Blog
Articles on finishing self-generated work and building expertise-based creative businesses, with the Creative Engine, Ground Truth, and Capacity frameworks.
capacity
Your new superpower: NOT trying to do everything
When you pay yourself first, not only with money, but with time, you can choose to focus on your highest values without having your entire life dialed in.
Say goodbye to creative burnout: “If it doesn’t fit, it won’t happen.”
When too many projects split your focus, nothing gets done—at least they don’t get done without a panicked scramble, cramming in extra work on evenings and weekends. Find out how screenwriter and film director André Hedetoft broke the pattern and started getting his most important work done on time.
Why do I feel trapped as an artist if creativity is so freeing?
You have a passion. You’re inspired and motivated. So why can’t you manage to do the thing? Feel trapped? Here’s some news: You are. Ready to get out?
Making better comics: 12 years and 12 hard-won lessons learned
The point of being human is to try things that are incredibly difficult, to reach for heaven, even if it exceeds your grasp. That’s who we are. That’s what makes it all worth it.
How to build a sustainable work process that produces results WITHOUT burnout
Jennifer Shiman came back to her career in animation determined to have a better relationship with her work. “This is an opportunity to really create not only a sustainable way to earn a living, but a sustainable work process, which is necessary for my health.”
There is no gatekeeper. There is no gate.
A few weeks ago, I assigned my art students a fun project, a “forgery” of an artist they admire and want to learn from. One student picked Michelangelo. (I talked her down from trying a fresco—in two weeks—to imitating his red chalk studies.) She copied his work in her sketchbook every day. She went to the art museum to look at originals and she copied those. It was, and I quote, “really hard.” She, shall we say, fell somewhat short of learning to draw like late-period Michelangelo in 2 weeks. Does that mean she shouldn’t have tried? She learned about anatomy, crosshatching, historical drawing tools, drawing dramatically exaggerated beefcakes, and what it will take to get really good at what…
Want out of the scarcity trap? Stop working so hard.
If I want to invent a new future, one where I can do more by doing less, where I can make smart choices that allow me to have more impact in the world, building in margin is the only way to get there.