How to Bridge the Gap Between Good Taste and Quality

There's a wonderful video floating around by Ira Glass, the host of the radio show, This American Life. In the clip he shares how people drawn to creative endeavors are led by having good taste. But there's a gap nobody ever tells you about.

It's the gap between bridging that good taste with high quality content. It takes years for the two to grow in harmony with one another. And because it takes time most people end up quitting.

But if you're resilient, flexible in your thinking, and understand cultivating any endeavor worth pursuing takes time, the two eventually meet one another. When that happens, it's magic.

The key is to keep producing work. Don't stop. No matter how discouraged you feel or inadequate you're convinced the work is. 

Share your voice relentlessly until you bridge that gap.

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How Walking Can Ignite Your Creativity - What we can learn from Charles Dickens and his 20-mile strolls

It’s widely believed Charles Dickens was paid by the word for his novels. It turns out he was compensated not by the breadth of his prose but by the portions he submitted.

The works of Dickens were published over several weeks, which was a great way of building up anticipation among his anxious readers. Many of his classics like Dombey and Son and Bleak House were introduced in monthly installments.

But regardless of how he wrote, Dickens’s productivity is undeniable. By the time he died in 1870, Dickens had written 15 novels and several short stories.

So how’d he do it?

It turns out Dickens sought inspiration for his classic tales by walking the streets of London. In fact, his walking exploits are celebrated to this day through books and guided tours. Tracing the nearly two-hundred year footsteps of England’s greatest novelist has become quite the pastime.

It’s said, Charles Dickens routinely walked 20 miles a day! Quite a feat on cobblestoned streets and a century or two before the first pair of New Balance shoes were laced up.

What compelled the man whose troubled childhood contributed to the humanity in his stories to amble so far and wide? And is there a connection between walking and creativity?

It turns out there is.

Dickens used the people he encountered and the scenes he witnessed for his stories. The timeless characters that leap from the pages of his novels were just byproducts of his imagination resurfacing the events of his long strolls.

These little “creativity walks” were also important parts of the lives of other prolific artists like Beethoven, Darwin, and Steve Jobs.

These deep thinkers understood the deep intuitive connection between walking, pondering, and writing.

And as it often does, science provides more objective reasoning for why walking is so productive.

When we walk, our heart pumps faster which means it circulates more blood and oxygen to all of our organs, INCLUDING the brain.

Walking on a regular basis also creates new connections between brain cells. The more we move the more we change the very nature of our thoughts.

In my own life, I’ve tried to include an afternoon stroll each day; even if I only have time to walk around the block.

If I can, I’ll leave my iPod at home so I can be alone with my thoughts. And sometimes, when all is quiet, the world offers a rare sense of clarity. I discover the answers to questions I didn’t even know I had. Creativity can thrive if given the chance.

Walking is a good first step.

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Plus, I’d love to share my free Creativity Day Planner — a simple two -page template on building good daily habits.

Do it For You

We are by nature consumed by our own needs, wants, and desires. Our outlook on the world is invariably shaped by our perceived role in it, however flawed or inaccurate.

But any form of expression is ultimately an attempt to connect. Any slab of paint across a canvas or doodles on a notepad are ways of finding solace in our shared human experience.

That very need for kinship is in our DNA. We are quite literally wired for connection. In fact, there was once a time when failure to conform meant being exiled, which was as good as death.

Not surprisingly, that sentiment is still prevalent today.

But what about the need to first connect with our selves?

I’ve found trying to answer that question very important in figuring out why I still feel the need to share my voice regardless of the number of Likes, Retweets, or Applause.

Over time, I discovered the purpose of my creativity shifted from the need for validation or desire to mold consensus, but for the most paradoxically unselfish reason I could think of:

For ME.

If I have nothing to say or contemplate for myself, I have no chance of adding any value to you.

One covenant I made with myself long ago was to never allow fear to quell the tempest of thoughts, feelings, and need to express I felt brewing within.

But with that declaration came a great responsibility.

I was making a promise to continue putting myself out there despite the likelihood of rebuke, or total indifference.

But I decided to forge ahead anyway because I needed to.

If what YOU have to say resonates with another soul that’s fantastic. Enjoy the resonance, the dopamine drip, the feeling of fellowship with another human.

But remember, that feeling is fleeting at best. We do the work because it matters first and foremost to ourselves.

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If you enjoyed this article, sign up for my bi-monthly newsletter with my favorite book, film, and travel recommendations in addition to my latest articles on productivity and inspiration.

Plus, I’d love to share my free Creativity Day Planner — a simple two -page template on building good daily habits.

How Waking Up Early has Changed My Life

Rise and Shine

Trying to sleep past 6:30 am in the house I grew up in was like parallel parking an A380 Airbus. It was difficult and ill-advised.

Assuming you weren't jolted from your semi-peaceful slumber from the clamor of pots and pans in the kitchen you would likely hear the words, "Chop! Chop! Time to get up!" ringing in your ears.

To this day I'm still not sure why the first two words of that bizarre rallying cry were so effective but they worked every time. I didn't realize it back then, and I certainly didn't appreciate being plucked from a dream but waking up early has served me well throughout my life.

Time and Tide Wait for No One

First, I learned very early on the value of time and the many forms it can take. It can be an ally, or a bully. A motivator or a deterrent. And what's interesting about time is the quality of our partnership with it is completely up to us. It's like being in a committed relationship with someone where you do all the work. You're never rewarded for remembering anniversaries or taking out the trash without being asked. It just needs to happen without pageantry or celebration.

But in the process you start to cultivate your own meaning of time, it's fleeting nature, and how to utilize as much of it as you can. 

For me, it feels like there's more time the earlier I rise. Obviously, the amount of sand in the hour glass isn't actually modified but it's the illusion I've created that motivates me to protect it.

Whenever I've gotten up a little later than I would have liked to I start the day in an emotional deficit. I feel irritated, frenzied even. And instead of spending the early hours setting the tone of my day I end up quelling the frustration I feel for not rolling out of bed sooner. 

In other words, I'm trying to figure out how to make more time rather than leverage the amount I have.

Time to Make Something

Second, my creativity is at a peak state in the morning. This is a byproduct of setting up good morning routines, and equally important, evening ones. Before going to bed I jot down 3 things I'm grateful for, take a moment to reflect on the day, and look over some insightful notes from anything on productivity to spirituality. All in all it takes about 3 minutes.

Essentially, I'm making sure I don't go to bed with natural disasters, scandals, or deficits dancing in my head. I'm doing my best not to add fodder to the my subconscious mind so I don't wake up in a state of fear. 

Because we're already working with an outdated piece of hardware whose sole purpose is to help us survive, we instinctively look for what's wrong. That's equally true in the mornings.

But if I can somehow influence the programming in my mind I can, to some extent, update my software. 

As a result, I often feel an extra bounce in my step and look forward to the reading, writing, and meditating that have now become indispensable parts of the early hours of my day. 

By 6:30 am I've learned something, expressed something, and taken a few moments to prime my brain to pause rather than react to all the unexpected events that will happen as soon as I walk out my front door.

Discipline is Fleeting

Finally, getting up early means I now feel more inclined to slip under the covers early as well. I take solace in a day well spent and don't feel especially compelled to find all the ways to distract myself during the evening hours. 

My body is ready to rest again which should take precedent over mindlessly surfing the web or staring into my smartphone. It's not to say those things don't ever happen but I'm much more cognizant of its compound effect. I understand that one minute texting can become an hour, or how one Youtube video can seamlessly become eight. 

I try my best to avoid distractions rather than resist them. Discipline is fleeting but good habits can last a lifetime. 

Proust on Art

If you get a chance, I highly recommend picking up Alain de Botton's book, How Proust Can Change Your Life. You needn't even be a fan of the French novelist who is perhaps best known for In Search of Time. 

What Botton does so brilliantly is skillfully interpret what Proust was trying to get at when he spoke of art, literature, and friendship -- and not solely by what he wrote but by how he lived.

I especially enjoyed how Botton describes Proust's views on art and creativity and how the goal of art is not to merely distract us from our day-to-day lives but affect us in some small way. 

Or Proust's belief of what constitutes great works of art:

"Hence Proust's assertion that the greatness of works of art has nothing to do with the apparent quality of their subject matter, and everything to do with the subsequent treatment of that matter."

But what spoke to me most was the importance and key to true expression. 

Creativity is about freeing ourselves from the traditional and limited ways of interpreting the world -- to boldly share our perception of humanity the way we see it, however flawed.

Add a Little Bit of This...

If you find that the way you spend your time lacks challenge, growth, and creativity you may need to reevaluate, or even redefine what is you want for yourself. Your “why” will be your North Star, particularly when challenges present themselves.  

Your reason for doing what you do must be compelling and specific. Once it has been revealed it will prove indispensable. When your “why” and behavior are aligned then you’re really cooking. Add an unyielding work ethic and there is little out of reach. 

Secret Sauce

I remember once overhearing a classmate in drama school confidently proclaim, "I already know everything I need to know about myself." He was 21 years old.

He's done growing, I thought. And far wiser men have thought the same. Former UCLA Basketball coach and 10-National Champion John Wooden once shared, "If I am through learning, I am through.

Writer and leadership speaker Robin Sharma says the secret sauce used by superachievers is as a lust for asking questions. It's having a childlike sense of wonder and a commitment to Always Be Learning (ABL) that not only keeps them young, but fuels their creativity and success. Ideas are currency. 

Stay curious. No matter where you are, you've only just begun.

Fueled By Anger

We often don't account for how much "grey area" there is in life. In western culture in particular we tend to think things are unequivocally right or wrong - black or white.

The truth is, the nuances of life leave plenty of room for doubt and different interpretation. As one of my friends likes to say, "Two opposing views can be equally true."

I think anger gets a lot of negative airplay. It's an emotion most believe we ought to get rid of. But I disagree.

Anger can be a helpful emotion so long as it does not consume you and is channelled in a productive and positive way.

The American Revolution, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Arab Spring were all byproducts of some form of anger used effectively. 

And as an artist you can use it to fuel your drive, creativity, and determination to reject the status quo.

So be angry towards mediocrity, laziness, griping, not taking initiative, self-pity, and your industry's limited thinking. 

THEN

Use that has fuel to surround yourself with like-minded and positive people who support your vision. 

Use it to nudge you to not wait for the phone to ring and instead create your own films, monologues, plays, murals, songs, books, screenplays, and choreography.

Use it to push you to start something of value.

Gratitude

One of the hardest humps for an artist to get over is not having the interest or following from others you hoped for. You feel as though you have so much to share with the world you might burst. 

If you can slightly alter the lens through which you view success and instead focus on gratitude you will gradually notice a shift in your life. Try having gratitude for:

-- having a voice
-- knowing what you want to do with your life
-- your talent
-- your creativity
-- your belief in what you do
-- your commitment to growth

And the remarkable potential your art has to change the world in some small way.

Flip Conventional Wisdom on its Head

Last night, I finally wrapped up an audiobook that seemed to never end. The book was recommended by someone I admire and so I decided to give it a go. It was an insightful but also somewhat dense book geared primarily towards marketers.

Still, one of the lessons that really made me think was the importance of flipping conventional wisdom on its head. In other words, you can't fall into the same mode of thinking as everyone else trying to do what you're doing. You also can't afford to get bogged down by what the naysayers think.

Instead, consider redefining the objective and the problem you're trying to solve. What is it you hope achieve through your art? Why is it important to you and what are different ways to get your voice heard?

As actors, writers, filmmakers, dancers, painters, and artists of all mediums we must think more broadly. Creativity will infuse your work, but also the ways you figure out how to deliver your message to the world.

A Tricky Hump to Get Over

As I got further and further into my acting career, one of the challenges I began to wrestle with most was how my work would be received by the world. As a young actor, there was rarely a moment where I doubted the influence I had delivering a Shakespeare monologue, or a scene from Pinter. I was presumptuous and wildly naive.

As I became more experienced, I realized not everyone cared about the work I'd put into bringing a character to life, or the stories I so desperately wanted to tell. And looking back on it, I wonder what I expected of people. Did I really believe the spotlight, both literally and figuratively should always shine on me? Who did I think I was?

Still, it proved a difficult hump to get over for a long time. Though my hangups may have been rooted to some degree in selfishness, my intentions were also earnest. I simply wanted to share my passion with anyone who'd listen.

What I forgot was the work first needed to matter to me. It was that level of authenticity to myself and my creativity that had first drawn people in. And because for so many years the work was inherently meaningful, I wasn't so disheartened when others didn't share my sentiments.

It's a bummer when the house lights go on and you see scores of empty seats. If you're an actor long enough it'll happen more often than not.

But what's important is to remember why the work matters in the first place. If it resonates with you and you still feel it matters than you'll learn to take the ambivalence of others less personally.

The Less Trodden Path

The American journalist and political commentator Walter Lippmann once said, "When all men think alike, no one thinks very much." In my own experience, I've noticed a pervasive fear many people have of thinking for themselves. Perhaps there's a stigma involved with pursuing a less trodden path, of standing out, or being different.

But creativity is, in essence, stepping up to make a statement and is sometimes an act of defiance. And when a performance, a painting, or a piece of music is truly compelling, it is rarely because it's defiant for its own sake. Instead, it is the courageous execution of a thought by one or many who felt they could no longer keep it to themselves.

Don't underestimate the power of original thought, expression, or movement. Embrace your singularity and when you're ready, share it with the world.

We'll be waiting.