There's something about reading old texts that makes it just strange enough that you will do the work of relating what they're writing about to your own moment. When you read thoreau and he's like, i have given up reading the weekly newspaper because, like, i just can't be two places at one time - there's just something so universal with him. Andt's, if anything, we need that stuff now more than ever before. I mean, as human beings, we kind of circle the same things over and over. But m you know, part of being a writer is to help people go back up stream,. To find their way to other things that they might not
On today’s podcast episode, I spend time with Austin Kleon. Austin is the New York Times bestselling author of three illustrated books: Steal Like An Artist, Newspaper Blackout, and Show Your Work! His next book is Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad. His books have over a million copies in print and has been translated into over two dozen languages. He speaks about creativity in the digital age for organizations such as Pixar, Google, SXSW, TEDx, and The Economist. In previous lives, he worked as a librarian, a web designer, and an advertising copywriter.
Austin Kleon knows that the creative life is not a linear journey to a finish line, it’s a loop so one needs to find a daily routine, because today is the only day that matters. In his book, Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad, Austin celebrates getting outdoors and taking a walk. Pay attention, and especially pay attention to what you pay attention to. Worry less about getting things done, and more about the worth of what you’re doing. Instead of focusing on making your mark, work to leave things better than you found them.
Talking Points
About Austin’s book: Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad
On the importance of having a daily routine
On the idea of having a place to do creative work
How to combat the speed of life
On the idea of having boundaries
Building flexibility on your creative side
The idea of paying attention more than the passage of time
On the importance of having a journal
On using materials for his books that is not on the “modern moment”
How do you fool around with time?
Quote
“Time is the thing you get and you don’t know how much time you get. I think time is exactly what we are up against and it is exactly the real currency that we get to spend in this life. To not waste it and if your gonna waste it, to waste it deliciously. To waste it in the best way you can is the best thing you can do.”
Relevant Links
Austin Kleon
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Tumbler
Book: Keep Going
Book: Show Your Work!
Book: Steal Like An Artist
Journal: Steal Like An Artist
Book: Newspaper Blackout
This episode teaches us that creative work is hard and how hard it is to keep going. We just need encouragement whether we are burned out, starting out, starting over, or wildly successful in the creative side. I hope you will learn as much as I did.
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
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