What The B-52’s Can Teach You About Creativity

“Hop on the cosmic wagon train!” - B-52’s

The B-52’s just released their first new album in sixteen years. It’s called Funplex (of course it is!) and it’s terrific. You may or may not like the B-52’s, but they’ve got a lot to teach us about creativity. Here are a few tips from one of rock’s most original bands:

1. Have Fun.

B-52’s music is infused with fun. They are fun. How can you not dance to Rock Lobster, Loveshack, or Private Idaho? When it comes to your creativity, are you having fun yet? Sure, the creative process can be frustrating, even painstaking. But that’s part of the birthing process. As long as it’s a labor of love, even the pain contains joy. The B-52’s remind us to have fun creating and living. Even when their lyrics are dark, the music is upbeat. Life can, and should be, a celebration.

2. Stay true to yourself.

The B-52’s are more than a band - they’re a brand. They know who they are, they know what you expect, and they deliver it. That’s focus. That’s smart business. You don’t see them straying from who they are, suddenly releasing classical music albums. They don’t apologize for making almost nothing but party anthems. It’s what they do best, they stick to it, and that’s why we love them.

3. Be memorable.

There’s only one B-52’s. They combine dance grooves with quirky, kitschy sensibilities, bouffant hairdos, surf-rock guitar, and trippy vocals. There’s nobody else like them.

What kind of creator do you want to be? Are you happy making paintings, or writing, or starting a business to make extra money? If so, that’s wonderful - there’s nothing wrong with that. The act of creating for it’s own sake is soul-nourishing and fulfilling. However, if you want to take things to another level, strive to be like the B-52’s and figure out a way to hone your talents and become memorable.

4. Persevere.

Did you know that one of the B-52’s founding members, Ricky Wilson, (brother of blonde singer, Cindy) died of AIDS in 1985? Despite the huge loss for the band, a couple of years later they released their biggest, best-selling album ever - Cosmic Thing. It contained a little song called Loveshack.

Still, even after the success of Cosmic Thing, another blow: Cindy left the band. They persevered and toured without her. Now, sixteen years later, Cindy is back, and Funplex picks up right where the band left off.

Successful creators seem to persevere, despite setbacks and frustrations, no matter how many times they get rejected. Why? Because creating is like breathing - it’s something we need to do to feel vibrant and alive. It’s our way of connecting.

5. Embrace and accept your limitations, and make them work for you.

Fred Schneider is the member of the B-52’s who barks orders at us like a crazed party planner:

“I’ve got me a car, it seats about twenty, so hurry up and bring your jukebox money!”

Can we really call Fred a singer? Not really. He’s no Frank Sinatra. Yet he handles lead vocals on most B-52 songs. He’s a huge reason the band is so fun, successful, and memorable. How does he pull it off?

What he lacks in singing ability, he makes up for in spades with style, charisma, and confidence. His wacky spoken-word vocals compliment and contrast with the angelic harmonies provided by Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson. Together they’re like one big crazy family, each playing a key role.

How can you take your own creative limitations, and use them as strengths?

6. It’s good to be weird.

Weird can be good, because it means originality. Look at Tim Burton, creator of Edward Scissorhands; maybe the most successful weird guy ever. The B-52’s embrace their weird natures and deliver memorable content. Can you imagine how many of their uptight, straight-laced friends and family members discouraged them when they first got started? Yet here they are, weirder and better than ever.

Any quirky thoughts you’d like to share about this post? Leave a comment!

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“Work is love made visible” - Khalil Gibran

For those of us who create for a living, there are times when we’re not particularly inspired about a project. It might be something that pays the bills yet doesn’t come from our heart. In these situations, it’s tempting to rush the project and give less than our best effort so we can move on.

The problem with that is, we’re putting something into the world with our signature on it, and it’s not very good. We’re not showing enough love and respect for the people we’re creating for.

Not everything we create will be a hit, but there are 3 things we can do to summon our best creativity when we need a lift:

1. Imagine that what you’re creating is for someone you have tremendous admiration, love, and respect for.

Ideally, that person should be you. But if you’re not feeling particularly proud or inspired by your project, ask - Would I give this to my mother? My spouse? My creative idol? Jesus Christ? George Clooney? Would my peers respect this? Is it the best I can do?

If the answer is no, you know you’ve got to amp things up in the quality department. You will suddenly see every imperfection in your creation, and know exactly how to improve it.

Think of a food critic who sneaks into a restaurant. The cooks and waitstaff have no idea who it is. Are they trained to automatically give their best effort to every customer, or are they slacking?

When we infuse our creativity with love, it usually shows. And when it does, people return to us.

2. When faced with a creative dilemma, ask yourself, If I were the person who knew how to fix this problem, what would s/he do?

Stepping outside of ourselves and pretending we’re some other genius can produce surprising results in a pinch. Try asking the above question the next time you’re confused about something and see what answers you get. Then detach and carry out the solution. When we ask specific empowering questions, we usually get specific empowering answers. It’s pretty cool.

3. Practice, practice, practice.

I hate to add this obvious one, but it’s impossible to leave out. The only way we get great at something is to do it over and over. That’s how Kaki King has become one of the best new guitar players around, and why her hypnotic new acoustic album Dreaming of Revenge is one of the prettiest things I’ve heard all year. (Watch her videos!)

Practice is the reason the B-52’s sound better than ever on their awesome new album, Funplex. (Get it!) They’ve been practicing those infectous grooves and gorgeous harmonies at the Loveshack for decades, and it shows.

Practice is the reason Seth Godin provides the most cutting-edge marketing advice in the world. Are you reading his blog? No? If you provide a service, you better be! His insights will help you tremendously.

Summoning our best creativity doesn’t mean being perfectionistic. It means doing the best we can, now, with our current skills. Imperfection is always acceptable when we give our best. When Prince screws up the lyrics to Kiss because he’s doing splits for us, we forgive him and call it soul.

What about you? What are some ways you summon your best creativity? Leave a Comment! 

“Before I give a lecture, I meditate. In my meditation I always ask - How may I serve? How may I serve? How may I serve?”
- Dr. Wayne Dyer

Want to hear a cool story about outstanding creative service?

Several years ago I visited Costa Rica for a friend’s wedding. It was more like a vacation - a bunch of us flew down there early.

We stayed at La Mariposa, a gorgeous hotel set on a high bluff overlooking the Pacific. 

My friends, the bride and groom, had asked me to perform a song at their beach ceremony (Peter Gabriel’s In Your Eyes). I rehearsed it like crazy for 2 months. (I’m not really a singer or a performer - but they heard me play it at a party and asked if I’d do it. I was horrified and honored. How could I say no?)

When the time came to fly to Costa Rica I didn’t want to lug my guitar with me. The bride said I could borrow one from her wedding band on the day of the ceremony.

So one bright morning while eating breakfast at La Mariposa four days before the wedding, a scary thought hit me that almost made me choke on my plantanas - Oh my God, I really need to keep practicing that song or I’m going to totally screw it up.

When the waiter arrived, I asked him (in my bad high school Spanish) if he knew where I might rent a guitar. He shook his head no and cleared my plates.

Three minutes later a stylish man approached my table and introduced himself.

“Hello Sir. I am the manager, Pablo. I understand you need a guitar?”

Whoa!

“Uh…yeah. I’m performing at the wedding and I need to practice a little.”

“No problem. Follow me.”

He led me outside the hotel complex to a palm-shaded house across the street. His house.

We went inside, and there, hanging on his living room wall, was a beautiful nylon-stringed guitar. He took it down and handed it to me. “Feel free to use it as long as you wish.”

It blew my mind that he would do that for me - someone he didn’t even know. I was very impressed and grateful. I practiced the song for the next few days (it sounded so nice with those nylon strings!) and performed it at the ceremony without making a fool of myself in front of 100 people.

After the wedding, when everyone left La Mariposa, I stayed a few more days and had a chance to hang with Pablo. I told him how impressed I was with his service.

He told me the lengths he goes through to please every guest. He said he once flew in rare orchids from South America just to please a picky bride’s mother.  It drove him nuts, he said, searching for the exact flower she wanted. They only grew in like, three places around the world.

But he made it happen.

Meeting Pablo was a humbling experience. He made my own Customer Service Manager seem like Oscar the Grouch. (And since I’m self-employed, that would be me.)

You’ve heard the line, What would Jesus do?

Well, these days whenever a client hires me, or asks me to do a difficult job, I ask myself, What would Pablo do?

I’ve got a long way to go, but it’s a good question, isn’t it?

What about you? Any lessons you can share about giving or receiving outstanding creative service? Do teach! Leave a comment! 

“Following my muse has worked out pretty well so far. I can’t see any reason to change the formula now.”  - Chris Van Allsburg

Are you stuck for good ideas? Feeling a little bummed out about it?

Some creators (usually the pros) say that waiting for inspiration is for amateurs. 

Instead, they suggest you show up at your desk everyday, preferably at the same time, and begin creating. Even if you don’t know what to make, just start typing, painting, or doing whatever you do. Even if it’s awful, that’s okay, just start.

This is frightening, because many of us are scared to death of the blank page. We want to create something perfect. We think, How can I create something perfect unless I figure it all out in my head first?

We can’t think this way - we’ll never begin.

Songwriters almost never have an entire song completed in their head from start to finish. They get wisps of ideas; a hook, a melody, title, or lyric - and then they lock themselves in their rooms for days, weeks, or months, hunched over their instrument, crafting the tune until it’s polished.

If we’re going to be Amazing Creators, we need to try and follow the advice of the pros and show up to work on a regular basis, even without ideas.

Because when we do this, a funny thing happens - our Muse wakes up.

Imagine your Muse sleeping in the other room. She’s been back there for a while (usually for the same amount of time you’ve been procrastinating.)

Finally, you decide to face the blank page. From her dreamy slumber, your Muse suddenly hears the tap-tap-tapping of your keyboard, or your pen moving across your notebook. Her eyes blink open. She stretches, yawns, and saunters into your workspace to see what you’re up to.

She’s so happy to see you working! And guess what? She’s here to help.

She peeks over your shoulder, watching you create, and soon begins to whisper brilliant ideas into your ear. Stuff you never would have thought of! 

It’s a collaboration now. It feels wonderful. Look at you go! You’re inspired! All because you took the first step.

This is exactly what’s happening to me as I type these words.

I started this post with no ideas. The first thing I did was upload the photo. I stared at the “Open” sign and thought, Hmmm…I need to open my mind to ideas.

I started typing…and here we are.

I’m often guilty of waiting for inspiration to strike before I begin work. Do ideas occasionally hit us out of the blue while we’re shopping or doing dishes? Absolutely!

However, it’s easy to use the excuse- oh well, no ideas again today - guess I’ll watch a movie.

If you create for a living, you can’t wait too long for inspiration. Start moving that mouse, tapping those keys, scribbling those sketches. 

Enjoy the process of creative movement, purely for it’s own sake. Be like a little kid again - just have fun making stuff.

Stay open, and trust that your Muse will eventually wake up and find you.

For more information about this process, check out Stephen King’s On Writing, Steven Pressfield’s War of Art, and Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way.

I’d love to hear your thoughts about the Muse. Leave a comment!

“Sponges grow in the ocean. That just kills me. I wonder how much deeper the ocean would be if that didn’t happen.” 
- Steven Wright

When was the last time you escaped or took a vacation? Just a little time to retreat and rejuvenate your creative spirit?

One of Steven Covey’s 7 Habits is called ‘Sharpen the Saw’. The idea is, when you work too hard (sawing) eventually your blade becomes dull and ineffective. You feel tired and burned out.

As creative people, we need to sharpen our saws (or pencils) now and then to refresh ourselves and expand our creative potential.

Some people keep sawing even though their blade is worn out. To them, a retreat is a self-indulgent and frivolous notion. They think, “I’ve gotta keep working!”

Not me. I escape to the ocean.

The ocean has secrets to share; tips for a more peaceful creative journey. 

You know that sound you hear when you hold a seashell to your ear? That’s the ocean giving you advice. And here it is:

1. Just be.

Some days the ocean is stormy and turbulent. Other days it’s as flat as glass. But all the while, it just IS. Take some time to escape and just be. Be calm, be stormy, be reflective, be distracted, whatever you’ve got to do. Just take time away from the desk for a while. Be in the moment. You’ll be better for it.

2. There’s a peaceful world underneath the surface.

If your mind is busy from working overtime, know that somewhere underneath the surface is peace, stillness, and a whole creative world waiting to be discovered. Take some deep breaths. Meditate. Listen. Write in your journal - that helps me. You never know what imagery will rise to the surface and inspire your creations.

3. Ride the waves

Some days you feel inspired, some days you don’t. Some days you swim gracefully, other days you sink. Nevertheless - each day the waves still reach the shore. As long as you keep swimming, and creating, you’ll be okay. 

Just take a little time…

What about you? Where do you go when you need a creative escape? Leave a comment!

“One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.”   - Arthur Ashe

If you have a creative dream, or goal, but it seems far away, or difficult to achieve, here are 3 powerful ways you can build your self-confidence:

1. Ask, “Why not me?” 

Let’s say you’re a writer and your dream is to get published. You’re discouraged because it hasn’t happened yet. It seems difficult, maybe impossible or far away.

Here’s a great way to keep the dream alive:

Visit your local Barnes & Noble bookstore, look at the thousands of books on the shelves, and ask yourself, “Hey - why not me?”

 As long as you have the talent, drive, and work-ethic, there’s no reason you can’t make your dream a reality the way others have.

2. Let Amazing Creators and Crappy Creators Motivate You. 

Let’s face it - there are Amazing Creators out there who make us think, “God, if only I were that good.” And then there are Crappy Creators who somehow achieve the  success we want. We think, “How the heck did this guy get published?”

Let both types of creators motivate you. Strive to be as good as the Amazing Creator - the best in your field - and at the same time, let the Crappy Creator make you realize what a star you already are. If he can do it, you sure as hell can!

3. Realize that even the greatest, most successful creative geniuses have self-doubt, but they create anyway.

Matisse said, “It has bothered me all my life that I do not paint like everyone else.”

So you’re in good company.

Life is short. If you have a creative goal, you have to go for it. Achieving a dream through hard work and visualization is one of the greatest, most rewarding pleasures of life.

And consider this: we need you to achieve your dream. Why? Because you’ll become one of those people who inspire and motivate us (because you will be an Amazing Creator, of course, and not the other kind.)

Would you like to add other tips to this list? Leave a comment! 

“Some men are born to lift heavy weights, some are born to juggle golden balls.”
                                                - Max Beerbohm

What can you do that I can’t do?

Do that!

Sometimes it’s easy to wish we were more talented in other areas. We take our own skills for granted.

I wish I could play the flamenco guitar. I wish I were more business savvy. I wish I were good at fixing stuff…

I hear this one a lot - “I wish I could draw. I can’t even draw a stick-figure.”

But consider this: when you walk into a crowded room, what expertise do you possess that nobody else does? Even if it’s a room full of your creative peers - what unique style, trait, or edge do you have that they don’t?

Be glad for it. Embrace it. Hone it. That’s your gift. Be thankful. Offer it to the world. We need you!

Leave a comment - tell the cafe what you think!

“A dot is a line that went for a walk.”  - Paul Klee

The other day I took a walk around the rainy streets of my neighborhood. I’m always amazed at how much more you notice when you walk instead of drive.

I snapped the above picture with my trusty iPhone. That’s no Photoshop trickery. That’s a big puddle reflecting the trees above. With every step I took I didn’t see puddles, I saw what they reflected.  They looked like mirrors in the street, turning the bland into the beautiful.

Isn’t that your job as a creative person?  To see things nobody else sees? To point out the miraculous in the mundane? To boldly go where no man has gone before? (Oops. Sorry - I’ve been watching a little too much Classic Trek lately.)

Like the puddle, take some time to reflect. Walk around your neighborhood, or in the woods, or by the sea. You never know what visions of wonder may come to you, and then you can give that to the rest of the world - to the ones who can’t see yet -  so they can enjoy it, too.

Care to share your own walking experiences? How does it help your creativity? Leave a comment.

“To have great poets, there must be great audiences too.”
                                            - Walt Whitman

If you want to earn (more) money with your creative idea, product, or service, these are what I consider the ABC’s of self-promotion:

1. Define What You Do Best, and Offer That.

What makes you memorable? How will your client’s life improve because of your creative service? Do you create incredible stuff?

Many creative people are jack-of-all-trade types (myself included). But the bottom line is that people will really remember you if you offer one great thing. Sure, you can still create different stuff on the side - that’s what I’m doing with this blog. However, let’s face it - when we think of Prince, Jack Johnson, Steven King, Woody Allen, and Madonna, what comes to mind? Answer: a unique creative person with a memorable style. 

It might take years to hone your uniqueness and that’s okay, because most of us aren’t lucky enough to be born with a voice like Stevie Wonder. But if your goal is to earn money from your creativity, it’s always good strive for focus, quality, professionalism, and a memorable style. Style is ideally a natural expression of who you are and what you naturally create. But successful, big-name creators are aware of their own brand, and they know how to hone it, package it, and market it.

2. Make Business Cards, and Hand Them Out.

This is one of the simplest, cheapest, and most powerful things you can do to promote yourself, yet many creative people I know don’t have business cards.  A business card is your mini-billboard. It says, “I have something great to offer.”

Give cards to everyone you meet. And while you’re at it, make business card magnets, so people can stick ‘em on their fridge. If you don’t know how to design your own business card, hire someone to do it; a student, a professional graphic designer, whatever your budget allows. Or just buy software at Staples and make them at home. 

A great on-line resource is Vista Print. Just upload your design and order. Their prices are amazing (except for shipping costs -but their fees are so low you still get a deal).

An effective business card should contain the following:

• Your Name / Business Name
• A line describing specifically what you do & what you offer.
• Your contact information - email, website, phone.

Important tip! Your business card should speak for you if you’re not around to explain yourself. So when you tack your card on a bulletin board, your card should say more than just “Jane Doe: Singer”. It should also say “Available for weddings and Bat Mitzvahs.”

3. Have a Website

A website is pretty darn essential nowadays for promoting yourself. The primary reason so many creative people don’t have a website is because they don’t know how to make one. Perfectly understandable. I didn’t know. I still don’t know. But I learned enough to squeak by.

The obvious: a simple, professional-looking site allows potential clients & customers to see your work and forward your site to friends and associates. If you’re not willing to invest the time to learn how to build a site using software like Dreamweaver, there are plenty of people who can build one for you relatively quickly and easily.

I personally chose to hire a tutor. I found him via craigslist. He lives in my town. I pay him to come over and teach me how to get sites like this one up and running.

4. Ask Your Local Newspaper to Run A Feature About YOU!

This is an age-old way to promote, I know, but it’s still something that a lot of people ignore. If your service is unique, call your local paper and introduce yourself to the features editor. They need good stuff to write about, particularly if you’ve accomplished something inspiring and your service is useful to local folks.

There are countless ways to promote yourself. Joining a word-of-mouth networking group like B.N.I. or the Chamber of Commerce is powerful and effective. They’re pretty inexpensive. Joining social media groups like Facebook can’t hurt either - they’re free. If you’re a writer, start building a fanbase by starting a blog. Use a paid service like Aweber to send email promotions to your fans through permission. Post free ads on craigslist…Be creative!

What are you waiting for? Show us what you’ve got!

Do you have any helpful promotional tips to share? Add a comment!

“I say, play your own way. Don’t play what the public want - you play what you want and let the public pick up on what you doing - even if it takes them fifteen, twenty years.”
                                                                - Thelonius Monk

There are a lot of books out there about the creative process. These are the ones that have influenced me the most and maybe they’ll help you, too…

1. The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

I consider this a Bible for creative people, especially those who suffer from procrastination. It changed my life, and now I give it to all my professional creative friends and refer it to aspiring writers. In a nutshell, it describes the insidious ways “Resistance” prevents us from creating our soul’s work and offers solutions for beating it. It’s written in short, kick-ass paragraphs that will have you nodding in recognition and then making a b-line for the drawing board.

2. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott

I recommend all her books, but Bird by Bird takes you step-by-step into the writing process. Anne teaches you how to write “sh*tty first drafts” and offers unusual advice you won’t find in other books, like how to deal with jealousy when your friends become more successful than you.  Hiliarious, helpful, and poignant, it will make you a better writer and a better person.

3. Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards

This is the How-to-Draw Bible - the book that taught me and millions of others how to draw realistically. My middle school teachers, high school teachers, and college professors all taught me lessons from this book, and now I teach from it. Even if you don’t know how to draw a stick figure, as long as you have a little patience and a sharp pencil you can learn to draw a realistic picture of your hand after 3 chapters. You’ll suddenly see the world with brand new eyes, the way an artist sees, and no more stick figures, ever.

4. If You Can Talk, You Can Write by Joel Saltzman

I love this book. The writing is so good and conversational it feels like a friend is giving you advice over the phone. The tips are extremely helpful, funny, and inspirational. The book is packed with relevant quotes from famous writers that will make you laugh. The title says it all.

5. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

The only fiction book on the list. You’ve got to read this thing if you haven’t already. It’s about an architect named Howard Roark - the embodiment of artistic integrity - and his battle to stay true to himself in a world that rewards mediocrity over ingenuity. Sure, it’s almost 700 pages long, but the writing is beautiful, there’s a twisted love story, and the characters are terrific. It will teach you how to set creative standards for yourself, and you’ll never look at a building the same way again. 

I’m sure you have some books you can recommend. What are they? Leave a comment!