The Creative Act: A Way of Being
By Rick Rubin
This one appears on so many to-read lists, so I was a bit sheepish that it didn’t bite me immediately the first time I picked it up. Sometimes there is just a time to read a book, so while I put it down last year, I picked it up this year and devoured it in a few sittings. It’s a quick read but worth pausing and digesting it as you go.
Let the ideas sink into you before you dive in for more.
First, this book is for everyone. You don’t have to be a working artist. You can be creative in anything you do. Rubin stresses mindful doing. Be in the moment whatever you do. Listen. Look. See what is around you. There is beauty and inspiration everywhere.
Favorite sections
Habit (p. 133) – Rubin quotes at length an anecdote from John Wooden, a college basketball coach, who notes the time and attention that he takes to preparing the players by correctly putting on their shoes and socks. Carefully unlace the shoes, smooth out the socks so there are no wrinkles to irritate the skin. Tighten each eyelet as you go. Double knot it, so it stays tied while you play. “That’s just a little detail that coaches must take advantage of, because it’s the little details that make big things come about.”
It reminded me of Patti Smith’s advice to young artists to take care of their teeth. “People laugh when I say take good care of your teeth, but if you’re ready to paint your masterpiece and you need a root canal, you can’t work.”
Habits set you up for success.
Beginner’s Mind
Our senses encounter hundreds of smells, sounds, sights daily as we experience the world. We’ve evolved to filter them, but the creative life demands we rethink those filters and see the world anew. If you have a habit of doing X, turn X on its head and do Y. Challenge what is accepted wisdom in your community or culture or even in your existing creative life. That’s where the fun lies. “Examine your methods and consider what the opposite would be.”
Listening
“Listening is suspending disbelief.” You’re not thinking of what you’re going to say next. You’re not searching for common ground or finding holes. You’re just listening. Openly receiving with no preconceived ideas. Listening opens possibilities.
Patience
“Patience is required for crafting a work that resonates and contains all that we have to offer.”
“Time is something we have no control over. So patience begins with acceptance of natural rhythms.”
Take your time when you’re creating. Take your time reading. Take your time in life.
Connected Detachment (Possibility)
This is embracing the unknown. Instead of sinking into despair at the loss of a relationship or a job, think “I wasn’t expecting that plot twist, I wonder what’s going to happen to our hero next.” Darkness and light live in a continual unfolding. Nothing is ever fixed. Not heartbreak. Not success. Keep moving.
“Zoom in and obsess. Zoom out and observe. We get to choose.”
Perhaps I liked it most because I saw some of my own hard won lessons in here including “Done is better than perfect.” My coinage. I’ve said this a million times as a manager. It dislodges someone from the pressure of being perfect and puts them back into doing, collecting, and then crafting in Rubin’s parlance.
This would make a great gift for graduates or for anyone looking to add creativity into their life. It’s a book I’m going to keep and randomly open when I’m looking for inspiration.
Cher Time 