| When it comes to success...as any kind of writer, or | | | | seagull. I have it in my library, and I still pick it up and |
| as an entrepreneur in any area...creativity is | | | | read from it from time to time because it inspires |
| important...really important. | | | | me. If you don't have it already, I highly recommend |
| Albert Einstein said: "Imagination is more important | | | | it. It's called Jonathan Livingston Seagull, and has sold |
| than knowledge." He also said: "The intuitive mind is a | | | | over 7 million copies. It's available now in many |
| sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. | | | | formats, including e-book. However, before it was |
| We have created a society that honors the servant | | | | published for the first time, it was turned down |
| and has forgotten the gift." | | | | eighteen times! |
| The marketplace in which we live is constantly | | | | As Jonathan Livingston Seagull was transcending his |
| changing. We humans have what seems an insatiable | | | | current environment after continually trying new and |
| appetite for new...new products, new services, new | | | | different flying techniques unknown, and unsupported |
| art, and new art forms...new anything! | | | | by the seagull community...and practicing, practicing, |
| What the marketplace requires, therefore, is your | | | | practicing, he said to his friend: "".... Don't believe what |
| creativity. Your ability, your willingness to expand | | | | your eyes are telling you. All they show is limitation. |
| your abilities to create new ideas, new solutions, new | | | | Look with your understanding, find out what you |
| ways of living. | | | | already know, and you'll see the way to fly." |
| What that requires of you...of me...of anyone who | | | | These are stories about accepting no limitations. |
| chooses to affect the world in which we live...is to | | | | Stories of accepting no limits, no "norms"... no "you |
| return to the imaginative and creative voices in our | | | | can't do that," and instead...reaching out and |
| minds when we were 6 -- or younger! | | | | embracing failure, often. Instead of saying "Why can't |
| Bravery required? Yes! This means abandoning the | | | | I?" they said "How can I?" again and again and again. |
| "tried and true"...taking risks without | | | | Do you want to "be" your hero? Do you want to |
| guarantees...exploring... ignoring...the "borders" of the | | | | increase your creativity, and take flight to your new |
| known that we've been taught. It means returning to | | | | world? If so, you'll need to take your blinders off |
| the age at which we build "forts" from sticks, castles | | | | your creativity! |
| from sand, "pies" from mud, and entertained in our | | | | For a beginning, try: |
| forts and castles those who existed only in our | | | | - Exploring a place you've never been before. |
| minds. | | | | - Listening to a new genre of music that you're |
| Creativity comes from unreasonableness. It means | | | | unfamiliar with. |
| ignoring our analytical, logical, judgemental, | | | | - Eating food you're unaccustomed to. |
| detail-oriented training. It comes from humor, vision, | | | | - Look at a problem through your "child's eyes." In |
| music, imagination...and non-judgement! | | | | other words...remember when... |
| Creativity demands that you be curious...not smart. | | | | Rather than focus on negatives, as most of us are |
| There are, and will continue to be, many nay-sayers | | | | taught, look for the positive: |
| to block your curiosity, your creativity, and your | | | | - What's positive or useful about your project or |
| tenacity when your exploration has begun to take | | | | your position? |
| hold of you, and you know you have an idea | | | | - What's positive about your idea that others can |
| that...successful or not...must be shared. | | | | use? |
| Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, said in 1943: "I | | | | - What's positive about a specific idea you have that |
| think there is a world market for maybe 5 | | | | others can apply? |
| computers." Lord Kelvin said in 1895 "Heavier than air | | | | - What positive things can you or your client do with |
| flying machines are impossible", and Daryl F. Zanuck, | | | | your ideas? Can you speak about them? Write about |
| 20th Century Fox movie studio said in 1946 "Video | | | | them? Give workshops, teleseminars? |
| won't be able to hold on to any market it captures | | | | - Can you donate your ideas, or the results of your |
| after the first six months." | | | | ideas to others who may be interested, or may be |
| All of these...and many more...naysayers have been | | | | able to develop them to a level you never |
| proven wrong. They've been shown to lack | | | | anticipated? |
| "creativity... or imagination, " by the brave individuals | | | | - Can you develop a membership site or start a |
| who chose to follow their dreams...their intuition...their | | | | forum where your ideas can be brainstormed with |
| inner voices... and chose not to follow the advice of | | | | the collective result being better than you ever |
| the naysayers...the experts...the prognosticators...even | | | | imagined possible? |
| their own self-doubts...to create for all of us a better, | | | | And...perhaps...one of the best things you can do to |
| richer, world in some way. | | | | increase your creativity...and your success...is to |
| Is each person who does this always successful? Are | | | | meditate. Practice silence. |
| you always going to get the "big score" when you | | | | J. Krishnamurti, in The Flight of the Eagle said: |
| create something new...even when you believe with | | | | "Meditation is not something different from daily life. |
| your whole soul...your whole being...that what you've | | | | It is total attention. 'Attention' implies to attend, that |
| created is absolutely necessary...or offers such | | | | is to listen, hear, see, with all the totality of your |
| incredible value it should not be ignored? | | | | being, with your body, with your nerves, with your |
| No. Absolutely not. You won't always be successful. | | | | eyes, with your ears, with your mind, with your |
| Ask Albert Einstein. | | | | heart, completely." |
| Or...better yet...ask Benjamin Franklin. One of my | | | | Give in to your total attention and being. By letting go |
| absolutely favorite quotes is from Benjamin Franklin | | | | of expectations...by surrendering to "the flight"; how |
| when he said: "I didn't fail the test, I just found 100 | | | | the wind feels on your wings rather than having to |
| ways to do it wrong." And when someone asked him | | | | know exactly where you are going, where and when |
| about his attempts to invent the lightbulb:"Is it true | | | | you will land... you will find more synchronicity. You will, |
| that you had over 10,000 failures while trying to | | | | as Lao Tzu says, be able to "Do less, be more. |
| invent the light bulb?" he said "Young man, those | | | | Achieve less, have more." |
| weren't failures. Those were practice tests. I learned | | | | Creativity and success are yours for the taking. |
| what not to do from each of them." | | | | Become again the child...without limitations...without the |
| He also said: "Do not fear mistakes. You will know | | | | voices of the world to tell you your dream is |
| failure. Continue to reach out." | | | | impossible. |
| I know...this is hard to believe, but Walt Disney was | | | | Know only that in your kingdom the knight slays the |
| actually fired by a newspaper for not having enough | | | | wicked dragon and marries the beautiful princess. |
| ideas. And...before he built Disneyland...he went | | | | Every time. And, that the knight will go out...again and |
| bankrupt several times as he pursued his imagination | | | | again...without fear, knowing that he holds the sacred |
| and creativity. | | | | gift of the intuitive mind...and...if he listens... that will |
| I love Richard Bach's 1970's story about the soaring | | | | allow him to succeed. Every time. |