STEPHEN BREWSTER

It is so important to develop goals. Creative environments need goals…marks that can be tracked and evaluated. Our department has some lofty goals and this week we need to inch closer to completion of those goals. Here is my list.

• Attend less meetings.
• Pray more.
• Intentionally create.
• Take more pictures.
• Invest more in my family, team, and department. (keep healthy balance)
• Avoid drama.
• Read.
• Write down every idea no matter how good, bad, silly, or solid.
• Find inspiration in something I have not yet discovered.
• Focus on conversations for inspiration and ideas rather than the internet.
• Cheer people on towards their goals.
• Encourage someone.
• Develop new relationships.
• Motivate.
• Lead.

This is how I plan on leading this week.

Do you have goals? How do you goal set? Day, week, month? What are your goals for this week?

2 killer videos.

The Blue Note jazz label has become known for their iconic covers. Here is a visual display of their greatness. They always stay on brand without ever being copycat.

Hi-Fi from bante on Vimeo.

Herbert Matter was more than a designer. He was a designer who thought like an artist and a curator. There is a lot to be learned from this approach to creation.

Matter Teaser from Herbert Matter on Vimeo.

Behance has created these notebooks. I have been taking notes this way for some time, not putting everything into straight lists. Now there are notebooks to keep it all together.

This clock is just cool.

I have become a firm believer in the fact that you can share your ideas, your creative pieces, your behind the curtain stuff and it will not hurt you. The fact is, it actually will build your presence, your platform, your accessibility, and make you more likable. Sharing will not hurt you because no one can execute your idea like you can. They do not have the skills, the dna, the experience, the passion or the ability. Sharing creates new opportunity.

To often we become protective of ideas, creative, and our “Brands”. This posture  costs us the ability to really impact culture. The more we share the farther the ideas and influence can spread. Instead, however, we send cease and desist letters.

On May 16, 1964 the Cambell Soup Company found out an artist had used their name and likeness to create some art. They sent a letter. Not the typical letter that you would expect a corporate giant to send to an artist. This letter, that you can see below, praised Andy Warhol, thanked him for what he had done, affirmed his art, and even gifted him some of his favorite soup. A far cry from Cease and Desist. They shared their art, embraced Warhol’s art, and created a new era in pop culture.

Artists, creators, companies…share. Share you knowledge, share your ideas, share your insight. The days of being able to steal your swagger are over. You and the humanity of you make what you do unique. Technology has shortened the creative curve. If people want to they can imitate you with very little effort. So share freely and influence the masses, not just those in front of you.

I have been so blessed in my life to work with amazing art creators. I am not talking about just singers and song writers. Artist come in every shape, size, color, occupation, and position. One time I met a homeless man who claimed to be “Otis the Artist”. Art creators could create spreadsheets, be speakers, be producers, be bloggers…you get the drift. Here are some of the traits that I love about working with artists.

• The artist makes messes – They stir it up. They don’t settle. They know beauty lives in the messy places most people are afraid to visit.
• The artist is eccentric – When they look at life, problems, or even a menu, they don’t see the boundaries they endless possibilities. Because of this, they do not process life through the same lens as the rest of the world.
• An Artist is passionate – About the things that matter to them, artists are very passionate. They cannot help but be consumed by the “THING” that makes them tick.
• An Artist process hurt – They use their pain not as a crutch but as a muse.
• An Artist feels healing – As they process the hurt, it turns to healing because they find ways to work through and let go.
• The artist is insecure – They know that their “thing” is not really about them because they have seen how massive it is capable of becoming and know they alone cannot create or control that type of creativity. If they have not gotten to this place, they are not creating art yet.
• In the moment of creating their art they bring a grace to what they do.
• An artist is unique. They are different. Some people think they are weird. They not only don’t have to fit in, but probably do not desire to fit in anyway.
• An artist is driven to create art in what they do, even if it is not “Art” that they create.
• Most artists are scared. Showcasing their art is important but they are afraid of what the type of reaction they will receive.
• I love artists because they want to stretch, test, attempt, destroy, develop, and uncover things that may or may not have ever been seen or used before.

I choose to call these special people artists and not “Creatives”. I am over the noun “creatives”. I want to be surrounded by people who burn to create art if it is in a cubical, a studio, an office, a toll booth or a museum. Creating art  has the potential to change the world.

The other day I was reading about professor Youngme Moon, the author of Different: Escaping the Competitive Herd, who has a great video about the creation of “My Anti-Creativity Checklist,”. Moon states that the effects of this list will destroy all of your creative thinking and process.

Here is the list with some editorial:

• Play it safe. We have to take risks and challenge status quo. Ask questions that might challenge your world.
• Know your limitations. Never allow yourself to become limited to a style or a function. You have to fight to stretch your limitations daily, looking for new canvas in which to create.
• Remind yourself: it’s just a job. Art is not a job. Creating your art (from spreadsheets to songs) is about the right balance of passion. If you ever feel it is just a job you are losing your creative edge.
• Make skepticism your middle name. It is healthy to ask hard questions, and during the creative process you have to be willing to confront the reality of ideas, but do not allow skepticism to feed the resistance and keep you from creating.
• Be the tough guy. Only when necessary.
• Respect history. Respect it, but do not let it own you. Balance history and tradition with the ability to grow.
• Stop the madness before it can get started. Never crush early-stage ideas.
• Use experience as a weapon. Balance been there, done that with how you can be better.
• Keep your eyes closed. Be willing to embrace new, things. Never be willing to keep your eyes and your minds closed. An open mind is fertilizer for ideas.
• Tell yourself there is no problem. Don’t fall victim to the blame game. Be willing to own situations, ideas, and concepts.
• Underestimate your customers. In church, “customers” are the congregation. Make sure you respect them, treat them great, and love them unconditionally. You can’t have a church without people.
• Give sound advice. Make sure the advice your giving is challenging the status quo. Make sure your questions are developing your culture.
• Be suspicious of the creatives, the lunatic fringe. Trust other creatives. Trust your team.
• When all else fails, act like a grown-up. Don’t get to caught up being busy without playing. If you want to build your creative culture you must create space for fun. Being to grown up kills creativity. If you don’t believe it, look at the grown ups you know.

I love this list. I love that someone from Harvard Business School has articulated the amazing problems that we face as a creative class. What are you doing to prevent from these attitudes, and actions from coming to life in your creative team.

Really excited about some of this stuff. Hope you enjoy.

THIS VIDEO IS AWESOME. GREAT STORY WITH NO VOCALS.