“In The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron talked about how many people end up in fields adjacent to their real dreams just to feel close to what they truly want. Of course, we can’t always get what we want; the world does not exist to fulfill our desires. But carrying that truth—recognizing where our passions are—is really important.”

I’m drawn to the idea of an art of living much more so than to the compulsive search for life hacks, regimens of self-improvement, or self-optimization schemes. These too often feel like a doubling down on the insistence that we can always do more if only we apply the right technique. They also suggest that the path to happiness involves the discov... See more

I know that sometimes, persistence is not a virtue. I would trade my other abilities to be an exceptional songwriter. I gave it a serious enough try to know that I don’t have the knack, for years, and I’m not interested in being publicly mediocre at the performing arts. My life is incalculably better for having let the dream go. The world will be h... See more

One of my favorite pieces of modern wisdom ever uttered comes from Jim Carrey:

“I’ve often said that I wish people could realize all their dreams and wealth and fame so that they could see that it’s not where you’re going to find your sense of completion ... No matter what you gain, ego will not let you rest. He will tell you that you cannot stop u

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"Real Dreams don't require you to abandon your family, quit your job, and move to Tahiti with your paintbrush. They just require that you search your soul for that deep dream you put aside-and go for it. And watch your life light up."

The real practice of the artist is a way of being in the world. I always had assumed that it was, it was about doing things a certain way is what an artist was. But it’s more than that. Yes, there is an aspect of it that’s about doing things a particular way and in a considered way. But the only way to do things in a considered way is to live in a

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All of the things we want, or have been taught to want, flood in. It turns out our wants are not as clear as we may have thought. As we attempt to sort through the endless images offered up by our desires, we realize they come from many sources: what our culture values, what our family considers worthwhile, what our friends or social circles prize,

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