturalhabit.”Relationships give us perspective on our unique strengths, onwhich of our

ideasaremostlikelytogaintraction,andonhowwecanmostbenefittheworldaroundus.Ourrelationshipsplayavitalrole inhelpingusunderstandhowwecangetmovingon,anddevoteourbesteffortto,theworkthatreallymatters.

StartaCircle

Manyofthegreatestcreativesthroughouthistoryhavegatheredinsmallgroupstostayfocusedandengaged,andthepracticecontinuestobenefitthosewhogototheefforttoinstillit.It’ssomethingthatI’vedoneforyears,andit’sbeenanimmeasurable source of inspiration and accountability for the work that I’mdoing.Thesesmallgroupmeetingscanstokeyourpassion,helpyoustayalignedwith what matters most, inspire and give you new ideas or directions forprojects,andsimplyfeedyouemotionallyinwaysyoumaybelacking.Thesizeoftheidealcirclevaries.Somepeoplepreferasmallercircleforthe

increasedlevelofintimacyitprovides,whileothersprefertohavealargergroupin order to leverage a greater diversity of thought and experience.While thecompositionofyourcirclecanvary,youwanttoinvitepeoplewhomyoubelieveyouwillhavetheabilitytoconnectwithinameaningfulwayandwhoalsowantto do better creativework. Examples of circles that I’ve seenwork verywellincludethefollowing:

•Acircleofaspiringentrepreneurswhogathertodiscusstheirwork,sharetips on what seems to be working, and provide much-neededencouragement to one another. There is one such, called ContinuousWeb,thatwasasourceofencouragementandevenhelpedmefindafewcollaboratorsforearlyprojectsIwaslaunching.

• A circle of visual artists who gather to share their latest creations anddiscusstheirideas.Artistsoftenstruggletofindgoodfeedbackfortheirwork, and I’ve frequently seen artists go into especially productiveperiodsuponfindingacircleoflikemindedpeerstobouncethingsoffof.

•A circle of creative proswho gather to talk about the pressures they’refacing in their professional life and to talk about productivity tips andculturaltrendsthey’renoticing.

Thesearejustafewexamples.I’mcertainthatyoucanthinkofafewtypesof

circles that could benefit your work. Though they are designed to be socialgatherings, thesecirclesfacilitate thesharingof insights; theyaren’t justaboutgettingtogetherfordrinksandachat.If you are organizing a circle, you should invite members you think will

inspire youwith their vision, their strategic thinking, and their track recordofexecuting great ideas.Your group can gather anywhere, of course, but ideallychoose a place offering quiet and privacy—the back corner of a coffee shop,someone’sdeck,asmallstudiospace,alivingroom.You’relookingforaplacethataffordsspace,comfort,andintimacy.(Ifyouarelookingforatooltohelpyoufindotherlikemindedpeople,we’vecreatedawayonourwebsitetoformacircle with other creative pros in your city. For more information, visitAccidentalCreative.com/circles.)Your circle get-together will revolve around each member answering three

questions. In the first few meetings, someone in the group should playmoderator,butasyourcirclegrowsmorecomfortable,therewillbelessneedfordirectedconversation,andgatheringswilllikelyflowmuchmoresmoothly.Herearethethreequestions:

▶WHATAREYOUWORKINGON?

Inotherwords,withregardtoyourwork,whatisatthetopofyourmindrightnow?Theanswertothisquestionwillgiveeveryoneinthegroupasenseofthescope and nature of thework each is presently chargedwith. It also providescontextfortherestoftheconversationandmayyieldrelevantcreativeinsightsfromthegroup.Granted,therearealwayscertainconfidentialmattersthatcan’tbediscussedoutsidework,butit’susuallypossibletospeakingeneralitiestogetattheheartofthecreativeproblem.Thisquestiondoesn’tapplyonlytoouron-demandwork.Thesesmallgroups

are a great place to find inspiration for our personal projects.We should alsoshareinitiativesrelatedtoourpassionsandhobbiesbecauseit’sagreatwaytogainaccountabilityandcreativetractiononthem.Ifyouhaveapersonalcreativeprojectthatyou’vebeentoyingwith,orsomethingthatyou’vewantedtodoforawhilebutaren’tsurehowtoapproach,yoursmallgrouptimeisafantasticwaytogetmotivationandideasforfirststeps.Sometimesotherscangiveyouperspectiveonprojectsorshowyoupotential

solutionsthatyou’veoverlooked.Youmayhaveblindspotsduetoastranglingdegreeofcomplexityorbecauseyou’resimplytooimmersedintheworktoseethe obvious.Simplydescribingyourwork and the challenges you’re facing tootherswhoaren’timmersedinthesamelevelofintricatedetailcanoftenofferobviousnewpathstoexplore.

Sometimes others can give you perspective on projects or show youpotentialsolutionsthatyou’veoverlooked.

In his book A Whack on the Side of the Head, Roger von Oech shares a

proverbialstoryaboutaNativeAmericanmedicineman.Wheneverthetribewashavingdifficultyfindingnewgame,hewouldtakeadriedanimalskin,crinkleituntildeeplinesappeared,thenmarkitwithsomereferencepointstoorientthem.Hewouldtellthehuntingpartythatthiswasanancienttribalhuntingmap,andthat thecrinkled lineswere theancientgametrails.Armedwith thisnewmap,thehuntingpartywouldsetoutonanewexpedition,which,surprisingly,wouldleadtoanabundantcaptureofgame.Themapwasnothingbutrandomlycreatedlinesonadriedanimalskin—why

did it lead thehunters tosuccess?Theanswer is that it forced themto look inplacestheyhadunknowinglyleftunexplored.Itgotthemoutoftheirrut.Thisisjustlikethepowerofcommunitywhenitcomestoyourcreating.Yourcirclecangiveyouperspectivesandinsightsthatareakintothelinesonacrumpledanimalhide,pushingyoutolookinplacesyoumayotherwisemiss.

▶WHATISINSPIRINGYOU?

This second question is valuable in any conversation, but it can betransformativeinasmallgroup.Ifinditincrediblyenlighteningtohearwhatisinspiring the hearts andminds of those I admire; this question is the one thatgenerates themostadditions tomylistof itemstoreadorexperience,becauseeachtimeIaskitIendupwithatleastafew(orafewdozen!)books,magazinearticles,ormoviestoexperience.Whenyouexploreinspirationinthecontextofcommunity,yougetnotonlyto

see what influences the creative decisions of others but also to explore themechanicsofhowothersbringtheir inspirationtolife.Thiscanbevaluableinhelpingyoufindnewmethodsofapproachingyourownworkand inensuringthat you’re not falling into overly familiar and stale patterns. It’s alwaysencouragingtohearthestoriesofthosewhoaregettingthingsdone.Itkindlesthefirewefeelforourownwork.TherearemanytimeswhenI’vebeenitchingtogetoutofagroupmeetingjustsoIcangohomeandgetstartedonanideathataroseasaresultoftheconversation.Often youwill hear someone acknowledge that they read a particular book

and then applied some of their newfound knowledge to a project. This is a

powerful reminder that the best workwe accomplish is frequently a result ofbeing inspired by someone else. You shouldn’t be ashamed of drawinginspirationfromothersourcesandapplyingthemtoyourownwork.Attheheartofit,that’sthecruxofinnovation.Innovationisthecollectivegraspfor“next,”andit’salwaysbuilton theworkof thosewhowentbefore.At thesametime,youshouldhavesomeground rules inyourcircle that therewillbeanoverallrespectfortheideasofothers,andthatit’sasafeplacetosharenewbornideaswithoutthefearthatthey’llbehijackedbysomeoneelse.Groupaccountabilitycanbeapowerfulmotivatortokeepeveryonehonest,especiallyincircleswherethereareonlyloosepreviousrelationships.

Innovation is the collective grasp for “next,” and it’s always built ontheworkofthosewhowentbefore.

▶WHATWOULDYOULIKEPROMPTINGON?

Thisfinalquestionisdesignedtohelpyoucultivategroupaccountabilityfortheworkyou’redoing.It’slikelythateachmemberofthecirclehasafewprojectsthat they want to get moving on but can’t seem to find the requisite time orenergy. Having a small group around to occasionally poke and prod us intoactioncanbeareallyhelpfultooltothatend.It’s a good practice to end each small group sessionwith a checkin on the

projectsthatneedaction.Thesecanbeanythingfromanunwrittennoveltoanundevelopedbusinessplan,butitshouldbesomethingthatyouknowyou’dliketo do andwould like the group to help you stay focused on. Keep it simple,choosingoneprojectthatthegroupmemberswillaskyouaboutwhenevertheyseeyou.“Hey—how’sthatbusinessplancoming?”“Howareyournewdesignsdeveloping?”“Haveyouwrittenthechapteroutlineforyournovelyet?”Whenyouhavespecificaccountabilityitgetsyoumovingonthethingsthat

may otherwise continue to sit on your back burner.Once you discuss an ideawithothers,it’salotmoredifficulttoremainatastandstill.Youfeelthepressuretodosomethingaboutitbecauseyouknowyou’regoingtohavetogiveareportofyourprogressnexttime.For example, one aspiring writer I met with was concerned that he wasn’t

producinggoodenoughworkandthathewasinsteadjustcrankingoutdrivel.Asaresult,hefoundthathewasn’twritingasoftenasheshouldhavebeen,inspiteofmyadvicetowritenolessthanathousandwordsperday,everyday.WhenIconfrontedhimabouthislackofconsistentwriting,heexpressedthat

he didn’t feel that his writing was good enough to be sharedwith others. “Itdoesn’thavetobe,”Ireplied.“Youjustneedtowriteuntilyoucometotheendofyourself—yourfear,youranxiety,yourinhibitions.Whenyoudo,theremaybetwohundredwordsthataregoodenoughtoshare.That’sfine.Jobdone.Butyoustillhavetowriteeveryday.”Havingthiskindofaccountabilityinhislifehashelpedhimstayontrackandgrowasawriter.It’s likely that some critics in your group will shy away from this kind of

accountability.They’llsaytheydon’tneedtheadditionalpressure.They’lleventellyouthattheworkitselfsufferswhensubjectedtothiskindofpestering.Whatyou’rehearingisarationalization.Thesekindsofremarksarerootedin

the critic’sown fearofbeingheld accountable toproduce something,not in agenuineconcern for thequalityof thework. It’s farbetter tohaveamediocreoutlineofanovelorbusinessplanthatcanbereworkedlaterthanavagueandflittering concept that is likely to fade away from sheer inertia.By acting,wemake thingsconcrete; actionbreedsmotivation,not theotherwayaround.Wewill often find inspiration only upon our first awkward attempt at progress.Having a small group to prompt you and hold you accountable to those firsthesitant steps is like having a parent there to hold your hand when you’relearningtowalkasatoddler.Itmakestheriskmorebearableknowingthatotherpeopleareonthejourneywithyou.Berealistic inaskingforaccountabilityfromthegroup,however.“Iwant to

secure round-one funding for my start-up” might not be a reasonable firstmilestone,but“Iwanttosketchoutabusinessmodelformynewboutique”isperfectly reasonable. It’s important for the group to call out amemberwho isbeingunrealisticintheirgoalsandtiming.Thisispartofthegroupdynamicthatwillserveeveryoneandhelpthegroupachieveitscollectiveaspirations.Your circle could possibly be the biggest catalyst on your journey to

experiencing regular andbrilliant insights.Of allof thepractices in thisbook,I’dencourageyoutotakethisonemostseriously.Thesooneryouleveragethepowerof interdependence, the sooneryouwill gain tractionon the things thatmattertoyou.

Head-to-Heads

We rise to the level of our competition. Athletes frequently talk about theimportanceofcompetitorswhochallengethemtopushbeyondtonewlevelsofaccomplishment.Thesamesentimentsareoftensharedbybusinessleadersandmedia personalities. Television personality Diane Sawyer is said to haveremarked, “Competition is easier to accept if you realize it is not an act ofoppression or abrasion—I’ve worked with my best friends in directcompetition.”Weneedothersinourlifetohelpusstretchandgrow.Weneedtobechallenged.When you play one-on-one in basketball, you are competing head-to-head

with another person. The same applies to running—many runners haveexperienced the benefit of having someone else alongside them to help themkeepthepace.Simplyknowingthatslackingoffmeanslettingtheotherpersondowncausesustopushourselvestothelimitandbeyond.Inessence,thiskindofcompetitionisnotwiththeotherperson,butwithyourself.Butwhat about your creative life?Doyouhave anyone in your lifewho is

helpingyoukeeppaceandstayonatrajectoryofcreativegrowth?Onewaytocultivatethebenefitsoffriendlycompetitioninyourcreativelifeistoestablishthepracticeofhead-to-heads.In a head-to-head meeting, two people get together, and each party is

responsible for sharing new insights and new resources they’ve encounteredsince the last meeting. The discussion can be on any topic—a book you’rereading,aseminaryouattended,somethingyoumade—buttheideaistosharesomething thatwillbeboth intriguingandchallenging to theotherpersonandthat will stimulate discussion. In some ways, the head-to-head providesaccountability for you to maintain regular times of study and purposefulexperience because you know that you will be required to share somethingyou’vedonesincethepreviousmeeting.I havemultiple people inmy life with whom I’ve practiced these head-to-

heads.Oneofthem,Keith,isaneuroscientist,andthoughbothourjobsrequireustotravel,wetryasoftenaspossibletogettogethertoshareourlatestinsightsabout creativity, science, and the brain. I have had numerous eurekamomentssittingonKeith’sporchaswesharedwhatwewerelearningfromthelatestbook

we’dread,thelatestresearchpaperwe’dseen,orthelatestconversationswe’dhadwithothersinournetwork.ManyofourconversationshavebeenformativeinhowIunderstandthecreativeprocessandhavehelpedmesignificantlyinmyday-to-daywork.Herearesomeprinciplesforeffectivehead-to-heads:

1.Seta timeandbeconsistent.Agree to adate, time,meetingplace,and frequency for themeetingswith the other person.Choose someplacequiet and comfortable, and make it a priority on your calendar. Once amonthisagoodfrequencybecauseitleavesenoughtimebetweenmeetingsfor eachof you tohave experienced somethingnew to share and tohavegeneratedafewfreshinsightsthatwouldmakeforinterestingconversation.2.Varyyour subjectmatter.Don’t harpon about the same topicmonthaftermonth.Theideaistochallengeeachotherwithnewinsightsandtosparkconversationaboutthingsthatmayotherwisenevershowupontheotherperson’sradar.

3.Choosesomeoneyourespectandadmire.Preferably someonewithinyourareaofexpertise.Thiswillenhancetheconversationwhenyougettogether,leadingtoideasandinsightsmoreappropriatetoeachperson’scontext.Askyourself,“If Icouldsee insideofanyone’snotebookrightnow,justtoseewhatthey’recurrentlythinking,whowoulditbe?”

4.Prepareabout fifteenminutesof content.Don’t just showupwith asandwich.Spend timeputting togethermaterials todiscuss.Build themaround a topic or insight that you are presently working on or justfascinatedby.Again,chooseatopicofpotentialinteresttobothofyou.

What subjects should you address? That depends on you and your creativegoals.Herearesomequestionsthatmayhelpyoudetermineappropriatetopics:What areyoucurrently interested inor curiousabout?Whathaveyou readorexperienced recently that you think the other person knows very little about?Whatnewinsightsorthoughtshaveyouhadthatareripeforapplication?Theseareallgoodtopicsforyourhead-to-headtime.The idea behind these head-to-heads is to challenge and stimulate yourself

withnewthoughtsandinsightsthatcouldbeusefulinyourlifeandwork.Giveyourbesttotheserelationshipsandyouwillgetthemostoutofthem.Thebestrelationshipsareones inwhichthere isgiveandtake,whenbothpartiesfeelasense of respect and admiration for the other. We want to root for the otherperson’ssuccessevenaswearecompetingagainstthemtosharethebestormostthought-provokinginsights.

EstablishaCoreTeam

Do you have others in your life who help shape your decisions and careerchoices?Thatsoundslikeastrangequestion,right?Wedon’tliketothinkaboutthesubjectofauthoritybecausewearewired,andoftentoldinmanywaysfromour youth, that we need to question anyone in a position of power. This isunfortunate,becausewhenwediscountanddistrustothersinthisway,wemissoutonsomeofthekeyblessingsthataccompanyputtingourselvesinapositionof learning and submission to others. We also lose the opportunity to allowotherstohelpusnavigatethroughdifficultwaters.InhisbookTheCultureCode,psychologistandconsultantClotaireRappaille

argues that this deep bias toward rebellion is still at the heart of Americancultureandbehavior.“Theculturalreasonsfor thisseemtobetwofold,”arguesRappaille.“Partly

it’sbecauseweareanadolescentculturewithanadolescentattitude.Wedon’twantpeopletellinguswhattodoandholdingustotheirstandards.Wewanttodiscoverthingsandlearnhowtodothingsourownway.”It’struethatmanyofusliketodothingsourownway,makingourownrules

andfollowingourowncourse.Manyoftheculturaliconswecelebrateare“self-made”peoplewhohaveachievedgreatthingsagainsttheoddsandwithoutthehelpofothers.Thesestorieshelpusbelievethatwecan,infact,accomplishourgoals if we persist over time. But sometimes these stories also reinforce amisperception that to submit to authority or to closely follow the advice ofothers, especially when it goes against our instincts, is a form of weakness.Contrary to thisculturalbelief, to remainhumbleandcuriousand tobendourlifetotheadviceofthosefurtheralongthejourneyisactuallyasignofstrength.MychildrenarecurrentlystudyingthemartialartTaeKwonDo,anditstrikes

aspecialchordinmyhearteachtimeIhearthemrespondtotheirinstructorwitha hearty “Yes, Sir!” This sharp sign of respect tells me that they clearlyunderstandwho is the boss and that they are there to learn, not to lead.Theycouldn’tgainanythingfromtheclassiftheyweren’twillingtotrustandsubmittothegreaterexperienceandwisdomofMr.Lewis,theirinstructor.Isthereanyoneinyourlifetowhomyoubendyourlifeandchoices,someone

in front ofwhom you take the posture of student? Some of us think that our

student days end when we leave school, but many of themost accomplishedprofessionals have maintained this posture of lifelong learning at the feet ofothers.Somecallthismentoring,butI’moftenconcernedthatthisworddoesn’tcommunicatetheweightoftheotherperson’sroleinmylife.I’mnotjustthereto learnsomeinterestingtipsandtricks,someofwhichImayapplyandsomenot.IamtheretosubmittowisdomandpracticaladvicefromsomeonewhoisalittlefurtherdownthepathandmuchmorelikelytoseethingsthatI’mcurrentlyblindto.Igivequiteabitoflatitudetocertainpeopleinmylifetospeaktruthtome.

Sometimesitstings,butthetemporarystingofunwantedtruthismucheasiertobearthantheharshstingthatcomesafteraprolongedperiodoflivinginaworldof imagined invulnerability. I would much rather have friends inflict thesewoundsthancynics,critics,orcompetitors,allofwhomwantmetofail.Therearethreepeopleinmylifewhohavefullpermissiontospeakanything

theywanttomeandwhomIregularlymeetwithinordertoreviewmygoalsandmyprogress.Iconsiderthemmycoreteam,andtheyarealwaysmyfirste-mailwhen something good happens or when I need advice. (In fact, when I wasofferedthedealforthisbook,myfirstinstinctwastosendane-mailtosharethenewswiththem.EventhoughIwasinclinedtoacceptit,Iwasn’tgoingtomakeamove until the people I respect themost inmy life hadweighed in on thedecision.)Manyofushaveblindspots,especiallyasitrelatestoourcreating.Wewill

neverbe themostobjective judgesofourownwork,andwewillalwayshavedifficultyweighingbig lifedecisionswithoutbias. Ithelps tohavepeopleyourespectandadmiretoshinelight intodarkplacesandhelpyouseeanglesofaproblemthatyoumayotherwisehaveoverlooked.Whomcanyoutrusttospeakthetruthtoyou,nomatterhowharditmaybe?

Whomdoyoutrust tosaythethingsthatnooneelsewillsay?Youmusthavethesepeopleinyourlifeifyouwanttocontinueimprovinginyourwork.

Whomcanyoutrusttospeakthetruthtoyou,nomatterhowharditmaybe?Whomdoyoutrusttosaythethingsthatnooneelsewillsay?

It’s critical to choose your core team wisely. You want people who have

significantexperienceinareaswhereyoumaybelacking,andwithwhomyouhave a degree of personal rapport.You alsowant peoplewho are likely to bevested inyour success andwhoarewilling to spend time tohelpyouachieveyourgoals.

Right now youmay be asking, “So how does this help me with my creativework?”Wediscussedearliertheimportanceoffocusingainingcreativetraction.When you have others in your life with more experience and a largerperspective, you can gain focusmore quickly and getmoving onwhat reallymatters.Bylearningfromtheirexperiences,youcanavoidsomeofthemistakesthat theymade in their lives andcareers.Havinga core team inyour lifewillhelp you prune your options and avoid the paralysis that often accompanieshaving too many choices in life. It’s much easier to redirect once you aremoving,butoftenyoumaynotmoveatallifyouareoverwhelmedwithoptions.You sometimesneedother,moreexperienced friends tohelpyou focuson therightdatapoints.Hereareafewtipswithregardtomeetingwithmembersofyourcoreteam:Ifyouaremeeting forbreakfast,coffee,ordrinks,youshouldalwayspick up the bill. There are people in my core team who make much(much!)moremoney than Ido,but I alwayspayanyexpenses related toourmeeting.Why?BecauseIneedtoremindmyself,andthem,thatIseethisasaninvestment inmyselfandinourrelationship.BypickingupthecheckIamensuringthatImaintainthemind-setthatmycoreteam’stimeisvaluableandthatmytimewiththemisaninvestment.

Choose people outside your company.Youwant to feel the freedom tospeakwhatevermaybeonyourmind,andifyourcoreteammemberisinthe chain of command where you work, you will always be tempted tosoftenyourcomments.Youmayalsobeunwillingoruncomfortablesharingthoughtsaboutleavingthecompanyordealingwithyourcurrentmanager.Youneedtohavecompletefreedomintheseconversationstobringupyourmostpressingissues,regardlessofthesubjectmatter.

Choose visionaries. At least one member of your core team should besomeonewhoisadreameroravisionary.Youwantthekindofpersonwhomakesothersnervouswiththeintensityandscopeofhisideas.Youwantatleast one person who will push you and challenge you to thinkuncomfortableandchallengingthoughts.

Choose people from a variety of industries. Whoever is on your coreteam, make sure that they are a fairly diverse group with variedexperiences.It’simportanttomaintainabalanceddietofinputfromothers.

Advice from diverse perspectives will build a more solid foundation foryourdecision-makingprocess.Youarealsomuchmorelikelytohearaboutnew and interesting stimuli that may otherwise never show up on yourradar.Consideryourcoreteamtobeyourpersonalboardofdirectors.Theyaretheretohelpyousortthroughimportantdecisionsandalsotochallengeandstimulateyourthinking.Youshouldchoosethesepeopleascarefullyasa public company would choose its own board. There is nothing morecriticaltoyoursuccessthanthepeopleyousurroundyourselfwith.

Question:What are some issues you need help sorting through rightnow?Howmayacoreteambeabletohelpyouprocessthroughtheseissues?

Your relationships provide the stability and clarity you need to do your bestwork,and theyarealso thekey to stayingemotionallyengaged.Forcreatives,slippingintoanoverlyconceptualmodeandignoringyouremotionalintuitions,or simply becoming emotionally numb to your environment, is a very realdanger. Maintaining deep, vibrant relationships is a way to stay emotionallyengaged,intunewithyourenvironment,andpoised.Additionally, surrounding yourself with bright, motivated people will

challenge you regularly to step up your own game. It is inspirational to hearwhatothersaredoingandtoredirectsomeoftheirenergyintoyourownwork.It’s also verymotivating to be that source of inspiration and energy to others.Whenyougiveofyourself and aregenerouswithothers, filling their buckets,youwilloftenfindthatyouleavewithmoreinsightandenergythanyoucameintotheinteractionwith.I realize that it can be challenging to apply each of these practices

immediately. In fact, you probably want to start with forming a circle oflikemindedcreatives.Onceyoudo, thiscirclecan form thecandidatepool foryour head-to-heads and perhaps even your core team. At the very least, yourcirclewilllikelybeabletointroduceyoutopotentialcoreteammembersintheirownnetwork.Take your relationships seriously and treat themwith purpose. Youwill be

rewardedmanytimesover.

6.

ENERGY:YOURINVISIBLEALLY

As I write this, the midwestern United States is digging out from“Snowmageddon,” as dubbed by the media. We have experienced snowfallunlikeanywe’veseeninseveralyears,andthoughmychildrenlovethesleddingandcanceledschooldays,forusgrown-upsthesnowmeansfrequentshovelingandachingbacks.Ihavenoticedtwodistinctstrategiesemployedbymyneighborstodealwith

thesnow.Somecleareditawayalittleatatime,shovelingabit,allowingafewinches to accumulate, shoveling again, and so on. They opted for regularshoveling intervals with less effort required for each snow-clearing session.Otherneighbors,however,wouldwaitforthesnowtostop,thenclearitawayafoot at a time. This approach required less continual effort and time, but thetrade-offisthatitrequiredanall-at-onceHerculeanefforttoclearthemountainsofdriftingsnow.Formanyofus,ourworkloadfeelsalittlelikeclearingsnowinthemiddleof

a snowstorm.Work continues to “fall,” andwe are under constant pressure todetermine how we are going to handle it. Are we going to pace ourselves,moving all our projects forward an inch at a time, just to stay ahead of thepileup,or arewegoing to alternate sprintsof extremeexertion,punctuatedbypause?Dowe expend ourselves in one heroic effort, or dowe parcel out ourheroismovertime?Unfortunately, we often don’t have this choice becausewe’re living in one

verylong,unendingSnowmageddonofwork.Astheworkcontinuestopileon,wehavetoexpendtremendouseffortjusttostayaheadofit,letalonetodevelopanykindofeffectivestrategyforcompletingit.Giventhepacemanycreativeskeep,thekeytoregularinsightistobestrategicnotonlyabouttheworkwe’redoingbutalsoabouthowwe’redoingit.Accordingtorecentkeyresearch,thesolutionmayrestinhowwellwelearntomanageourenergy.Inthischapter,Iwillsharesomespecificpracticesthatcanhelpyoustayengagedandenergizedwhenyourcreativeworkdemandsyourbest.Imaginetheperfectdevice,onethatismaximallyefficientanddoesprecisely

whatit’ssupposedtodowiththesmallesteffortimaginable.Itistrulyamarvel

ofengineering.Unfortunately,nomatterhowwelldesigned thesystemis, it isuselesswithoutenergy—noenergy,nothinghappens.Everysystemrequiresenergytofunction.Whetherit’saplantturningsunlight

into sugar or your car burning gas on your daily commute, nothing functionswithoutenergy.Butmanyofusoverlookthisfundamentallawofnaturewhenitcomes to our creative work. Because the energy we expend shaping ideas isinvisible,we fail to realize that there is a very real cost associatedwith everyprojectwetakeonandeverymentalcommitmentwemake.Ourbrainsarewonderfullyefficientsystems,buttheyrequireenergytoforge

ideas, memories, and thoughts—tremendous amounts of energy, actually.Although the brain is only about 2 percent of our body weight, it consumesabout20percentofavailableoxygenandglucose.Thismeansthatwhenwearetired,ourmindislesscapableoffunctioningatitsmaximumpotential.Weareless likely in these times to forge connections and experience conceptualbreakthroughssimplybecauseourbraindoesn’thavethebasicenergyrequiredtoperformthecomplextasksrequiredtogenerateideas.In his bookHow to Be Excellent at Anything, Tony Schwartz argues that

energymanagementisatleastascriticaltosuccessastimemanagement:“Therealissueisnotthenumberofhourswesitbehindadeskbuttheenergy

webringtotheworkwedoandthevaluewegenerateasaresult,”hewrites.“Agrowingbodyof research suggests thatwe’remostproductivewhenwemovebetweenperiodsof high focus and intermittent rest. Instead,we live in a grayzone,constantlyjugglingactivitiesbutrarelyfullyengaginginanyofthem—orfullydisengagingfromanyofthem.Theconsequenceisthatwesettleforapaleversionofthepossible.”WhatSchwartzarticulates sowell is that even ifweeffectivelymanageour

timeandresources,butneglectourenergylevel,oureffectivenesswilldecreaseover time. Today’s success begets tomorrow’s success, so for the creativeworker, when you lack the energy to generate ideas today, it takes a toll ontomorrow’s creative effectiveness. The longer the energy drain continues, themoreyoudigyourselfintoahole.I’ve spoken with many creative leaders over the years who have felt this

dynamicinasignificantway.Oneman,asuccessfulconsultantwhospentyearsbuilding an innovative boutique consultancy, had simply lost all desire togeneratenewideasforhisbusiness.Inourconversationhetoldmethathewasin a rut, but as I probed deeper I discovered that this rut was really just anaversion to innovating that stemmed primarily from his lack of energymanagement.Over timehehadgrownwearyofbeing thesolestandard-bearerforhisorganization(anditschiefinnovator)becauseherecognizedthatanyidea

he generated was going to fall onto his shoulders to execute. As a result, heunconsciouslyavoidedformingcreativesolutionstoproblemsbecauseheknewdeepdownthathelackedtheenergytoseetheideathrough.Becausehehadnotbeencarefulinchoosingnewinitiativesandmanaginghis

ownenergyandexpectationsoveraperiodofseveralyears,hehaddugaholeforhimselfandhisorganization.Andastimepassed,imaginingawayoutofthehole became more and more difficult for him, because any new potentiallybusiness-savingideaswouldbehisresponsibilitytoimplement.Itseemednearlyimpossibletogenerateanykindofmomentumforthebusiness.Energymanagementiscriticaltostayingoutofruts.Likeagamblerwhofalls

behindandneeds towagerbiggerandbiggeramounts togetback toeven, thecreative in the risky habit of ignoring energy puts himself in a seeminglyimpossible situation. But it’s never too late to build healthy practices aroundenergy management. We can start making wise choices now about how andwherewe spend our energy to ensure thatwe’re not neglecting the importantthingsinourlifeforthesakeofwhat’sconvenient.AsproductivityguruDavidAllensays,“Mosquitoes ruin thehunt forbiggame.” It’sall tooeasy towastethe energy we need for important creative objectives on unproductive orunfocusedbehaviors.

Likeagamblerwhofallsbehindandneedstowagerbiggerandbiggeramountstogetbacktoeven,thecreativeintheriskyhabitofignoringenergyputshimselfinaseeminglyimpossiblesituation.

ISN’TENERGY“RENEWABLE”?

Fewofus thinkmuchabouthowourenergy levelaffectsourability tocreate.Energy consumption is more difficult to measure than time management andothermarkersofproductivity.Also,ourenergyisarenewableresource,somanyof us believe that it is perfectly acceptable to race through ourweek untilwecrash,spendtheweekendrecovering,thenstartthecyclealloveragain.But thismind-set isdeceptive.Creativework requires thatwestayaheadof

ourwork.Tomorrow’sideasaretheresultoftoday’sintentions.Whenyourelyona“just-in-time”workflow,youwillquicklyfinditdifficulttodoqualitywork—andyou’llalsofindyourselflackingthedrivetodoanythingaboutit.What happens at that point?Many of us panic. If ideas aren’t flowing, we

stareevenmore intentlyat theproblem,pull latenightsat theoffice,orpumpourselves full of caffeine inorder to stay alert andhopefully shockourmindsinto generating something brilliant. This unhealthy cycle is the unfortunaterealityformanycreatives,andmakingthebreakfromthistypeoflifestylecanbedifficult.Forsome,thiscycleisbrokenonlywhentheylosetheirjoborsuffersomesortofmentaloremotionalbreakdown.Forothers,itresultsinahelplesscompromise,whichcouldmeanmonthsoryearsofsettlinginandcontinuingtotrudgealong,crankingoutmediocreworkwhilefeelingliketheyarebetrayingthebestpartofthemselves.Theyhavetheenergytodoonlywhattheyneedtodo in order to not get fired, but they have no excess energy for innovating ortacklingpersonalcreativeprojects.Thislifestyleanditseffectsonourcreativityarecumulative.Creativeinsight

isfrequentlytheresultofconceptualmomentum,andthemostdifficultthingtodo in the early stages of a project is to gain traction. Building momentumrequiresexcessenergy.Whenwelack thenecessaryenergy,mobilizingaroundinsights can be difficult. In fact, sometimes we overlook the small clues andstimulithatmayyieldinsightbecausewesimplylacktheenergytopayattentiontothenonessentials.Thisisnowaytolive,especiallywhenthere’ssomethingwecandoaboutit.

WhileIdon’tbelievethatenergymanagementaloneissufficienttosetusupforcreativebrilliance,itiscertainlythemostneglectedofthefiveareasofCreative

Rhythm, and for many of us, energy management will require the mostdiscipline ifwewant tochangeourhabitsand restructureour life inahealthyway. Striking the right balance when instilling practices around energymanagementwill feela littleuncomfortable,perhapsevenpainful,at first.Butexperiencing the resultsofeffectiveenergymanagementmakes thesepracticesworthallthetemporarydiscomfort.

“Creativityisanaturalextensionofourenthusiasm.”

—EarlNightingale

Rennataisaparalegalbyday,aswellasawifeandmother.Shehadalways

wanted todo somethingwithherpassion for artbut couldn’t seem to find theenergy todo it becauseof themultiple roles shewas juggling.After applyingsomeofthepracticesexploredinthischapter,shewasabletofindnewresourcestohelpherpursueherdream. In an e-mail tome, shewrote: “I have come toaccept thatcreativityhasa rhythm,what I tend to thinkofasanebbandflowmuchlikethetides.”Ratherthanexpectingtodoeverythingatonce,shebegantoputsomepracticesintoherlifetohelpherconsistently,andovertime,worktowardhergoalswithakeeneyeonenergymanagement.“Ihavefoundthatbyestablishing thehabits thatsupportacreative individual, Iwasable tofind thetimethatIneverknewIhad.Iamnowthemanagerofaco-opartgalleryrightacrosstheroadfromthelawofficewhereIwork.”Rennata’sexperience isoneofmany like this I’veencountered inmywork.

Once creatives begin to put some structure around energy management, theyoftenfindthattheyhavemoreenergyandtimeavailablethanthey’dpreviouslythought.It’softensimplyamatterofensuringthattheiravailableresourcesarebeingfunneledintothemosteffectiveplaces.While there aremanypractices I could includehere that relate tomanaging

energythroughaphysicallyhealthy lifestyle,suchasadequatesleep,ahealthydiet,andabstainingfromharmfulsubstances,I’mnotgoingtodirectlyaddressthese,becausethereareplentyofbooksandarticlesonthesubject.(Here’s the short version: eat a healthy and balanced diet, including lean

proteins and lots of vegetables, sleep seven to eight hours a night, steer awayfrom too much caffeine and sugar to avoid the accompanying crashes, don’t

abusealcohol,andno—otherthanpharmaceutical—drugs.Foracomprehensivetreatment on these suggestions, I recommend Tony Schwartz’s comprehensivebookHow toBeExcellent at Anything. I’ve also listed additional articles andresourcesatAccidentalCreative.com/book.)Instead, I am going to address two often overlooked but highly effective

practices that can set you on the path to having enough energy to generatebrilliantideas.

WHOLE-LIFEPLANNING

Eachandeverysecond,weencountermillionsofstimuliinourenvironment,butwe are conscious of only a few at any given time. Right now you are likelyfeelingtheweightofthisbook(oryoure-reader)inyourhands,thepressureofyourchaironyourrear,andthetemperatureoftheairaroundyou.Butchancesare you weren’t thinking about any of these before I called them to yourattention.That’sbecausetheonlywayyouareabletosurviveasahumanisbyselectivelyignoringstimulithataren’timmediatelyrelevant.Selectiveattentionisincrediblybeneficialtousinthatitallowsustofocuson

whatmattersinacomplexanddangerousworld.Butforcreatives,thiskindofbehavior can also cause us to lose sight of the big picture, and what’s reallygoing on in the grand scheme of our life, for the sake ofwhat’s immediatelyurgentorpressing.Oftenweunconsciouslycompartmentalizedataasrelevantorirrelevant to the problem at hand, conceptually dividing our life into various“airtight”chambersthatdon’tinteractwithoneanother.Weliketothinkthatthevariousareasofourlifearelikefilefoldersthatwecanpulloutofthecabinet,explore, then replace without affecting the other folders in the cabinet. Weexaminethevariousareasofourlifeandwork,makecommitmentsonthem,andgenerateideasforthem,inisolation.To reinforce this, thepreponderanceof self-help literatureover thepast few

decades has focused on effectiveness in various areas of our life. There arebooksonmanagingwork,managinghome life, andeffectivelymanaging timeby dividing responsibilities into categories. But this kind of “divide andconquer”techniqueisdestinedtofailbecauseit ignorestheinterconnectednessof all areas of our life and the effects that a commitment in one area has onanother.Weneedtobuildthepracticeofoccasionallysteppingbacktoexamineourlifeasawholeandestablishingarhythmaroundenergythataccountsforallthecommitmentsinourlife.Thiswillhelpusavoidtheenergydrainsthatzapourcapacityforregularinsight.

TheFallacyofCompartmentalization

Becausewe tend to divide our life into buckets,we talk about things like our“worklife”andour“homelife”asthoughwecansomehowslipoutofourskinand assume another identity when transitioning between them. But trying tocompartmentalizethevariouspartsoflifecantakeatoll.Every area of our life is hardwired to every other area. It is impossible to

perform a task in one sphere and not have it affect another. Energy we puttowardaworktaskisenergywecan’tputtowardapersonalproject.Similarly,every personal commitmentwemake, even if it’s just a commitment to thinkabout something, requires energy that will not be available when it’s time tofocusonourwork.Howdoesthisaffectourabilitytogenerateideas?Whenweareinaverybusy

timeatwork,one inwhichwe’re required togeneratea lotof ideas inashortamountoftime,weneedtremendousamountsofenergyandfocus.Butmanyofus make commitments and expend energy on other, less critical projectsthoughtlesslyduringthesetimeswithoutconsideringtheconsequences.Wedon’trealizethateachcommitmentwemakeaffectseveryother.Wefailtoplanaheadand take into account the creative energy that will be required by our workduring a specificweek and continue tomake commitments, planmeetings, orallocatetimetoworkonunrelatedprojects.Mostofusassumethataslongastimeisavailable,wecancontinuefillingit

up.Thisishowwehavebeentrainedtothinkaboutproductivity—it’sallaboutefficiency.Butmindlesslystackingunrelatedactivitiesandprojectsintoaweekwherewe expect creativebreakthroughson important projects onlydrains ourenergy and fractures our focus. This goes for personal commitments, too.Wewill miss critical insights that could lead to conceptual breakthroughs simplybecausewe are operating at less than optimum capacity.However, ifwe takeinto account the season we are in at work and at home, along with all theassociateddemands,wewillbeabletomakecommitmentswiselyratherthanbyinstinct.I’vemetandworkedwithmanypeoplewhoblowrightpastthisprincipleat

greatcost.Infact,Iusedtobeoneofthem.Duringonefive-monthperiodofmylife,Iwasgrowingacreativeteamfromfivememberstotwenty-five,continuing

tomanagethedailydemandsofmyverychallengingfifty-to-sixty-hour-a-weekjob,dealingwiththeneedsofournewbornsecondchild(andhisolderbrother),workingontheadoptionofourlittlegirlfromGuatemala,launchinganonprofitto fund international adoption and planning an associated benefit concert,workingon a bookwith a colleague,workingon the early stages ofwhat hasbecomeAccidentalCreative,performingwithabandandwritingmusicwithmysongwriterfriends,andattemptingtomaintainsometypeofinterpersonalhealthwithmywifeandclosefriends.At the time, I remember feeling like I was being quite productive. I was

accomplishingmorethanIeverhad,seeingsuccessacrosseveryareaofmylife,and feeling pretty good physically. Until I hit bottom. Hard. Because Itechnically had the time I needed to focus on each of these projects, I didn’tthinktherewasanyproblemwithpursuingthemwithfullgunsblazing.Iwouldstack hour after hour with project activity and creative demands, butunknowinglymycreativeenginewasburningoil.One day, I realized that though Iwas technically “working” on all of these

projects, I was gradually becoming less effective in each of them. I stoppedhavingideasforthebookIwasworkingon,andIwasstrainingmyrelationshipwithmycoauthor.Teamandorganizational leadershipprioritiesbecamefuzzy,andmyteamwassufferingbadly.Ideasweren’tflowingforourmostimportantinitiatives. My interpersonal relationships, including with my wife, werestrained.Mostsurprisingofall,everything that Iwasoncequiteexcitedaboutfelt likeanobligation rather thananopportunity. Iwas spent. Iwasa shellofmyself.Iwasn’tabletobringthebestpartofmyself—mycreativeinsightsandleadership—toanything thatmattered tome. Ihad to take timeoff fromworkjust to regroundmyself inwhat Iwasreally trying todo. Ihad to trimseveralinitiativesoutofmylife—attheexpenseofthepersonalrelationshipsinvolved—justtogetmyheadabovewater.Theworstpartwasthatmyfamilyhadbeenfeeling the effectsofmyoverextension for avery long time, and I’dnot evennoticed. My wife and I had to have some frank discussions about settingboundariesinmywork,includingtheamountofhoursIcouldputin.TheprinciplethatI’dblownrightpastinmypursuitofcreativeinvincibility

was that each commitment I made, and each project I decided to take on,required somethingmore ofme than justmy time. Each requiredmy energy.And because I was not being strategic and purposeful about the number andnatureofthesimultaneouscommitmentsIwasmaking,Isoonfoundmyselfinenergy debt. I was creatively inverted and no longer had enough energy togeneratetheideasIneededjusttokeepmyheadabovewater.Whenyouareplanningyourlife,youneedtoaccountforeverycommitment

youmakeineveryarea.Thismeansthatwhenyouareinabusyseasonatwork,you need to be disciplined enough to trim back the number of personalcommitmentsyoumake.Similarly,whenyouareenteringabusyseasoninyourpersonal life,youneedtobepurposefulabout theextracommitmentsyoutakeon for work.While you can’t always choose what you work on, you can becareful and strategic aboutwhereyou focusyour energyoutsideof those corecommitments.

When you are planning your life, you need to account for everycommitmentyoumakeineveryarea.

Question:Canyouthinkofatimeinyourlifewhentheconvergenceofyourpersonalcommitmentsandyourworkcommitmentshavecausedyoutofeeloverwhelmedandineffective?

TheThreeHorizonsofWhole-LifePlanning

There are three horizons of whole-life planning that I recommend to clients:weekly, monthly, and quarterly. It is critical to get ahead of your energycommitmentsandexaminethemobjectively.Sayingnotoanewopportunityisverydifficultinthemoment,butifyouhavebeenstrategicinyourplanningandknow what a new commitment will truly cost you, then you can refuse newopportunitieswithconfidence.Onceyouunderstandyourlimits,youwillbeableto manage your energy more effectively. Remember, this is about settingyourselfuptohaveconceptualbreakthroughsintheareasofyourlifeandworkthatmattermost.

▶WEEKLY

Aspartofyourweeklycheckpoint(whichwe’lldiscussinchapter9)analyzethedemands of the coming week. As you look at your calendar, don’t focus onwork-relatedcommitmentsalone.Remember,yourpersonalcommitmentsaffectyourenergyjustasmuchasyourworkonesdo.(Infact,I’dstronglyencourageyoutokeeponlyonecalendarwithbothworkandpersonalcommitmentsinthesameplace,orusetwocalendarsinthesameplacethatcanbeselectivelyshownorhidden,suchasinGoogleCalendar.It’sdifficulttolookatmultiplecalendarsinmultipleplacesandgetagoodsenseforhowovercommittedyoureallyare.Ifyou can’t keep your personal andwork commitments in the same calendar, atleasthavebothcalendarsavailableasyoudoyourweeklycheckpoint.)Pay attention to those activities that you find invigorating, such asmeeting

withclients,brainstormingsessions,orstrategysessions,versusthoseyoufinddraining, such as follow-upcalls, invoicing, orweekly status-updatemeetings.As much as you are able, try to space out the energy-draining activitiesthroughoutyourdaysandweekratherthanstackingthemtogether.Ifyouhavemultipledifficultconversationsontheagendafortheweek,trynottoputthemback-to-backonyourcalendar,oryou’reguaranteedtobefairlyuselesstherestoftheday.Instead,trytospacethemoutandcreatebuffers.

Forexample,ifyouhavemultipledrainingphonecallstomakeback-to-back,trytakingashortwalkorspendingfiveminuteswithheadphonesonlisteningtomusicinbetween.Whileonthesurfacethismayappeartobeslacking,youareactuallyrestoringyourenergyandmakingsurethatyouwillbeabletogiveyourbest effort to the next call. You can also apply this method to other drainingback-to-back activities as a way to cleanse your palette and recuperate a bitbeforedivingintoyournextexertionofenergy.Buffers,orquickenergy-buildingactivities,canalsobehelpful inmanaging

energyasyou shift betweenvarious roles throughoutyourweek.OnepracticethatI’veeffectivelybuiltintomylifeistoestablishabufferbetweenworkandhomelifesothatIdon’tcarrytheangstandpressureofworkhometomyfamily.Duringmyweeklyplanning time, if Isee that I’mgoing tohaveanespeciallybusyweek,IplantoarriveatworkfifteentotwentyminutesearlysothatIcanleaveearlyattheendoftheday.Withthatextraend-of-daytime,Iwillstopoffatabookstoreandbrowsenewtitles.Ifindthatthisisaquickwayofrenewingenergyand“rebooting”mysystembeforeinteractingwithmyfamily.WhenIfailtopracticethisandarriveathomestillabitstressedfromtheday,

I’musuallyremindedbymysonOwen,whohastakenontheresponsibilityofannouncing to the family, “Daddy’s just a little grumpy tonight.” That’s notacceptable tome. Iwantmy family to getmybest.Buffers,whether betweenworkandhomeorbetweenenergy-drainingmeetings,canbeaneffectivewaytorebootandensurethatyou’realwaysgivingyourbesttowhateverisinfrontofyou. As you’re planning your week, make sure that you’re placing themstrategically.This is also where you will put all your energy-giving activities on the

calendar and commit to them.Whenwill you study, read, or experience otherstimuli this week? When will you have time to yourself to strategize andgenerateideasforyourprojects?Whenwillyoutakeawalkorexercise?Whatdoesyoursleepschedule look like thisweek?Are thereany latenights? Ifso,whatdoesthatmeanaboutwhatshouldhappenthenextmorning?Again, inall these thingswearenot attempting to strike somekindof “life

balance.”Wearesimplybeingstrategicaboutmanagingenergysothatwehaveitwhenweneedittogenerateideas.Ifwearewiseinourenergymanagement,we will find that ideas emerge when we least expect them. Our minds areconstantlyworkinginthebackgroundtosolvewhateverproblemswegivethem.Wejustneedtobestrategicaboutclearingthewayandensuringtheyhavetheenergytheyneedtodotheirjob.It’samazingwhathappenswhenweworkwith,ratherthanagainst,thenaturalflowofthecreativeprocess.

▶MONTHLY

During your monthly checkpoint (again, to be discussed later), you need tospendtimeanalyzingwhat’sonthehorizonoverthenextseveralweeks.Thisiswhere you can make strategic choices about new projects, both work andpersonal, relationships youwant to rekindle, and overall priorities in terms ofenergyuse. Ifyou seeanewworkproject emergingandanticipate that itwillrequire a lot of your time and energy, scaling down your expectations aboutpersonal commitments may be wise. (You will probably want to have thisconversationwithothersinyourlife.)Similarly,ifyourmonthislookingalittlelight,thenitmaybetimetotakeonapersonalprojectthat’sbeenwaitinginthequeue.Thisisalsowhereyouwanttodevelopatemplateforyourmonth.Arethere

specificpracticesthatyouwanttobuildintoyourmonthasbuffers?Whenwillyouperform the tasks thatgiveyouenergy, likeexercise, study,orconnectingwith friends? Setting expectations about these things on a monthly basis willhelp you make choices about where you will spend your energy so that youwon’thavetoinstinctivelyorreactivelymaketheminthemoment.Rememberthatcreativitycravesstructure.Whenyouestablisheffectiveboundaries,youarefocusingyourcreativeenergyratherthanallowingittorunrampant.

▶QUARTERLY

Duringyourquarterlycheckpointyouwillbe lookingatyour life rhythmasawholeandestablishingpriorities.Aretheresignificantmilestonesonthehorizonthatneedtobeaccountedfor?Arethereimportantprinciplesinyourlifethatarebeingneglectedandneedtoberevisited?Arethereprojectsthatyou’vealwaysdreamedofpursuingbutcanneverfindtheenergytogetmovingon?Nowisthetimetogettheseonpaperandtostartanalyzingwhatcanbedoneoverthenextquartertoinitiatethem.Again,youreyeisprimarilyonenergymanagement,soyou are looking for opportunities to be strategic andwise about your life andwhichprojectsyoupursueaccordingtowhatwillberequiredofyou.Youwanttobepoisedtobringyourbestefforttoallyourprojects,eventhepersonalones.If the upcoming quarter contains several new work initiatives, “build rocket-poweredpersonaljetpack”mightnotbethebestobjectivetoinitiate,but“writeproposalforrocket-poweredpersonaljetpack”maywork.

This quarterly planning time is also when you want to get any new andintriguing work projects in the mix. Are there things that you’ve wanted tosuggestorpursuebuthaven’tbecauseit’sneveragoodtime?Seeifthere’sanyaspectoftheideathatyoucouldbegintoimplementthisquarter.Make certain that you’re taking into account every upcoming commitment,

milestone, and project. If there are especially busy seasons for your family(birthdays, anniversaries, et cetera), take those into account as you are settingexpectationsfortheupcomingquarter.Whole-lifeplanningrecognizesthatyourcreativeprocessis theresultofthe

merging of all your experiences, skills, and passions. When you are able tostrategicallyandpurposefullystructureyourlifesothatyouaregivingyourbestenergy to what’s most critical, ideas will naturally start to flow in situationswhenyouneedthemmost.Asmentioned,youwillbelearningmoreabouthowto integrate this practice with all the other practices in the chapter oncheckpoints.

ELIMINATELESSEFFECTIVEACTIVITY

Asecondenergy-managementpracticecloselyrelated towhole-lifeplanning ispruning.Wealllivewiththeillusionthatwecanhaveitall.Thisillusionissoldtousinthemedia;wearebombardedbyadsandthenewswithimagesofpeoplewho accomplish superhuman feats ofworkwithout sacrificing anything in theprocess.Anditdoesn’thelpthatwhenwelookarounditseemslikemanypeoplearoundusarelivingthis“haveitall”dreamaswell.Theytakeasignificantroleat work, lead a few charitable initiatives, are active in their family life, andalwaysseemtohaveastoryaboutsomeweekendprojectthey’vebeentinkeringwith on the side. Ifwe’re honest, encountering these people canmake us feellikewe’resimplynotpullingourweightasahumanbeing.Do you want to know how these people are capable of accomplishing so

much? It’s likely because (1) they are projecting an image of extremeproductivity that doesn’t match reality, (2) they are overextending themselvesandareabouttocrash,or(3)they’velearnedthesecretofenergymanagement,andespeciallythepracticeofpruning.Theyareconcentratingtheirenergyandcreative efforts on a select group of activities that provide them with themaximumamountofproductivity.Andbecausecreativeinsightandproductivityarecumulative,theycontinuetomaintainforwardmomentumaslongastheyaremindfuloftheirenergy.Asmentionedabove,eachchoiceyoumaketodosomethingisachoicenotto

do something else. I’moften remindedof somethingmy father-in-lawused totellmywifewhenshewasachild:“Youcanhaveanythingyouwant,butyoucan’thaveeverythingyouwant.”That’sopportunitycostinanutshell.Ifyouwanttohavetheenergytocreativelyengagewiththeimportantthings,

youneedtocarefullychooseyourcreativepriorities.Weeachhaveathresholdfor howmany creative problems we can effectively manage at a given time.Takingonanyadditionalobligationsorcommitmentswilldecreaseyouroveralleffectiveness, and removing toomany will mean you’re settling for less thanyourfullpotential.Youwanttofeelstretchedbutnotoverextended.

KnowingWhentoReachfortheShears

In agoodvineyard, thevinekeeper is constantlypruning, but it’s not that theprunedbranchesaredeadordiseasedinsomeway.Rather,thekeeperremovesyoung,unproductivebranchessothatmuch-needednutrientscangettotheolder,fruit-bearingpartsof thevine. If theyounggrowth isn’tprunedback, thevinewillbearlessfruitandeventuallyproducenoneatall.Doesn’tthisseemstrange?It’sabitcounterintuitivetocutawayhealthyparts

ofavinetoincreaseitsoveralllongevityandproductivity,butthispracticehasbeen employed for centuries in vineyards around the world because it iseffective.Thissameprincipleofnatureappliestothenaturalrhythmsofyourcreative

process. Every day there are little sprouts of growth that emerge in your life.Newopportunities,newprojects,newwaystoexpendourenergy.Distractions.Temptations to divert our resources or attention.Many of these “sprouts” areverygoodthings.Butforsomeofus, theselittleopportunitiescontinuetopileup until every crack of our life is full. Soon these very good but nonessentialdistractionsaredivertingourenergyawayfromthetasksthatarereallycrucialtoourproductivityandmomentum.Thisisthebeginningofadownwardspiralofproductivity, and it stems from a lack discipline around where we choose toexpendenergy.

Iftheyounggrowthisn’tprunedback,thevinewillbearlessfruitandeventuallyproducenoneatall.

PruningCanBePainful

Beyondobvioustimewasters,likeexcessiveTVwatchingorInternetbrowsing,whichcanbeprunedwithouttoomuchofastruggle,someofthethingsweneedto prune from our life are very good things. They are projectswe enjoy, newideasweareexcitedabout,orrelationshipswewouldprefertocontinue.It can be difficult to eliminate things from your life that are giving you

immediate joy and seem to be doing no harm. In fact, it can seem downrightsadistictodenyyourselfthepleasureofworkingonaprojectthatyouloveandtowhichyoucanadduniquevalue.Butjustastheyoung,fruit-bearingbrancheson a vine must be pruned back in order to provide needed resources to thecritical sectionsof thewholeplant, youmust learn to identify the activities inyour life that seem to be providing good results in the short run but willeventuallydecreaseyoureffectivenessinthemostcriticalareasofyourlife.Many people don’t realize how strangling the cumulative effect the

semiproductiveactivitiescanhave.Louis,alifelongfinancialplannerworkingtoreinventhiscareer,wentthroughoneofourcoursesaboutestablishingCreativeRhythm.Afewmonthslaterherelayedthat—afterbeingpainfullychoosyaboutwhat to work on—he had already begun to see a lot of new opportunitiesemerging. “I’ve realized that this is really about the long term, likemywholelife.”WhilebeforeLouiswasabitparalyzedbecauseofthevastopportunitiesinfront of him, after establishing some guidelines for how hewould engage, hesays thathefoundincreasedfocusandexperiencedlife-changingresults.Oncehechosetosaynotosomeopportunities,othersbegantogrow.Inmanyways,youaredefinedbywhatyousaynoto.Indesign,theycallthis

“negative space.” It is the part of the composition or sculpture that containsnothing.Thisnegativespace iswhatbalancesaworkofartandgives itvisualcontinuity. Similarly, music is defined as much by the silence as by what isactuallyplayed.Withoutthespacesinbetweenthesounds,musicwouldbeonedeadeningroar.Asyoucraftyourlifeandmakedecisionsaboutwhattoactonversuswhatto

abstainfrom,youmustrecognizetheimportanceofnegativespaceindevelopingcreativeideas.Thetimebetweenyouractivemomentsiswhenideasareformed,insightsaregained,mentalconnectionsareforged.Ifyourlifeisaconstantblur

of activity, focus, and obligation, you are likely tomiss critical breakthroughsbecause youwon’t have the benefit of pacing and negative space.What’s nottherewillimpactyourlifeasmuchormorethanwhatis.

IdentifyingYour“RedZone”Activities

InAmericanfootball,theredzoneistheareaoneachendofthefieldinsidethetwenty yard line.What happens in this area is a key determining factor in ateam’ssuccessorfailure.Teamsthateasilyadvancetheballdownthefieldbutcan’t score in the red zone will lose games. Teams that play great open-fielddefensebut can’t prevent scores in the red zonewill lose.Performancewithinthisverysmallsliverofthefieldoftendeterminestheoverallsuccessorfailureofateam.Asyouexamineyourlife,andespeciallyyourcreativework,it’simportantto

beabletoidentifythered-zoneactivitiesthatwillreallymakeadifferenceandgenerate forward momentum during the particular season you’re in. Somequalitiesthatmarkred-zoneactivitiesarethefollowing:

Activities that you can uniquely do or add value to because of yourpositionorexpertiseandthatmoveaprojectforward.Whiletherearealotofwaysyoucouldbespendingyourtime,thereareacertainnumberofactivities thatyouareprobably thebestpersonfor.Maybe it’sbecauseofyour experience, or because you are the one most familiar with thesituation,buttherearecertainlyafewsituationsthataremostlydependentonyoutomovethemforward.

Activities that increaseyourpersonalcapacity togenerate ideas, suchas study, purposeful ideation, or intelligence gathering. These aretypicallythefirstactivitiestogoduringabusyseason,butyoumustensurethattheyfindaplaceinyourgameplan.Ifyouneglectthemfortoolong,youwillfindyoureffectivenessdecreasingacrossthespectrumofyourlifeandwork.

Activities that provide cohesion or creative traction for your team insuchawaythatitincreasesfuturecapacity.Forleaders, theseactivitiesincludesuchthingsasregularlyclarifyingtheobjectivesandorganizationalpriorities,clearingobstaclesforyourteam,ortakingtimetocelebratewhentheteamexperiencesasuccess.

Activities that feed your energy, such as adequate sleep, exercise, orspiritual practice. While these should be obvious inclusions in everyseason, they are often significantly neglected during the busy times. Butthesearejustthetimeswhenweneedthemthemost.Thisislikeafootballteam’sdecidingnot toblockbecausethey’resocloseto thegoal line.It’sself-destructivetoignorethefundamentalswhenyouareatyourmostbusyandcriticaltimesprofessionally.

Your red-zone activities are likely to be made up of some combination ofthese qualities. Really pouring your energy into them not only increases yourimmediateproductivity,butitalsogeneratesmomentuminyourlifeandwork.Similarly, it’s important to identify the activities in your life that could be

describedasineffective,unnecessary,ordamagingtoyouroverallproductivity,and prune them out of your life. These can be timewasters, such as needlessshopping, relentless gaming, and, as mentioned previously, excessive Internetbrowsing or TV watching, or they can be tasks that you’re doing out ofobligation,habit,orroutine.It’snotthattheseactivitiesbythemselvesarebadorwrong,it’ssimplythateachoftheseactivitiesis takingtheplaceofsomethingthatcouldbemoreeffective inhelpingyougenerate ideasormoveyourworkforward.

GettingStartedwithPruning

Pruning is best practiced in yourmonthly and quarterly checkpoints. You arelookingforprojectsorcommitmentsthatyoubelieveareinhibitingyourabilityto effectively perform the red-zone activities in your life. These commitmentsmaybeverygoodthingsthatyoutookonwiththebestofintentionsandsincereoptimism but that are now beginning to become more obligation thanopportunity.Theymayalsobebrand-newideasoropportunitiesthatyoufeelastrong urge to act on but that are ill timed because of the lack of hours orresourcestodevotetothem.Somequestionstoaskwhenevaluatingpotentiallyprune-ableactivitiesare:• Is this having a negative impact onmy red-zone efforts or my overallabilitytostayenergizedinmylifeandwork?

• Has this become more obligation than opportunity? Have I lost mypassionforandinterestinthis?

•Couldthisbedeferreduntillaterandhaveagreatereffect?•AmIunhappywithmycurrentresults?•DoIhaveanaggingsensethatIneedtogoinanewdirectionwiththisproject?

Iftheanswerisyestoanyofthesequestions,thenyoumaywanttoconsider

eliminatingtheprojectfromyourplate.Asyoudo,youwilllikelyfindthattheincreasedspaceinyourlifeyieldsnewinsightsandideasforyourmorepressingprojects.Anotherthingtoconsideristhatsayingnodoesn’tmeanforever.You’rejust

tryingtomakesurethattheplaceswhereyou’rechoosingtoexpendyourenergyareappropriatefortheprioritiesoftheseason.It’slikelythatsomethingyousaynototodaywillbecomeoneofyourtopprioritiesnextmonth.Youneedtogiveyourselfpermission regardingwhatyou’rechoosingnot toworkonaswellaswhatyouarechoosingtoworkon.DavidAllenteachesaprincipleinhisbookGetting Things Done called the “Someday/Maybe” list that is an effectiverepository for projects that you want to begin at some point but not now.Keepingalistof“somedayIwill...”kindsofprojectsallowsyoutoputthingsoffwithoutfeelinglikeyouareabandoningthemforever.

PruningYieldsNewOpportunities

OnewomanIworkedwith,avideoeditornamedSusan,isanavidgardener.Inaconversation about the principle of pruning, she observed that whenever shepruned back a single branch in her garden, two new growths would emerge.Pruning activities in our life often seems to work the same way. Don’t besurprised ifyourwillingness toendurea little temporarydiscomfortbycuttingawaygoodbutill-timedprojectsandopportunitiesyieldsanabundantharvestofnewideasandexcitingprospects.Bewiseaboutthecommitmentsyoumakeandthewayinwhichyoumanage

yourenergy.Itcouldbethesinglegreatestdeterminingfactorinwhetheryouarethe superstarwho burns out on the altar of short-term productivity or the onewhothrivesforalifetime.It’sdifficulttoseparategoodenergymanagementfromthepropermanagementoftime,stimuli,focus,andrelationships.Eachoftheseareasofrhythmaffectseachoftheothers.Don’tbesurprised,forinstance,ifyournewlyimplementedpracticesaroundenergybegin togiveyouagreatersenseofenthusiasmto therelationshipsinyourlife.Similarly,withoutagoodstrategyformanagingtheenergyinyourlife,there

willbelittleyoucandotomaintainyoureffectivenessoverthelongterm.Thepracticeswe’vediscussedinthischapterareagoodstartingpointforpreventingoverload and staying creatively focused, but I’ve included a list of otherresourcesatAccidentalCreative.com/bookifyou’dlikefurtherinsightsintothesubject.

7.

STIMULI:WHATGOESINMUSTCOMEOUT

Weareswimminginaseaofinformation.Everyday,wearebombardedbythousandsof inputs, fromadvertising jingles toplot twistsonour favoriteTVshows.Someofthisinformationisreceivedinthecontextofourdailywork,andmuchof it is a result of our readingor viewinghabits and the timewe spendsurfingtheweborriflingthroughmagazines.Whatwedon’toftenconsiderishowthesemessagesaffectourcapacitytodo

ourbestcreativework. Itgoeswithoutsaying thatwhatweput intoourheadswillnecessarilyinfluencewhatandhowwellwecreate.Inafamedillustrationofhowenvironmentalstimulisubconsciouslyaffectour

mentalprocesses,British“psychological illusionist”DerrenBrowninvited twomembersofanadagency topitchconcepts forachainof taxidermystoreshewasproposingtobuild.Theadexecs,withnopriorknowledgeofwhytheywerebeing summoned,were taken on a long taxi ride, then escorted into an officebuildingwheretheyweregiveninstructionsandtoldtheyhadjustthirtyminutestodevelop aposter for the chain, including storename, a tagline, andvisuals.Brownalsoplacedasealedenvelopecontaininghisownconceptsonatable,tobeopenedlater.Afterthirtyminuteselapsed,Brownreappearedintheroomtocheckontheir

work.Theexecspitcheda concept theycalled “AnimalHeaven,” featuringanillustration of a bear playing a lyre and the tagline “the best place for deadanimals.”Aftertheirpitch,Brownaskedoneoftheexecstoopentheenvelopehe’dplaced in the roomat the verybeginning.To their surprise, the envelopecontainedanearlyidenticaltreatmentoftheposter,includingaverysimilarbearholdingalyreandasimilartagline.Brownwenton toshowviewers that the taxi ride to theofficebuildinghad

strategically featured several items designed to draw the attention of the adexecs.Theseitems,suchasaconspicuouslyplacedlyre,aposterwiththephrase“TheBestPlaceforDeadAnimals,”andatrippasttheLondonZoo,hadmadesubconscious impressions that were quick to reemerge as they scrambled togenerateconcepts.Withtheever-increasingdelugeofinformationweallface, thetaskforeach

ofusis todiscernwhichinputsarerelevant toourworkandwhicharesimplynoise.WefacetremendouspressuretokeepupandthevastmajorityofcreativesIworkwithsaytheyareconstantlyonthevergeofinformationoverload.Butit’snotjustthesheeramountofinformationthat’stheproblem;ifitwere

that simple, we could just shut it off. The real challenge is that some of thisonslaughtofinformationisnecessaryforustoperformourjobs,whetherit’se-mail,blogs,trendreports,orindustrynews.Wemustsomehowengagewiththeinformation that enters our daily lives, process it, and turn it into somethingmeaningful.BrynMooth,editorofthedesignmagazineHOW,toldmeinaninterviewthat

shecomparesthisstruggletoworkingwithafoodprocessor.“Afoodprocessorhasasmallintake,andahugeworkbowl,”shesays.“All

ofthefoodhastogetthroughtheprocessor,butthere’sonlysomuchcapacityatanygiven time.This is similar tohowwemustdealwith theoverloadofnewinformation we experience every day. We simply don’t have the capacity toprocess all of the information in a timely way with our limited mentalresources.” She continued that she frequently advises creatives to closelymonitorthequalityofwhattheychoosetoabsorbbecauseitissocloselytiedtotheircreativeprocess.While our minds are unparalleled in their capacity to experience and

assimilate information, they also have a limited bandwidth for doing so.As amatterofsurvival,theytendtoweedoutinformationthatisdeemedirrelevanttoourimmediateneeds.However,ourmindsarealsocapableoftakingrandombitsof input and forgingbrilliant connections that are not apparent on the surface.This is essentially how the creative process works—it’s the connection ofmultiplepreexistingpatternsintonewsolutions.Onepathwaytocreatingmoreeffectivelyandconsistentlyistobestrategicaboutourinputs.

Whileourmindsareunparalleled in theircapacity toexperienceandassimilateinformation,theyalsohavealimitedbandwidthfordoingso.

YOURDIETOFSTIMULI

Icalltheinformationandexperiencesweabsorb“stimuli”becausethesearetherawmaterials that stimulate thought. Each creative idea is the combination ofpreviouslyexistingideas,orbitsofstimuli,intosomethingnew.Thestimuliweexperiencecanstretchus to thinkdifferently, toopenoureyes tonewwaysofseeing the world. But many creatives don’t give much thought to what theyallowinto theirminds.E-mails, reports,webvideos,TV,magazines,andmorefloodthroughtheirlifewithnoonekeepingwatchofthegate.Overtimethiscanresultinanoveralllackoffocusorageneralnumbnesstopotentialinspiration.Discerningwhatisusefulandwhatisn’tinaworldwithoutfiltersonourstimulibecomesadifficulttask.Afterall,adrowningmanisn’tthinkingaboutwhathewantsfordinner,hejustwantsalifepreserver!Inthesameway,whenwelackstructurearoundthetypesofstimuliweexperience,welackthespaceandfocusweneedtoapplyourexperiencestotheworkwe’reengagedin.Thereisanoldsayingabouthealthandnutrition,that“youarewhatyoueat.”

Thismeansthatthekindsoffoodyouputintoyourbodywillultimatelyaffectyour physical being and yourmobility and interaction with the world. If youregularlyconsumejunkfoodratherthanhealthy,nutritiousfood,yourhealthwilleventuallyfail.If,however,youensurethatthestaplesofyourdietarehealthyandnutritious,youcanoccasionallysnackonjunkfoodwithlittleconcern.It’sallaboutchoiceandfollowinghealthyprincipleswithregardtodiet.Thissameprincipleappliestocultivatingahealthydietofstimuliinyourlife.

Because so much of the information you must process in a given day isdetermined by the nature of your work, you need to be purposeful aboutincludingself-directed, thought-provoking,andcapacity-increasingstimuli intoyourlifeonaconsistentbasis.Whetherit’sintheformofprintmedia,movies,webvideos,conversations,advertisements,oranythingelsethat isdeliveringamessageyoumustprocessandassimilate,thestimuliyoutakeinoverthecourseofyourdayinformsthequalityoftheinsightsyougenerate.Justlikegoodfoodincreasesyourcapacity tobeactiveandhealthy, thehigher thequalityofyourstimuli,thebetteryouaresettingyourselfupforhigh-levelbreakthroughs.LarryKelley, chief planning officer atHouston-based ad agency FKM, and

authorofAdvertisingAccountPlanning, says thathehasusedourmethodsforcultivatingbetterstimuli tohelpFKM’steamgeneratemoreeffectiveideasfortheirclients.“Why would you go to the museum of art to learn more about a steak

restaurant?Because it led toabreakthrough idea for turningaplaceyoueatasteakintoaplacewhereyouexperiencethefinerthingsintheworld.Whenwegotstuckontheprojectwelookedfordifferent,butrelevantstimulithatmightgive us a new perspective. In this case, rather than focus our attention on therestaurant category advertising, most of which is all the same, we brought instimulithatofferedadifferentviewpoint.I’velearnedfromAccidentalCreativethatyouarewhatyoutakein,soasateamwealwaystrytotakeinthebest.”Inthiscase,Larryandhisteamunderstoodthatthesolutiontotheircreative

problemswasunlikely to come fromstaringharder at theproblem,butwouldinstead be foundby immersing themselves in higher-quality stimuli.What aresomecharacteristicsthatmarkhigherqualitystimuli?

It’schallenging.Wewantstimulithatwillhelpusgrowinourcapacitytocomprehend complex things. Pop culture is helpful for keeping up withtrends (and for entertainment, of course), but we also need to communewith greatminds and experiencemind-stretching concepts and ideas thatchallenge our existing view of the world. This helps us break throughmentalrutsandconsidernewoptionsthatwerepreviouslyobscuredbyourassumptions.While there’s nothingwrongwith catching a sitcom or twothroughoutyourweek,youmayalsowanttostructuretimeintoyourlifetowatchdocumentariesonstimulatingsubjects.

It’srelevant.Thisdoesn’tmeanthatweshouldbelookingonlyforstimulithat offer specific solutions to the creativeproblemswe are facing, but itdoesmeanthatwhenweareworkingonhighlyintenseprojects,weshouldsomewhatlimitourstimulitomaterialsthatwillhelpourmindsfocusmoreeffectivelyonthoseproblems.Arethereleadersinyourindustrywhohavepublished papers or articles that may help you think in new ways aboutyourwork?Aretheretrendreportsthatmayhelpyouthinkthroughwhereyourbusinessisheadednext?Agoodruleofthumbisthateverysingledayshouldincludesomekindofstimulithatisdirectedatyourpersonalgrowth(workingthroughabook,studyingaskillortechnique,etcetera)andsomekindofstimulithatyou’vesoughtoutforpurposesofadvancingyourwork(anindustrytrendreport,aresearchstudy,atrademagazine).

It’sdiverse.Whilecarrotsarehealthyforme,ifIeatnothingbutcarrotsforafewmonthsIwillprobablyfindmybodyinseriousdisrepair.Similarly,we must diversify our diet of stimuli by exploring divergent topics ofinterest,byvaryingformsofmedia,andbyingestingtheopinionsofotherswemaybe inclined todisagreewith.Thisdiversificationwill expandourcapacity toprocess information,helpusformnewandinteresting thoughtpatterns,andstimulatedifferentpartsofourbrainthanwouldbetriggeredifweweretocontinueinthesamestimulusrut.Another thing to consider with regard to diversity is that often our nextgreatbreakthroughismorelikelytocomefromoutsideourindustryorareaof expertise than fromwithin it.Whenwe diversify our base of stimuli,however, it forces us to approach problems from a new perspective.BenNicholson,creativedirectoratthevideoproductionhouseLightborne,likesto look innonintuitiveplaces for inspiration inhiswork.Heonce sharedshort stories and essays with his team as inspiration for new projects,somethingprettyfaroutsidetherealmofvideowork.Butthisdiversityofstimuli prevents the team from falling into ruts or unknowingly imitatingindustrytrends.

Asyouconsiderthedietofstimuliinyourlife,thesethreefactorsshouldplayaroleinthedecision.

STAYINGAHEADOFTHEPRESSURE

Anotherkeybenefitofbeingpurposefulaboutthestimuliinyourlifeisthatyoucandirectyourmindtobeginworkingonproblemsbeforeyourneedforideasbecomes urgent. For example, if there is a big project on the horizon thatrequiresyoutohaveanunderstandingofaspecifictopic,thenitisagoodideatogetaheadstartontheprojectbychoosingstimulithatwilllaythefoundationforthatunderstanding.Youmaywanttodoalittleresearchtofindthehighest-ratedor most recommended book on a particular subject. You may want to startreadingablogortwothatcoversemergingtrendsinthisareaandtheirculturaleffects.Ourmindsrequiretimetodotheirbestwork,andthemoreofaheadstartand

thehealthieraperspectivewecangive them, themore likely it is thatwewilluncovernovel and relevantpatterns.Notonly that, but themoregroundedweare in the subject matter, the easier it is for us to discern relevant versusirrelevantdata.It’salmostasifwegainasixthsenseaboutproblemsolvingoncewearedeeplyimmersedinrelevantstimuli.There are three practices in the remainder of this chapter that I’ve found

tremendously helpful for myself and for my clients in processing andassimilatinginformationinawaythatwillbeusefulinthecreativeprocess.Thepractices,whicharedesigned to instill rhythmandpurpose into thestimuliweabsorb,canbedividedintothreecategories:cultivate,process,andexperience.

CULTIVATE:THESTUDYPLAN

Maintainingastudyplanwillhelpyoucultivatethekindsofstimuliyouallowintoyourlifeandensurethatyouareputtingthemostimportantpiecesinplacefirst.Ihaveusedoneforyears,andithasmadeatremendousdifferenceinmyexposure to great thinkers, my understanding of key issues at work, and myabilitytoprocessnewandcomplexthoughts.Iconsultandreviseitregularly—typically inmymonthlycheckpoints (moreon these later)—asaway tomakesurethatI’mcontinuingtochallengemyselfwiththethingsIchoosetoallowinmyhead.Canyoulistthelastthreebooksyouread?Howaboutthelastthreemagazines

youperused?Thelastthreemoviesyousaw?Howaboutthelasttenwebpagesyouvisited?Ifyou’relikemanypeople,you’llprobablyneedtothinkaminuteto answer these questions, if you even can. Because we often approach thestimuliinourliferandomlyandwithoutanykindofformalstructure,therearefewintuitiveconnectingpointsbetweenthem,and,asaresult,wedrawfewifany lasting insights from having experienced them. Anything we might havegainedisforgottenasquicklyasweturnourattentiontosomethingnew.

“Imuststudypoliticsandwarthatmysonsmayhavelibertytostudymathematicsandphilosophy.”

—JohnAdams

Again, our minds are excellent at receiving new information, forging new

patternsoutofit,andthenassimilatingthosepatterns.Butthemorerandomtheinformationyouabsorb,themoreeffortisrequiredtoprocessitandutilizeitinyour creativework.Variety is certainly helpful in forcing you to look outsideyournormalhandfulof solutions to the creativeproblemsyou face,but it canalsoleadyoudownirrelevantrabbittrailsorcauseyoutofeeloverwhelmed.If

you are more purposeful in how you structure the stimuli you experience,however,youcangentlynudgeyourmindinadirectionwherecreativeinsightsaremorelikelytooccur.Thepracticeofdeliberatestudyplaysanimportantroleinthedevelopmentof

your capacity to think and to process new information.When you assemble astudy plan, you cultivate a queue of stimuli designed to grow your creativecapacity.Yourabilitytosynthesizenewideasislargelyinfluencedbyyourdepthand breadth of knowledge in diverse domains of expertise.As you study youdevelopnetworksofunderstandingthatconnectvariousbitsofdatainyourdailylife into meaningful patterns. The more you strengthen these networks ofunderstanding through study, the larger they grow. Similarly, as you diversifyyourareasofstudy,youareabletomakeconnectionsbetweenvariousdomainsofknowledge.Thenetbenefitofthisgreaterunderstandingoftheworldisthatyouarecapableofgeneratingmorenovelandappropriatecreativeinsights.Youcanmoreeasilyderivemetaphorsand see the similaritiesor connectingpointsbetween problems you’re facing. As this understanding grows stronger, yourplatformforcreativeexpressiongrowsproportionately.As Benjamin and Rosamund Zander write in The Art of Possibility, “The

framesourmindscreatedefine—andconfine—whatweperceivetobepossible.Every problem, every dilemma, every dead-end we face in life, only appearsunsolvableinsideaparticularframeorpointofview.Enlargethebox,orcreateanother frame around the data, and problems vanish, while new opportunitiesappear.” Purposefully structuring stimuli in your life through the practice ofstudyenlargesyour framework forunderstanding theworld andallowsyou tosynthesizemoreappropriatesolutionstoyourcreativeproblems.

StructuringYourStudyPlan

Structureyourstudyplaninquarterlyincrements.Thiswillgiveyouenoughofahorizon toensure thatyouaregettingaheadofyourworkwithoutplanningsofar ahead that it becomes impossible to know which stimuli will provide themost appropriate foundation for your upcomingwork. There are three criteriayouwant toapplywhendeterminingwhat shouldmake thecut foryour studyplan:

Where are you lacking information that you will need over the nextthree months? What will help you engage with your work moreeffectively? Are there any gaps of experience or knowledge that couldbecomeblindspotsandpreventyoufromdoingyourbestwork?

Again,with timeonyourside,youcanbemorepurposefulaboutclosingthoseknowledgegaps,andyoucanbemoreselectiveabouthowyoudoit.Maybeyouneedtoreadabook,perusesomeoldmagazinearticles,orlineupafewconversationswithexpertsinordertogaintheinsightsyouneed.Themainthingisthatyouarebeingpurposefulinmovingyourmindinaspecificdirection.This“Ineedinformationforwork”categoryshouldtakeupaboutaquarterofyourstudytime.What are you curious about right now? Your study plan is not just amethod for getting more done at work; it’s also a method for growingyourselfintellectually,emotionally,andspiritually.Takenoteofwhereyourcuriosity leads you in various areas of your life and give yourselfpermissiontoexplorethosecuriosities.Sooftentheoverwhelmingfloodofinformation we’re required to process on a daily basis squeezes out anytime wemight have for pursuing personal interests. By structuring theseareasofcuriosityintoyourstudyplan,youensurethatyou’reallottingtimeand attention for cultivating your passions and growing your capacity toexplorethedeeperquestionsyouhaveabouttheworldaroundyou.Your personal curiosities can range from broad subject matter

(mathematics, physics, ancient Rome, the RevolutionaryWar) to specificskillsyou’dliketolearn(cooking,gardening,woodworking).Pursuethesesubjects because you’re personally passionate about them, not out ofobligation.Theseareyourguiltypleasures,althoughthere’snothingtofeelguiltyabout.Infact,thiscategoryshouldmakeupabouthalfofyourstudyplan.What would be good for you? This part of your study plan is theequivalentofeatingyourmentalvegetables.Someitemsneedtobeapartof your studyplanbecause they stretch yourmind, cause you to grow innewways,orhelpexpandyourworldview.Whenconsideringthiscategory,thinkaboutareaswhereyoumaybedeficientinsomeway,whereyouhavean educational blind spot,where you need to gainmore information thatcould be useful down the road. This category should make up the finalquarterofyourstudyplan.

InhisbookTheContrarian’sGuidetoLeadership,authorandUSCpresidentStephenSamplesuggeststhatwespendthemajorityofourstudytimefocusingonwhathecallsthe“supertexts.”Thesearetheworksthathavestoodthetestoftime—SampleusestheexamplesofMachiavelli’sThePrince,variousreligioustexts,andPlato’sRepublic—inotherwords,textsprovenbylongevitytospeaktothedeeperhumancondition.Sample’spointisthatmuchofthecontentthatisproducedtodayissimplyderivativeofthesesupertexts,andnotnearlyashelpfulinformingourunderstandingofhowtheworldworksorforgingusefulpatternsofknowledge.Ratherthanreadingthederivatives,Samplebelievesthatwe’dbebetterservedtogodirectlytothesources.Healsoincludesamongthesupertextsgreatliteraryworks,plays,spiritualtexts,andfictionthathavelastedfordecadesor centuries. I’ve adopted Sample’s recommendation and have found thatreadinggreatworksnotonlystretchesmycreativeexpressionbutalsohelpsmeidentify patterns in human behavior that haven’t changedmuch over time. Inmanyways, it’s like communingwith thegreatmindsofhistory and allowingthemtoilluminateyourunderstandingofhowtheworldworks.This improvedunderstanding increases your platform for expression and creative problemsolving.Remember that this studyplan isnot intended tobe the sum totalof all the

stimuli you absorb in your life. It’s simply meant to provide a supportinginfrastructureforyourthoughtlifeandtoensurethatthereissomepurposeandintentionalitybehindthekindsofstimulithatinformyourcreativeprocess.Thestudy plan, and your study time,will help youmaintain stability and rhythm.Anythingelseyouchoosetoabsorbisfineaslongasyou’rebuildinginthemost

critical stuff first.Youcan feel lessguiltyaboutmindlesslysurfing theweborwatching reality TV if you know that you have time and energy set aside toexploremorepurposeful,insight-yieldingstimuli.Onceyouhavedeterminedtheitemsthatwillbeapartofyourstudyplan,you

maywant tokeep aStimulusQueue.This is a placewhereyoukeep a list ofitems you plan to read, experience, or study.Themost effective practice is toestablish regular times for study in your schedule, then towork through yourqueueinsequentialorderduringthosetimes.Again,thiswillensurethatyouaregettingtothethingsthatmatterandarenotsimplydriftingtowhateverhappensto capture your attention at any givenmoment.My study time has fluctuateddepending on the season, but I’ve typicallymaintained one at 5:30 a.m. eachweekday,anditlastsforaboutanhour.OthercreativesI’veworkedwithpreferto studyat nightbecause they find it agood release from thepressuresof theday. Other creatives I’ve coached prefer to do it over their lunch break.Regardlessofwhen,thecriticalprincipleisthatyourstudytimeisconsistentandnonnegotiable.DuringthistimeIworksequentiallythroughtheitemsinmyStimulusQueue,

whetheritmeansreadingacertainnumberofpagesfromabook,readingafewmagazinearticles,listeningtopodcasts,orexperiencingsomethingelseentirely.WhileIalsoreadatvarioustimesthroughouttheday,andIamalwayslisteningtoaudiobooksinmycaroronwalks.Thisstructuredstudytimeensuresthatmypersonalmentaldevelopmentandthecultivationofmycuriosityneversuccumbstothebusynessoftheworkday.Becauseofschedulingissues,othersmayneedtobreakuptheirstudytimeintoincrements,perhapsahalfhourinthemorningforpersonalgrowthandwork-relatedstudy,andahalfhouratnightforpersonalstudy. (For a complete list of recommended tools you can use to keep yourStimulusQueueinorder,visitAccidentalCreative.com/book.)What will you study? Howwill you structure purposeful development into

your life? By doing so you are cultivating the soil and planting the seeds forfuturecreativeinsights.

CONVERTINGINFORMATIONTOWISDOMTOCREATIVEINSIGHT

There is a significant difference between information and wisdom. But in aculture that is obsessed with sound bites and snacksized media, wisdom isincreasinglytakingabackseattoperpetualstimulation.Thedangerinthisisthatwestopthinking“what’sbest?”andinsteadworryonlyabout“what’snext?”InBirth of theChaordicAge, VISA International founderDeeHock shares

some thoughts on how raw information is transformed by our minds intosomethingmoreuseful.Hockarguesthatnoisebecomesdatawhenitisgroupedinto a pattern,when you can identify a noticeable andmemorable connectionbetweenbitsofnoise.Hecontinuestoshowtheprogressionofdatatowisdomasitbecomesincreasinglystructuredandusefulinourday-to-daydecisions.Ifyouwanttoturnthenoiseinyourenvironmentintosomethinguseful,you

must develop systems for filtering stimuli and discerning which of it is mostrelevanttoyourwork.Butthenyoumustgoastepfurtherandactuallylearntoutilize this stimuli inyourcreativeprocess inameaningfulway.The resultingbenefit of a purposeful approach to stimuli is the ability to think moresystemicallyandcultivateadeeperunderstandingoftheworldatlarge.Inotherwords, you develop wisdom. This begins with becomingmore observant andcapturinginsightsinthemoment.

PROCESS:NOTATION

Thegoalofstudyisnotsimplytoabsorbalotofnewinformation.Youwanttoprocess and assimilate it, then apply it to your life and work. If you don’tcultivate insights fromwhatyou take in, then thevalueof stimuli inyour lifedecreases dramatically. Taking good notes on your observations, insights, andexperiences with a reliable thought-capture system prevents them fromdisappearingintotheether.

“Helistenswellwhotakesnotes.”

—DanteAlighieri

Inthemoment,wealwaysthinkwe’llrememberourbestideaslater,butmany

of us have learned the hardway that even themost profound insights can befleeting.Howmanytimeshasasolutiontoaproblemsuddenlypoppedintoyourheadandseemedsoobviousthatyouthoughttherewasnowayyoucouldforgetit, and then you almost immediately did? This has happened tome toomanytimes tocount.This fleeting thoughtwasoftensomethingcritical tomywork.Aftergettingburnedthiswayafewtoomanytimes,Imadeapracticeoftakingregularnotesthroughoutmydayandofcarryingasmallnotebookorindexcardwithmeasawaytorecordinsightsandpromptsthatmaybeusefullater.Weallknowthatnotetakingisimportant,butusuallyournotesarelimitedto

facts, to-dos, meeting outlines, and so on. While these kinds of notes arecertainlyuseful,they’reoftenshuffledintothebackofanotebookorfilefolderandneverlookedatagain.They’remorenotesofrecordthanusefulfodderforourcreativeprocess.Observations and insights, on the other hand, often go unrecorded. These

includeanythingfromquestionsthatariseinthecourseofameetingtointuitionswehavethatwedon’tdeemnoteworthybecausetheyaren’tsomethingwethink

we’llberequiredtoknowlater.Thisisunfortunate,becausetheselittleinsightscouldbeseedsofbrilliance.Youneedtocultivateanattitudeofactivelistening,which includes actively listening to your own thoughts and responses in themomenttowhateveryou’reexperiencing.Manygreatandcreativemindsofhistoryhavemadeapracticeofvoracious

notetakingasawayofsortingtheirthoughtsandprocessingtheirexperiences.In his acclaimed biography of John Adams, David McCullough writes ofAdams’s habit of making notes in the margins of his books. “At times themarginal observations nearly equaled what was printed on the page,” heexplains,“asinMaryWollstonecraft’sFrenchRevolution,whichAdamsreadatleasttwiceandwithdelight,sincehedisagreedwithnearlyeverythingshesaid.Toherclaimthatgovernmentmustbesimple, forexample,heanswered, ‘Theclockwouldbesimpleifyoudestroyedallthewheels. . .butitwouldnottellthetimeofday.’”Adamswas not taking notes theway thatmany of us have been taught, by

making lists ormindlesslyunderliningkeypassages.Rather, hewas recordinghisownthoughtsandreactionstotheclaimsoftheauthor.Hetreatedbooksasaconversationratherthanamonologue.UnlikeAdams,manyofusstoplisteningto our own thoughts and reactions when we’re engaging with somethingexternal. We fail to realize that our instinctual reactions, if we learn to payattention to them, canbe indicators of somethingbrilliant lurking just beneaththesurface.Stayingalertandpayingattentiontohowyou’rereactingtoanexperience,a

book, or a conversation also forces you to stay out of ruts that could preventcreative insights. Rather than mindlessly moving through your day, you canactively engage by learning to reflectively ask questions and record yourresponses.Herearesomequestionsthatcanserveasastartingpointformakingyournotesmoreeffective:

Are there anypatterns inwhat you’re experiencing (or reading) thataresimilartosomethingelseyou’reworkingon?Oftenthesolutionstoyourproblemswillcomein theformofanalogyormetaphor. Ifyou lookfor similarities between your day-to-day experiences and the problemsyou’reworkingon,youmayfindunexpectedconnections.Evenworksoffiction,moviesyouwatch,orconversationsyouhavemaycontainpatternsthatcanbehelpful insolvingyourcreativeproblems.Youjustneedtobemindfultowatchforthemandtakegoodnoteswhenyounoticethem.

Whatdoyoufindsurprisingaboutwhatyou’reexperiencing?Surprise

canbeanindicatorofanentrenchedbeliefthatneedstobechallenged.Youshould pay attention to surprises throughout your day because they maymarkpathways to insight thatareasofyetunexplored.Surprise reactionscanalsoilluminateareasofcuriosityforpotentialfurtherstudy.

Whatdoyoulikeaboutwhatyou’reexperiencingandwhy?Exploringyourpersonalpreferencescanbeagreatwaytounderstandyourhabitsorcreative tendencies. You should aspire to stay actively aware of yourpreferences.

Whatdoyoudislikeaboutwhatyou’reexperiencing?Sometimesyourreactionagainstsomethingwillyieldhelpfulinsights,especiallyifitrevealsassumptionsyou’reholdingontoaboutthewaythings“havetobe.”

“Thetestofafirst-rateintelligenceistheabilitytoholdtwoopposingideasinmind at the same time and still retain the ability to function,”F. ScottFitzgeraldoncewrote.“Oneshould,forexample,beabletoseethatthingsarehopelessyetbedeterminedtomakethemotherwise.”Yourwillingnessto process your opposition to something—rather than simply ignoring itwhen it disagrees with your current view of the world—increases yourcapacitytosynthesizeideasoutofseeminglyunrelatedstimuli.Youshouldnotethesethoughtsinthemomentratherthanoverlookingthem.

In addition tomaking good observations and regularly recording them, youshouldalsomakeapracticeofregularlyreviewingyournotestoseeifthereareany potentially applicable insights. Many creatives I’ve worked with takecopiousnotes,butthey’repracticallyuselessbecausethey’realwaysmovingonto the next urgent matter, and thus they never bother to review them. OnemanagerIencounteredhadpagesandpagesofdetailednotesoneverymeetingshe’dattended in thepastmonth,one-on-onemeetingswithherdirect reports,and potential upcoming projects. She never reviewed them, however, becausetheyweren’t reallyuseful.Theyconsistedofonlyfactsandmemorandumsbutnothing trulyuseful inherwork, suchaspatterns shewasnoticingor creativeideas that emerged in the conversation. I explained that her notes would besignificantlymorehelpfulifshewouldrecordwhat’strulyuseful,thenmakethetimeinherlifetoreflectonthemandlookforapplicationstoherwork,whichshevowedtotry.AuthorKeithFerrazzitoldmeinaninterviewthathespendsanaverageofan

houreachdaythinkingaboutandprocessinginformationthathe’s takenin thepreviousday.Hebelievesthattheprocessingofinformationisascriticalasthe

informationhetakesin.Whilenotallofuscanspendthatmuchtimepurelyinprocessingmode, theprinciplecertainlyholds true thatweareoverlooking therealbenefitofourexperiencesifweneverstoptoreflectonthem.Takethetimeeachdaytoreviewyournotesandobservationsfromthepreviousday.

ToolsoftheTrade

I once oversaw an event featuring John Pepper, chairman of theWalt DisneyCompanyand formerCEOofProcter&Gamble.After the event, aswewerestanding in a reception area for a meet-and-greet, I noticed that Mr. Pepperwouldoccasionallyreachintohisjacketpocket,pulloutanindexcard,andjotanoteonit.Thishappenedseveraltimesoverthecourseofafewminutes.Whensomeone in the reception line said something in conversation that sparked athought,orwouldrequire laterfollow-up,hewouldcovertlypullouthis indexcardandwriteafewwords.ThisexperiencepromptedmetoadoptapracticethatI’vesinceusedtogreat

effect,whichistokeepasmallstackofindexcardswithmeatalltimesforusein takingnotesand recordingobservations. Iplacea fresh indexcard ineverybookI’mreading,orstartanewoneforeverymeetingIhave.Ikeeptheusedindexcardsinmybagorinmynotebookforreviewthenextmorning.WhenIreview themI look foraction steps,potentiallyuseful thoughts,or just ideas Iwanttoacton.Thiskindofnonlinear,nonchronologicalnotetakingallowsmetobeliberalincapturinginsightsandtidbitsinthemoment,andthentoreviewthematmyleisure.When Ipickupabook, Iwillquickly review the indexcardwithmynotes

fromtheprevioussessionsothatIknowwhatIwasthinkingwhenIleftoff.IfIamgoing intoameeting, Iwill reviewmynotes fromthepreviousmeeting toensure that I understand what the important issues are. I try to record anythoughtthatcomestomind,evenifitseemslikeanonsequituratthemoment.Ioftendiscover later that the thoughtwasmore relevant than I realizedbecausemymindwas atwork on something interesting behind the scenes. If I hadn’tdevelopedthepracticeofnotation,itwouldhavebeenlostforever.

UsingaNotebookforEffectiveNoteTaking

If youprefer to use a notebook for your note taking, I’d recommend that youbegin by numbering each of the pages of your notebook.Thiswill serve as areferenceforindexingandreferencingideas.Next,createtwoindexpagesinthefrontofyournotebook.Atthetopofthe

firstindexwrite“Ideas,”andatthetopofthesecondwrite“Stimuli.”Wheneveryouhavean insightor idea thatyou thinkmaybeuseful at somepoint in thefuture,recordtheheadlineoftheideaintheindexinthefrontofyournotebookalongwith itscorrespondingpagenumber.These ideascouldbesmall insightsthatyouthinkcouldlaterturnintobigones,orevenjustobservationsyoumakethatyouthinkcouldbeusefullater.Forexample,ifyouhadanideatocreateaweb-basedcommunityforrugbyplayerstohelpthemfindmatchesintheirarea,and you explored the idea on pages 77 – 78 of your notebook, you wouldproceed to the index and record “pp. 77 – 78 / Create aWeb community forrugbyplayers.”Later,asyouarelookingforideasforprojectsorsimplywantingto refresh your memory of past ideas, you can quickly review the index forsomethingpotentiallyuseful.This isalsoagreatwaytobeable tosearchpastnotebookswithouthavingtothumbthrougheverypagelookingforasingleidea.Additionally,wheneveryoucomeacross stimuli that you thinkwouldmake

goodcandidatesforyourStimulusQueue,recordthemintheindexinthefrontofyournotebook.Writethenamesofbooksandtheirauthors,movietrailersthatappeal to you, ormagazine articles that you notice in the doctor’s office andwant to revisit later. If you take notes from a conversation and someonementions a useful resource, you can also record the pagenumber of the notesfrom your conversation in the index so that you have context for why youthoughtaparticularpieceofstimuluswouldbeinteresting.Finally,make a habit of regularly reviewing your idea and stimuli indexes.

Whenyou’restuckonaproject,glancebackover themtosee if thereareanyuseful ideas. I recommend thatyoudevelop thehabit at thebeginningofeachdayof reviewing the ideas inyour index.Oneofyour ideasmay suddenlyberelevant to thework you’re doing that day or help you identify newways ofthinkingaboutyourcreativeproblems.

DigitalVersusElectronicNoteTaking

Asanearlyadopterandtechjunkie,Icompletelyempathizeifyouprefertotakeyournotesdigitally.I’veusedanumberofmethodsfordigitalnotetaking,andIstilluseacombinationofmyphoneandmycomputertocaptureandsyncnotesin many circumstances. But there are significant disadvantages to goingcompletelydigital.First,unlessyouremembertoreviewyournotesonaregularbasis,theycan

easilydisappear, tucked intosomevirtual folderwhereyouwillnever think tolook for them again. (With paper notes, there is always a physical remindersittingonyourdesk.)Also,whiledigitalnotesareinfinitelymoresearchableandsortable,theyarealsomorelimitingwhenitcomestosketchingoutanideaoraquickchart.Evenwithsomeofthenewtabletdevices,toquicklyandeffectivelycapturethoughtswhenyou’repushingpixelsinsteadofinkcanbedifficultandawkward.Regardlessof themethodyouchoose, though, it’s criticalnot toneglect the

practiceofnotetaking.Asastartingplace,simplycarryanindexcard,asmallnotebook,oryourdigitalnote-takingdeviceeverywhere,andwheneveryouhavean interesting thought, even if it seems completely random and unrelated toanythingyou’reworkingon,recordit.Overtimeyouwillbegintoseepatternsinyourthoughtsandpreferences,andwill likelygainat leastafewideaseachweekthatotherwisewouldhavebeenoverlooked.

Regularly reviewingyournotes is critical to stayingalert topotentialideas.

Additionally,it’scriticalthatyoutaketimeregularlytoprocessyournotesso

thatyouareabletoidentifypatternsandinsights.Remember:thegoaloftakingnotesistoextractpotentiallyusefulconnectionsandideas.Maketimeeachdayto review your notes from the previous day and regularly review them forinsightsthatcouldbeusefulinyourpresentwork.Here’samorningnote-reviewroutinethatyoumaywanttoimplement:

• Clear tenminutes at the very beginning of yourworkday. If necessary,plan to arrive tenminutes earlier, or if taking a train or bus, use your

commutetime.(Pleasedonotdothiswhiledrivingtowork!)• Ifyoukeepnotes inmultipleplaces,collectany indexcardsormeetingnotesfromthepreviousday,andyournotebook.Ifyouaretakingnoteselectronically, do a filter so that you can view only notes created thepreviousday.

•Review the index cards andmeetingnotes for insights or ideas that areespeciallyuseful.Youmaywant to transfer these toyournotebookandrecord them in your index. Similarly, if there are potentially usefulstimuli in your notes, you will want to record these in your stimulusindex.

• Review your notes from any stimuli you experienced/ read/watchedyesterday.

•Scanthroughyourlistofideasforanythingthatmaybeusefulintheworkyouwillbedoingtoday.

• If you have any new ideas while reviewing your notes, go ahead andrecordtheminyournotebookandintheindex.

Again,withoutregularreview,thepracticeofnotetakingisfairlyuseless.It’s

not about recording what’s happened; it’s about how what’s happened hasaffected or inspired you. By reviewing them regularly you increase thelikelihood that they will be useful to you and that you won’t forget criticalinsightswhenthingsgethectic.

EXPERIENCE:EXPLORINGYOURWORLD

Withallthisemphasisonstudyandreflection,youdon’twanttoneglectactualexperiences. You absorb much of your understanding of the world throughsensoryinteractionandexperiment,andtoignorethiswouldbetocutyourselfoff from themost significant sourceof inspiration.Youneed to regularly seekexperiences thatwill enlighten you, help you see theworld in newways, andopenyoutonewwaysofthinking.Much has beenwritten regarding the importance of play to our growth and

development. Play is the primaryway children learn, and recent research hasshown that play can contribute significantly to the learning of adults as well.Playhelps usmaintain emotional stability, too,which canbe important to ouroverallenergylevelandcapacityforgoodwork.InhisrecentbookPlay,authorStuartBrownarguesthat“playisthestickthat

stirs thedrink. It is thebasis of all art, games, books, sports,movies, fashion,fun,andwonder—inshort,thebasisofwhatwethinkofascivilization.Playisthevitalessenceoflife.Itiswhatmakeslifelively.”Aswegrowolder,Brownbelieves,wetendtoweedoutanyactivity that isn’t immediatelyproductiveorprofitable.Weeliminateplaybecauseit’snotexpedienttoourimmediateneeds.In doing so, we turn our back on a primary tool for creative inspiration andgrowth.Many of us are caught in the same routines and patterns day after day and

week after week.We rarely venture outside these routines because they haveproveneffectiveforus.While it’sadmirable tobedisciplinedandfocused,wedon’t want to leave great creative insights on the table simply because we’dratherstay inourcomfortzone.Wemustdeliberatelybuildnew,different,andchallenging experiences into our lives. This means setting aside time to putourselvesinstimulatingandevenpurposefullyuncomfortablesituationssothatour minds are forced to see the world in new ways. Here are just a fewsuggestionsforhowtodothis:

Take awalk around a local park ormake a trip to a localmuseum.Whatcatchesyourattention?Isthereanythingthatseemsstrangetoyouorpiques your curiosity?What have you not noticed before?Be purposeful

andmindful.Turnoffyourphone.Naturally,youwill takeyournotebookwith you. Record any thoughts or insights that pop into mind. Don’t beafraid to record thoughts that don’t relate to yourwork. It’s possible thatinsights formedheremaydevelop intosomethingveryvaluabledown theroad. If you can’t get to a park ormuseum, just take thirtyminutes overlunch,leaveyourphoneonyourdesk,andgoforaquickwalkaroundtheblock.

More than once I’ve told certainmembers ofmy team to get out of theoffice. Leave, and don’t come back—until you’re refreshed. While thisseemsunproductiveonthesurface,we’veoftenseenbreakthroughsforkeyprojectscomeasadirectresult.Teammemberswillcomebackwithexcitedlooksintheireyesandsay,“Iwaswalkingaroundabookstoreandsaw...”or“IwasintheparkandIthought. . .”Thevaluethatresultsfromthesesmall breaks is immeasurable, whereas having a team sitting aroundpushingpixelsintheattempttolookproductiveisactuallysignificantlylessproductive.

Serve others.Whenwe are forced to think less about ourselves and areinsteadrequiredto thinkabout theneedsofothers,somethingisunlockedinsideus.Becausecreativeworkcanbeveryconsuming,wecangetlostinan endless pursuit of our personal needs.Making a break from thinkingaboutourselvesandourproblemsforawhileoftenfreesupinsightthatislurking just beneath the surface. Our act of service doesn’t have to beanything significant or earth changing. You can get involved in youthmentorship,coachakidssportsteam,orserveatalocalsoupkitchen.Themainthingisthatyoustopworryingaboutyourselfforawhileandinsteadfocusonservingothers.Notonlydoyoubenefitcreatively fromthis,butyoualsogettochangetheworldinsmallbutsignificantways.Attend an uncomfortable event. Make plans to attend a lecture bysomeonewhoholdsadifferingpointofview.Visitareligiousservicethatisoutsideofyourowntraditionorcomfortzone.Ifyouareanintrovert,gotoadancecluboraparty.Ifyouareanextrovert,spendsomeextendedtimeonyour own.Agoodgauge for this is to ask yourself, “Whatmakesmeuncomfortablejustthinkingaboutdoingit?”Thegoalistostretchyourself,to resist the temptation to gravitate toward comfort. In so many ways,comfortistheenemyofcreativity.Whenwedefaulttocomfortoutoffearoftheunknown,weoftenignorethepathsthatmaychangeourlife.Taking

small steps to put ourselves in uncomfortable situations is one way ofinterruptingthecomfort-seekingpattern.

Makingabreakfromthinkingaboutourselvesandourproblemsforawhileoften freesup insight that is lurking justbeneath thesurface.

Thepurposeofstructuringpurposefulexperiencesintoourlifeistogrowthe

reservoir fromwhichwedraw insights.Muchhasbeenwrittenon this subjectovertime,butcommonsenseisnotcommonpractice.Someoftheverythingsthat aremosthelpful toour creativeprocess seem like common sense, butwemustnotmakethetragicmistakeofdismissingthembecauseofthat.

Question:Whatexperiencewillyoustructureintoyourlifethisweekinordertostretchyourthinkingandchallengeyourperspective?

With ever-expanding access to entertainment and news, it can be tempting tosnackoninformationalldayindiscriminately,butifyouwanttobesharpanddoyourbestwork,youmustbecomemorepurposefulaboutwhatyouareputtinginto your mind. Purposefully structuring the stimuli in your life provides thefoundationforyourworkandincreasesthechancesyouwillexperiencecreativebreakthroughs.Don’tfeeltheneed,however,tobeoverlystrictaboutthis.Justlikewithour

fooddiet,it’sallrighttoeatjunkfromtimetotime.There’snothingwrongwithsurfing theweb or reading pop culturemagazines for pleasure. In fact, manygreat ideaswill come from these activities, but it’s important not tomake thejunk a staple of your diet. The really effective stimuli are the ones that shapeyourthinking,increaseyourknowledgebase,andstretchyourunderstandingofthe world. You need to be purposeful about building these kinds of healthy,capacity-increasingstimuliintoyourlife.

8.

HOURS:THEY’RETHECURRENCYOFPRODUCTIVITY

Sincetheinventionoftheclock,peoplehavebeenobsessedwithtime.Walkthrough any bookstore and you’ll find advice—on saving it, organizing it,squeezingmoreout of it—filling shelf after shelf of self-help literature.Thereare countless time-management philosophies and systems available, and newgurusappearonthescenepracticallyeverydaypromisingtohelpusputsomeorderintoourhecticlife.Websitesthatshare“lifehacks”andpromisetomakeus more productive get millions of visits per year. Much of this advice ispredicated on the assumption that time is a finite resource and that we mustmaximizeevery sparemomentofproductivecapacity.Manyofusare lookingforasystemoratricktohelpusdojustthat.There are somany demands on your time, it’s easy to feel no control over

whereyour time is spent.Weall feel thepersistent tickingof the clock in theback of ourminds. Seconds are slipping away andwith everymomentwe’regettingcloser toourdeadlines.Afterall, isn’t theresomethingelseyoushouldprobablybedoingrightnowinsteadofreadingthis?Isthisreallythebestwaytospend your time? Isn’t there something more productive that you could bedoing?Shouldn’tyoucheckyoure-mail,makeaquickcall,orreviewyourtasklist?

“Wesaywewastetime,butthatisimpossible.Wewasteourselves.”

—AliceBloch

Tobehonest,ittookeveryounceofresistanceinmenottocheckmye-mail

in themiddleofwriting that sentence.Whydowe feel a constantpull towardthings like e-mail and task lists? Sure, it feels good when we can checksomethingoffourlistorsendaresponsetoane-mailthat’sbeenstaringusdownforafewhours,butwhatweoftenneglectinourpursuitofproductivitynirvana

is that some of the taskswe gravitate to are interferingwithmore important,capacity-buildingwork.Weunwittinglybecomeslavestothetask.Drivingthisinsecurityisthebeliefthattimeisthecurrencyofproductivity.At

theendoftheday,ifwe’vespentitintherightplace,wewin.Ifwe’vespentitin the wrong place, we lose. Whenever we fail to do what’s needed, weaccumulateadebtthatwillhavetoberepaidatsomepoint.Afterall,ourworkisn’tgoingaway,andsomeonehastodoit.At thesametime,weoftenobsessunnecessarily about our time becausewe grow paranoid thatwe’re constantlylosinggroundorthatwe’resomehowgoingtofallbehindandneverbeabletodigoutofworkdebt.Formanycreatives,thismind-setresultsfromthefactthatthey are constantly reacting to theworkload rather thangiving themselves thespaceneededtogetaheadofit.I thinkalotofusfeel thisway,whetherwerealizeitornot.Thisinsecurity

abouttimeisoneofthemainthingsthatcausesus,evenunknowingly,tocramwork into every available crevice in our life. We are perpetually thinking,movingpiecesaroundinourhead,andproblemsolving.Wefeelthepressuretoproduce, and we know that we need to use our timewisely to do so. But asmentionedearlierinthebook,thisalways-onmind-setunknowinglycausesustoforfeitourbestwork.Of the five elements of rhythm discussed in this book, time is the most

significant pressure point for many creatives. It’s where we feel the biggestcrunch,becauseit’sthemostconcreteresourcethatweneedtoallocatetowardourworkeachday.It’salsotheoneelementthatprovidesthefoundationforourpractices ineachof theotherareas.Asa result,developingahealthymind-settowardyourtimeiscritical,andnotjustintermsofhowyoucrankthroughtasksor how efficiently you conductmeetings.While these things have their place,youneedtobejustasmindfulofwhat’snotpresentinyourlifeandhowthisisaffecting your creative capacity as well. Though it’s counterintuitive, thesolution to feeling overwhelmed or crunched for time is often not to removesomething from your life, but to add something that raises your level ofeffectivenessinthoseactivitiesyou’realreadydoing.

ALLMINUTESARENOTCREATEDEQUAL

Thereismuchadviceonhowtoorganizeyourtimetoconqueryourtasks,butitismostlypredicatedon theassumption thatyourgoal is simply toget throughthework,withlittleregardtothequalityofthatwork.Butthisissimplynotthecase.Asacreative,youareheldtoaccountforthequalityofyourwork,notjustthequantity.Each project you take on makes demands of your time. You are forced to

makeprioritycallsaboutwhereyou’regoingtospendyourhours,andbecauseof the pressure of scarcity, you probably frequently feel like you have onechancetogetitright.Whatweoftenoverlookisthatonehoureffectivelyspentcan produce better results than five hours spent on a lot of frenetic activity.Breakthroughs can happen in a brief moment, but these kinds of suddenbreakthroughs result from a lifestyle of structuring your time according to aneffectivenessmind-setratherthananefficiencyone.

“Losttimeisneverfoundagain.”

—BenjaminFranklin

Warning: In the rest of this chapter Iwill be asking you to commit time to

specific practices that will make you more effective. You will be tempted tothink,There’s no way I could do this stuff—I don’t have the time. I’d like tochallengeyoutofocusonhowyoucanincorporatethesedisciplinesratherthanonallthereasonsyoucan’t.

THEPORTFOLIOANDTHESLOTMACHINE

Ascreatives,ourvaluetotheorganizationisdeterminedbywhatwecreate,notforhowmuchtimewespendcreatingit.Wehaveonlysomuchideagenerationtime to go around, so we need to get the most out of what we have. It’scounterintuitive,butifwewanttoincreaseourproductiveoutput,weneedtoletgo of our stranglehold on time.We must learn to spend our time effectivelyratherthanobsessingaboutefficiency.Tospendourtimeeffectivelymeansthatwe are willing to view our time as a portfolio of investments, not as a slotmachine.Weputourmoneyinaslotmachinehopingthatthenextpulloftheleverwill

pay off. The more coins we gamble, the closer we think we’re getting to ajackpot,buttheoddsofthegameremainthesame.Nomatterhowmanypullswemake,chancesarewewillnearlyalways loseourmoney.This isakin toacreativewho isperpetuallyworking in thedesperatehope that simplyplowingthroughinanalways-on,nonrhythmicmannermusteventuallyproduceresults.Certainly, some results will be generated—just like small jackpots that keepgamblerspumping coins into themachine—butover time this kindof activityonlydrainsourcreativebankaccount.Aninvestmentmind-set,however,isfocusedonthelongterm.Weknowthat

wemightnotseeanimmediatereturnonourinvestment,butweknowthatwewill see significant returns over time if we work the plan. When we buildpractices into our life that alignwith the underlying dynamics of the creativeprocess, we will find that our overall capacity to create is growing. We willachievelong-termreturnsonourinvestment.

To spend our time effectivelymeans that we are willing to view ourtimeasaportfolioofinvestments,notasaslotmachine.

ESTABLISHINGIDEATIME

Ifyouwanttohavealotofgreat ideas,youneedtostructureformaltimeintoyourlifetogeneratethem.Soundsintuitive,right?Again,commonsenseisnotcommonpractice.In every talk I give at conferences or companies, I ask the question, “How

manyofyouwouldsaythatgreatideasarecriticaltothefutureofyourcareeroryour business?”Without hesitation, nearly every hand in the room goes up. Iimmediately follow with the question, “How many of you had time on yourpersonalcalendarthisweekdedicatedexclusivelytogeneratingideas?”Crickets.Nothing.Maybeanoccasionalhandortwogoesup.Whythediscrepancy?Afterall,ifideasarethatimportant,whydon’tmoreof

us spend time trying to generate them? I think there are a few reasons. First,manyofuswouldn’tknowwhat todowith the time.We imaginehours spentstaring at a blankpieceof paper or standing in front of an emptywhiteboard.Justthethoughtofitisenoughtotriggerthefight-or-flightinstinct.Manyofusdon’t do well in situations where there is a danger of feeling inadequate orunprepared;we’dratherdosomethingwecanatleastcheckoffofourto-dolistthanwasteourtimeonsomethingthatmightnothelpatall(orjustmakeusfeelstupid).Second, I think thatmanyofushaveonly experienced ideageneration as a

teamsport.Theonlytimewereallyspendtryingtocomeupwithnewideasiswhen we’re in formal brainstorming sessions or staff meetings. Commonpractice in the workplace is that we generate ideas as a team, then go off toexecute on our own. Sure, we may occasionally have individual flashes ofinsight as we plug away at our work, but we believe that kind of thing isaccidental, a result of serendipity, and can’t really be systemized. It eitherhappensoritdoesn’t.Mostly,ifwewanttocomeupwithideas,weneedtopulltheteamtogetherandgetouttheflippads.While it’s true that we can generate ideas effectively in a team context, to

think that this is theonly context for effective ideageneration is simply false,andthisisoneoftheskillsthatourcompanyteaches.Thefearoftheunknownthatpreventsusfromexploringcreativeproblemsonourownputsacaponour

creativeoutput.Whileit’suncomfortabletothinkaboutwastinganhourthinkingaboutthecreativeproblemsinourlifeandwork,spendingourtimeinthiswaycanbeinfinitelymoreproductivethanfillingthathourwithe-mailsandminortasks.

Nomatterwhatyousayaboutyourpriorities,whereyouspendmoneyandyourtimewillprovethemout.

Astheoldsayinggoes, ifyouwant toknowwhat’sreally important toyou,

takea lookatyourbankstatementandyourcalendar.Nomatterwhatyousayabout your priorities,where you spendmoney and your timewill prove themout. If you really believe that ideas are important to you, start putting yourresources behind it. Begin by setting aside time for the sole purpose ofgeneratingideas.Howmuch time? I recommend beginning with an hour a week. One hour,

predictablyscheduled,noexceptionsandnoviolations.It’sanappointmentwithyourself, a commitment to spend uninterrupted time on generating new ideas,not working on old ones. If you’re like many creatives, you probably spendmuch of your week in execution mode. This time is not about execution orpragmatics;itispurelyaboutnewpossibilities.Thisisnottimetostrategize,writecopy,design,orinanyotherwayexecute

an idea you’ve already had.This is not time to dowork; this is time to thinkabout work. You are generating new ideas, not developing old ones. You aretilling the soil and planting seeds.While you may not always reap a harvestduringthesetimes,youareinvestinginfutureinsights.It’sbesttospendyourhourofIdeaTimeworkingononeissue.Iencourage

clients to begin with their Big 3. Choose one of the items on your list anddedicateoneuninterruptedhourfocusingongeneratingideas.Howmuchcouldyourworkchangeifyoumadethisapractice?Howmuchcouldoneideachangethetrajectoryofacurrentproject?I often face resistance from high-levelmanagers or creative leaderswhen I

suggestthattheyblockoffanhourperweektogenerateideas.Onefiredbackatme,“What?!Youjustwantmetositaroundandthink?!”Iremindedhimthathiscompanycompensateshimforthevaluehecreates,notfortheamountoftimehe spends in his e-mail program. I responded, “You can create an infinitelygreateramountofvalueforthecompanyinanhouroffocused,skilledthoughtaboutcriticalproblemsthanbyrespondingtothate-mailslightlyfaster.”Thismaysoundalmosttooobvious,evensilly.“Puttimeonyourcalendarto

generateideas.”It’ssosimplethatit’stemptingtodismissit.Butit’sthesmall

thingsthatmakeyoueffective.It’syourattentiontodetails thatsetsyouapart.Knowingdoesnothingforyou—it’sdoingthatmatters.(SpecialthankstoYodaandMr.Miyagi for that valuable life lesson.) If youwant to thrive youmustdedicateyourselftodoingthethingsthatfewpeoplearewillingtodo.Youneedtogobeyondhacksandquickfixes,andinsteaddeveloppractices.Practicesnotonlydevelopskills,theyincreaseyourcapacity.Theyformthebanksthatallowtherivertorundeep.Whenyoubegintotreatideagenerationasarhythmicpractice,youbeginto

experience growth in your ability to generate ideaswhen you need them. Justlikeconsistentrepetitionofanyactivitywillgiveyoumastery,youstarttoknowwhatagoodidea“smells”like.Youbuildconfidenceinyourcreativeabilityandyou do it in a low-pressure environment. (Who cares if you come up withterrible ideas? You’re the only one who will see them!) These capacities aredevelopedthroughpatientrepetitionandregularpractice.

GETTINGSTARTEDWITHIDEATIME

It’s best to set aside time on the calendar when you are least likely to beinterrupted.ForyearsIhavescheduledmyIdeaTimeearlyintheweekandearlyinthemorning,beforeanyoneelsewasintheoffice.Thisnotonlyallowsmetoattack important creative problems before the stresses and logistics of the dayhave zappedmy energy, it also startsmyweek offwith new ideas that I cansharewiththeteam.(There’snothingmorede-motivatingthanhavinganideaat5p.m.onFridayafternoon, thenhaving towaitover theweekend toshare it!)Yourrhythmsmayvary,butthemostimportantthingistoestablishatimeandstickwithit.Ifyoudon’tthinkyourmanagerwillallowyoutosetasidetimeforgenerating

ideas, you may need to make a case for why it’s a good practice. Share theprojectsyou’reworkingon, thekindsof ideasyouneed togeneraterightnow,andthenshowhowyouthinkthiswillbenefittheorganization.IfyoucanshowthattheoutputofyourIdeaTimewillultimatelymakeyourmanagerlookgood,you’relikelytoget thego-ahead.Ifnot,youcanalwaysplantimeearlyinthemorningorat theendof theday,orgetpermission toadjustyour schedule toaccommodateanhouraweekofuninterruptedthinking.WhatdoyoudoinyourIdeaTime?Themostcriticalthingistobeginwitha

clearlydefinedproblem,preferablyintheformofaquestion.(Aswelearnedinchapter4,aboutFocus,wecall theseChallenges.)Phrasingyourproblemasaquestion immediately gets yourmindworking on solutions rather than on thepragmatics associated with the project. For example, “Find new markets forXYZ”caneasilyberephrasedas“HowcanweexposemorepotentialcustomerstoXYZ?”Once you’ve established the Challenge, use a large piece of paper or a

whiteboardtorecordyour ideas.(AfewyearsagoIhadawallsizewhiteboardinstalledinmyoffice,asIwasalwaysrunningoutofspacetorecordthoughts!)Amethodthatwe’vefoundespeciallyhelpfultoprocess-orientedcreativesistosurround it with a series of questions to stimulate new ways of seeing theproblem.

Future.Whatwould a solution to this problem look like?Whatwould itfeel like?What is theultimate state thatwoulddescribe that theproblemhasbeensolved?Writeafewwords,thenstartgeneratingideasoffofthem.

Past.Whataresomeassumptionsthatarepresentlykeepingusingridlockaroundthisproblem?Arethereanyassumptionsthatneedtobechallengedorthatcouldserveasastartingpointforideageneration?Trytochallengeoneoftheseassumptionsbygeneratingideasdesignedtodisproveit.Conceptual.What are other problems and corresponding solutions that Iknow of that are similar to this one? Are there any learnings from casestudies or other items I’ve been exposed to that could apply to thisproblem?Trytoforceaconnectionbetweensomethingyou’refamiliarwithandtheproblemyou’recurrentlyworkingon.Concrete.What are the specific and concrete attributes of the problem?Can theproblembebrokendown into threewords? If so,do thesewordsgivemeanewwayofperceivingorattackingtheproblem?Free-associatenewwordsofftheseconcreteattributesandseeiftheysparkanynewideas.

TakeforexampletheChallenge“MakeCommercialAirTravelFun.”(Atallorder,nodoubt.)Thefirstthingtodoistomakefourcolumnsonthepagewiththe headers “Future,” “Past,” “Conceptual,” and “Concrete.” Thenmake a listunder eachheaderofwords that immediately come tomindwhen consideringthe problem from that angle. In other words, free-associate—just write downwhatevercomestomind.

Future (a few words indicating what a solution could look like): game,surprise,show,competition,entertainment,thrill,etcetera...

Past(afewassumptionsaboutwhatairtravelislike):challenging,boring,inconvenient,expensive,rude,uncomfortable,etcetera...Conceptual(solutionstosimilarproblems):cruisedirector,prizes,programdirector,DisneyWorldridelines,etcetera...Concrete (specific attributes of the problem): delays, cramped, boringinterior,badfood,etcetera...

Once you’ve written ten to twelve words per column, start choosing twowords,eachfromadifferentcolumn,andseeifanideaissparked.Forexample:

Cruise Director + Surprise = Have special celebrity “hosts” for randomdomesticflights.

Game+Prizes=Createagameforpassengersinwhichtheycancompeteforprizes.

Thrill + Boring Interior = Install a projection surface in the aisle of theplane, and a camera on the bottom exterior, then make the aisle looktransparent topassengersbyprojectinga live imageofwhat’sunderneaththeplaneatanygivenmoment.

Writedowneverything thatcomes tomind, regardlessofhow impractical itseems.You’dbe surprisedathowmanybrilliant ideasare lurking justbeyondyourinitialinhibitions.OftenthefirstfifteentotwentyminutesofIdeaTimewillseemfruitless,butasyoupushthroughthetemptationtocheckyoure-mailordosomething on your task list, you will find yourself gaining traction on theproblem.Ittakesourmindsabitoftimetoadjustandfocusonwhatwe’rereallytryingtodo.

“The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of 60minutesanhour,whateverhedoes,whoeverheis.”

—C.S.Lewis

BecausewesofrequentlyfieldquestionsaboutwhattododuringtheseIdea

Times,ourteamatAccidentalCreativehasdevelopedatoolcalledthePersonalIdeaPad(PIP) tohelppeoplegenerate ideasquicklyand inaprocess-orientedway. It uses the Future/Past/Conceptual/Concrete framework to surround aChallenge and then free-associates concepts to find potentially useful ideas.We’vefounditveryhelpfulforstrategists,brandmanagers,andotherswhoaremore process oriented than more traditionally artistic types, though manydesignersandothermoretraditionalcreativeshavesaidthatithasprovidedthemwithafreshwaytotackletheirproblems.Additionally,we’vefoundthathavingsuchatoolatthereadyincreasestheeffectivenessofIdeaTime,especiallyasa

startingpointfornewcreativeproblems.(YoucanlearnmoreaboutthePersonalIdeaPadandpurchaseoneatAccidentalCreative.com/book.)Asawarning:YouwillprobablyhaveregularIdeaTimesinwhichnothingof

significance is generated. You will spend an hour spinning your wheels withlittle traction.This isOK.Remember that this isan investment,notsomethingwe’redoingforaquickpayoff.Ifyoupersistandcontinuethepractice,youwillalso have times when you generate brilliant ideas in the first ten minutes—potentially business-changing ideas. Remember that tremendous value can becreated in incredibly small amounts of time.You invest your time, focus, andenergy in important problems, andyou reap a returnon theother side. Itmaytakeawhile,butit’swellworthit.Jessie, amember of our online coaching community,ACEngage, said that

prior to implementing IdeaTime she struggled tomaintainher energy level inherdayjobasanin-housegraphicdesigner.Shesharedthatthecombinationofestablishing effective Challenges and Idea Time has been critical to herincreased enthusiasm and performance. “I can’t be on all the time, but givingmyself small statements to focus on—like the Challenges—keeps my day ontrack.AndIhavefoundthatIlookforwardtomyIdeaTime.IamexcitedtoseewhatIcandigoutofmyownideasafterIgetthroughthesimpleanswers.”Weoftenseethatincreasedenthusiasmistheresultofclearingspacetothinkaboutcreativeproblems.Muchof theangstandhesitationcreatives feel toward theirwork is the result of fear and dissonance, which can be overcome with thisstructuredthoughttime.Make certain that you record all ideas that come out of your Idea Time,

regardless of how irrelevant theymay seem.Keep them in your notebook, orwhereveryoukeepyournotes,andreviewthemoften.Manytimesthebestideasfornewprojectsareonesthatwerecastoffsfromotherprojects.Ifyoumakeitapracticetovalueeveryideabyrecordingit,you’llbesurprisedhowoftenyou’llpull from these seemingly irrelevant ideas in the middle of a meeting on acompletelydifferenttopic.IfrequentlyencourageteamstobuildthissameIdeaTimestructureintotheir

organizational rhythms. Getting the team together on a regular basis, perhapsonce per month, to generate ideas around a nonurgent problem facing theorganization isgreatpracticefor those timeswhenthere isamoreurgentneedforideas.Asixty-minutesessioncanyieldideasthatcarryovertootherprojectsandbecomeusefulinalternativecontexts.Puttingtimeonyourcalendartogenerateideasisworthit.Itwillchangeyour

lifeandyourcareer.Remember:Successful,consistentlybrilliantpeopledothelittle (too obvious, too simple, too commonsensical) things that no one else is

doing.Thisiswhatwillsetyouapart,too.

PRACTICINGWITHUNNECESSARYCREATING

In The Artist’s Way, creativity expert Julia Cameron shares a practice shestumbleduponwhilelivinginNewMexicoandrecoveringfromyetanotherinaseriesofcareerdisasters.Everymorning,shewritesoutthreepages,longhand,ofpurestreamofconsciousness.Indescribinghermethodfor“morningpages,”Cameronsaysthereisnoneedforeditingorstructuringthecontent.Theentirepurpose of the exercise is to get the brain moving and to circumvent anypotential barriers to creative breakthroughs. “When people ask, ‘Why do wewritemorningpages?’ I joke, ‘Toget to theother side,’ ” she explains. “TheythinkIamkidding,butI’mnot.Morningpagesdogetustotheotherside:theother side of our fear, of our negativity, of ourmoods.Above all they get usbeyondourCensor.”WhatCameronisadvocatingthroughthepracticeofmorningpagesistheact

ofUnnecessaryCreating,creatingforourselvesratherthanforothers.Whenwespendmuchofourtimeinon-demandcreating,wecanquicklylosetouchwiththepassionsthatfuelourbestwork.Wegrowusedtoleveragingourabilitiesforthe sole purpose ofmeeting others’ expectations, andmuch of it is driven byhittingourmarks rather thanbyexploringnewpossibilities.The ironicpart isthatthispersonalcreativepassionisthemostcriticalthingwebringtotheworkwedo.Creatingondemandoftencausesustolosetheedgethatfuelsourbestwork and sometimes causes us to shrink from risk because of the potentialconsequencesoffailure.When we create unnecessarily, we are setting our own agenda. We have

permission to try new things, develop new skills, and make things solely forourselves. Ifwe fail, it’snobigdealbecausewe’re the client.Wecan take asmuchoraslittletimeasweneedtogetitright.Themainpurposeistoputourideasintofixedformandtoattemptthingsthatwemightnotgettotryinourdayjob.Wecanstretchourselves,explorefringeideasthatintimidateus,andmakethingsthatnoonebutuswilleversee.Withoutthispracticeinourlife,wecanbecome creatively stuck.Wemay experience a backup of ideas and thoughts,andtheweightofall thatwe’renotdoingbecomesasourceofresentmentandevenguilt.Wemayfeellikewe’resubvertingourownlifeandpassionsforthe

sakeofeveryoneelse.Butwho says this has to be the case?Your on-demandwork is certainly a

significantpartofyourlife,butitcannotcontainthesumofyourcreativeeffort.Ifyou’re looking foryouron-demandwork tobe theexpressionofeverythingyouhave tooffer,youwillwindupvery frustratedandgo toyourgravewithyourbestideasunrealized.Thebestwaytopreventthisistocarvetimeintoyourdaily andweekly rhythms toworkon the ideas that our on-demand role can’taccommodate.InhisbookShopClassasSoulcraft,MatthewCrawfordarguesthatthereisa

satisfaction to be gained from doing hands-on creating that can’t be gainedthrough more conceptual work. “The satisfactions of manifesting oneselfconcretelyintheworldthroughmanualcompetencehavebeenknowntomakeamanquiet and easy,”hewrites. “They seem to relievehimof the felt need toofferchatteringinterpretationsofhimselftovindicatehisworth.Hecansimplypoint:thebuildingstands,thecarnowruns,thelightsareon.”Eventhoughwedon’talwaysgettoexperiencethesatisfactionofcompletioninouron-demandrole,UnnecessaryCreatingaffordsusthisopportunity.Atthispointsomeofusmaybethinking,“Ibarelyhavethetimeandenergy

to do what’s required ofme formy job, and now youwantme to take up ahobby?”It’stemptingtoresistthistechniquebecausewethinkitwilladdstressto our lives—yet another thing we have to cram into our schedule. But theexperience of thosewho incorporate this practice is quite different. They findthat it actually clarifies their thoughts, makes them more efficient, andreintroduces a level of passion for their on-demand creating. In addition, ourUnnecessaryCreatingisoftenthebestsourceofnewinsightsforouron-demandcreativework.Robert,acreativedirectorforalargebrand-designfirm,spenthoursoverthe

courseofseveralweekstellingmeabout thestressesandpressuresofhisrole.Hetoldmethatexpectationswereontheriseandthathehadlittleauthoritytohireorshiftorganizationalpriorities to lessen thestrain.Hewasstretched thinandhadnoroomtobreathe.Ithinkhewasexpectingmetoofferupsometipsontimemanagement,buttohissurpriseIaskedhimabouthispersonalcreating.“Whatdoyoudoforyourself?”Iasked.“Doyoucreateanythingwithyour

hands?”Herepliedthatithadbeenaverylongtimesincehe’ddonemuchhands-on

creating. Robert was at a point in his career where he was mostly directingothersandrarelyexperiencingthesatisfactionofactuallydoingthework.Aftera little more questioning, I discovered that Robert had once enjoyed paintingwithwatercolorsasahobby,butithadbeenyearssincehe’dhadtimetopickup

abrush.As Iprobedfurther, Icouldsensehisexcitementbuilding just talkingaboutit.Ichallengedhimtogotothestoreafterworkthatdayandpickupsomewatercolormaterials.Heagreed,andovertheremainderoftheweek,Icheckedinafewtimestoseehowthingsweregoingwithhisrediscoveredhobby.Oversubsequentweeks,RobertandIwouldgettogethertotalkaboutlifeand

work, and I could see that there was a level of passion returning to ourconversation.Engaginginsomethingstrictlyforhimselfhadunlockedalevelofenthusiasmthathadbeensubvertedforyearsintheinterestofpracticality.Oncehehadpermissiontoengageinsomethingstrictlyforhisownpleasure,hebeganto come alive, and I could tell that this was affecting not only his personaloutlookbuthiscreativeengagementaswell.I’ve seen this happen with many others as well. Gardening, landscaping,

writing, planning a side business, editing homemovies, or anything else thatprovidesanoutletforyourpassionandcuriositycanbeconsideredUnnecessaryCreating.Themainqualificationsarethat(1)theactivityissomethingyoureallyenjoyand(2)thereisnotimeframeforcompletionoftheworkotherthanthoseyouset.

GETTINGSTARTEDWITHUNNECESSARYCREATING

As with Idea Time, Unnecessary Creating should have a set regular time forengaging in this creativity-inducing practice. Building this predictableinfrastructure for yourUnnecessary Creatingwill give you something to lookforwardtoandwillcreateabreakinthemiddleofyourhecticweeklyrhythm.I’d recommend an hour per week as a starting place, but if you’re reallystretched,youcanbeginwithanhoureveryotherweek.One benefit ofUnnecessaryCreating is that it gives you the opportunity to

regularlyexperiencethephenomenonreferredtoas“flow.”ThisisatermcoinedbyresearcherMihalyCsikszentmihalyitodescribethesensationof“gettinglost”inyourwork.Oneofthemaincontributorstoflowisdoingworkthatchallengesyourskillsandrequiresyourfullcreativecapacity.Whenthishappens,youloseallsenseoftime,becomingcompletelyimmersedinwhatyou’redoing.Peoplewhoexperienceflowregularly report that theyareable toaccesspartsof theircreativecapacitythatremaindormantduringtheirlesschallengingworkbecausetheyaren’trequiredtotakerisksorstretchthemselves.Why is this important? Because this kind of stretching, skilldeveloping

activityincreasesyourcapacityacrosstheboards.Youcannotseparateyouron-demandcreating fromyourpersonal creating.Whenyoudevelop skills duringyour Unnecessary Creating time, you gradually find those same skills andexperiences being unleashed in your on-demand creating. You are exercisingpartsofyourmindthatmayotherwisebegintoatrophy.Unfortunately,theadage“useitorloseit”isanaccurateadmonishmentforcreatives.Youneedtomakecertain that you’re not neglecting key passion areas or skills in your life justbecauseyouron-demandroledoesn’tregularlyrequireyoutousethem.

“Youhavetoleavethecityofyourcomfortandgointothewildernessofyourintuition.Whatyou’lldiscoverwillbewonderful.Whatyou’lldiscoverisyourself.”

—AlanAlda

WhatshouldUnnecessaryCreatingtimeconsistof?Onetechniqueistokeep

all your potential projects in a Project Queue. Anything goes! Editing familymovies,writinga short storyoressay, rearrangingyour furniture, songwriting,developing a concept for a new business, or anything that requires you toexerciseadegreeofcreativethoughtcancountforyourUnnecessaryCreating.Keep a small whiteboard on your wall at home, and use it to track ideas forUnnecessaryCreating projects you’d like towork on, or simply keep a list inyournotebookoronyourcomputer.Onceyoulisttheprojects,youmaywanttosimplyattacktheminsequentialorderduringyourUnnecessaryCreatingtime.Someofthesemaybeshorterprojects,takinglessthananhour,andsomemaybe longer-term projects that require a week or more of your planned times.Regardless,it’sbesttoworkyourwaythroughthelistsothatyou’llfeelasenseofaccomplishmentasyoucheckitemsoff.“Unnecessary Creating” is a misnomer; it’s very necessary, indeed. Start

small.Takenotesonideasyou’reexcitedaboutandthingsyou’dliketodo.StartaProjectQueue.Setsometimeonyourcalendar.AsyouexperiencethebenefitsofUnnecessaryCreating,youwillbegladthatit’sapartofyourrhythm.Becausesomuchofourtimeisspokenforbyothers,whetherbyyourmanager,your clients, or your peers, establishing practices that give you a sense ofstability and provide a through-line is important and necessary. The practicesdiscussed in thischapterarehelpful in that they invest inyour futurecapacity,fuelyourcreativeprocess,andkeepyoufromfeelinglikeyou’reperpetuallyatthemercyofeveryoneelse’sagenda.Bysettingrailsaroundyourtimeandbeingpurposeful about idea generation and skill development (throughUnnecessaryCreating),youaremakinganinvestmentinfutureinsightsinyourlifeandwork.Themost commoncomplaint I hear fromcreatives is “I just don’t have the

time.” For 90 percent of us, this is an invalid excuse. I’ve worked with topexecutives with large families, men and women who sit on the boards ofcharitiesandwhoareveryactiveintheircommunityandareleadingmajorworkinitiatives, yet they have still found the time to incorporate the capacity-increasingpracticesdescribedinthischapter.Itcan—andmust—bedone.Timeisavailable;youjustneedtofindit.Mostofuswastehoursweeklythatcouldbeusedeffectively.Thephrase“Idon’thavetime”reallymeans“Therearethingsthatareeasier/less threatening/morecomfortable that I’d rather spendmy time

on.” If that’s thecase, Iwon’targuewithyou,butyouneed tobehonestwithyourself about the fact thatdoingyourbestworkmaynotbeapriorityat thispointinyourlife.

9

PUTTINGITALLTOGETHER:THECHECKPOINTS.

“Manyhavegoneastraythroughnotunderstandinghowtocontinueagoodbeginning.”

—SørenKierkegaard

Remember that the objective of themethods described in this book is toestablishasupportinginfrastructure—arhythm—thatwillprovidestabilityandincreasedcreativecapacity. Itwillworkonly ifyouarediligentandconsistentaboutincorporatingthepracticesintoyourlife.Inordertodosoeffectively,youneedtooccasionallytakeafewstepsbackandthinkaboutyourcurrentneeds.Thepurposeofroadsignsistokeepdriversontherightcourse.Iftheyappear

too frequently, they simply become noise and are ignored. If they appear tooinfrequently, they are useless, because drivers are always unsure of whetherthey’re headed in the right direction. In a similar way, you need to plancheckpoints at specific intervals inyour life to ensure thatyouare still on theright coursebut not so frequently that so little has changed that youmight betemptedtoignorethem.Thesecheckpointshelpyouestablishandcultivatethepractices discussed in this book in a way that they will facilitate meaningfulengagementinyourwork.JeremyPryoristhefoundingpartnerofthevideoproductionstudioEpipheo,

whoseclientsincludeFacebook,Google,andYelp.Hetoldmeinaninterviewthatwithhisverydemandingschedule,he’shad to learn to thinkofhis life intermsofbuckets,withregularanalysisofwhat’sonthehorizon.Thisisthemosteffectivewayhe’sfoundtomaintainsanityinthemidstofchaos.Hesetsregularreviewsofhisrhythms,andwheneversomethingseemsawryinhislifeorwork,hisfirstquestionis“Isthisarhythmproblem?”Tostayoncourse,thiskindofrhythmanalysismustbebothlong-andshort-

term.Thisisnodifferentfromwhatyouprobablyalreadydoinmanyareasofyour life, though youmay never have thought to apply this kind of strategic

thinkingtoyourcreativeprocess.Alittlebitofthoughtandplanningtimegoalongwaytowardensuringthatyou’renotfallingintotheefficiencytrapbutareinsteadfocusingoneffectiveness.

Checkpoints slow you down, in a good way. Many creatives areaggressive in how they tackle theirwork, and they attack itwith vigor. Ihavehadtolearnthehardway,manytimesinmylife,toslowdown.Iliketomovequickly. (I frequentlyrun intoautomaticdoors thatdon’topen intimeformebecauseI’mwalkingtoofast.)IcansometimesgetaheadofmyteamormyclientsbecauseI’mnotstoppingtomakesurethatweareallonthesamepage.Havingoccasionalcheckpointsinmyscheduleforcesmetostop and reflect on where I’m headed and whether my life is reallystructuredinawaythatwillgetmethere.

Checkpointsprovidetraction.Traction isgainedwhenpointsof friction—even small ones—push off against one another and enable movement.Until there are two opposable surfaces, there will be no traction.Checkpoints act like strategicpointsof friction inyour life to ensure thatyou’re still moving forward and not losing traction. This will generateforwardmomentum in eachof the five elementsofCreativeRhythmandlessenthechancethattheywillgetsqueezedoutofourlifeasthepressureescalates.Checkpoints clarify opportunities. Think about how you’ve spent yourlast twenty-four hours. How much time did you spend on buildingsomethingratherthanonmaintainingsomethingthatalreadyexisted?Manyofusspendmuchofourpersonalandprofessionallivesinobligationmode—wemaintainasystemthatsomeoneelseinvented,orsimplymaintainourrelationships,reactivelydoingwhatwehavetoinordertogetthingsdonewithout building capacity for future work. These are symptoms ofobligatoryliving.A big factor in shifting from obligation mode to opportunity mode isthinkingregularlyabouthowyouareinvestinginyourcapacitytodobetterworkinthefutureandtakingaccountabilityforyourowncreativegrowth.Todosorequiresthatyouaskdifficultquestionsatregularintervalsandtohave the courage to readjust your lifestyle as necessary to accommodatewhat’srequiredofyouinanygivenseason.

Youprobablydon’t careabout thepipes running throughyourwalls (unlessyou’reaplumber);youjustwantthewatertheydeliver.Similarly,youneedtobemindful enough of your practices only to ensure that they are present andfunctioningproperly,butrememberthattheyaretheretoserveyou,nottheotherway around. Any system tends to become more and more cumbersome tomaintainover time,and that’sexactlywhatyoumustavoid.Simplicity iskey.Simpleritualsbecomehabits,andgoodhabitsyieldresults.Hereareafewothercriticalnotesaboutcheckpoints:There is no “one size fits all” solution for how the practices areimplemented. The specificmix thatworks for one personmay notworkeffectivelyforanother,andyoumustbepatientandwillingtoexperiment.Ifyouarediligentyouwillseeresults.

When the practices are implemented collectively, they work togetherlikeanenginewithallofitspartsintact.Yourrelationshipsimpactyourfocus,whichhelpsyoudeterminewhatshouldbeinyourStimulusQueue,andsoon.When takenpiecemeal, theystillwillprovide improvedclarityandinsight,butyouwillnotderivethefullbenefitthatispresentwhenallthepracticesareworkingtogether.

Getready tocompromise.Any degree of intentionality involves choice,andlettinggoofactivitiesthathavebecomecomfortableandhabitualmaybeawkwardatfirst.Inordertoestablishhealthyhabits,youneedtoletgoof things that aremakingyou efficient but not necessarily effective.Thismeans that you may see a short-term dip in the amount of work you’reproducingwhileyouare retrainingyour instincts aboutwhere to look forideas.

Thereareadditionalmaterials,includingworksheets,audio,video,andmore,tohelpyouengageinthecheckpointsatAccidentalCreative.com/book.Atbareminimum,foreachCheckpointyouwillneedyournotebook,yourcalendar,yourwork and personal project lists (if you keep them), your StimulusQueue, andyourProjectQueue(ofpotentialUnnecessaryCreatingprojects).

WEEKLYCHECKPOINT

TheWeeklyCheckpointiswheremanytacticaldecisionswillbemaderegardingthe practices. As your schedule is shaping up for the upcoming week, you’llhaveamuchbettersenseofhowandwherethepracticeswillfitmosteffectivelyinto your life. I like to schedule myWeekly Checkpoint on Friday afternoonbecauseitgivesmeacliff-topperchfromwhichtoviewmyupcomingweekandplot my course. Others I’ve worked with prefer to wait until first thing onMondaymorning,oreventodothischeckpointovertheweekend.Ifyouhaveanorganizationalsystemthatyou’realreadycomfortablewith,youcanalsofindways of working your weekly checkpoint into your existing systems. Forexample,I’veusedDavidAllen’sGettingThingsDonemethodologyforyears,andIliketolumpmyweeklycheckpointinwiththeweeklyreviewsuggestedbyDavid’ssystem.Whateverworksforyouisfine,butbeconsistent.DuringyourWeeklyCheckpointyouwill thinkabouthowto implement the

practices intoyourupcomingweek.Hereisacomplete listof thepracticeswediscussedinthebook:

Focus:Challenges,theBig3,ClusteringRelationships:Circles,Head-to-Heads,CoreTeamEnergy:Whole-LifePlannin,PruningStimuli:StudyPlan,Notation,PurposefulExperienceHours:IdeaTime,UnnecessaryCreating

Block off twenty minutes on your schedule for the Checkpoint, then work

through each of the practices and where appropriate schedule them in yourcalendar.

WEEKLYCHECKPOINTPROMPTS

Focus

Challenges:Lookat,orcreate,acomprehensivelistofyourprojects.DoeachofthemhaveassociatedChallenges?Ifnot,createthem.

Big3:WhatareyourBig3fortheweek?WriteChallengesforeachoftheBig3.Clustering:Are therewaysyoucanstructure similarwork thisweekso that there is less task switching? Block specific time on yourcalendarfortheseactivities.

Relationships

Circles:Doyouhaveacirclemeetingonthecalendar?Doyouneedtoprepareforit?Ifso,puttimeonyourcalendar.

Head-to-Heads: Do you have any head-to-heads thisweek?Do youneedtoprepare?Whenwillyoudoit?Puttimeonyourcalendar.CoreTeam:Doyouneedtoreachouttoamemberofyourcoreteamforadviceonsomething?Ifso,addittoyourtasklistfortheweekorfireoffaquicke-mail.

Energy

Whole-Life Planning: Are there any potential conflicts this weekbetweenwork andpersonal activities or expectations?Howwill yougetaheadofthem?

Pruning:Isthereanythingthatyou’dplannedbutnowrealizemaynotbeagoodidea,givenyourupcomingschedule?Howcanyoupruneit?Additionally,arethereany“hardruns”inwhichyou’llhaveall-dayorback-to-back meetings? How will you plan something energizingaroundorbetweenthemtopreventburnoutandstayenergized?

Stimuli

Study:Whenwillyourpersonalstudytimesbethisweek?Putthemonthecalendar.Whatwilltheyconsistof?TakealookatyourStimulusQueueandmapyourweek’sstimuli.

Notation: Take just a few minutes to lance at your notes from thepreviousweekaswellastheindexesinthefrontofyournotebook.PurposefulExperience:Doyouhaveoneonyourcalendarthisweek?Whenwillithappen?

Hours

IdeaTime:WhenwillyoustructureyourIdeaTimethisweek?Whatwillyoufocusonduringthesesessions?Putitonthecalendarwiththeassociatedprojectname.UnnecessaryCreating:WhatwillyoudoforUnnecessaryCreatingthisweek?Putitonyourcalendar

On page 188 is an example of what your week could look like after the

WeeklyCheckpoint.You’llnoticethatallthepracticesarerepresentedinthiscalendar,whichwill

not always be the case. Each week will look different, but being purposefulaboutputtingthepracticesontoyourschedulebeforeyourtimefillsupwillhelpyouensurethattheydon’tgetsqueezedout.Additionally,you’llnoticethattheevenings are free and clear because this schedule demands getting out of bedearly.Your schedulemaybeweightedmore toward theevening ifyou tend topreferbeingactivethen.Also,dependingonyourpreferences,youmaywanttocombineexercisewith

your study time a few times per week by listening to audio books on thetreadmillorwhiledoingresistancetraining,orbygoingforarunwhilelistening

toapodcastortwo.Itdoesn’treallymatterwhenthepracticeshappen,aslongastheyarepresent.Besuretoallowsomespaceinyourcalendartobreathe.Don’tbesorigidthat

youaccountforallyourtime,asunexpectedinterruptionsarelikelytointerferewithyourplansandfrustrateyourefforts. Ifyouarecomingintoanespeciallybusyseason,youmayneedtoebbandflowwithit,whichisfine.

MONTHLYCHECKPOINT

Theoneconstantinthelifeofacreativeischange,whichmeansthatyoumustregularlyensurethattheplansyou’vemadeandthepracticesyou’veestablishedare still relevant. The Monthly Checkpoint is about reviewing how the pastmonth went, and recommitting to, or changing rails, around practices for theupcomingmonth. It’s away to gain amore clear perspective on your currentprioritiesandworkload.TheMonthlyCheckpointisanhourpermonth,preferablyattheveryendofa

month (toplan for theupcomingone).Thegoal is to recognize trends inyourworkandtodosomestrategicthinkingaboutwhichtypesofpracticeswillhelpyoumostinthecomingweeks.

MONTHLYCHECKPOINTPROMPTS

Focus

Challenges:Whatarethebiggestprojectsyou’llbeworkingoninthecomingmonth?DoeachofthemhaveChallenges?Ifnot,createthem.

Big3:WhatareyourBig3forthemonth?WriteChallengesforeachoftheBig3iftheydon’talreadyexist.

Clustering: As you examine the upcomingmonth, are there days orweeks where you can cluster project work in order to focus moredeeply?Ifso,planaheadbymarkingthosedaysonyourcalendar.

Relationships

Circles: When will your circle meet this month? Put time on yourcalendarorsendinvitestomembers.Head-to-Heads:Doyouhaveanyhead-to-headsthismonth?Putthemonthecalendarorsendaninvitetotheotherparticipants.

CoreTeam:DoyouhaveanyCheckpoints comingupwithyourcoreteammembers?Youmaywanttoschedulealunchoracall.Sendaninviteorane-mail.

Energy

Whole-LifePlanning: As you survey the landscape of the upcomingmonth, are there anypotential conflicts thisweekbetweenwork andpersonalactivitiesorexpectations?Howwillyougetaheadofthem?

Pruning:Lookatyourupcomingmonth;arethereanyespeciallybusyweeks where you may need to prune either work or personalcommitmentsinordertomaintainahealthierenergylevel?Doitnow,beforethingsgettoobusy.

Stimuli

Study:Which items from your StimulusQueuewill you incorporateintoyourstudytimesthismonth?Determinenowwhatwillbesthelpyouwith your upcomingwork and schedule.Youmay evenwant tocreateanoteinyourcalendaronaweeklybasiswiththestimuliyouhopetousethatweek.Notation: Take a few minutes to review your idea index. Is thereanythingthatmayapply toupcomingprojects?Is thereanything thatneedstobeturnedintoaproject?Thisisthetimetodoit.

PurposefulExperience:Whatkindsofexperienceswouldyou like toscheduleintotheupcomingmonth?Whatexperienceswouldhelpyouwithyourwork?CreatealisttouseinyourWeeklyCheckpoints,orgoaheadandputthemonyourcalendarnow.

Hours

IdeaTime:Giventhenatureofyourupcomingwork,wouldyourIdeaTimesbebestplacedat thebeginningorendofyourweeks?Whichprojectswilldefinitelyneed some focused IdeaTime?Make this listnowtouseinyourWeeklyCheckpoint.

UnnecessaryCreating:What kindsofUnnecessaryCreatingprojectswillyouworkonthismonth?TakealookatyourProjectQueueandselect theprojects that seemthemostappropriategiven the timeandenergy you’ll have this month. Add them to your calendar, or justmakealistforuseinyourWeeklyCheckpoint.

AdditionalQuestionsInadditiontothemorepracticalquestionsaboutthepractices,theMonthly

Checkpointisagoodopportunitytoasksomeself-probingquestionsaboutyour current work.While some of these questionsmay seem obvious orunnecessary,theanswerscanoftenbesurprising.Howdoyou feel about theworkyou’re doing right now?Doyou feel

likeyou’redoingyourbestwork?Whyorwhynot?What do you perceive to be lacking in your life andwork right now?

Whatcanyoudoaboutit?

QUARTERLYCHECKPOINT

People are brilliant at developing permanent solutions to temporary problems.Thoughyoumaynotoftenrecognizeit,youprobablyseethisallthetimeinyourorganization. This iswhywe often see big, cumbersome bureaucracieswithincompanies. Many of those bureaucratic systems were developed to deal withpressing problems at some point in the past and have now become energy-zapping dinosaurs. It also happens in our personal life.We develop habits toresolve problems, such as e-mail inundation, lack of energy, or a desire forrelational connection, but then these habits live on once our needs have beenmet.TheCheckpointsensure that thesepersonalbureaucraciesdon’t takeoveryourlifeandkillyourbestwork.Any of your practices can becomemore harmful than helpful if you don’t

adjustorprune themfromseasontoseason.This is theprimaryreasonfor theQuarterlyCheckpoint.Itisacheckintohelpyouevaluatehowthingsaregoingandtoestablishthepracticesyouthinkyouwillneedinthenextquarterinordertomeetthedemandsofyourlife.It’slikeclimbingareallytalltreetogetyourbearingand takea lookat theupcoming terrain. Itmayseemlikea temporarydiversion, but this can make you much more effective as you continue yourjourney.TheQuarterlyCheckpointisthelongesthorizonplanningyouwilldo.While

many productivity experts recommend annual retreats to examine goals andobjectives, I find that these are often too long term to provide an accurateanalysisofupcomingwork.Ideallyyouwillbeabletotakeanentiredayforthisquarterlysession,but,understandably,youmaynotbeabletobreakawayfromyourlifeinordertodoso.Ifthisisthecase,theQuarterlyCheckpointcantakeplaceanhouratatimeinthemorningsoreveningsoverthecourseofaweek.One member of our coaching community shared how these Quarterly

Checkpointshavebeeninvaluabletoher.Shesays,“Theyhelptocreatebalanceinmylife.IgotothelibraryforaboutfourhoursonaSundayafternoonarmedwithmydailynotesandjournalentriesfromthepastquarterandmycalendarfortheupcomingquarter.Ithenanalyzethepastandplanforthefuture.Ithasbeeninteresting stepping back frommy own life and looking at it as an outsider. I

lookatwheremyenergyhasbeengoingandwhereIwantittobegoing.IcomeawayfromtheretreatwithmyBig3forthenextquarter.TheBig3goonmydailylogthatIuseatmydayjobsoIknowwhatI’mreallytryingtodoinlife.”There are two main priorities for the Quarterly Checkpoint: establish your

focusfortheupcomingthreemonthsandsetgeneralrailsaroundyourpractices.

QUARTERLYCHECKPOINTPROMPTS

Focus

Establish areas of focus.Divide a sheet of paper in two and on onesidewrite“work”andontheotherwrite“personal.”Spendtwentytothirty minutes thinking of all of the commitments you will beaccountablefor.Youwanttobeascomprehensiveaspossiblebecausethis will provide the working template for how you structure otherelementsofyourplan.

A commitment is anything that youwill be accountable for delivering.

This can mean a large work initiative that will require a lot of creativeeffort,oritcanmeanasmallpersonalprojectyou’repersonallycommittingtogetmovingon.Thisisnotawishlistofthingsyou’dliketodosomeday;it’salistofthingsyouareactuallycommittingtodoingorareaccountablefordoinginyourwork.Ifit’sonthesheet,it’ssomethingyou’replanningto get done in the next three months (or planning to spend a significantamountoftimeworkingon).

What are the Big 3 for the quarter? These are the big conceptualhurdlesyouwillneedtojumpthisquarterinordertosucceedinyourwork.

EstablishChallenges foreachof theBig3.Theseshouldbephrased in

theformofaquestion,andtheyshouldcapturethemaincreativeproblemyouneedtosolve.Foreachcommitmentyou’velisted,youshouldbeabletoanswerthequestion“WhatamIreallytryingtodo?”

RelationshipsOnce you have a sense of direction for the upcoming quarter and for thescopeofyourcommitments,youcanbeginsettingsomerailsfortheother

practices.Yourrelationalrhythmsarebestexaminedonaquarterlybasistomake sure thatyouare fillingyour schedulewith stimulating interactionsbutnotbecomingoverwhelmedwithobligatoryones.Doingthiswillalsohelpyoudeterminewheretherearegapsinyourexistingrelationshipsthatyoumaywanttofillintheupcomingseason.

Who are the people you will be setting head-to-heads with thisquarter?Haveyouthoughtthroughhowthiswillhappen?Whatisthebesttimingforyourmeetings?Whatkindsofthingswillyoudiscuss?TaketheopportunityaffordedbyyourQuarterlyCheckpointtodoanaudit of all your relationships and to set new expectations aroundthem.Perhapsyouhavestandingmeetingsthatneedtobereevaluated.Maybe there’s an old friend or colleaguewhomyou’d like to spendmoretimewith.Maybetherearesomerelationshipsthatneedtobeputontemporaryholdinordertoaccountfortherhythmsoftheupcomingseason. You have total permission to evaluate all your relationshipswithacleanconscience,thentomakedecisionsstrategically.

To some thismay sound a little harsh.After all, how canwe treat our

relationships as a matter of convenience and discard them when theybecomecumbersome?Tobeclear:that’snotatallwhatwe’retalkingabout.In fact, this is actually about making the relationships we choose tomaintain more productive and meaningful. When we are selective abouthowandwherewespendourrelationalenergy,wefindthatourconnectionsdeepenandthatwe’reactuallyabletogivemoreofourselvestothepeopleinourlife.It’swhenwe’renotselectivethatweenduplivingonthemarginandgivingleftoverstoothers.

Will youbemeetingwitha circle? If so,whatwill that rhythm looklikefortheupcomingquarter?Thinkaboutyourcoreteam.Whenwillyoumeetwiththem?Youneedto give these people enoughnotice so that they are able to give youtheirfullattentionwhenyoumeet.Whom are you going to purposefully spend more time with thisquarter?Are therepeoplewithwhomyouwould like tospendmorequalitytimeinordertodevelopyourrelationshipsandpossiblytogainmentaltractiononyourwork?

EnergyAfter you’ve listed each of your commitments for the upcoming quarter,you will begin to gain a sense of what you’re expecting of yourself, orothers are expecting of you, in the next few months. If you’ve neverperformed this exercise before, seeing the entire scope of yourwork laidout before you canbe an eye-opening experience. Itmay evenbe a littleoverwhelmingtoseeallyourworkandpersonalcreativeaspirationslistedside by side. Not to worry—that’s precisely the reason we’re doing thisexercise. A little discomfort nowwill save you a ton of stress down theroad.Eachof thesecommitments representsnotonly timeandcreativework

that you’ll be accountable for but also energy that you’ll be required toexpend.Aswediscussedearlier,sometimesprojects—evenverygoodones—can steal needed energy frommore critical, productive projects.Manypeople don’t realize the cumulative effect of their choices on theirworkflow.Ongoing,recurringcreativecommitmentsareoftentheresultofa decision made once upon a time that continues to require energy andfocusmanymonths,evenyears,later.Asthesecommitmentsbegintoshowup on your list, you see the true effect of choices you’vemade and howtheymaystillbelimitingyourabilitytoengagewithmorepressingwork.

Arethereanyprojectsthatneedtobepruned?Ofallofthethingsonyour list, is thereanything thatneeds togoaway thisquarter so thatyoucanfocusyoureffortsonmoreproductivework?

Isthereanythingelsecomingupthisquarterthatisabnormalbutthatneeds to be considered? Are you taking vacation, or are there anyother trips on the calendar? You need to take these into account,because they will affect your workflow and your energy. Often wedon’t look at how things like trips, timeoff, or family commitmentswillaffectourabilitytoengage,andasmuchaspossible,it’sbestnotto plan our critical work around times when it will be difficult tomentallyengage,likethelastfewdaysbeforeacriticaltriporthefirstfewdaysback.

Rememberthatthepurposeoflookingatthescopeofyourcommitmentsthrough the lens of Energy is to identify any easy decisions about whatneedstobescaledbackorwhereyoumayhaveunwittinglymadelong-term

commitmentsthatarebecomingunwieldy.Stimuli

Whatkindsofstimuliwillhelpyouwiththeprojectsyou’llbeworkingon?Canyouidentifyanyknowledgegapsinthecommitmentsonyourlist?Arethereanyprojectsthatwillrequirespecialinformation?Nowisthetimetoidentifythoseneedsandtolistafewresourcesthatmaybeabletohelp.

Whatareyoucuriousaboutrightnow?Listafewsubjectsthatyou’recurious about or that you’d like to explore. If you can, list a fewresourcesthatareinterestingtoyouandthatyou’dliketoaddtoyourStimulusQueue.Howwillyouchallengeyourselftogrow?Listafewitemsthatyouaregoingtostudyorexperiencethisquarterasawaytogrowyourmindand stretch your experience base. These can be books, places you’llvisit,meetingsyou’llattend,oranythingelsethatcausesyoutoseetheworldinanewway.Theimportantthingisthatyou’relistingconcreteitemsandatleasttacitlymakingacommitmenttothem.

Hours

Which of the projects on your list will require the most creativethought time?Canyou identify fouror fiveprojects thatwill requirean extra amount of creative effort? Not that you are going to doanythingaboutitatthispoint,butit’sgoodtobeginidentifyingthemnow,inadvance,sothatyoucanearmarkIdeaTimeagainstthem.

WhatwillyourUnnecessaryCreatingprojectsbe?Someofthesemaybe listed already on your commitments list, but spend some timethinking about the kinds of projects you would like to initiate orcontinuethisquarter.TheseitemswillbeaddedtoyourProjectQueue,and youwillwork on them during yourUnnecessaryCreating time.Again,it’snotcriticaltogettheseexactlyright.Thewholepurposeissimply to do an analysis of the kinds of things you’re currently

interested in working on and to make a commitment to trying newthingsandcreatingunnecessarilythisquarter.

DreamaBit

OneadditionalexercisethathasbeeneffectiveformeisoneIlearnedfrommyfriendLisaJohnson.Shetoldmeinaninterviewthatonceeveryseveralmonthsshe makes a list of all of the things that would “blow her mind” if theyhappened.Forexample,bigbusinessbreakthroughs,peopleshe’dliketomeetorworkwith, or goals she’d like to reach. She relays thatmany of the items ontheselistshaveactuallyhappened,andsheattributesthistothefocusshegainsfromsimplywritingthemdown.I’vehada similarexperiencewith thispractice. Iwork it intomyQuarterly

CheckpointandspendaboutthirtyminutesdreamingasIwritethingsthatseembeyond my reach at the present. Numerous things I’ve put on the list haveactuallyhappened,suchasstartingmycompany,afamilytripwewantedtotake,andevenpublishingthisbook!

BEINGINFLEXIBLYFLEXIBLE

Lifewillchangeandprioritieswillshift.Thisisthenatureofcreativework.Asquicklyas ideasare formedandput inmotion, theentireplayingfieldwilloften change and require new insights, new executions, and maybe evendifferent teammembers tobeadded toourefforts.This iswhy thestrategyofregularlyreviewingyourpracticesandaskingwhethertheyaretrulyalignedtoyourprioritiesissoimportant.Somemaybe tempted to ignore thisadvicebecause itseemstooobviousor

irrelevant.I’dliketochallengeyouthatlifeistooprecioustoallowforevenaweek of effort wasted due to being absent from the wheel. Once you get offcourse,alotofenergyandextrafocusisrequiredtobringyoubacktowhereyouwant to be. That’s effort that could be used instead for projects you’d like toinitiateortogenerateinsightsyouneedforyourwork.Onceyou’veestablisheddeeppatternsinyourlifearoundthepractices,you’ll

likelynoticethatinsightsandideasareemergingthatyou’dnotexpected.Thisisbecauseyouarenolongerlivingreactivelybutareinsteadfillingyourlifewithmore of what reallymatters to you and piques your interest. You are findingCreativeRhythm,andthatisagreatplacetobe.

10.

COVERBANDSDON’TCHANGETHEWORLD

“There can be an intense egoism in following everybody else. Peopleare in a hurry tomagnify themselves by imitatingwhat is popular—andtoo lazytothinkofanythingbetter.Hurryruinssaintsaswellasartists.Theywantquicksuccessandtheyareinsuchahastetoget itthat they cannot take time to be true to themselves. And when themadness isupon themtheyargue that theirveryhaste isa speciesofintegrity.”

—ThomasMerton,NewSeedsofContemplation

I’mhopefulthatyou’vetakenmyencouragementthroughoutthisbookthatthemainreasontoestablishpracticesistoincreaseyourcapacityforinsightandbrilliance,notsimplytocrammorethingsintoyourlifeortohackyourcreativeprocessinsomeway.Again,thereisnoformulaforeffectivecreatingandtherearenoshortcutstoexperiencingbrilliancewhenyouneedit.Youwillseeresultsonlywhenyouarewillingtoletgoofanxietyaroundshort-termoutcomesandpour yourself into activity that increases your capacity to experience futureinsights.Over time, many of the practices in this book will become second nature.

Theywill simply become intertwinedwith your lifestyle and creative process.But like anything elseworthwhile, your first effortswill require a tremendousamount of forethought and follow-through. Once you’ve persisted in thesechoices, however, you will likely begin to see some welcome by-products inyourlife.Thoughitmaytaketimetoseetheseresults,effectivecreatingbeginsthemomentyoudecidetoreclaimthenaturalrhythmsofyourcreativeprocessandstructureyourlifearoundthem.Thiswillrequireintentionality,choice,anddiscipline.Intentionalitymeans that you are approachingyour life in a systematicway

andnothaphazardly.Youknowwhatyou’reaboutandyou’reworkingasystem

tomakeithappen.Itmeansthatyoumustconstantlyremindyourselfofnotonlywhatyou’redoing,butwhyyou’redoingit(Checkpoints).Youdon’twantyourpractices to turn into unhealthy, counterproductive habits or for the system toturnuponitselfbecauseyou’vedisengagedfromthewhybehindthewhat.Thisislikepoisontoyourcreativeprocess.Choice means that by saying yes to a set of practices, you are inherently

sayingnotoalotofotherthings.Youcandoalmostanythingyouwant,butnoteverythingyouwant.Whatyouchoosetoincludeinyourlifehasconsequencesandimmediatelylimitsyourotherchoices.Therefore,youmustbecarefulwhenmaking commitments so as to not unintentionally limit your opportunities forengagement.Maybeyouchoosetocreatesomethingordoalittlereadinginsteadofwatchingasitcom.(Ooh...thathurts.)Butyouknowthateverychoiceyoumake affects everything else in your life, and youmust thereforemake thesechoicescarefully.Choosingtoestablishstudytime,orUnnecessaryCreating,orto set time for get-togethers with people who stimulate your creativitynecessarilymeansyou’resayingnotootheractivitiesthatmaybringyoumorecomfort in the moment. You are trading immediate gratification for futureinsights.It’saninvestment,andhopefullyyou’rediscoveringthatit’soneworthmaking.Remember:Comfortisfrequentlytheenemyofgreatness.Whenyouchoose

todefaulttocomfort,youarechoosingtobelesseffectiveinyourlife.Discipline involves establishing and hitting specific marks and doing what

needsdoingregardlessofhowyoufeelinthemoment.Itmeansthatyoumakedecisionswhenyouhaveclarityandsufficientenergy,thenyoufollowthroughonthemregardlessofhowyoufeelinthemoment.Itishumannaturetodefaulttothepathofleastresistanceunlessyoumakepurposefuldecisionstodowhat’sbestratherthanwhat’smostconvenient.Thetimetodecidetogoonadietisnotwhenyou’recravingchocolateandthedeserttrayiswavedinfrontofyourface;it’swhenyou’reinaplaceofcontentmentandareabletorationallydecidethatyou’d like to lose a few pounds. Similarly, the time to choose to study, or tobuild into relationships, is not when we realize you’ve come upon someunexpectedfreetime;it’swhenyou’restrategicallyplanningyourlife.

Comfort is frequently the enemy of greatness. When you choose todefaulttocomfort,youarechoosingtobelesseffectiveinyourlife.

Asyouengagewith intentionality, choice, anddiscipline, thecapacities that

havebeen lyingdormantdue tomisuseorneglectbecomeunlocked.Youmayuncoverpassionsthatyou’velongforgottenorrememberhowitfeelstobefully

immersed in yourwork and know that you’re good atwhat you do.As thesedormantparts of you comeonline, youwill begin to see that your capacity tochangetheworldislargelydeterminedbyyourwillingnesstobringyouruniqueabilities to the table every single day and to continually empty yourself ofwhatever’sinside.One of our coaching community members, Sal, shared how establishing

practicesandestablishingCreativeRhythmunlockednewpossibilitiesforhim.He says, “I was going through changes and asking some important questionsaboutwho Iamandhowmywork is supposed to reflect that. Iwasbouncingaround between projects, tasks, and friendships, trying to figure out what Ishould be doing. Nothing was tied together. They were all individual andseparateoccurrencesintime.”Hecontinues:“Forsomanyyears, Ihadawealthofcreative talentbuiltup

insideofme.Iwouldtrytousealittlebithereandthere.TakeascoopoffthetopatworkandapplyitwhereIcould.Trytostartanewprojecttorelievesomeofthepressurebuildingup.ItwaslikeIwasdrowninginadullworldandcouldonlygetabreathofcreativeoxygeneveryonceinawhile.”Salsaysthatoncehebecameawareofhowhe’dbeenlivingwithoutstructure

in his life, he began to establish practices that unlocked dormant parts of hisabilities.Hesays,“Discontentisonlyaprecursorforchangeandsoitbegan.Ibegantheprocessofstartingabusiness.Iwasn’tsurewhatthatbusinesswouldultimatelylooklike,andIamsureIamnotwhereIwillendup,butthefactis,Istarted.Whenthetimewasright,Ileftmyjobandhavebeenemptyingmyselfeachandeverydaysincethen.”Not everyonewill leave their job, nor should they, but for Sal, establishing

practicesledhimtorealizethathe’dbeenlivinghislifebydefaultandnotwithpurpose.Oncehe’ddiscoveredthis,hebegantoalignhislifewithhisstrengthsratherthanwithwhatwasmostcomfortable.

ALESSONFROMTHEBEAVERS

Awhile ago,my family and Iwent to see anOmnimaxmovie about beavers.(Yes,we like to live on the dangerous side.) I’ve heard the phrase “busy as abeaver” at least a thousand times in my life, but I don’t think I ever reallyconnectedwithitsmeaning.Everydayabeaversimplydoeswhatit’swiredtodo.Itdiligentlyperformsthetaskofcuttingdowntreesandmovingthemaroundto create dams. While the day-to-day work a beaver does may be relativelyunnoticeable,overthecourseofitslifetime,asmallfamilyofbeaverswillaffecttheenvironmentarounditmorethananyothercreature(excepthumans).Simplythroughtheprocessofbuildingdams,whichitusesforhousingandsustenance,abeavercan(andoftendoes)turnariverintoameadow,orfarmlandintoalake.Here’s the thing:Thebeaverdoesn’thave somemaster strategy inmind for

repurposingthesurroundingterrain.Thisisnotitsintent.Itissimplydoingwhatitdoes,dayafterdayafterday,andtheensuingenvironmentalchangeissimplyaresultofitsactivity.Thebeaverisjustbeingabeaver,anditchangestheveryworldaroundit.Somanyofuswanttogostraighttoresults.Wewanttoknowhowandwhen

somethingisgoingtopayofffromtheverybeginning.Buthowmanyofus,likethebeaver,wouldbewillingtoworkalittlebiteachdayonsomething,all thewhilenotknowingwhenandwhetherwewillseetheresultsofourlabor?Thisis thebenefit ofhavingpractices inour life.Theyprovide an infrastructure tokeep us focused on the things that matter most to our creative ability andultimatelytheyhelpusbringthebestofwhowearetowhatwedo.

“Yourtimeislimited,sodon’twasteitlivingsomeoneelse’slife.Don’tbetrappedbydogma—whichislivingwiththeresultsofotherpeople’sthinking.”

—SteveJobs

Iwasrecentlyspeakingataconferenceandsteppedoutwithafewattendees

foraquicklunchbetweensessions.Aswelefttherestauranttoheadbacktotheconventioncenter,oneofourlunchmatesrealizedthathe’dforgottensomethingat the table, so the rest of us waited for him on the corner in front of therestaurant.Aswestoodsharingsmalltalk,ourconversationwasinterruptedbyagentlemanstandingafewfeetfromusandleaningcasuallyagainstalamppost.Heshouted,“Whatareyouguysdoing,standingaroundonthecorner,holdinga‘dirtyshoe’convention?”Wechuckled,acknowledgedthatweweren’t, infact,holding such a gathering, and went back to our conversation. A few secondslater, he interrupted us again, but this time his remarks were at another manpassing by. “Hey! I thought that when the Romans fell, the sandals fell withthem!”Thisquipalsogotachucklefromusandcaughttheattentionoftherestofthepassersbyaswell.Afterafewmoreremarksaboutthefootwearofpeoplestrollingby, the jokester retreated toasmallshoeshinestandabout twentyfeetaway,wherehehadahealthylineofpatronswaiting.Intrigued, I approached him to get a littlemore background on his story. It

turnsout that thiswasnotaone-timegimmickbut thathehadbeendoingthisfor quite a while. He loves people, he loves humor, and had found a way toweave both into his daily routine as a shoe shiner.As a result of bringing hisunique gifts and perspective to what he does, he’d built a loyal clientele andprovidedquiteabitofmiddayentertainment to randomstrangers.Rather thanseeing his work as a set of tasks to be accomplished, he treated it as anopportunitytobringhisownpersonalityandpassionstotheworld.Theresultisthathehasbuiltaone-of-a-kindshoeshineexperienceandearnedaplaceintheheartsofcountlesspassersby.

RECOVERINGMEANINGANDENGAGINGDEEPLY

One of the natural by-products of establishing rhythmic practices is that webegin to remember things that were once important to us that have somehowbeen forgotten in thehustleofourdaily activity.Oncewe slipoutof reactivemodeandintoaplaceofrhythm,space,andmasteryofourprocess,webegintounderstandthatwehavetheabilitytonotonlymeetthebasicobjectivesofourworkbutalsotoactuallyshapetheworkintosomethingmeaningful.Whatever the subject matter of our work, as creatives we have the unique

privilege of creating meaning each day.Whether we are designing a system,launchinganewproduct,orconsultingwithaclient,webringsomethinguniquetotheprocessthatnooneelsecan.Withabitofspaceandperspective,wewilllikelyfindthatourworkislessdesperateandthatwearedrawingfromadeeperwelloffocus,andperhapsevenarefinedsenseofpurpose.Webegintoseehowallofourlifeandworkisinterconnectedwhenourdailyactivityissupportedbyourcapacity-increasingpractices.Ourmostsignificantworkwillnearlyalwayscome from a deep understanding of not onlywhatwe are doing, but thewhybehindit.Whenwegainasenseofmasteryoverhowweengageourwork,wearebetterabletoconnectwiththisdeepersenseofmotivation.

InaWorldWithoutLimits...

Whatwouldyoudoifyouhadallthetimeandalltheresourcesintheworldatyourdisposal?Nolimits,noconstraints,nocatches.Youhavecompleteandtotalfreedom of time and movement. You can do anything, be anything, or goanywhereyouwant.Whatwouldyoudo?For someofus, just thinking about this scenariogets ourheart racing for a

split second beforewe are pulled back to reality.We begin to rationalize andarguewhythisfantasy-worldscenarioisimpracticalandthenourthoughtsdriftoff to our task at hand or our e-mail. Some of us feel guilty for our fleetingexcitement.We’llarguethatitisimpracticaltoeventhinkaboutsuchthings.Attheheartofourverylogicalargumentsistherealitythatwedon’tknowhowtoanswerthatquestion.Wereallyhaveneverthoughtaboutit.Ourdreams,ifweallow them, often seem highly practical and mostly centered around theprospective advancement, the next promotion, or something else in theforeseeable future.We arewed to the expectations of others or to a corporateculturethatwantsthingsfromus—verypracticalthings.(Andrightlyso,bytheway.Wearebeingpaidforourtimeandthevaluewecreate.)Butwhyisitthatweallowotherstodefinehowwestructureourlife?Whyisitthatwerefineandshapeourlifedreamsbaseduponwhat’sneededofusnextquarter?

“The only true happiness comes from squandering ourselves for apurpose.”

—JohnMasonBrown

Letmebeclear:Thishasnotbeenabookaboutachievingyourlifegoalsor

findingyourpurpose.Butasyoubegintobuildstructureandpracticeintoyourlife, you will find that new possibilities open up to you. You begin to seeopportunitiesthatyoupreviouslyoverlooked.Youbegintoexperiencenewwaysof interfacing with the world as you regain a sense of ownership of your

engagement.And the reality you find at the bottom of it all is this: you havesomething unique to offer and contribute to the world. But all of the time-management systems or strategic plans in the world will not help you get toworkon it ifyouarenot firstwilling toask somedifficultquestionsand thenpruneawayallthethingsinyourlifethataregettinginthewayofit.SomanypeopleI’veencounteredinmycoachingandconsultinghavesetthe

goalofworkingpracticallyaroundtheclockforseveralyearsinordertoclaimtheprizeofearlyretirement.Somehowtheythinkthatiftheycouldonlygetallofthisworkstuffoutoftheway,thentheycouldreallyenjoythemselvesanddowhatevertheywant—takeupahobby,writetheirnovel,etcetera.Theyhavesocast the dichotomy between work and play that they are incapable of seeingthemas twosidesof thesamecoin—asanexpressionofanengaged, focused,andpassionatecreativeprocess.I often hear “I’d really like someday to focus on helping orphans or the

underprivileged,” or “After this I’d love to spend time mentoring youngdesigners,”orothertypesofwishfulthinking.Butfornowatleast,thesewishersfeellikeprisonersofthisthingcalled“work”untilthe“greatsomeday.”They’vedivided themselves into twomodesandassignedapurpose toeach.Oneis fortheir“passionsandinterests,”andoneisfortheir“work.”

OCCUPATIONVERSUSVOCATION

“What work I have done I have done because it has been play....Cursedisthemanwhohasfoundsomeotherman’sworkandcannotlose it.Whenwe talkabout the greatworkers of theworldwe reallymeanthegreatplayersoftheworld.Thefellowswhogroanandsweatunder the weary load of toil that they bear never can hope to doanything great. How can they when their souls are in a ferment ofrevoltagainsttheemploymentoftheirhandsandbrains?Theproductofslavery,intellectualorphysical,canneverbegreat.”

—MarkTwain

Becausewetendtobepossibilitythinkers,manycreativesspendquiteabitof

timewishingformorealignmentbetweenourvalues,ourpassions,andtheworkthatwedoeveryday,orthinkingabouthowwecouldbetterstructureourworklifeasaplatformforpersonalcreativeexpression.Someofusbelievethatifwecouldonlyfindtheperfectjoborworkfortherightcompany,manyofourissuesrelated to lack of fulfillment or occupational frustrationwould simply vanish.I’vehadthisconversation,toomanytimestocount,withcreativesconsideringleaving their job to find something that’s a better fit. While there’s nothingwrongwith seekingwork that’s fulfilling and thatmatches our personal skillsandgoals,oftentheseconversationsarelessaboutthejobitselfandmoreaboutunrealistic expectations toward the employer or an overall lack of self-knowledge.Uponleavingtheirjob,manyworkersfindthattheyarerightbackinaplaceofdissatisfactionwithinamatterofmonthsaftertakinganewone.Whydoesthishappensofrequentlytothebestandbrightestamongus?The

problemisthatmanyofusspendalotoftimethinkingaboutwhatwewanttodo but little time thinking aboutwhowe really are and how to bring our fullpassiontowhatwedo.Wehaven’tlearnedtodiscernthedifferencebetweenouroccupationandourvocation.

Ouroccupationishowwemakealiving.Inshort,it’sourjob.It’swhatputsfoodon the tableandkeepsa roofoverourhead. It’s theanswerwegiveatacocktailpartywhensomeoneaskswhatwedo.Hopefully,therearemanypartsof our occupation that bring us fulfillment and enjoyment, though there arelikelypartsofourworkthatarelessthanfulfilling.Ourvocation,ontheotherhand, iswhatwe’reinherentlywiredfor.It’s less

likelytoconsistofasetof tasksandmorelikelytoconsistofasetof themes.Forexample,anaccountantmay technicallydescribehis jobbysaying thathebalances thebooks,butwhatreallydrewhimtohis jobandcontinues todrivehimtodogreatworkisthathelovesbringingasenseofordertothecompany’sfinances. It’s likely that this drive to bring order plays out in areas of his lifeother thanhis job.Similarly,amanagermaysay thathestrategizes, resources,andmobilizeshisteam,butthedeeperthemethatdriveshimisseeingpeople’spotential unleashed. He is likely to seek out opportunities to unleash thepotentialofothersthroughcommunityserviceormentoringprograms,thoughhemaynothavethoughtmuchaboutwhythisisthecase.Theword “vocation” comes from the Latinword vocare, whichmeans “to

call.” As we each have a unique voice, we also each have a unique way ofexpressingourselvesthroughourwork.It’sthecentralthemethatputsafireinourgutwhenweencounteritorengageinworkrelatedtoit.It’salsothethingthat fuels our passion, keeps us moving forward, and in some cases evenobsesses us. Author Parker Palmer says in his bookLet Your Life Speak that“fromthebeginning,ourliveslaydowncluestoselfhoodandvocation,thoughthecluesmaybehardtodecode.”Oncewe do begin to decode them, however, our understanding of vocation

willfuelourbestcreating.Havingagraspofhowtoapplyourdeeperpassionstotheworkwedoisthesignificantdifferencebetweendoingworkthat’ssimplygoodanddoingworkthat’sbrilliant.

ResonantFrequency

A few years ago I flew into LaGuardia on a red eye for an early morningmeeting.Uponlanding,Imademywaytotherestroom,wheresomeoneatthesinknexttomemadeacommentabouttheflightdelayswe’djustexperienced.Ilet loose a groan of acknowledgment, and upon doing so the entire restroomliterally vibrated with my response. I’d accidentally hit upon the resonantfrequency of the room.When I did, the acoustics of the room turnedmy tinygroanintosomethingthatsoundedlikeagrizzlybeargrowl.Mytinyeffortwasmagnifiedsignificantly.

Havingagraspofhowtoapplyourdeeperpassionstotheworkwedoisthesignificantdifferencebetweendoingworkthat’ssimplygoodanddoingworkthat’sbrilliant.

Similarly,whenwedoourworkinawaythatisalignedwithourvocation,we

often find that the tiniest effort on our part can have tremendous results. Ourvocationislikethe“resonantfrequency”ofourlife.Whilewemayneverhavethoughtaboutwhy,therearecertainaspectsofourlifeandworkthatjustseemnaturallyenergizing.Bytappingintotheresonantthemesintheseareas,wecanunlockawholerealmofcreativeengagementthatcanbeappliedtothetaskswedoeachday.I’ll give you an example of how this has played out in my life. I’ve been

engaged in a lot of different and seemingly unrelated projects over time,withAccidentalCreativebeingthelatest.AfewyearsagoIsatdowntoanalyzethecommonthreadwithinallofthem—myworkasacreativedirector,mytimeinthemusicbusiness,mywork throughAccidentalCreative, startinganonprofitthat funds international adoption, and others. As I spent time thinking deeplyabouttheworkthatmatteredmosttome,Irealizedthattheunderlyingthemeinall these projects is freedom. It seems that when I really get excited aboutsomething, it’sbecause I see thepotential forothers to findanewmeasureoffreedom, whether it’s that they’re freed to do brilliant work (AccidentalCreative)orfreedfromacycleofgenerationalpovertyandplacedintoafamily(ouradoption-relatedwork).OnceIbegantounderstandthisasthecoreofmyvocational work, my day-to-day tasks were illuminated, helping me to

understand how I could better bringmybest effort to thework I do.Mybestwork, andmymost creativework, is always fueled by this sense of bringingfreedom.Once I understood this, I began to formalize it. I dubbedmyself the “arms

dealer for the creative revolution,” and I like to say that our company is“freedomfightingforthecreativeclass.”Inthisway,myworkisdefinedbymyvocation,notbythetasksIperform.

Question:Whatarethesedeeppointsofresonanceinyourlife?Asyouexamine the times in your life when you’ve felt most engaged, mostfocused,andmostbrilliant,whatarethecommonthemesorconnectingpoints?

One helpful practice that we initiated on the Accidental Creative site was

encouragingourvisitors towritea“7WordBio.”This is aquick, seven-wordstatementthatexpressesthedeeppassionintheirlifeorwork.Someexamplesof7WordBiosonthesiteincludethefollowing:

“Helpothersseetheordinaryasextraordinary.”“Usingpainttocaptureamusingsocialinteraction.”“Astorytellingapproachtolifeandwork.”“Imaginativelyblendingstructuralelementsintotheland.”“Sharingmylifestories,hopingyourelate.”“Ignitingpeopletothriveintheirpurpose.”

Each of these bios serves as a kind of mission statement to guide daily

activity.When I say that I’m “the arms dealer for the creative revolution,” itmeansthatI’mconstantlylookingforwaystoequipcreativepeopletodotheirbest work by influencing their mind-set, giving them tools and helping thembuildrelationships.

Challenge: What’s your 7 Word Bio? Share it with the world atAccidentalCreative.com/seven.

DON’TBEACOVERBAND

Becausewe’veunderstoodtheimportanceandeffectivenessofbringinguniquepassions to the creative process, we’ve used the tagline “Cover bands don’tchangetheworld”foraslongasAccidentalCreativehasexisted.Acoverbandis a band that plays other people’s music. The most extreme example is thetributeband,whichdirectlycopiesanotherartist’smusicandstyleintheattempttopayhomagetotheirart.Moresubtleexamplesarethecollegerockbandsthatfillclubseveryweekendplayingtheradiohitsdujour.Occasionallyyou’llhearoneofthesebandsrattleoffsomethinglike“Nowwe’regoingtoplaysomethingwewrote,”andacollectiveprotestarisesfromtheclubgoers.Why?Becausenoonecametothebandtoheartheband’soriginalmusic.Theyare

there to dance, have a good time, and hearmusic they know. The promise ofgoingtohearacoverbandisthatyou’llbetreatedtofamiliartunesinadance-friendly format with little variation. This is the expectation. It’s the “brandpromise,” if you will. When a cover band pulls an original tune from therepertoire,thatpromiseisviolatedinamajorway.

“Beyourself;everyoneelseisalreadytaken.”

—OscarWilde

It’s incrediblydifficult foraband tomake the transitionfromcoverband to

onethatplaysoriginalmusic.Infact,itrarelyhappenssuccessfully.Thebandisalwayscaught in thenetherworldbetweenmakinga living/earningmoneyandwanting to express themselves through their art. Even if they are able tosuccessfullyslipsomeoriginalmusicintothemix,theywillalwayshavetostaredowntheannoyinglyvocalrequestsforthelatestTop40fareor“FreeBird.”Inmymusicbusinessexperience,theonlywayI’veseenabandsuccessfully

earn a living playing original music is by choosing to do so from the verybeginningandbuildingaloyalaudienceforit.Iftheystaytruetowhotheyareandarewillingtoforgotheimmediatefinancialreturnavailabletocoverbands,theycansometimesbuildalong-lastingandloyalaudiencefortheirownmusic.However, they must be patient enough to earn fans, often one at a time.Choosing to chart an original path is not easy. As author André Gide wrote,“Onedoesnotdiscovernewlandswithoutconsentingtolosesightoftheshorefor a very long time.” This is not to imply that there’s anything wrong withimitation. Infact, it’soneof thecriticalphasesofcreativegrowth.Weneed tofeel free to imitateothersaswe learnanddevelopourskills.But itgets trickywhenwestartmakingmoneybasedsolelyonourabilitytoimitatethecreativeworkofothers.Therearealotof“coverbands”inthemarketplacetoday.Iftheironlygoalis

tomakealotofmoney,sobeit.Buttheproductsandpeoplewhoreallychangethe game seem to be the oneswho are able to stay true to a set of principlesrather thanbeingdriventoquickreturns.Theydevelopa loyalaudienceratherthanafickleonethatturnsawaythemomenttheyplayanoriginal.It’smydesiretocontinuetostrivetofindmyownvoiceandtotrytoweedout

all the places where I’m being “cover-bandish.” This can be a very trickybecause itoftenmeans turningdownmorework thanIaccept,butmyhope isthattheoriginalvaluethatIbringtotheclientsIchosetoworkwithwillcreateraving “fans” who want to continue to work with me and trust me when Idevelopnewproductsorideas.

How about you? Are you willing to bravely pursue your own voice,carveyourownniche inthemarketplaceandavoidthetemptationtogo forquicksuccess?In lookingat the long-termarcofyour lifeandcreating,areyouwilling topouryourself intopractices thatwillhelpyou uncover hidden potential and unlock passions that have beenburiedbeneathlayersofexpectationsandobligations?

There is no greater reward than that of knowing that you are free from the

need to be defined by pay or prestige, and are insteadmotivated by the veryprocessofdoingyourworkeachday.Thisishowwebegintoseetheseedsofgreatnessspringupinourlife.

HOWYOUDEFINEGREATNESSDEFINESYOU

Howdoyoudefine“greatness”?Thisissomethingthat’sbeenonmymindalotlately,andit’ssomethingthat

I’ve been internally debating over the past few years. I spend a lot of timeinteractingwithbrilliantpeopleandstudyinggreatminds,andthemoreIdo,themore I’ve become convinced that howwe define greatness ultimately definesourlife.If you define greatness as the pursuit of a bigger title and office, that will

defineyourlife.Ifyoudefinegreatnessasaccumulatingalotofknowledgeaboutsomething,

thatwilldefineyourlife.If you define greatness as being the best at performing some task, thatwill

defineyourlife.Ifyoudefinegreatnessaslovingyourfamilywell,thatwilldefineyourlife.Ifyoudefinegreatnessaschoosingtoengageeverysingleactandinteraction

inyourlifewithpurpose,thatwilldefineyourlife.How we define greatness defines us. In the end, it’s probably the single

biggestdeterminantofthecourseofourlife.IonceheardaSouthAfricanfriendsharethereasonbehindtheurgencywith

whichheapproacheshiswork.Hesaidthatmanypeoplebelievethat themostvaluable land in the world is found in the oil fields of Saudi Arabia, theskyscraper-lined streets ofManhattan, or the diamondmines of SouthAfrica.Hiscontention,however,isthatthemostvaluablelandintheworldisnotinanyoftheseplaces,butratherinthecemetery,becauseitistherethatwefindburiedthe unsurpassable value of businesses never started, novels neverwritten, anddreamsneverpursued.Hechallengedlistenersto“dieempty.”This prompted me to write the words “die empty” on the inside of my

notebookand toaffix themto thewallsatworkandhome.Mygoal,eachandeveryday,istogetoutofmewhateverisinsidethatisofvaluetoothers.Todomyworkeachday.To,hopefully,insomesmallmeasure,bringfreedomtothosewithwhomIwork.AsIdothis,Iampursuingmyowndefinitionofgreatnessinmylife.

In an interview for our podcast, brand expert Kristian Andersen said, “It’simportanttorealizethatyouwillbeknownforwhatyoudo,soyou’dbettergetbusydoingwhatyouwanttobeknownfor.”Icouldn’tagreemore.Regardlessofwhatthismeanstoyou,thereisnobettertimethannowtogetmovingonthethings that are important, and that begins by choosing to establish rhythmicpracticesinyourlifeandwork.Ihopethatyouwill joinmeintheeffort toemptyyourselfeachday,andto

strivetofindyouruniquevoice.Don’tgotothegravewithyourbestworkstillinsideofyou.Dieempty.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thisbook is theculminationofmanyyearsofworkandunendingamountsofwisdom,support,andadvicefromheroes,friends,andcolleagues.Iamindebtedin more ways than I can count. Rachel, thank you for your support and forbearingwithmyideas.Youareanamazingpartner,andthisbookcouldn’thavehappenedwithout you. (I promise Iwill now stop talking about it.)ToEthan,Owen,andAva,thankyouforsupportingDaddy’sdreamandforputtingupwiththetimeswhenIdisappearedintomyofficeto“writeforalittlewhile.”(Yes,I’llreadyouabooknow.)ThankstoMikeandJaneHenryforyoursupportovertheyears, for helping me haul the upright piano to and from my first musicalperformances, for forgiving me when I caught the carpet on fire during thatchemistryexperimentinthethirdgrade(ordidIevertellyouaboutthat?),andfor giving me the space to explore my passions. To theMcMullians and theWertenbergs,thanksforyourcontinuedlove,encouragement,andsupportofourfamily.Tomy friends and advisers Jim Bechtold, Jerry Rushing, and Brian Tome,

thanks for your advice and patientwisdom. riCardoCrespo, PeterBlock,BenNicholson, Keith Crutcher, Steven Manuel, and Richard Westendorf, yourcontinued friendship and inspiration fuelsme, and I’ve learned somuch fromeachofyou.Tomy(brilliant) friendLisaJohnson, I’m indebted toyouforallyouradvice.Ifollowedittotheletter.Tothe“virtualmentors”whohavegreatlyinfluencedmythinkingandpassion

throughtheirwritingandwork.Somearecontemporariesandsomenot,but toeachIamindebted.AshortlistincludesThomasMerton,StevenPressfield,SethGodin, Søren Kierkegaard, Parker Palmer, Peter Drucker, Tom Peters, C. S.Lewis,MihalyCsikszentmihalyi,andAbrahamJoshuaHeschel.To theAccidentalCreative teamand thosewhohavehelpedsignificantly in

this effort, especially David Valentine, Matt Chandler, Joshua Johnson, andLucasCole,thanksforyoursupportandbrilliantwork.Tomyagent,MelissaSarver,attheElizabethKaplanLiteraryAgency,thanks

forbelievinginmeandforwalkingmepatientlythroughthisprocess.Youareagift,andyoushowedupatjusttherighttime.ThanksalsotoKimberlyPalmer,whowrote the article forU.S.News&WorldReport that (eventually) openedthesedoors.To my editor David Moldawer, Emily Angell, Amanda Pritzker, Maureen

Cole,andtheentireteamatPortfolio/Penguinthankssomuchforbelievingin

thisbookandforyourhardworkatbringingitintobeing.ThankstoeveryoneinterviewedfortheAccidentalCreativepodcastorforthis

book, including Seth Godin, Steven Pressfield, David Allen, Tony Schwartz,Chris Guillebeau, Lisa Johnson, Keith Ferrazzi, Scott Belsky, John Winsor,Stephen Nachmanovitch, Bryn Mooth, riCardo Crespo, Peter Block, BenNicholson,RichardWestendorf,AnnCalcara,GregHewitt,SimonSinek,GreggFraley,ChrisBroganandJoshKaufman.ToBurtRosen,StevenTaylor,BlakeDelanney,andtheteamatLeMeridien

/Starwood Hotels, thanks for the opportunity to be a part of the LM100Programme.TothecrewattheMadeiraStarbucks,includingVanessa,Amy,andMelissa,

thanksforhostingandfuelingmy5:30a.m.writingsessions.To Mr. Bob Mowrey who first challenged me to think critically about

problems.TothethousandsofcreativeswhoareapartoftheACcommunity,thanksfor

your encouragement, insight, and wisdom. I’ve learned so much from ourinteractions,andIlookforwardtomanymoreintheyearstocome!

APPENDIX

▶ToolstoHelpYouBeBrilliant

Accidental Creative exists to help creatives and teams do brilliant work, andwe’ve developed some tools to help you get the most out of your creativeprocess.Belowareafewmentionedinthisbook.

ACENGAGE

Ourvirtualcoachingcommunityhelpscreativesandleadersapplytheprinciplesdiscussed in thisbook through regularaudioandvideocoaching,onlinemeet-upsandmore.LearnmoreatAccidentalCreative.com/engage.

PERSONALIDEAPAD(PIP)

This isa free-association tooldesigned tostructureyourcreative thought,helpyou explore overlooked insights, and help you generate better ideas faster,whetheronyourownorwithateam.LearnmoreatAccidentalCreative.com/pip.

IDEATRACTION

This web-based software tool is designed to help teams meet less and createmorebyprovidingavirtualspaceforcollaborationandideageneration.Keepallof your creative conversations in one place and share stimulus to spark newcreativeinsights.LearnmoreortryitatIdeaTraction.com.

▶IDEACULTURETRAINING

This immersive training teaches teams how to establish rhythms and practicesthat leadtoacultureofeverydaybrilliance.LearnmoreatAccidentalCreative.com/ideas.Wehaveavarietyofadditionalproductstohelpyouapplythepracticesyoureadaboutinthisbook.LearnmoreatAccidentalCreative.com/store.

▶ResourcesMentioned

Herearesomeresourcesmentionedinthisbook:MakingIdeasHappen:Overcoming theObstaclesBetweenVisionandRealitybyScottBelsky

A helpful and practical analysis of why some creative teams are highlyproductivewhileothersfail.

Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention by MihalyCsikszentmihalyi

Through brilliant research and interviews, Csikszentmihalyi explores thelives of successful creatives across a variety of domains and drawsconclusionsaboutwhytheysucceed.

HowTheMightyFall:AndWhySomeCompaniesNeverGiveInbyJimCollins

Inthisbook,researcherandbusinessexpertJimCollinsexplorescommontraitsofcompaniesthat,thoughtheyseemunstoppable,eventuallyfail.

Linchpin:AreYouIndispensable?bySethGodin

Godinchallengesreaderstofindtheiruniquespaceinthemarketplaceandtoshunmediocrity.

The Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination andEnjoyingGuilt-FreePlaybyNeilA.Fiore

Fromhisownexperience treatingpatients,Fiore shareshow toovercomethefactorsthatleadtoprocrastinationandless-than-optimalwork.

TheAnswertoHowIsYes:ActingonWhatMattersbyPeterBlock

Inthisinsightfulbook,Blockshareshowtoactonwhatmattersandbyfirstgettingthequestionsright.

FreePlay:ImprovisationinLifeandArtbyStephenNachmanovitch

Musician Stephen Nachmanovitch shares the parallels he’s discoveredbetweenmusicalimprovisationandtheartoflivingwell.

GettingThingsDone:TheArtofStress-FreeProductivitybyDavidAllen

This highly practical book by Allen provides a step-by-step, fluff-freemethodforincreasingpersonalproductivity.

OnIntelligencebyJeffHawkinsandSandraBlakeslee

AbrainscientistandfounderofPalm,Hawkinsexplainshistheoryofhowthemindworksandhowwecanleveragethatunderstandingtobuildnewtechnologies.

AmusingOurselvestoDeath:PublicDiscourseintheAgeofShowBusinessbyNeilPostman

Thoughwritteninthe1980’s,thisbookispropheticandholdsmanylessonsfor those of us fractured by the age of the Internet and ubiquitousentertainmentoptions.

WhereGood IdeasComeFrom:TheNaturalHistory of Innovation by StevenJohnson

Johnsondescribesideasas“networks”andshareshowsomeofthegreatestinnovationsofhistorycameabout.

Who’s Got Your Back: The Breakthrough Program to Build Deep, TrustingRelationshipsThatCreateSuccess—andWon’tLetYouFailbyKeithFerrazzi

Amasternetworker,Ferrazzisharesinsightsintohowtobuildrelationshipsanddevelopdeepconnectionswithothers.

AWhackontheSideoftheHead:HowYouCanBeMoreCreativebyRogervonOech

VonOech sharesmanyhighlypracticalways togenerate ideaswhenyouneedthem.

The Culture Code: An IngeniousWay to UnderstandWhy People Around theWorldLiveandBuyasTheyDobyClotaireRapaille

Aconsultanttosomeofthebiggestcompaniesintheworld,Rapailleshareshowheusesculturalaffinitiesandattributestohelpcompaniesdevelopnewproducts.

Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry Into the Value of Work by Matthew B.Crawford

Crawfordshareshisinsightsintowhyphysicallaborcanbesofulfillingand

whymindworkcanbedissatisfying.HowtoBeExcellentatAnythingbyTonySchwartzandJeanGomes

Thispractical and research-drivenbookprovides adeepdive intohow tostructureyourlifeformaximalenergyandeffectiveness.

TheContrarian’sGuidetoLeadershipbyStevenB.Sample

Sample shares how some of the most effective leadership practices arethosethatgodirectlyagainstthegrain.

JohnAdamsbyDavidMcCullough

McCulloughprovidesinsightintoboththepublicandprivatelifeofoneofAmerica’sfoundingfatherswhilealsosheddinglightonhowheapproachedhisworkandstudies.

BirthoftheChaordicAgebyDeeW.Hock

Hocksharessomeofhisphilosophyandhowitledtohisbecomingoneofthemostsuccessfulentrepreneursintheworld.

Play:HowitShapestheBrain,OpenstheImagination,andInvigoratestheSoulbyStuartBrownandChristopherVaughan

In this fascinating book, Brown and Vaughan explore the curiousconnectionbetweenplay,life,andwork.

TheArtist’sWaybyJuliaCameron

This engagingworkbyCameron is apracticalguide for reawakening thecreativesoul.

INDEX

AccidentalCreative(company)accountabilityACEngageactivelisteningAdams,JohnAdams,ScottadjacentpossibleAdvertisingAccountPlanning(Kelley)Alda,AlanAllen,DavidAmosAmusingOurselvestoDeath(Postman)Andersen,KristianAnswertoHowIsYes,The(Block)Artist’sWay,The(Cameron)ArtofPossibility,The(ZanderandZander)assumptions,false

Barnett,ThomasBeExcellentatAnything(SchwartzandGomes)beaversBelsky,ScottBig3lists IdeaTimefor tipsforestablishingofBirthoftheChaordicAge(Hock)Blakeslee,SandraBloch,AliceBlock,PeterBrown,DerrenBrown,JohnMasonBrown,Stuartbuffersburnout

Cameron,JuliaChallenges IdeaTimefortacklingofcheckpoints benefitsof dreamlistsin examplesof monthly quarterly weeklychoice,inimplementingpracticescirclemeetingsclustering applyingpracticeof benefitsofCollins,Jimcomfortzones,dangersofCommunity(Block)compartmentalization fallacyofcompetition assourceofexpectationscompletionanxietycomplexity,unnecessary“continuouspartialattention,”ContinuousWebContrarian’sGuidetoLeadership,The(Sample)coreteamscoverbandsCozolino,LouisCrawford,Matthewcreating,unnecessary,seeunnecessarycreating

creativegrowthcreativeprocess “birth”ofideasin confusionandmythssurrounding “flow”phenomenonand gestationperiodin idea“conception”in importanceofpurposefulapproachto naturalrhythmsof practicesandstructureforfosteringof,seerhythmicpracticesandstructure stimuliinputand structure’sroleinleveragingof threeassassinsof,seecreativityassassinsversus-producttensionCreativeRhythm fiveelementsof practicesandstructurefor,seerhythmicpracticesandstructurecreativework “accidental”vs.traditional benefitsof burnoutin challengesandpressuresof choosingtochartoriginalpathin collaborative,seeteamworkcreate-on-demanddynamicin cultivating relationships in, see relationships; relationships-related practicesdefiningandclarifyingobjectivesin definitionof dissonanceandnegativeimpacton energymanagementin,seeenergymanagement equationforsustainingbrilliancein expectationescalationin fallingintohabitsandritualsin fearasblockin fivekeyelementsof “flow”phenomenonin focusin,seefocus;focus-relatedpractices hobbiesandpersonalcreatingasfosteringsuccessin IdeaTimein

mentalrutsin occupationvs.vocationand possibilitiesvs.pragmaticsin rhythmicpracticesasrecoveringmeaningandengagementin shiftingprioritiesanddynamicnatureof simplifyingtasksin specializationin stimuliand,seestimuli;stimuli-relatedpractices takingnewgroundvs.protectingoldgroundin tappingintoresonantfrequencyand timemanagementandstructurein,seetime;time-relatedpracticesCreativity(Csikszentmihalyi)creativityassassins expectationescalation fear organizationaldissonanceCrespo,riCardoCsikszentmihalyi,MihalycultivatingstimuliCultureCode,The(Rappaille)

DanteAlighierideBono,EdwarddefiningobjectivesDemonstrationsinPhysics(TVshow)Developermind-setsdigitalnotetakingdiscipline,inimplementingpracticesdissonance,organizational opacityand inunclearobjectives inunnecessarycomplexitydreamlistsDriftersDrivers

electronicnotetakinge-mail,checkingofenergymanagement benefitsof buffersin checkpointsin creativerutsand deceptivemind-setsin eliminatinglesseffectiveactivitiesin fallacyofcompartmentalizationin identifyingred-zoneactivitiesin pruningin whole-lifeplanninginEpipheoexerciseexpectationescalationexpectations,clarifyingofexperiences,purposeful

falseassumptionsfear offailure ofsuccessFerrazzi,KeithFiore,NeilFitzgerald,F.Scott“flow”phenomenonfocus falseassumptionsinaffectingcapacityto thePingasdiversionof relationshipsingainingof stimuliasdamagingto threemodesoffocus-relatedpractices Big3listsandrefiningprioritiesin checkpointpromptsfor clusteringofworkin definingobjectivesin establishingChallengesinformula,structurevs.Franklin,BenjaminFreePlay(Nachmanovitch)FrenchRevolution(Wollstonecraft)

generosityGettingThingsDone(Allen)Gide,AndréGodin,SethGomes,JeanGoogleCalendargreatness,definingof

habitsandrituals,fallingintoHawkins,Jeffhead-to-headmeetingsHenry,OwenHerberger,Jeniheroes,assourceofexpectationshobbiesHock,DeeW.hours,useof,seetime;time-relatedpracticesHowtheMightyFall(Collins)

idea“conception,”ideaculturetrainingIdeaTime establishingof frameworksformakinguseofIdeaTraction(softwaretool)imitationindexcards,fornotetakingindexes,fornotebooksinnovationintentionality,inimplementingpracticesInternetintimacyintroversion

Jobs,SteveJohnAdams(McCullough)Johnson,LisaJohnson,Steven

Kelley,LarryKettering,CharlesF.Kierkegaard,Søren

LateralThinking(deBono)LetYourLifeSpeak(Palmer)Lewis,C.S.,Linchpin(Godin)Lombardi,VinceLondon,Jack

McCullough,DavidMachiavelli,NiccolòMakingIdeasHappen(Belsky)managersandpeers,assourceofexpectationsMann,Merlinmeetings circlegroup head-to-headmentalrutsmentoringMerton,ThomasMiller,JuliusSumnerMingus,Charlesmonthlycheckpoints promptsforMooth,BrynMorningPages

Nachmanovitch,StephenNeuroscienceofHumanRelations,The(Cozolino)NeverEatAlone(Ferrazzi)NewSeedsofContemplation(Merton)Nicholson,BenNightingale,Earlnotes,notetaking digital inIdeaTimenotebooksforProjectQueuesinreviewingofStimulusQueuesinNowHabit,The(Fiore)

objectives: clarifyingprojectstrategyand definingof establishingChallengesand microfocusingonoccupationvs.vocation resonantfrequencyandOnIntelligence(HawkinsandBlakeslee)opacity,increativeworkorganizationaldissonance,seedissonance,organizational

Palmer,ParkerPasteur,Louispastwork,assourceofexpectationsPBSPepper,JohnPersonalIdeaPad(PIP)phonecallsPing,thePlatoplayPlay(BrownandVaughan)Postman,Neilpracticesforfosteringcreativity,seerhythmicpracticesandstructurepredictable-versus-rhythmictensionPrince,The(Machiavelli)processingstimuli note-takingtoolsforproductivity: equationforsustainingbrilliancein naturalpeaksandtroughsof predictable-versus-rhythmictensionand snapshot timeascurrencyof time-versus-valuetensionandproduct-versus-processtensionProjectQueuesproject-reviewsessionsprojectstrategy,clarifyingofpruningPryor,Jeremypurposefulexperiences

quarterlycheckpoints benefitsof dreamlistsin promptsfor structuringstudyplansin

Rappaille,ClotairerationalizationsReachOutred-zoneactivities,identifyingofrefiningprioritiesrelationship-relatedpractices checkpointpromptsfor circlemeetingsin coreteamsin head-to-headmeetingsinrelationships accountabilitycultivatedin benefitsof intimacyandgenerosityin introvertsandRepublic(Plato)resonantfrequencyretirementrhythmicpracticesandstructure checkpointsin,seecheckpoints inenergymanagement,seeenergymanagement focus-related,seefocus-relatedpractices overallbenefitsof personaldefinitionofgreatnessand recoveringmeaningandengagingdeeplyasby-productsof relationship-related,seerelationship-relatedpractices stimuli-related,seestimuli-relatedpractices threekeystoimplementingof time-related,seetime-relatedpractices varyingresultsinimplementationofrhythmic-versus-predictabletensionruts,creative

Sample,StevenB.Sawyer,DianeSchwartz,TonySenff,TimservingothersSeuss,Dr.7WordBiosShopClassasSoulcraft(Crawford)snapshotproductivityspecializationstimuli characteristicsofhigher-quality creativerutsand potentialbenefitsof purposefulstructuringdietof subconsciouseffectonmentalprocessesofstimuli-relatedpractices checkpointpromptsfor convertinginformationtocreativeinsightin processingandnotationin purposefulexperiencesandexplorationin stayingaheadofpressurewith studyplansandcultivatinginStimulusQueueStone,Lindastructure: formulavs. androleinleveragingcreativeprocess seealsorhythmicpracticesandstructurestudyplans structuringof“supertexts,”

TaeKwonDoteamwork Big3listsandrefiningprioritiesin definingandclarifyingobjectivesin definingcourseofactionin distributingofresponsibilitiesin fearascreativityassassinin focus-relatedpracticesin ideagenerationand identifyingred-zoneactivitiesin organizationaldissonancein predictable-versus-rhythmictensionin product-versus-processtensionin prosandconsof simplifyingtasksin time-versus-valuetensionin seealsocreativeworktechnology: focusdivertedby fornotetakingtelevisiontime ascurrencyofproductivity asportfolioofinvestmentsvs.slotmachine versus-valuetensiontime-relatedpractices checkpointpromptsfor IdeaTimein unnecessarycreatinginTwain,Mark

unclearobjectivesuncomfortableevents, purposefulunhealthyassumptionsunnecessarycomplexityunnecessarycreating ProjectQueuefor

value-versus-timetensionVaughan,Christophervocationvs.occupation resonantfrequencyandvolunteerismvonOech,Roger

weeklycheckpoints exampleof promptsforWelles,OrsonWestendorf,RichardWhackontheSideoftheHead,A(vonOech)WhereGoodIdeasComeFrom(Johnson)whole-lifeplanning fallacyofcompartmentalizationin monthlycheckpointsin quarterlycheckpointsin threehorizonsofweeklycheckpointsinWho’sGotYourBack(Ferrazzi)Wilde,OscarWollstonecraft,Mary

Zander,Benjaminand Rosamund