How To Be Creative...

If you haven't heard of Hugh MacLeod, you're missing out. He draws cartoons on the back of business cards...pretty silly huh? Except that he's built it into a very well known, very profitable little side business. He could probably make it a full time gig, but then that takes the "Sexy" out of it (Read his Manifesto How To Be Creative...you'll understand). Instead, he keeps it at a level that makes it completely enjoyable to him, completely stress free...and that's a beautiful thing.

I'll post his 38 Steps of Creativity below...they're genius...and you can read the Manifesto to hear him expound on these. He's one of the reasons I decided to do a 180 degree turn with my career and completely go about re-vamping how I was doing things.

Let me just say...if you're looking for an "easy" button for your professional and creative career, this ain't it. This completely flies in the face of the "normal" way of doing things...and that's a beautiful thing!

So enjoy...you can check out some more of his cartoons at http://www.gapingvoid.com/ and you can download his complete manifesto as a PDF for free at www.changethis.com/6.HowToBeCreative .

38 Steps of Creativity

1. Ignore everybody

2. The idea doesn't have to be big. It just has to be yours.

3. Put the hours in.

4. If your biz plan depends on you suddenly being "discovered" by some bigshot, your plan will probably fail.

5. you are responsible for your own experience.

6. Everyone is born creative: everyone is given a box of crayons in kindergarten.

7. Keep your day job.

8. Companies that squelch creativity can no longer compete with companies that champion it.

9. Everybody has their own private Mount Everest they were put on this earth to climb.

10. The more talented somebody is, the less they need the props.

11. Don't try to stand out from the crowd: avoid crowds altogether.

12. If you accept the pain, it cannot hurt you.

13. Never compare your inside with somebody else's outside.

14. Dying young is overrated.

15. The most important thing a creative person can learn professionally is where to draw the red line that separates what you are willing to do, and what you are not.

16. The world is changing.

17. Merit can be bought, passion can't.

18.Avoid the watercooler gang.

19. Sing in your own voice.

20. The choice of media is irrelevant.

21. Selling out is harder than it looks.

22. Nobody cares. Do it for yourself.

23. Worrying about "Commercial vs. Artistic" is a complete waste of time.

24. Don't worry about finding inspiration. It comes eventually.

25. You have to find your own schtick.

26. Write from the heart.

27. The best way to get approval is not to need it.

28. Power is never given. Power is taken.

29. Whatever choice you make, the Devil gets his due eventually.

30. The hardest part of being creative is getting used to it.

31. Remain frugal.

32. Allow your work to age with you.

33. Being Poor Sucks.

34. Beware of turning hobbies into jobs.

35. Savor obscurity while it lasts.

36. Start blogging.

37. Meaning scales, People don't.

38. When your dreams become reality, they are no longer your dreams.