Category: Daily Finds
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Top artists reveal how to find creative inspiration
For fear of making us sound like the Waltons, my band [Elbow] are a huge source of inspiration for me. They’re my peers, my family; when they come up with something impressive, it inspires me to come up with something equally impressive. Spending time in your own head is important. When I was a boy, I…
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Stop Waiting For Creative Inspiration
There are times when you really have to be creative. In many of these situations, you may feel stuck. Nothing is coming to mind. Every time you think about the problem, you get frustrated. And since frustration is painful, you procrastinate. Time ticks by. The deadline creeps closer. Still, inspiration eludes you while the anxiety…
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Kickstart your creativity
Out of fresh ideas? These inspiring talks offer the kick-in-the-pants you need to unleash your creative spirit. Is your school or workplace divided between the “creatives” versus the practical people? Yet surely, David Kelley suggests, creativity is not the domain of only a chosen few. Telling stories from his legendary design career and his own…
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Six Ways to Find Creative Inspiration
As a creative agency, we’d be pretty doomed if we gave up every time we were blocked. Luckily, we’ve learned how to deal with it. We asked a few of the leading creative minds around the agency for strategies they use to move beyond the dreaded block. Their answers ranged from starting with the data…
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Creativity Works: Lose that giant ego
Of all the bad traits that have the potential to damage your career or prevent you from earning respect from your peers, a giant ego could be the worst. Just to be clear, I’m not talking about confidence here, I’m talking about an exaggerated sense of self-importance. Confidence says, “I’m valuable,” while ego says, “I’m…
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At the Intersection of Ego and Creativity
Trust me. This article addresses the role of ego in creativity. But before I get into the heart of that discussion, let’s pretend this is Psychology 101. Had that class already? Alright then, consider this a refresher course. Dr. Sigmund Freud came to conclusions that forever altered our understanding of the mind, conscious and unconscious. Love…
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Why the Creative Process is threatening to your Ego
Steven Pressfield explained remarkably well why a life of distraction and hedonism is so appealing and easy. The creative “has volunteered for hell, whether he knows it or not. He has to know how to be miserable because this is war and war is hell.” Being original and creative daily comes with its fair share…
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Why Ego is The Greatest Opponent to Your Creativity
We all have goals: We want to matter. We want to be important. We want to have freedom and power to pursue our creative work. We want respect from our peers and recognition for our accomplishments. Not out of vanity or selfishness, but of an earnest desire to fulfill our personal potential. While we hold…
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Why Quieting the Ego Strengthens Your Best Self
We live in some times. On the one hand, things are better than they’ve ever been. Overall rates of violence, poverty, and disease are down. There have been substantial increases in education, longevity, leisure time, and safety. On the other hand… We are more divided than ever as a species. Tribalism and identity politics are…
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How Your Ego Sabotages Your Creativity
An inflated ego can surface in the most subtle ways. Know the difference between confidence and arrogance so you can do your best creative work. One of the most destructive of creative sins is an over-inflated ego. When many people hear the word “ego,” they immediately think of the know-it-all manager charging into the room…