Listen Up!
When big name politicians run for office, they start by announcing a "listening tour." This is bullshit. It's really about determining if they have the financial support and popularity to viably run for the office. What if it wasn't bullshit, though? What if you
Eric Kim Quits Instagram for Blogging
From Eric Kim's blog [http://erickimphotography.com/blog/2017/05/16/why-i-deleted-my-instagram/]: > "Why? I realized it was a major distraction in my life. Rather than focusing on what I do to create real value (blogging) I wasted my precious energy on how to optimize my follower
Book Review: Do Open
I believe the email newsletter is the most effective form of communication available online. As popular as they are, I believe they are still incredibly under-used. Nothing brings a return, whether in terms of money or relationships, like the email newsletter. My focus has been solely on relationship building, but
I Was Wrong About Landscape Photography
I made the argument in the A Lesser Photographer book [https://craftandvision.com/products/a-lesser-photographer], and here in this blog, that photographers should chase what's scarce if they want to capture something with longevity in meaning. At the top of the list of examples, I'd include
How to Enjoy a Vacation
Summer is coming. For creatives who have the good sense to take vacations, this can present a paradox. How do we relax and let go of the work, while retaining our daily creative practices? There are several schools of thought on this: 1. It's a vacation. Don'
Self Awareness is Underrated
Of all the "Letters of Note" I've read, none of have come closer to my world view of than this one from H.L. Menken in 1931 [http://www.lettersofnote.com/2012/01/on-meaning-of-life.html]: > "I go on working for the same reason that
The Bayles Exercise
Brooks Jensen, in his 1018th podcast [http://daily.lenswork.com/2017/05/podcast-1018-the-bayles-exercise.html], describes a technique he can't believe he hasn't mentioned yet...in 1018 podcasts. It's a technique he learned from David Bayles in the 1980s for coming up with projects for
Why Relationships Matter More Than Products
I've been listensing to Brad Dowdy's podcast [https://www.relay.fm/penaddict] and reading his blog [https://penaddict.com] for years. So, when he has a product [http://nockco.com/] to sell, I buy it. I like him and I like his product. It's
How to Stop Creative Paralysis
First, realize that you're probably putting unnecessary expectations on the quality of your creative output. Yes, you'd show off a better body of work if you only showed your absolute best. But, then, no one would know you and few would care. Sharing your work is
Book Review: Designing Your Life
Designing Your Life [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1101875321/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1101875321&linkCode=as2&tag=cjchilvers-20&linkId=1687117c342b0e6fef4ac5a36bd113aa] is everywhere right now. It's a course at Stanford, it's a book,