I'll be honest, I like to wait till books are freely available through my library and then listen to them while I paint. Doing two of my favorite things at the same time... TOTAL nirvana. These are not the latest books, but rather the books that have stayed with me over time. I remember them out of the tens of hundreds that I read. They have each changed my thinking in some way that has made me act differently within this world.
I'm very thankful that each of these authors took the time to share their insights and wisdom.
For the most part, my favorite books fall into three main categories...
- The big fears and false assumptions surrounding art & creativity.
- The funny thing about fear or assumptions is that when you know what they are, you can choose to act differently in the moment of realization. I find this has put me on some interesting new pathways these last few years.
- Conscious curating of your life.
- Think of it as a glass... if you keep adding things to the glass, it overflows and becomes a mess. If you take out things as you add new ones in, you achieve a nice flow state where things balance out nicely in the glass without overflowing. What is left in the glass can then be enjoyed fully like a robust but complex wine.
- Doing the actual work.
- Making the room for creativity is simply not enough. You have to do the work... but how best to do that? How can you use your time most wisely and efficiently? How can you jump start yourself on those "idontwanna" days?
Here's my short list that I hope to grow over time:
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown
MIndset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck
The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life by Twyla Tharp
Essential: Essays by the Minimalists by Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus
The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom Book) by Don Miguel Ruiz & Janet Mills
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
Currently reading (and enjoying):
Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport
On the list to enjoy soon:
How to Be Here: A Guide to Creating a Life Worth Living by Rob Bell
If you have a book you'd like to share, please list it in the comments. I'm always happy to get recommendations. Until next time, happy creating!
-- R.B.