Here is an excerpt from my new book, Between the Bridge and the Water: Death, Rebirth, and Creative Awakening. In it I explore the compelling parallels between the outpouring of creativity in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Golden Gate Bridge’s infamous reputation as the world’s number one suicide destination. It is my opinion […]
Austin’s New Book on Creativity, Between the Bridge and the Water: Death, Rebirth, and Creative Awakening, Now Available
I am pleased to announce the release of my new book, Between the Bridge and the Water: Death, Rebirth, and Creative Awakening, available for the Kindle ebook reader. My book explores the compelling parallels between the outpouring of creativity in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Golden Gate Bridge’s infamous reputation as the world’s […]
Elizabeth Gilbert, Author of “Eat, Pray, Love,” On Nurturing Creativity
This is one of my all time favorite talks on the nature of creativity and creative genius by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of the phenomenally successful book, Eat, Pray, Love. The TED talk was filmed over three years ago now but her message is timeless, a return to the mysterious origins of creative insight. I love […]
One Artist Brings Healing Power of Creativity to “Broken Places”
Lily Yeh is an artist who brings the healing power of creativity to places torn by drugs, violence, even genocide. Forced to flee China with her family when she was a child, Yeh has advocated the healing power of creativity throughout the world, including Syria and Rwanda. I love this story both for the diversity […]
Creativity and The Three Stages of Conscious Design Build, Part III: Consciousness
Welcome back! Hopefully you didn’t get too depressed thinking about all the ways your self-conscious behavior jeopardizes your ability to bring your true creative gifts into the world. Again, don’t linger on it. We all do it to some degree. Let’s get to the good stuff, something we all can aspire towards while we love […]
Creativity is The Most Essential Skill for Navigating an Increasingly Complex World
What’s the most essential skill for the rapidly changing, interdependent world? Creativity! Check this out and don’t put off your own creative development! Creativity is the most essential skill for navigating an increasingly complex world — or so said 1,500 CEOs across 60 countries in a recent survey by IBM. And yet federally funded research […]
From Idea to End Product, Innovation is Creativity in Action
According to Brenna Sniderman, a staff writer for Forbes Magazine, in order to have true innovation, the creative idea must be developed into something useful. A good read here on creativity, innovation, and business. Without traction, an idea – no matter how good — is like a brand-new pair of running shoes. The potential is […]
Though Most Celebrate Creativity, Many Reject Creative Ideas for Fear of Uncertainty
Here is a powerful and nuanced article by Amanda Enayati looking at one of the fundamental paradoxes of creativity: Though creativity is outwardly celebrated by people from all walks of life, creative ideas are often rejected in time of uncertainty precisely because they seem strange and foreign. I found this read to be illuminating: Creativity […]
How to Promote Creativity in Young Children
Children are naturally creative. Yet certain activities encourage that creativity more than others. According to Dr Rebecca Palacios, it is important to encourage creativity in children by presenting them with open-ended materials where their ultimate use is created by the child. Objects with specific functions, however, such as a toy that is designed to illicit […]
Do you doubt your ability to create? So have famous artists, actors, and directors
Perhaps the single most limiting factor to our ability to create is our belief that we are not the creative “type.” In this important article, Douglas Eby works to dispel the myths of creativity that hold us back from our own creative potential. Let go of the myths and bring us your creative gifts! Creativity […]