Tag Archives: Seth Godin

Day 157: how to stay creative and stop being perfect

6 Jun

I have to admit, I feel my writing can be pretty drab and not very creative sometimes.  Sure, there are days when I read a blog post and think… wow! I did it!

But, that doesn’t happen all the time, in fact, not most of the time.

And, I’m okay with it, because my goal is just to write everyday as I go along this journey.

To produce.  To publish.  To “ship” as Seth Godin would say.

But, today, when I stumbled upon this fancy, dancy little cartoon my eyes grew big and bulgy.  It’s aptly titled: How To Break Out Of A Creative Rut from the brains over at Copyblogger.

There is so much I have learned in this daily writing assignment of my promise.  One top lesson is this — I have to stop trying to be perfect. 

Perfectionism is a disease.
And such a hard habit to kick.

But, one that is crucial to get over — especially for those of us who write and publish and ship everyday.

As it says below…“If you try too hard to avoid failure you’ll avoid succes.”

That said — creativity is the best answer to a little drabby anything — be it writing, clothes, food or the weather.

So, please enjoy this fun overview of how to get your creative on!

Then …go get some creative on.

Lovemore,
xo~Jamie

How to Break Out of a Creative Rut

Like this infographic? Get more content marketing tips from Copyblogger.

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Day 105: caine’s arcade, social good and other fearless dreams

14 Apr

Oh, dear Caine!
You have me in tears.

I realize I may be a late arrival to Caine’s Arcade, but it was well worth the trip.

Yesterday, Debi Lilly posted a note about Caine on Facebook, and I saw a little news spot on his amazing arcade. And, then tonight, Seth Godin, sent out a little note about Caine’s Arcade, the short film.

I decided I should check this video out.
And, I did.
It was so worth it.

It takes 10 minutes to watch this masterpiece of social good.

Warning: it may bring you to tears, or put a smile on your face.
Or both.

At the end of the video I couldn’t help but donate to the Caine Scholarship Fund.

Hey, if a 9-year-old can build an arcade out of cardboard boxes, old toys and tape — what could he do with the college education of his choice?

And, if a filmmaker can turn his story about a young boy’s dream into a social media phenom, and a college fund, then I say this:

We’ve never been more connected.
And, there is a REASON why.

To be fearless.
To show more love.
To help each other.

Here is one 9-year-old boy and a filmmaker to prove it.

Caine’s Arcade from Nirvan Mullick on Vimeo.

A 9 year old boy – who built an elaborate cardboard arcade inside his dad’s used auto part store – is about to have the best day of his life.

Help Caine’s Scholarship Fund:  http://cainesarcade.com

Caine’s Arcade Online:  http://facebook.com/cainesarcade

http://twitter.com/cainesarcade

Credits:  Directed by Nirvan

http://twitter.com/nirvan

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Day 278: steve jobs, a reason to follow your heart

5 Oct

The end of an era.

Tonight the world mourns the one and only Steve Jobs. From the blog of Seth Godin, to the reposted TED video all over Facebook of his commencement speech addressing Standford University, to the home page of Apple, the world’s creative tech genius is remembered.

It has me thinking about life and death and everything in between.  There are two things I know about this topic — one: we are born; and two: we will die.

And, in both cases, life goes on.

I remember sitting on the sidewalk in front of my friend Kari’s house, when we were just seventeen, and I broke the news that I had just been diagnosed with cancer.

While telling Kari my news and watching her cry over my misfortune, the only thoughts running through my head were, “I know this is happening for a reason.”

I still feel that way today.
The reasons were many I’m sure. Some I am still learning and others I have lived with in my head, heart, body and soul for over twenty years now.

I imagine Steve Jobs had many reasons too.
In his commencement speech at Standford he reminds everyone of the power of living with death nearby, for nothing is as terrifying or fearful when you have nothing to lose:

“Almost everything–all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure–these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”

Thank you Steve, for following your heart.
And for sharing it with the rest of us.

Rest in peace.

And, as Apple encourages:
If you would like to share your thoughts, memories, and condolences, please email rememberingsteve@apple.com

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Day 225: lazy day popcorn

13 Aug

This morning I read Seth Godin’s email, which gave me complete permission to have a lazy Saturday:

“Wasting time is not a waste. In fact, wasting time is a key part of our lives.
Wasting time poorly is a sin, because not only are you forgoing the productivity, generosity and art that comes from work, but you’re also giving up the downtime, experimentation and joy that comes from wasting time. If you’re going to waste time (and I hope you will) the least you can do is do it well.”

I’m not sure his point was to veg out on the couch, watch two movies and avoid grocery shopping.

But that’s what I did.
AND, in doing so, I discovered a new recipe.

We were down to only a handful of ingredients leftover from REAL groceries. So …I had a dilemma. What to do to feed myself with the following:

  • tea
  • popcorn
  • tiny tomatoes
  • a basil plant
  • a rotten banana
  • lemon
  • clove of garlic
  • pepper, olive oil, cumin, cinnamon and salt
  • oh, yes, and a can of tuna

I threw out the banana and turned my nose up at the tomatoes.

So, basil, garlic, salted popcorn it was.
FOR LUNCH.

What can I say?  I was being lazy.  And watching movies.  So, it seemed the obvious choice.

It tasted terrible.  I’m sure there is a way to make basil, garlic, salted popcorn so that it tastes edible.

My version was atrocious.  And I ate the whole thing. Yes, I was THAT LAZY today.

It’s all Seth’s fault.
I took my downtime seriously.  Hey, I was experimenting (with popcorn!) and it was a joy (to lay around and watch two movies!).

Okay, so maybe my concoction wasn’t all that nutritious or good for my body, but in a way, it was a fun departure from my norm.  It wasn’t a green smoothie or a salad, or even an apple.

According to my friend Carrie Saba, in her latest Ladies Home Journal article: it’s good to experience a change of pace.  As Carrie says, “get out of your comfort zone and try something new this month!”

Well, I did.  It was a lazy experiment.
Maybe tomorrow I’ll wake up with big ideas, more refreshed and rejuvenated!?

Or, maybe tomorrow will be just like the old Saturday Night Live Digital Short: a Lazy Sunday.

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Day 114: quick like a bunny

24 Apr

Here comes Peter Cotton Tail.
If there is one thing about the Easter Bunny to respect, it’s his stick-to-it-ness. Showing up year after year, basket in hand, at the mall, at the car dealership, the grocery store, you name it!

Even yesterday, we spotted this bunny at the Farmer’s Market:

I remember an Easter from my past, where one of my uncles dressed up in an Easter Bunny costume. He was the biggest Easter Bunny I had ever seen!

One by one, THE GREAT BIG BUNNY in my Aunt’s living room handed out basket bonanzas to each one of my cousins and to me.

All that loot promptly turned into a glorious sugar rush.

No surprise who was bouncing down the bunny trail after chomping off chocolate bunny ears and blue candy eyes.  (Still, I was always disappointed to find out those chocolate bunnies were hollow inside.)

This morning, instead of wading through a basket full of plastic pink grass I perused through the pages of a book.

It was almost as good as candy!

The book is a short read (I finished it before lunch).

Do The Work by Steven Pressfield
This new book from the author of The War of Art and the Domino Project (Seth Godin’s brainchild) is full of ideas about YOUR ideas.

If you have a creative spark in your heart or mind (is there a business, restaurant, book, store or program brewing inside of you?) and you want to bring that inkling of an idea into this world, well, this is a great book to get you going.

Here’s what I loved about the book:
it addresses what holds all of us back from accomplishing our great ideas: RESISTANCE.

As an Idea-Girl I can attest to this:  for every 1 great thing I’ve ever finished, completed or seen through to the end, I probably have 150 other ideas that never made their way off the drawing board.

That’s what makes The Promise 365 so personally powerful. I love that it forces me to take one small step forward to my goal every single day.

And, I love Do The Work because it helped get some sticky stuff unstuck in my own head.

Like the fact that “resistance” will rear its ugly head, we can count on it to show up in any project.

It’s not all in my head.
And, as small as that seems, it brought me some relief.
Here’s hoping it might just bring you some too.

And, the icing on the cake?
Since it is sponsored by GE it’s free to all of us. That’s right, it’s a “sponsored book” which means you can download it for FREE on your Kindle.  No kidding.

I truly believe we can do anything our heart desires.
Sometimes we just need a little nudge to get started.

Here’s one if you need it:
Quick, like a bunny!  Get your FREE copy of Do The Work.

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