Creative Calling by Chase Jarvis
5 stars. Thanks to @photo52240 for gifting this book to me. It was a needed read for my current "state" in life. This year, 2020, has been a little "meh" so far for me. I digress a little here, but once I share the following you will understand why this book is so needed- right now.
January, the month, as a whole has always been tough for me. I don't think until the last few years I was honest about this "toughness". I denied it's affect on me physically, mentally and spiritually. I know part of the January "blahs" stems from seasonal affective disorder (changes in season brings on blah feelings- think Iowa winter after all the fun of Xmas). I think I first became aware of it almost 4 years ago. Besides my SAD the lady I voted for in the 2016 presidential election lost to our current president. It was November 2016. After about 2 weeks post election disbelief I then was preoccupied with Thanksgiving (my husband's favorite holiday, followed by our anniversary) then came my favorite holiday Christmas. Then I decided to start Lent early (my favorite season of the church calendar) by getting off social media (facebook wasn't helping my January mood due to continued "hate" posts by friends and family- both sides of the political aisle- in regard to election outcome). Then "you know who" becomes president and it is "done deal" and the world moved on. That January was tough.
Fast forward 4 years later and this 2020 started off not great. The next part will likely sound very "vain" but its the truth. I had my annual physical Jan 2nd and after three months of devout work outs (6 days/week), no "treats" Nov/Dec except on Thanksgiving day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day I found myself to be at a not happy place on the scale- overweight! Funny how a number on the scale can really affect your mental well being and outlook on life. So I put on my "big girl pants" and decided I had to buckle down and slay the "elephant in the room" my "eating/drinking". I've vowed never to return to "diets" as they aren't life sustaining for me- no measuring foods in containers, logging food in my phone, and no "No Carb" days. It just isn't realistic. Yes, I always lose a ton of weight (a ton for me is the 10 lbs I need to lose right now), but I can't maintain that eating lifestyle. So I will work on eating more mindfully and do what I know I need to do- minimize carbs, eat more veggies, stay away from sweets, etc, etc.
So I have my "big girl pants" on and then I get hit with laryngitis, followed by a bad cold/virus- likely the cause of my laryngitis. I missed work for 2 weeks (side note- thanks to my awesome colleagues who saw my patients for me). I didn't really work out as I wanted and I had no motivation to look at my diet, but the "sickness/plague" was a diet in itself as I lost weight last month- likely from not wanting to eat and living on chicken noodle soup for almost 2 weeks straight.
OK- so the digression is coming to an end. I was in a bad place by the end of January- despite being some pounds down- enter February and this book.
This book is based on Chase Jarvis' "IDEA system":
- Imagine your big dream, whatever you want to create—or become—in this world.
- Design a daily practice that supports that dream—and a life of expression and transformation.
- Execute on your ambitious plans and make your vision real.
- Amplify your impact through a supportive community you’ll learn to grow and nurture.
I used almost my whole tin of book darts marking my favorite quotes and ideas. I think the following quotes will speak for themselves and will support my suggestion of reading this book . Chase finishes the book saying, "What matters most is that we didn't just talk about it, we did it." (pg 293 Acknowledgments). Strong words that motivate one to live life to its fullest.
So here are my favorite quotes/ideas from the book...
pg 1- " There's no such thing as creative people and non-creative people. There's just people who use their creativity and people who don't. And not using it doesn't go without penalty. As it turns out, unused creativity is not benign, it's dangerous." - Brene Brown
pg 17- The goal isn't to create a masterpiece; the goal is to make a masterpiece of your life.
pg 23-In fact, it's only by creating in small ways every day that we come to understand that we can create big changes in our lives when we desire or need them most.
pg 25- Most of us have a gap in our lives between where we find ourselves and the life we actually want to be living.
pg 28- It doesn't matter who you know, what schools you attended, which parties you're invited to, or what you're wearing. Creators create. Action is identity. You become what you do. You don't need permission from anybody to call yourself a writer...You just need to write,...You've got to do the verb to be the noun.
pg 73- This in-it-to-win-it mentality is the polar opposite of a creative mindset, which is abundant, resilient and full of potential. Aiming to be "better is a dead end because it means you're walking in someone else's footsteps and trying to catch up. Life gets so much easier once you decide to play your own game. Don't just try to be better. Be different.
pg 79- Sometimes, making a lot of different things at once is a way of hiding. If we scatter our energy and never finish anything, we never have to share our creations and risk rejection.
pg 84- (I think you could sub "new project" for other "subjects/topics" in your life... i.e. vacations, trips, jobs- i.e. What is the goal of the vacation? for instance or even a person i.e. friendship/relationship...)
When you consider a new project, take out your notebook and answer the following questions:
What is the goal of this project?
Why am I doing it? What do I hope to get out of it?
What is the worst thing that might happen if I fail?
What steps can I take to reduce risk and mitigate failure?
Is it worth it?
pg 99- Marcus Aurelius said 'The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.'...The state of your mind, body, and spirit is the direct result of all the decisions you've made in your life up until this moment.
pg 100- To achieve a new mindset and transform your life, you have to believe two things: your situation- whatever it is- is changeable for the better; and you are capable of making that change happen.
pg 100- If the elation of joy we experience when we're doing what we love feed us, it only follows that being out of alignment with our authenticity drains the vital energy required to make and share creative work.
pg 101- Little did I know at the time that I was developing a rare but powerful tool: quitting stuff I wasn't meant to do. This is a tool you must wield to create the life you want.
pg 103- The core principles of a stable creative mindset are:
You are a creative person.
The world is abundant and full of possibilities.
Your situation can always be changed.
You can use your creativity to create the change you seek.
Creativity is natural and healthy but requires practice.
Creativity is ultimate personal power.
Unfortunately, you can't adopt a creative mindset just by reading this book. Repetition of corresponding actions is necessary to develop it.
pg 110- I recommend you fast from news as much as possible. [Gasp.]The reality is that you will receive the news you need to. We live in a culture where the news is ubiquitous...That sludge of unending negativity takes a vicious toll on our creativity and overall well-being.
pg 112- At this stage in my life, it's become impossible to ignore the fact that the good days-when I feel great and doing my best work- have common elements. For one thing, they're intentional.
pg 113- Become so good at the fundamentals of your craft that they become automatic and effortless, like breathing, walking, or chewing gum.
pg 116- In short, move your body, and your brain will follow. The neuroscientific data is clear: changing your physiological state changes your blood chemistry, which in turn drives your mood and mental clarity...Movement is a creativity catalyst.
pg 117- Too many of us start our days consuming instead of creating: browsing the web, watching TV, whatever. We become audience members and critics. Our thoughts get sucked into what other people are doing, how well they're doing it, and the response they're getting from the world.
pg 127- Let's be real: we give away too much of our time to things that don't serve us.
pg 129-Ultimately I realized that there was nothing noble or romantic about being busy all the time. It just meant I didn't have my shit together.
pg 130-Being effective is about using every minute thoughtfully and mindfully as you make steady progress toward your dream.
pg 133- Ask yourself: What do you have on the calendar that you love? And were do your hours feel wasted? (Ask these questions after two weeks of documenting/tracking where your time goes in 30 minute increments- put everything into categories from meetings and calls to chores and eating- be honest)
pg 134- Your behavior needs to match your goals. This is not about productivity; this is about aggressively doing what you need to do to be successful as you define it. It's about showing up for yourself.
pg 151- You'll get better only once you stop fiddling and start making.
pg 164- On my podcast, Jared Leto said, "I only succeed a little because I fail a lot." To find success, lean into failure.
pg 174- What changed everything for me was showing up, over and over, wherever my heart and my intuition told me to be- even if my brain was telling me I had no business being there.
pg 186- The new obstacle is figuring out which dream to pursue and then cultivating and applying the necessary energy to engage in that pursuit.
pg 222- Community is extremely valuable in creative work.
pg 224- The author and motivational speaker Jim Rohn once said that you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. Choose wisely. (Side note- I have heard this quote about "the five people" several times in my years of listening to podcasts and reading self-help- I don't know that Jim Rohn gets credit for this quote when people use it).
pg 267- Brene Brown shared with me that she keeps a tiny list in her wallet with the names of a handful of people who matter most to her. Whenever she feels the weight of other people's opinions too strongly, she consults the list. "Have I let any of these people down? No? Then I'll be okay."
pg 279-Enthusiasm is more powerful- and ultimately more valuable- than confidence. Confidence is all about yourself- you develop it by repeatedly orchestrating successful outcomes...Enthusiasm inspires confidence and energy in others.
pg 286-7 So many of us live our lives with a nagging sense that something important is missing...I've come to believe that creative expression is the missing element in a life well lived.
pg 288- we watch for predators and miss the sunsets entirely. This hardwired instinct is a liability in the modern world. It's literally poisonous. Negative thinking releases stress hormones, raises blood pressure, suppresses your immune system and leads to a host of other health problems. Negative thinking impairs your cognitive ability and memory.
pg 289- The best antidote to negative thinking is creative doing... Small, daily creative actions bolster positivity and inspire resolute thinking...Think about the kindest person you've ever met. Positive or negative disposition?
pg 293- Lastly, to all: what matters most is that we didn't just talk about it, we did it. (Had to quote it again!)
pg 99- Marcus Aurelius said 'The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.'...The state of your mind, body, and spirit is the direct result of all the decisions you've made in your life up until this moment.
pg 100- To achieve a new mindset and transform your life, you have to believe two things: your situation- whatever it is- is changeable for the better; and you are capable of making that change happen.
pg 100- If the elation of joy we experience when we're doing what we love feed us, it only follows that being out of alignment with our authenticity drains the vital energy required to make and share creative work.
pg 101- Little did I know at the time that I was developing a rare but powerful tool: quitting stuff I wasn't meant to do. This is a tool you must wield to create the life you want.
pg 103- The core principles of a stable creative mindset are:
You are a creative person.
The world is abundant and full of possibilities.
Your situation can always be changed.
You can use your creativity to create the change you seek.
Creativity is natural and healthy but requires practice.
Creativity is ultimate personal power.
Unfortunately, you can't adopt a creative mindset just by reading this book. Repetition of corresponding actions is necessary to develop it.
pg 110- I recommend you fast from news as much as possible. [Gasp.]The reality is that you will receive the news you need to. We live in a culture where the news is ubiquitous...That sludge of unending negativity takes a vicious toll on our creativity and overall well-being.
pg 112- At this stage in my life, it's become impossible to ignore the fact that the good days-when I feel great and doing my best work- have common elements. For one thing, they're intentional.
pg 113- Become so good at the fundamentals of your craft that they become automatic and effortless, like breathing, walking, or chewing gum.
pg 116- In short, move your body, and your brain will follow. The neuroscientific data is clear: changing your physiological state changes your blood chemistry, which in turn drives your mood and mental clarity...Movement is a creativity catalyst.
pg 117- Too many of us start our days consuming instead of creating: browsing the web, watching TV, whatever. We become audience members and critics. Our thoughts get sucked into what other people are doing, how well they're doing it, and the response they're getting from the world.
pg 127- Let's be real: we give away too much of our time to things that don't serve us.
pg 129-Ultimately I realized that there was nothing noble or romantic about being busy all the time. It just meant I didn't have my shit together.
pg 130-Being effective is about using every minute thoughtfully and mindfully as you make steady progress toward your dream.
pg 133- Ask yourself: What do you have on the calendar that you love? And were do your hours feel wasted? (Ask these questions after two weeks of documenting/tracking where your time goes in 30 minute increments- put everything into categories from meetings and calls to chores and eating- be honest)
pg 134- Your behavior needs to match your goals. This is not about productivity; this is about aggressively doing what you need to do to be successful as you define it. It's about showing up for yourself.
pg 151- You'll get better only once you stop fiddling and start making.
pg 164- On my podcast, Jared Leto said, "I only succeed a little because I fail a lot." To find success, lean into failure.
pg 174- What changed everything for me was showing up, over and over, wherever my heart and my intuition told me to be- even if my brain was telling me I had no business being there.
pg 186- The new obstacle is figuring out which dream to pursue and then cultivating and applying the necessary energy to engage in that pursuit.
pg 222- Community is extremely valuable in creative work.
pg 224- The author and motivational speaker Jim Rohn once said that you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. Choose wisely. (Side note- I have heard this quote about "the five people" several times in my years of listening to podcasts and reading self-help- I don't know that Jim Rohn gets credit for this quote when people use it).
pg 267- Brene Brown shared with me that she keeps a tiny list in her wallet with the names of a handful of people who matter most to her. Whenever she feels the weight of other people's opinions too strongly, she consults the list. "Have I let any of these people down? No? Then I'll be okay."
pg 279-Enthusiasm is more powerful- and ultimately more valuable- than confidence. Confidence is all about yourself- you develop it by repeatedly orchestrating successful outcomes...Enthusiasm inspires confidence and energy in others.
pg 286-7 So many of us live our lives with a nagging sense that something important is missing...I've come to believe that creative expression is the missing element in a life well lived.
pg 288- we watch for predators and miss the sunsets entirely. This hardwired instinct is a liability in the modern world. It's literally poisonous. Negative thinking releases stress hormones, raises blood pressure, suppresses your immune system and leads to a host of other health problems. Negative thinking impairs your cognitive ability and memory.
pg 289- The best antidote to negative thinking is creative doing... Small, daily creative actions bolster positivity and inspire resolute thinking...Think about the kindest person you've ever met. Positive or negative disposition?
pg 293- Lastly, to all: what matters most is that we didn't just talk about it, we did it. (Had to quote it again!)