Pic of the day

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Creativity at work

Here's the last excerpt from the 99% conference (1% inspiration, and 99% perspiration). Teresa Amabile researches our emotional and creative work life. Here are some of her thoughts:

   1. Keep a work diary because you're busy. Being busy and overwhelmed means it's even more important for you to be able to take a step back and reflect. In the whirlwind of professional life, things get lost in the shuffle that can be rediscovered only through the daily ritual of keeping a diary. Find your own favorite medium - whether it's a moleskine, an online app, or a sketchbook - and make a habit of it.

   2. Celebrate your small wins. When you're bogged down by seemingly never-ending projects or ongoing daily tasks, it can be tough to find perspective. By recording what you do on the daily, you can recognize and celebrate your small wins. According to Amabile, incremental progress is the single most powerful motivator in the workplace.

   3. We're most productive when we're doing meaningful work. It's important to recognize what aspects of our work reward us the most. Reading through your diary entries can help you learn which projects and tasks you're most passionate about. Then you're empowered to redistribute (or phase out) those tasks that don’t resonate with you, and bring the most meaningful ones to the forefront.

 PIC-OF-THE-WEEK

When I drove by these silos I had a feeling there was a photo there. But I did have to do some straightening and other tweaks to bring it out.

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Adapt

Sometimes when you're involved in a creative endeavor things don't go quite as you planned. I suggest 3 steps that have helped me when this happens:

   1. Step back - get away physically or at least mentally and try to gain perspective. Create some space between you and the situation. If you have the time, set it aside and come back to it after a brief period.

   2. Give thanks - this implies that there is someone to give thanks to and as a follower of Jesus I give thanks to God. This isn't because I think I "should" or because I'm trying manipulate the situation. It's simply because I know that God loves me and has a plan that is perfect for both for Him and for me. I can rest in that.

   3. Create again - think of plan B. Talk to those who are involved if you have a team. See if there is a way to complete the project differently than you envisioned in the beginning, because most likely there is.

I was co-director of a theater production recently and one of our lead characters, Brian Moore, did the show while he was battling cancer. He actually performed in the midst of weekly chemotherapy sessions. The other director and I decided to ask a couple characters to understudy in case he wasn't able to perform on show night. It would have been way less than ideal - Brian is an excellent actor – but we had plan B if necessary.

PIC-OF-THE-WEEK

I could almost feel the sun drawing this corn up out of the ground when I took this photo.

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Embrace the rhythms

This post is a little more personal than most because I am in a very unusual season right now. I am producing a theatrical show that premieres in one week. It’s an incredible show with terrific actors and a great message (disclaimer – my wife, another lady and I wrote it, but it really is good!). It’s with a new non-profit theater group which means much of the work is done by a few people. So in the past couple months I’ve created music cues, recorded and edited video clips, worked on the set assembly, coordinated rehearsals and I’m one of the actors. I know, no one held a gun to my head and forced me to do all this. It’s all stuff I love to do and so far it hasn’t totally consumed me even though I do have another paid job and have felt somewhat squeezed at times.

All this to say, I know there will eventually be a time to slow down, a time to relax more. And that’s one of the things I love about life and try very hard to maintain: the rhythms. I do my best to regulate them properly and then live life in their yoke.

PIC-OF-THE-WEEK

This is one of my favorite angles to photograph when I visit my father-in-law's farm up north.

Doing is the key

The medium must always be in service to the content.       Blaine Hogan

If you don't have the best camera; if you don't have Photoshop; if you don't have script writing software; if you don't have a fancy keyboard; if you don't have the latest edition of Word; if you don't have a secretary.....  create anyway.

Rarely does the lack of tools restrict what we can do creatively. An entire photography book was written using only iPhone photos. Successful movies have been shot with home video recorders. One man launched his directing career by shooting a short film entirely on a DSLR camera that happened to have video capabilities.

Equipment is good. Vision is vital. Doing is the key.

PIC-OF-THE-WEEK

Around here (Columbiana, OH) the end of summer is signaled by fields of corn that rise up and stand guard for a short period of time.