The only way to be on this journey is to begin.

Your work is too important to be left to how you feel today. On the other hand, committing to an action can change how we feel. If we act as though we trust the process and do the work, then the feelings will follow. Waiting for a feeling is a luxury we don’t have time for.

84. Bicycle Problems I’m having trouble learning to ride a bike. How long have you practiced? About fifteen minutes. It might take a lot longer than that. It might take months. I want to learn to ride a bike, but I don’t want to fall, even once. Not even once? I need to be able to ride a bike blindfolded. Have you ever seen anyone do that? No, but

Signing your work and owning its impact are part of the generous act of being creative.

Having empathy might make you a good person, but it also makes you a better creative.

My colleague Marie Schacht differentiates between hospitality (welcoming people, seeing them, understanding what they need) and comfort (which involves reassurance, soft edges, and an elimination of tension). But art doesn’t seek to create comfort.

When we choose to act a certain way, our mind can’t help but rework our narrative to make those actions become coherent. We become what we do.

The first thing is making exactly what you want, for you. And the second thing is making something for those you seek to connect and change. Pursuing either is fine. Pursuing both is a recipe for unhappiness, because what you’re actually doing is insisting that other people want what you want and see what you see.

Who are you trying to change? What change are you trying to make? How will you know if it worked?