Balance Is A Function Of Focus
Balance is often a result of mindset, which leads to enhanced focus.
Balance Is A Function Of Focus
Articles about Process
Is The “Second Wall” Keeping You From Your Best Work?
Is The “Second Wall” Keeping You From Your Best Work?
Are you abandoning your creative process just before you experience a breakthrough?
5 Timeless Productivity Habits Worth Reviewing and Remembering
5 Timeless Productivity Habits Worth Reviewing and Remembering
You owe it to yourself to structure your time in a way that facilitates your best work.
The Pressure To Produce More
The Pressure To Produce More
How to keep the pressure to do great work from infiltrating every area of your life.
You Are Not A Machine
You Are Not A Machine
How to avoid the trap of becoming a creativity-cranking, efficiency obsessed machine.
Everything I Need To Know About Productivity I Learned On Dagobah
Everything I Need To Know About Productivity I Learned On Dagobah
Master Yoda offers up some wise words for those who want to do great work.
Doing What You Love & Loving What You Do
Doing What You Love & Loving What You Do
Why do you do what you do? Is it for the perks, the attention or the paycheck? Probably at least somewhat. But what about the process itself? If you knew that you were going to spend the rest of your life doing your work and there would be no recognition, no public...
Why We Need To Develop An Effectiveness Obsession
Why We Need To Develop An Effectiveness Obsession
Don't leave brilliance on the table by confusing efficiency with effectiveness.
The Weight of What’s Undone
The Weight of What’s Undone
You're creative, right? You've got great ideas. You're doing great work and gaining traction. Then suddenly, it seems like you can't get moving on your work. Ideas aren't flowing like they once were, and there is little movement on your projects. Have you just...
Being “Accidentally” Creative
Being “Accidentally” Creative
Over the years, we’ve had more than a few questions about the name Accidental Creative. Usually the responses go one of two ways: "What do you mean accidental? I’m very purposeful about what I do. I’m insulted and I shun anything else you have to say"…or "Hmm....
“Them” and The Tyranny of Chasing Cool
“Them” and The Tyranny of Chasing Cool
I have lately encountered many people who feel - for lack of a better term - frustrated and like they're under-performing. But the thing is, in many of these cases the cause - the root - of the issue isn't some workplace dynamic, lack of resources or lack of...
Chasing “The Thing”
Chasing “The Thing”
Do you remember the old episodes of the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote? When I was a kid, I couldn’t wait to tear out of bed on Saturday morning, pour a giant bowl of cereal and watch in anticipation of the coyote actually catching him. Then it happened. One...
Rules, Limits & Creative Brilliance
Rules, Limits & Creative Brilliance
Jonathan Robert Willis, a photographer friend of mine, sent a link to a personal exploration project he recently released called Wind. While I love (LOVE!) the finished product, what I enjoyed most was hearing his rationale for the highly-directed approach he took...
Do You Really Need More Time?
Do You Really Need More Time?
The single biggest "push back" I get from people when I share about how building practices into their life can unleash new ideas and help them be more productive goes something like this: "Yeah, that's great, but I really just don't have the time." After collecting...
5 Brilliant Books For Creative Pros
5 Brilliant Books For Creative Pros
Here's a "5 pack" of brilliant books for creatives that will help you do brilliant work. Each deals with a different aspect of creative and organizational life, but is relevant and immediately applicable to anyone trying to thrive in the create-on-demand world.
VIDEO: Clip From the David Allen Interview
VIDEO: Clip From the David Allen Interview
Here's a clip from the upcoming AC podcast interview with David Allen, author of Getting Things Done. I had a GREAT time chatting with David, and the interview is full of advice for creatives about how to be more effective in life and work. The full audio recording...
Every Day Is A Job Interview
Every Day Is A Job Interview
How hard would you work today if you knew that keeping your job was dependent on the value you contribute? Imagine that there is going to be a fifteen minute exit interview at the end of the day, and in this interview you are going to have to account for all of the...
When You Don’t Care
When You Don’t Care
Inevitably, there will be some projects in your create-on-demand role that you will be - let’s just say - “less than passionate” about. In fact, there will be some things you’re required to do that seem downright ridiculous and generally like a waste of time. How...
Obligation vs. Opportunity
Obligation vs. Opportunity
Think about how you've spent your last 24 hours. How much time did you spend on building something rather than on maintaining something that already existed? Most of us spend the majority of our lives in maintenance mode, whether it's professionally or personally....
What Do You Want To Be Known For?
What Do You Want To Be Known For?
In a podcast interview with Kristian Andersen (to be released on Monday) he said something that caught me off-guard and caused me to think about my day-to-day work. The gist of his comment was that we need to decide what what we want to be known for, and then get working on it. In other words, we need to make sure that our daily activities line up with where we want to be headed.