Keep the Creative Juices Flowing - Issue #7: Build a Creative Nest
Ciao!
Here's July. I’m back at home from my annual holidays in Dolomites and I’m so full of energy and ideas!
So, forgive me, this is a very rich issue.
This is going to be a, let me say, "stimulating", mythbusting issue.
if you don’t remember what we talked about the last issue, particularly about the famous tool-box, you can go back and give it a quick read.
If this is your first newsletter you can find the past issues here.
I hope this issue will be a conversation starter.
The Creative Nest is a State of Mind
I believe that Creativity can't be switched on and off. In fact, is always ON and we simply are distracted or we can't enter the flow smoothly.
Good news 1: Creativity can be amplified by a Creative Nest.
Good news 2: you don't have to struggle to build your Creative Nest, you already have one, you only need to become aware of it.
First things first: YOU ARE A CREATIVE PERSON! Never doubt it.
Cyclically, there are some terms or phrases that are iper-used even in the wrong context.
"Thinking outside the box" is one of those. Everybody say this every time.
Have you ever spent a minute thinking about it? Are we sure that it is the "cure-it-all" that all those people out there tell us?
To me, yes it's important, yes it's a skill we Creative people need, but it is also a big risk.
And now, the elusive Comfort Zone.
What is it? Can you describe it in a sketchnote?
If I'm Creative, productive and happy in my Comfort Zone, why I have to leave it for the sake of a mental model?
My Comfort Zone is in my box and together make my Creative Nest
Think about this: to make my sketchnotes I always use my iPad and Pencil and Paper app.
I tried different apps but I need some time to learn enough and at the end my sketchnotes wouldn't be better than the ones I make with my familiar tools.
So, iPad, Pencil and Paper app are my tool-box, my Comfort Zone, my Nest.
Now I would like to share with you what I think about Mastery.
I don't know you, but when I think about Mastery the first things that come to my mind are the Japanese Masters: sword making, pottery, tea ceremony, martial arts...
A whole life dedicated to one thing and one only, focusing and refining, an eternal search for perfection.
Well, that is one way.
On the other hand we have Leonardo Da Vinci, the Masters' Master of procrastinators, the man who started dissecting dead horses to learn about equine anatomy in order to create the best ever equestrian statue, the one who deeply studied catastrophes (I can go hours with this...).
Mastery, I do believe, is NOT one thing.
Mastery is NOT just a concentrated effort, endeavor, attention and devotion.
Mastery is an immersive state of grace.
To complete the scenario, here comes "the talk" :-D
This time is a bit different, I recorded pieces of thoughts while walking around and I mashed everything up once at home.
For the final part I prepared some notes to avoid too much rambling, so you'll see me peeking at my notes and talking like a robot.
Sorry for that, the next month I'll be back to my improv and buffoonery.
Hope you like the format and find the content interesting.
Ah... one more thing: forgive the panting... yeah, I need to quit smoking
Do you agree? How it works for you?
Let's talk!
The July 2022 Monthly Creative Challenge
Thanks to the feedback I got from the Survey in the last issue (see below the results) I'm introducing the First Monthly Creative Challenge.
I'll repurpose a challenge that I used in my Sketchnote Workshops ages ago because I think is perfect for this issue.
A plant to save the World
I made a super quick 2 min video to describe the challenge and you can also find below a link to a page on my website I made specifically for you with the full description.
Here is the link to the "static" description of the Challenge
You can do it in 3 minutes or 3 weeks, it doesn't matter.
When done, would be fantastic if you'll consider to share your work on Twitter or Insta and I would be very grateful if you mention me so I can see your works and have some chats.
Signals&Dots
think: Shuhari: a mental model for the phases of mastery
This is what I'm talking about in this issue:
Shu (守), “protect”, “follow the rule”
Ha (破), “cut”, “break the rule”
Ri (離), “depart”, “be the rule”
Perfect!
think: Why Great Things Never Came From Comfort Zones
This is a great post. Looks like it is antithetical to everything I just said, however, I find that the 2 theories complete each other.
tool: Create hand-drawn GIFs on paper
How cool is this??? It took about 2 minutes to make it! Oh... the possibilities. I'm sure you'll love it! Share your GIFs please!
think: the Parkinson's Law
In his 1955 essay, C. Northcote Parkinson says: it is a commonplace observation that work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.
The Catch All
When the Community Speaks, I listen!
As promised, I want to share the result of the survey! 6 people responded and I want to say heartily thank you to them!
I'm very happy with the result that I find extremely motivating and interesting. As you can see above, I already adopted one of the suggestions: the Monthly Challenge.
I'm very happy with this and I keep working to keep this level and possibly make it better.
Again, thank you so much indeed.
My Stuff - Support
100 + 1 Drawing Ideas for Sketchnoters and Doodlers is the byproduct of my first #the100DayProject. Once finished, I had a bunch of tutorials and find myself going back to them to draw inspiration and ideas from. I must quote my mentor Mike Rohde: this book is not about Art, is about Ideas.
This book is basic and at low cost.I want people to take notes ON my book, add colors, add features and details, writing on the pages and without regret, without the fear of ruining an expensive book. I want children to play with it, tear the pages off, destroy it without their parents getting mad.
You can grab your copy here:
If you'd like to know more about the story of this book, here is the post on my blog.
That’s it!
As always, thank you so much for reading this issue! It was a honor spending time with you.
I hope you like this issue, if you don't like it you can always unsubscribe or, maybe it's just this issue so, please, can you just reply and help me to make it better?
Of course if you have suggestions or ideas I’d LOVE to hear from you, just reply to this email or DM on Twitter, even if we don’t follow each other.
See you on August, 1st 2022 at h7.30 AM CEST.
Ciao
Mauro