March 17, 2011

Playing Big: 7 must have tools for getting what you want

empire state building photography by ecostudionyc - click image for more info

I’m all about spacious goals, big ideas, and lofty expectations. But I know that it’s a lot easier to talk about them than to start executing them.

It’s no use to talk about building bigger if you don’t have a real set of tools.

Below, you’ll find a list of things that I recommend for digging deep and growing tall. On the surface, each of these tools may look ordinary but each holds a special power for aiding you in your journey towards greatness.

Twitter & Skype

Twitter will help you talk to people you never dreamed you could talk to. It will help you find the big conversations. It will help you make deep connections.

Of course, you will have to work for all those things. But the work is much easier & faster than ever before. You have no excuse.

Once you’ve done the work of finding people & conversations on Twitter. It’s time to take it to Skype. Skype let’s you connect with real people in real time really all around the world.

Open up a video chat – no really, don’t be shy! – and have a coffee date with someone halfway around the world. Schedule a 4 way chat with some virtual friends. Set a time frame & some conversation starters so you know what to expect and then chat!

One of the key ways we play bigger is by connecting with those who make us better players.

Digital Reader

Playing big takes a lot of time. Doing your work and fulfilling your mission on a large scale means you’ll likely be putting in a lot of hours. It also means that you’re going to be reading and learning more than you ever have before.

I’ve discovered that my iPad is a phenomenal tool for allowing me to create space in my life while continue to put in the time that I need.

I switch off the “work computer” and switch on my magical tablet, continuing to learn and read without the pressure of my bigger machine. I can take advantage of apps and note taking tools that sync up with my MacBook.

Your digital reader may be a Kindle, Nook, or netbook – but whatever you choose, I highly recommend a speedy digital way to keep on learning.

Calendar

Nothing helps you play bigger, get more accomplished, and find your inner task master than a calendar with deadlines written in pen.

I’ve been using a calendar extensively this year to stay on track with my goals. Instead of seeing a wide open idea, I see specific tasks that need to be accomplished by certain days.

I’ve also been using my calendar to take on new clients, schedule interviews, and plan financial needs. My calendar is more than a day planner; it’s a way to see my plans realized.

Website

If you have big plans for your personal mission or for your creative business, you need to have a website of your own.

This isn’t about having a Tumblr account or a Twitter stream or even a Blogspot blog – you need to have a home base. You need to have a way to invite people into your digital home so that they can help you achieve your goals.

If you were set on networking your way to the top 20 years ago, you might throw dinner parties or have meetings in your office. Now you have the ability to invite people over 24/7 to your digital home.

Make sure it represents you and the people you want to influence, including social proof, a gorgeous picture of you, and confident copy.

3rd Party Perspective

If you’ve been waiting until you hit it big to hire a coach, you’ll be waiting forever. Hiring a 3rd party perspective is an invaluable way to measure your effectiveness and push you to new heights.

A great coach will uncover strengths you didn’t know you had, rescue you for self-doubt or worry, and spark your creativity.

What kind of coach? Heck if I know. You might need a strategist, a life coach, an art coach, a health coach, etc… What’s really important is that you find someone who understands you and what you need.

And don’t be fooled – ecourses & programs are great – but you need one-on-one support to bust you free of what’s holding you back. You need to invest in someone else and let them put the pressure on you.

Email Service Provider

And I don’t mean Gmail. You need a bulk email service provider like, gotta love the monkey, MailChimp.

It doesn’t get much more practical than this. Book publishers, big name marketers, journalists, people who can make your dreams come true – they respect a good list. It doesn’t have to be a huge list but it needs to be there, engaged, and waiting to devour the next email you send.

If you’ve been collecting email addresses in a notebook at craft shows or keeping your clients tucked away in a spreadsheet on your desktop, it’s time to start building your digital mailing list. And then start using it.

You can make big things happen for yourself just by engaging with people casually & conveniently via email.

Journal

This should go without saying… but your big ideas are too big to be trusted to your brain.

You need a pen & paper, post-it, or pixel place to keep the things you dream up. It doesn’t have to be pretty. It doesn’t have to be organized. It just needs to be tangible.

Write it down. Hold on to it.

And then when the time or person or environment is right – execute it.

If you feel like you’re always the last one picked for the team when it comes to playing a bigger game, it’s time to step up to the plate. Try out one of these tools, do something uncomfortable, or push yourself further today.

Over the last few months, I’ve been working with Tara Sophia Mohr to strategize the production & launch of a brand new program. That program is called “Playing Big” and, I believe in it and what Tara has to teach so much, that I registered & paid to participate in the course myself.

If you’re ready to go after your unspoken dreams, I would love for you to join me.

Filed Under: creating action, Featured Tagged With: , , 45 Comments
March 16, 2011

copycat creativity

A guest post by Mallory Whitfield.

copycat clips

Copy Cat snap clips by jackandjane

The idea of copycat creativity is one that pops up a lot in the DIY and handmade community.

Artists accuse other artists of stealing their ideas and remaking or selling them. Or worse yet, big companies with lots of money and big legal teams rip off the little guys, who find themselves in a position hard to defend from.

There are plenty of instances where artists legitimately HAVE copied from other artists, but sometimes I think accusations get thrown around when they really shouldn’t.

Here’s the thing: we’re all human, so our brains pretty much work in a similar fashion. (You know, unless you’re Charlie Sheen and happen to possess tiger blood and Adonis DNA.) Some people are naturally going to come up with similar ideas to what someone else has already done. Sometimes they might knowingly take inspiration from someone else, and yes, sometimes they might even purposefully rip off another artist or designer.

But unless you grew up in a cave and were never exposed to history or popular culture, I’d be hard pressed to believe that you’ve never come up with an idea that you thought was totally original, but that was actually subconsciously inspired by someone else’s idea first.

It happens all of the time in fashion – there are direct knockoffs of luxury items sold on street corners all over the world, but there are also trends that come back again and again, every few decade or so.

One of my favorite examples that I like to point out whenever this discussion comes up is one that was brought to my attention during my summers in theatre internships. Almost nothing Shakespeare ever wrote was totally original, plot-wise. But yet he is still possibly the most revered writer in all of history. His plot devices are not what we remember him for, and they are not what made a huge impact on the English language.

What was remarkable about Shakespeare is the WAY he crafted words.

The same can also be said for one of the most influential musical groups in history – The Beatles drew inspiration from all sorts of sources, but we remember them for the way they wove those inspirations together into new music.

About a month or so ago, inspiration came to me almost literally in a dream. Waking up one morning, I was struck with an idea for what I wanted my Mardi Gras costume to be. (Here in New Orleans, it’s just not Mardi Gras without a good costume!) I woke up thinking about a dress covered in stuffed animals. I went to the computer that morning, and tried searching for costumes and clothing made from stuffed animal parts. I was thinking, surely people have done this before, why can’t I find it? Maybe it’s just because I couldn’t think of a more specific way to type it into Google, and the thousands of results that came up were all irrelevant, but I really did have trouble finding anything like what I had in mind. So I decided to go for it, because even if someone HAD done it before, I knew it would be a fun costume to make and wear.

Later, as I started dropping hints about what I was doing on my Facebook page and to people I knew, others thought they knew the inspiration behind my costume, even though none were my intention. Someone referenced Lady Gaga and the episode of Glee where Rachel’s two dads make her a dress out of Beanie Babies to wear for their Lady Gaga rendition. On Mardi Gras day, multiple people thought my costume was a tribute to artist Mike Kelley, who is known for his work with stuffed animals. None of this was on my mind when I started, but to me it just goes to show that there are only so many possibilities for what we as humans are going to dream up.

Even if you THINK you have something truly original, chances are, someone, somewhere, sometime has already done or thought of it.

This isn’t to say that there aren’t still plenty of intentional copycats out there, because there are. But next time you’re ready to call someone out as a copycat, just remember:

you may be a unique and special snowflake, but all snowflakes are made from the same ingredients, so chances are you might not be quite as special as you think.

Mallory Whitfield is a proud resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, where she runs a blog and online shop, both called Miss Malaprop and both dedicated to the very best in handmade and eco-friendly goods. She also designs recycled clothing, accessories, and costumes, including the now infamous FEMA blue tarp dress.

Filed Under: creativity, Featured, guest posts Tagged With: , 43 Comments
March 15, 2011

where does craftiness come from?

As creative people, we all have a craft. Something that we are passionate about. Something that we do because we need to as much as we want to.

that vintage wren earrings on etsy click image for more info

Your craft comes from somewhere.

We might all be born with an ability to craft, but what is it that encouraged us to find it? Was it family or friends. An attentive teacher or through sheer determination. Without that encouragement, would we have ever found it?

Mine comes from my family. It took me a long time to realize it though. I grew up in a house where things were always being made rather than bought. Inside our house clothes were sewn and toys were made.

I learned to use a sewing machine at seven. It was for entertainment and for necessity. New things are not always affordable on a humble budget.

In the shed tables were built, photo frames were constructed and bikes were re-assembled. There was very little that could not be made or fixed. The sound of the machinery is etched in my brain to this day.

Everyone was a maker in my family and I felt I was the weak link. It took me a long time to begin to create again as an adult; being the youngest, someone had always made that before and (often) done a better job. I assumed for the longest time that I was no good at craft. That wasn’t the truth, but just the way I saw it.

But now I can see it for what it was: a crafty upbringing. It gives me a perspective on the world that others take years to find. If I can’t find what I’m looking for I can create it. Be it shelves, or a bag, or piece of writing that expresses what needs to be said.

Craft is liberating. It puts you in charge of the outcome.

You get to decide how something looks. How it reads. How it will fit into your life. It’s not something that everyone gets to experience.

Through this column I’m going to explore where other people’s craftiness comes from; who influenced them and how craft has changed their lives. As well as digging deeper into the ideas of a crafty society and what it means for our future.

Will it reveal that my ideas on craftiness coming through the generations are true? I don’t know, but I’m excited to take this journey with you to find out. Where do you think your craftiness comes from?

Filed Under: Featured, Origins of Craft, Read & Play, Where Craftiness Comes From Tagged With: , 14 Comments
March 14, 2011

A Moment Just to Be

In the hustle of work life, the bustle of home life, and everything in between, most of us can use a moment (or more) of calmness and tranquility in each day. So, I thought I would share my secret to a peaceful afternoon: photos by Jennifer Squires. These images make me feel like time is literally at a stand-still. And they remind me to take a minute or two (or ten) for myself throughout the day just to be.

I invite you to take some time today to do the same, and drink in the calming vibes from Jennifer’s work. Hope your week is off to a beautiful start.

Filed Under: brittni {paper n stitch}, Featured, photography Tagged With: , 5 Comments