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Creative professionals whose brilliance has faded might take a rag and some spit to their careers using this inspirational handbook from creativity consultant Henry.
With a few personal anecdotes and very little technical jargon,the author's debut cuts right to the chase: Nobody, he writes, actually wants to create on demand. But by narrowing one's focus to three priorities at a time while paying attention to seemingly unrelated creative impulses, Henry argues that imaginative sparks can grow into fully realized ideas if they are given a little structure and a lot of space. Too often, he writes, creative professionals play it safe to avoid getting fired, potentially missing great moments of inspiration while churning out a steady flow of mediocre work. It's an idea that's popular in the tech industry right now, but Henry's tips will work even for professionals who don't build prototypes. Much like Julia Cameron inThe Artist's Way(2002),Henry peppers his self-help guide with creativity-enhancing exercises for readers to use in their daily lives. But he avoids the overly prescriptive—readers won't have to navigate essay questions or flow charts.The author wins points by acknowledging that burnout comes from unrealistic expectations combined with energy-sucking meetings and nonstop e-mails.He adds value with simple methods forremoving items from an artist's to-do list that make setting priorities and managing time effectively seem more attainable.
Readers will relate to Henry's description of the creative process and learn to sustain creativity over time.
Introduction: The Accidental Creative 1
Part I The Dynamics
1 The Dynamics of Creative Work 9
2 The Dynamics of Team Work 25
3 The Side Effects: Dealing with the Assassins of Creativity 43
Part 2 Creative Rhythm
4 Focus: Zeroing in on What's Critical 69
5 Relationships: Being Brilliant Together 93
6 Energy: Your Invisible Ally 113
7 Stimuli: What Goes in Must Come Out 135
8 Hours: They're the Currency of Productivity 161
9 Putting it All Together: The Checkpoints 181
10 Cover Bands Don't Change the World 201
Acknowledgments 219
Appendix 221
Index 225
After being a listener of the Accidental Creative podcast for years, it was great to see Todd finally release a book.
This is an important book worth sharing for a few reasons...
1. it's hits all the strong points from Accidental Creative - and there are many,
2. it covers a ton of uncharted territory extremely relevant to the modern knowledge worker,
3. it articulates art and creativity in way that almost anyone can digest, bringing it closer to home for engineering minds (like mine), and
4. brings all this together with a focus on mental and physical health too - it's like a Four Hour Body for the mind.
A thoroughly recommended, refreshing read.
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Posted July 19, 2011
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Posted July 7, 2011
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Overview
Have better ideas, faster, without the stress and burnout.It isn't enough to just do your job anymore. In order to thrive in today's marketplace, all of us-even the accountants-have to be ready to generate brilliant ideas on demand.
Business creativity expert Todd Henry explains how to establish effective practices that unleash your creative potential. Born out of his consultancy and his popular podcast, Henry has created a practical method for discovering your personal creative rhythm. He focuses on five key ...