I went to see the incredible, inspiring, funny Liz Gilbert last night as she is touring Europe promoting her new book “Big Magic“. Here are the messages that I took from the evening:
- Do I trust what I know, or do I seek permission from others?
- I am doing what I can with what I have. And it’s good enough.
- Take the risk and release your work and creativity to the world. Being criticised beats being silent.
- The things we weren’t raised with, we can go out and learn. NONE of us get the whole picture from our parents.
- Encourage kids to be creative. NEVER discourage them. So many of us remember that one specific moment where our creativity was criticised by a parent or teacher, which often leads to us putting down that paintbrush / writer’s pen / musical instrument for good.
- Surround yourself with extraordinary people, with people that express their humanity and compassion in 3D.
- Be the person you want your kids to become. Embody the skills and attitudes you want them to learn.
- To get to the interesting stuff quickly, when you meet someone, either for the first or a 100th time, ask them: “What are you most excited about right now?” You will be amazed and quite likely excited each and every time.
- If you feel you don’t have the time to be creative / do whatever it is that you keep saying you want to do, ask yourself: “What am I willing to give up to have the life I keep saying I want?”
“The ultimate act of creativity is to turn your life into a work of art.”