187. The Hardest & Best Creative Question: Austin Kleon, author of Steal Like An Artist [reads] ‘What It Is’

Feb 27, 2024

Austin Kleon, a bestselling author known for 'Steal Like An Artist,' shares profound insights on creativity and personal growth. He highlights the importance of not waiting to identify yourself before taking action and emphasizes learning to embrace challenges. Kleon discusses how ordinary elements combined with extra attention lead to extraordinary outcomes. He also reflects on the magic of blending words and visuals, the role of comedy in connecting communities, and the transformative impact of mentorship, particularly from the late cartoonist Lynda Barry.

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Intro

00:00 • 3min

The Art of Blending Words and Visuals

03:27 • 12min

Comedy as a Catalyst for Connection

15:17 • 11min

Navigating Community and Connection in Creative Life

26:06 • 4min

The Hidden Joys of Friendships and Biking

29:52 • 5min

The Impact of Creative Mentorship

35:07 • 32min

Boredom as a Catalyst for Creativity

01:06:38 • 11min

It's not just our tech-enabled world that runs by algorithm. We meat machines, we humans, we one and all have our own programming, our deeply embedded rules that determine the decisions we make, the paths we walk, and who and how we show up in the world. Often the first part of growth and development is figuring out what our rules are, finding language for our own programming. The second part of growth and development is often unbugging the program and rewriting the maxims, so you become the person you want to be rather than the person you once were. So, here are three rules, three algorithms, three maxims that I bet you haven't considered, at least not fully. Number one, don't wait until you know who you are to get started. Number two, learn to take a punch. And number three, the ordinary plus extra attention equals the extraordinary. Each one of these is taken from a different book written by our guest today, Austin Kleon. Get‌ ‌book‌ ‌links‌ ‌and‌ ‌resources‌ ‌at‌ https://www.mbs.works/2-pages-podcast/

Austin Kleon is a prolific writer and artist known for his innovative approach to creativity and self-expression. He is the author of several bestselling books, including "Steal Like an Artist," "Show Your Work," and "Keep Going."

Austin reads two pages from “What It Is” by Lynda Barry. [reading begins at 49:24]

Hear us discuss:

The importance of finding inspiration and guidance from mentors and teachers in one's field."The great thing about dead masters is they can't refuse you as a student." [36:18] | The significance of community and how it can shape one's creative journey. [21:25] | The impact of encountering individuals who open doors to new creative possibilities. [42:31] | The value of simplicity and restraint in creative work. "Creativity is subtraction." [49:12] | The power of self-reflection and questioning in the creative process. "Is this good? Does this suck?" [50:14] | The transformation from enjoying creative work to feeling pressure and self-doubt. [50:45] | The importance of maintaining a sense of play and joy in creative endeavors. [51:53]