notes and views on crm, social media, and the human side of information technology

RE: rules of creativity

I LOVE the “how to be creative” essay written by Hugh McLeod over 2 years ago. One point I am not so sure is his #2: “The idea doesn’t have to be big. It just has to change the world.” Changing the world is a tempting proposition; in business and arts alike, though, you are more likely to make it if you aren’t afraid to use imitation. Also-rans have an undeservedly bad name!

And it’s not just about Microsoft for you Apple folks out there. Look: thoughout the history of classical music (now a stinky corpse), artists have followed up on one another so nicely you could almost connect the ending notes of A’s symphony to the opening theme of B’s. And that was long before mass-media and the internet! Early in the 20th century, composers wiped the slate clean and started anew; each developing his own syntax, semantics, and vocabulary. Without going into further detail, I am going to assert this was the primary reason why classical music became “classical” - ie, dead.

We are like charcoals, says our pastor, burning intensely when together and going cold when scattered. This is true for artists and entrepreneurs as it is for Christians. It’s the relationship economy, okay? No one flourishes in the void (does GapingVoid?)

Going back to our theme, I am not disputing the whole text or even the whole point #2; I am contemplating this bit:

Your idea doesn’t have to be big. It just has to be yours alone. The more the idea is yours alone, the more freedom you have to do something really amazing.

How many ideas can I claim to have originated? Sadly, not many. Maybe not even a couple. I cannot separate things I have said with those I have heard, and though I may re-mix and re-phrase to sound original, in the end I will have to give full credit to everyone I’ve talked to and had coffee with. So my interpretation of #2 is: own your ideas - and be humble. Somewhere, somebody is thinking the same thing. Which is why agree enthusiastically with #3: put the hours in. A company as well as a symphony is more a product of hard work than a brilliant idea that just happened to materialize.

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February 24, 2007 | Filed Under Links and Quotes, Me & You, But Mostly Me, Rants 

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