It sounds simple, but it’s shockingly powerful: Deconstruct Emulate Analyze Repeat DEAR for short.

There’s no such thing as creative people and non-creative people. There’s just people who use their creativity and people who don’t. And not using it doesn’t go without penalty. As it turns out, unused creativity is not benign, it’s dangerous.

It is possible, even necessary, to prioritize your creativity alongside other essentials, such as your health and your family.

More important than the what is the why: When we create, we give of ourselves freely, adding value and expecting nothing in return. To do it, we must tap into our true, authentic self.

a rare but powerful tool: quitting stuff I wasn’t meant to do. This is a tool you must wield to create the life you want.

Be smart. Make your own mentor. Read, listen, and learn—the resources are limitless. Then, be of service, add value, and forge connections with the people you admire. Instead of putting all your faith in a person you haven’t even met, create a web of advice and advisers that will bolster you for years to come.

Books are mentorship at scale. The best part is, you can be mentored by the greatest minds in history if you’re willing to crack the pages of a book.

Creativity requires risk, real risk—something has to be at stake for you. What you’re doing has to matter. Mistakes should hurt. All those bruised hips and scraped knees taught me how to ride a skateboard. If you know what the outcome will be before you start working or you don’t care what happens either way, where’s the lesson? Where’s the growth?

If you spend your valuable time chasing other people’s styles, you’re going to be miserable and burn out quickly.