Thought provoking

Be sharp as a knife, cut through the pile of apathy, and make a point.

Look at the long careers of David Bowie, Miles Davis, Madonna, Prince, Joni Mitchell, or Paul Simon. Each went through sharply-defined phases, treating each album as a project with a narrow focus.

Creativity is a combination of “aha” moments and hard work. We’re quick to dismiss the latter and assume that the best ideas show up like a butterfly landing on our shoulder.

Unfortunately, if you want to do new things, you'll face a force more powerful than other people's skepticism: your own skepticism. You too will judge your early work too harshly. How do you avoid that?

And being creative comes with big health benefits. It can energize you, sharpen your ideas and problem-solving skills and act as a powerful antidote against burnout. Research links creativity to happiness and well-being, and a 2021 study found that older people who participated in creative activities showed less cognitive decline than those who did... See more