The Power of Daily Practice: How Creative and Performing Artists (and Everyone Else) Can Finally Meet Their Goals

by Eric Maisel PhD

Overview

Learn the #1 Secret of the Most Successful Pros: Daily Practice

Eric Maisel knows from experience and observation that the single most crucial element of success for any endeavor is a regular, daily practice. Dr. Maisel, a preeminent creativity coach, therapist, and acclaimed author, shows how and why to implement a daily practice and addresses common challenges. His experience working with bestselling writers, entrepreneurs, musicians, actors, visual artists, recovering addicts, and rehabilitation patients shows as he outlines various ways to approach a daily practice and goes on to help you build a version of this important discipline that suits your life and goals. Real-world stories and practical examples will help you make measurable progress and build satisfaction in your most cherished pursuits.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781608687060
Publisher:	New World Library
Publication date:	09/08/2020
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.90(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Eric Maisel, PhD, is the author of more than fifty books in the areas of life purpose, meaning, and the creative life. America’s foremost creativity coach, Dr. Maisel offers online and in-person workshops and coaching. He lives in Walnut Creek, California.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Frequently Asked Questions 21

Part I The Elements of Practice

Element 1 Initiation 33

Element 2 Simplicity 38

Element 3 Regularity 43

Element 4 Seriousness 48

Element 5 Playfulness 52

Element 6 Honesty 56

Element 7 Self-Direction 60

Element 8 Intensity 65

Element 9 Lightness 70

Element 10 Presence 74

Element 11 Ceremony 79

Element 12 Joy 84

Element 13 Discipline 88

Element 14 Devotion 93

Element 15 Repetition 97

Element 16 Innovation 101

Element 17 Self-Trust 105

Element 18 Love 109

Element 19 Primacy 114

Element 20 Completion 118

Part II Varieties of Daily Practices

Practice 1 Your Creativity Practice 127

Practice 2 Your Recovery Practice 131

Practice 3 Your Life Purposes Practice 136

Practice 4 Your Meaning-Making Practice 141

Practice 5 Your Spiritual Practice 146

Practice 6 Your Mindfulness Practice 150

Practice 7 Your Health Practice 155

Practice 8 Your Mental Health Practice 159

Practice 9 Your Relationship-Building Practice 164

Practice 10 Your Personality Upgrade Practice 168

Practice 11 Your Business-Building Practice 173

Practice 12 Your Activism Practice 178

Practice 13 Your Performance Practice 183

Practice 14 Your Warrior Practice 187

Practice 15 Your Healing Practice 192

Practice 16 Your Problem-Solving Practice 196

Practice 17 Your Kirist Practice 200

Practice 18 Your "Any Activity" Practice 209

Part III Challenges to Daily Practice

Challenge 1 Mindset 219

Challenge 2 Chaos and Noise 224

Challenge 3 Restlessness 228

Challenge 4 Time and Space 233

Challenge 5 Self-Talk 237

Challenge 6 Bodily Sensations 242

Challenge 7 Difficulty 247

Challenge 8 Anxiety and Distractibility 252

Challenge 9 Skill Set Issues 256

Challenge 10 Circumstances 261

Challenge 11 Health 265

Challenge 12 Defensiveness 269

Challenge 13 Lack of Progress 274

Challenge 14 Mistakes and Messes 279

Challenge 15 Failures 284

Challenge 16 Personality 288

Challenge 17 Conflict 293

Challenge 18 Boredom and Meaninglessness 298

Epilogue: The Power of Daily Practice 303

About the Author 307

Editorial Reviews

Blending his roles as philosopher, psychotherapist, masterful creativity coach, and human being, Eric Maisel invites us into a life of deeper purpose and abundant joy through the power of daily practice. Thank you, Eric, for this comprehensive, inspiring book. It’s right on time!”
— Jacob Nordby, author of The Creative Cure

“Eric Maisel’s new book, The Power of Daily Practice, is a constellation of practical magic for anyone wanting to create and make more things real. Every page is like an ignition switch, and the whole book is a big paper mentor encouraging and supporting you all the time.”
— SARK, author and artist, PlanetSARK.com

“In The Power of Daily Practice, Eric Maisel does more than illustrate why a daily practice can be any creative person’s (that means all of us) most powerful tool. He also gives us, point by inspiring point, components that make up such a practice. He leads would-be practitioners through a variety of potential daily practices that can enrich their lives. Finally, with generosity and clarity, Maisel offers practical solutions and creative ideas to meet any challenges along the way. This is an altogether complete and invigorating manual for living a rich and meaningful life, day in and day out.”
— Judy Reeves, author of A Writer’s Book of Days and Wild Women, Wild Voices

“The Power of Daily Practice has radically changed my practice and my thinking, evoking a richer and more expansive understanding of the possibilities and the power of daily practice. Coaches, therapists, and lifestyle medicine professionals will find The Power of Daily Practice a wonderful resource. I plan to use it as a primary text in all the wellness classes I teach!”
— Kathleen Jones, certified health and wellness coach

“The Power of Daily Practice is the most powerful and comprehensive guide to the art and benefits of daily practice that I have ever seen. It is all you need to cultivate a life-enriching practice of your own. Read this inspiring book, and you will see your daily life, and what you choose to include in it, in new, vastly expanded ways!”
— Lynda Monk, director of the International Association for Journal Writing

“Creators intuitively understand the benefits of paying daily attention to their art. Eric Maisel spells out those benefits in his brilliant new book, The Power of Daily Practice. He describes every element of practice, what challenges to expect, and what you can do to meet those challenges. Every visual artist, every writer, every composer — every creative person — must get his or her hands on this astonishingly good book.”
— Roccie Hill, executive director of the Mendocino Art Center

“Creating a daily practice and engaging in it is proving to be an enormously rewarding, life-changing, and exciting experience for me. I’m very much looking forward to deepening my experience in the months to come. I’ve found The Power of Daily Practice to be a highly effective guide and an invaluable resource filled with practical advice, engaging stories, and real wisdom. I’ve built a rewarding daily practice, and finally I’m making progress toward my business, personal growth, educational, and artistic goals.”
— Ann Debontridder, international ESL teacher

“The Power of Daily Practice encouraged me to bring reverence to my daily practices, elevating their meaning and bringing real possibility to my life. My daily practices now truly reflect my goals in life and have given me a satisfying framework for living my most productive and meaningful life possible.”
— Elena Greco, singer, creativity coach, and holistic counselor

From the Publisher