Meine Notizen
You are hiding your best work
- âYou are hiding your best work, your best insights and your best self from us every day.â (S. vii)
- Wie kannst du das verantworten? Was wirst du dagegen unternehmen?
We need you, now
- âItâs too bad that so much time has been wasted, but it would be unforgivable to wait any longer. You have the ability to contribute so much. We need you, now.â (S. viii)
Art = etwas Schönes schaffen!
- âArt is the unique work of a human being, work that touches another.â (S. 6)
WofĂŒr wir zahlen
- âAll weâre all willing to pay you extra for is what we donât assume, what we canât get easily and regularly and for free. We need you to provide the things that are unexpected, scarce, and valuable.â (S. 9)
- âHigh-quality work is no longer scarce. Competence is no longer scarce, either. We have too many good choices – thereâs an abundance of things to buy and people to hire.â (S. 9-10)
- âWhatâs scarce is trust, connection, and surprise. These are three elements in the work of a successful artist.â (S. 10)
The new scarcity
- Ăber âthe emotional labour of artâ: âThe risk involved is digging deep to connect and surprise, the patience required to build trust, the guts necessary to say âI made thisâ – these are all scarce and valuable. And they scale.â (S. 10)
If you want to write⊠write!
- âIf you want to write, hereâs a blog. Write.â (S. 11)
What to use money for
- âBut if you use your money to make exceptional products and services, you donât need to spend it on advertising, because your customers will connect to one another and will bring you more.â (S. 13)
- Das ist das Grundprinzip der âConnection Economyâ.
Courage and risk
- âIn order for there to be courage, of course, there must be risk.â (S. 17)
- Wenn keiner meinen Blog liest⊠bin ich dann wirklich mutig?
- Wenn ich ihn nicht (mehr, besser, âmore generous“) in die Auslage stelle⊠bin ich dann wirklich mutig? Oder verstecke ich mich in der obscurity? Hiding in plain sight?
Winning a game
- âJust because youâre winning a game doesnât mean itâs a good game.â (S. 30)
- Vgl. Simon Sinek: Das unendliche Spiel: Es braucht auch eine âgerechte Sacheâ, damit es ein unendliches Spiel wird.
Art has no right answer
- âThe search for the right answer is the enemy of art.â (S. 36)
- âArt has no right answer. The best we can hope for is an interesting answer.â (S. 36)
Creating art is a habit
- âCreating art is a habit, one that we practice daily or hourly until we get good at it.â (S. 38)
A human touch
- â[âŠ] a fresh approach to an old problem, with a human touch, that is worth telling about.â (S. 42)
Emotional labour
- âIf you want access to my attention, my gratitude, and my soul, you will earn it with your emotional labour.â (S. 43)
- âA little more emotional labour is often worth a lot.â (S. 43)
- âMost of us nod, acknowledge the need to create these bonds of connection through the very frightening and draining work of emotional labour, and then immediately head back to the old comfort zone of physical labor and following instructions. Because it feels less risky and comes with deniability.â (S. 43f)
- âEmotional labor is the labor that’s in demand today.â (S. 66)
- âThe emotional labor that needs to be done offers no shortcuts. [âŠ] The emotional labor that needs to be done offers no guarantees. Which is precisely why itâs emotional labor.â (S. 67)
âA little moreâ compounds
- â âA little moreâ compounds, because ideas spread. A little more compounds because in a connected economy, word spreads and people flock to the art that means more.â (S. 47)
- vgl. Promotion: âViel hilft vielâ ist nicht der Sinn. âA little moreâ meint ein bisschen mehr Herz, ein bisschen mehr Hirn, ein bisschen mehr Mut – nicht ein bisschen mehr vom ewig Gleichen, vom MittelmĂ€Ăigen, vom Faden.
Take responsibility, speak up
- âWhen we take responsibility and eagerly give credit, doors open. When we grab a microphone and speak up, weâre a step closer to doing the work we are able to do.â (S. 49)
Insatiable consumers of connection
- âWeâre insatiable consumers of connection. Our basic human need to be understood, respected, and missed when weâre gone doesnât get satisfied easily. As a result, when genuine connection is offered, itâs often taken.â (S. 55)
The purpose of your art is to connect
- âIf your work canât fail because it was never designed to connect, then I Â respectfully say that you might have had fun creating something beautiful, but itâs not art.â (S. 65)
- Dass es verbindet, dass es Anschluss findet, dass es in Resonanz geht mit anderen Menschen, dass ich es nicht verstecke⊠das sind alles Bedingungen, um von echter Kunst zu sprechen.
- âThe purpose of your art is to connect, just as the purpose of the hammer is to strike a nail.â (S. 71)
- âIf the audience doesnât like this work enough to connect, thereâs a mismatch. Perhaps this is the wrong work for the wrong group. Donât fix it by pandering for a quick ovation. Fix it by going deeper.â (S. 71-72)
Moving your comfort zone
- âMoving your comfort zone when the safety zone changes isnât easy, but itâs better than being a victim.â (S. 69)
Who do you want your customers to become?
- âWho will your customers become after they interact with you? Who will you become as a result?â (S. 70)
Donât expect applause
- âWhen your work depends on something out of your control, you have given away part of your art. If your work is filled with the hope and longing for applause, itâs no longer your work – the dependence on approval in this moment has corrupted it.â (S. 71)
- âThereâs a huge difference between the shallow pleasure of instant applause and the long-lasting impact of true connection.â (S. 71)
Propaganda benefits the teller
- âOne definition of propaganda: It benefits the teller, not the recipient.â (S. 76)
- âMyths are about becoming more godlike and achieving our best. Propaganda, on the other hand, celebrates those in power and urges us to willingly comply with their desires.â (S. 76)
- Vgl. was Seth Godin ĂŒber Storys sagt: Eine Story ist dann gut, wenn sie dem Hörer Inspiration auslöst – nicht bei mir. Was mich inspiriert, muss nicht das sein, was meine Hörer inspiriert. Ich brauche Storys, die meine Hörer inspirieren, nicht welche die mir gefallen. (NatĂŒrlich muss da kein Unterschied sein, aber wahrscheinlich ist einer.)
The system will gladly eat your orange
- âThe system will gladly eat your orange and then throw the peel away.â (S. 81)
Teach – change – ship
- âTeach, with the intent to make a change. Ship something you created.â (S. 83)
Enough money vs. enough art
- Do I have enough money? vs. Have I made enough art?
- Letztere ist die Frage, die sich Lifestyle Entrepreneure (eher) stellen sollten. Sie ist ein Definitionsmerkmal.
- Allerdings beschĂ€ftigt sie die erste Frage oft ĂŒber GebĂŒhr…
The deal in the world of art
- âIn the world of art, the deal is âWell, other people have done something sort of like what youâre hoping to do, and sometimes, but certainly not always, it works out for them. Youâll have to do it to find out.â (S. 91)
- This might not work.
- âSo we canât just commit to one act of kamizawa, one bold emotional risk, and be done with it. We have to commit to a lifetime of them. Itâs a process, not an event. You donât do a little art and then go back to work. Your work is your art (and vice versa).â (S. 91)
- âWhen your work of art fails, donât question your commitment to art. […] When your art fails, make better art.„
When the venue doesnât support your art
- âWhen the venue doesnât support your art, you can change it without changing your commitment to the journey.â (S. 92)
The gods arenât perfect
- âThe gods arenât perfect – they are merely bold.â (S. 105)
- Weil sie wissen, dass sie unverletzbar und unsterblich sind.
- Was wĂŒrdest du dich trauen, wenn du wĂŒsstest, dass du unverwundbar bist?
- Auch deine Helden sind nicht perfekt, bei weitem nicht. Aber sie sind alle auf ihre Art âboldâ. Das haben sie alle gemeinsam.
- âThis might not workâ isnât merely something to be tolerated; itâs something you must seek out.â (S. 105)
- DAS ist bold!
If a business fails
- âIf a business fails, jobs are lost, lives dislocated; itâs true. But no one is burned at the cross; the suffering isnât nearly as long lasting as our fears would have us believe.â (S. 106) Â
Resilience
- âResilience demands flexibility – the willingness to change one thing in order to make up for something thatâs broken or failing.â (S. 111)
- Resilienz ist extrem wichtig fĂŒr Lifestyle Entrepreneure!
Disturbing truths
- âThe problem for them is that it doesnât matter whether or not they seek these truths. The truth will find them regardless. The economy and the culture and the market will expose these truths and then work to destroy the status quo. Sooner or later, reality wins.â (S. 118)
Accepting shame (or not)
- âOne way the community responds to a courageous act is by seeking to shame the courageous one. Instead of rewarding you for caring enough to try, they work to silence you by creating shame.â (S. 124f)
- âThe thing is, shame is a choice. Itâs worth repeating: Shame canât be forced on you; it must be accepted. The artist, then, combines courage with a fierce willingness to refuse to accept shame. Blame, sure. Shame, never. Where is the shame in using our best intent to make art for those we care about?â (S. 125)
- Vgl. Von einem guten Baum können keine schlechten FrĂŒchte kommen.
Shun the nonbelievers
- âFigure out who your art is for, get better at connecting with that audience, and ignore the rest.â (S. 128)
All the things you canât talk about
- âMake a list. Make a list of the things you canât talk about at work or with your spouse or with others you care about. The things on this list (and those that you were hesitant to even write down) point to places where you or the organisation feel shame. […] These are areas where you bild armor, where you donât want anyone to go. […] When you talk about these things, when you own them, shame starts to lose its power [âŠ].â (S. 129)
Busy â brave
- = one common mistake that helps you hide. (S. 132)
Make good art
- âMake good artâ is Neil Gaimanâs prescription for whatever ails you. […] If itâs not working, make better art. If you donât know how to make better art, learn. If the people around you are sabotaging your art, ignore them. […] And then make more art.â (S. 143)
Too clever to see
- âYou canât accurately see until you abandon your worldview.â (S. 147)
- => âa lifetime spent noticingâ (S. 148)
- vgl. Es lebe der Generalist!
Rarely do we see
- âWe see what we believe, not the other way around. Rarely do we see the world as it is. […] We donât see opportunities. We fail to see pain. And most of all, we refuse to see the danger in doing nothing.â (S. 151)
NĂŒtzliches Leitprinzip: Jeder GrĂŒnder ist ein âblank slateâ
- âThe blank slate is a requirement for original art. If you merely rehash what came before, if you offer me the same hot dog you served me yesterday, […] then nothing remarkable has happened; no connection has been made.â (S. 155)
- Jeder GrĂŒnder ist ein âblank slateâ. Es beginnt immer von Neuem, keiner ist wie der andere. Vorurteile und Routine sind der Tod von echter Connection. (Das habe ich auch gesehen bei der Einschulung.)
Learn & care
- âLearn your field, of course. Excel in domain knowledge. Have empathy for your customers, and care deeply about how your work will affect them.â (S. 159)
Caring enough to call is part of the art
- âTo the artist, to the human who values outcomes and connection, caring enough to call is part of the art.â (S. 161)
- âWhat connects people and what changes them is the caring part.â (S. 161)
- âAnyone who cares and acts on it is performing a work of art.â (S. 161)
Generosity > perfection
- âYour generosity is more important than your perfection.â (S. 165)
- Ich denke, das gilt fĂŒr jede Form des Lehrens, z.B. Blog, Podcast etc.
- Das bedeutet nicht, dass man schludrig arbeiten soll. Aber Kunst kann nie perfekt sein; es geht um den Ausdruck.
Just write
- âJust write. Write poorly. Continue to write poorly, in public, until you can write better.â (S. 166)
- âEveryone should learn to write in public. […] Turn off comments, certainly – you donât need more criticism; you need more writing.â (S. 166)
- âDo it every day. Every single day. Not a diary, not fiction, but analysis. Clear, crisp, honest writing about what you see in the world. Or want to see. Or teach (in writing).â (S. 166)
- âIf you know you have to write something every single day, even a paragraph, you will improve your writing.â (S. 166)
- âSo if you know you have to write tomorrow, your brain will start working on something better than bad.â (S. 167)
- âWrite like you talk. Often.â (S. 167)
Was meine eigentliche Arbeit ist
- âIf your work is to do art, then doing art is what you ought to be organizing your energy and your time around. Excuses arenât welcome.â (S. 169)
Kunst, die ich in der GrĂŒndungsberatung machen kann
- âWhat you can do is take responsibility. You can make small connections, small experiments, and small failures and own the results. You can honestly and clearly report what youâre learning and what youâre making and then do it again.â (S. 172)
- âThe obligation is to carve out time for the big work, the work of art.â (S. 172)
- âNo need to wait for permission [âŠ]. The big work is available to you as soon as you decide to do it.â (S. 172)
- âAnd if your current gig doesnât appreciate you, someone else will.â (S. 172)
- âAnd yes, I know it would be better if you had more time, but no, we donât.â (S. 173)
@Essentialism
- âThe art of compromise is knowing when not to.â (Jason Fox) (S. 173)
Ira Glass understands me
- âNobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is a gap. For the first couple of years you make stuff, itâs just not that good. Itâs trying to be good, it has potential, but itâs not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesnât have this special thing that we want it to have⊠And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know itâs normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work⊠itâs only by going through a volume of work that you will close the gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions.â (S. 176)
- Vgl: Ich will etwas Schönes machen, das aber einfach noch nicht schön genug ist.
Art is a strategy
- âArt is the only strategy available. […] Yes change your tactics, and often. Agility pays. But no, donât give up your strategy of making art.â (S. 186)
âYou are an artist, not the art.“ (S. 187)
- Du darfst es nicht persönlich nehmen. Du kannst es nicht persönlich nehmen!
Figuring out how much you can stand (S. 189)
- âItâs the pain (and the fear of pain) that makes art scarce.“
- Die meisten schaffen keine Kunst, weil sie Angst haben vor der Ablehnung, der ZurĂŒckweisung etc.Â
- Sie gehen erst gar nicht an den Start, aus Angst vor den Schmerzen. Aber wer am Start ist und tatsĂ€chlich gestartet ist, der kommt dann unterwegs drauf, dass er mehr aushĂ€lt als gedacht. Ich z.B. habe noch keinen einzigen Lauf, bei dem ich gestartet bin, aufgegeben – auch wenn es hart war. Aber ich bin bei ganz vielen erst gar nicht gestartet.
- Sogar mit einem schlechten Versuch bin ich besser dran als alle anderen, die es gar nicht versuchen.
- => Ein Lifestyle Business ist resilienter, als der Lifestyle Entrepreneur vielleicht denkt…
- WĂ€re ein interessantes Self Project: Figure out how much you can stand. Ein Stoiker-Projekt.
Einige âhabits of successful artistsâ (S. 194) – Merke: âsuccessfulâ, nicht âgoodâ.
- Learn to sell what you’ve made.
- Make predictions.
- Teach others.
- Write daily.
More of what?
- âYou probably have enough. You probably want more. Iâm not sure more of what.â (S. 195)
Water down your work
- âEvery time you work with someone who makes your work less than it ought to be, youâve made a choice and youâll need to live with the consequences.â (S. 197)
Infinite games
- âInfinite games bring abundance and they bring the satisfaction of creating art that matters. Play.â (S. 205)
Because he can
- âThe chef who puts extra care into an omlet that someone ordered for seven dollars from the late-night hotel menu. Not because itâs his job but because he can.â (S. 209)
- Ich kann sooo viel machen, einfach nur âbecause I canâ. Mehr braucht es nicht an Grund, Erlaubnis oder Motivation, um Kunst zu schaffen.
How long should art take?
- âA teacher might need fourteen classes before she starts making an impact on her students. A blog doesnât hit itâs stride for a year or more. Art almost never works as fast as you want it to, and the more you need it to work, the slower it happens.â (S. 211)
What every artist needs
- vgl. GrĂŒndungsberater, die KĂŒnstler beraten
- âItâs not helpful to kindly suggest that the artist might think about taking a day job [âŠ]. The artist thinks about these things every day.â (S. 212)
- âThe best question you can ask an artist is âHow is this going to work?â.â (S. 213)
- âIf youâre not able to understand the work from the audienceâs point of view, probably better to say nothing.â (S. 213)
- âThe artist needs your unwavering commitment to her mission.â (S. 213)
- âPart of supporting the mission is pushing the artist to be more committed, not less, pushing for more focus and edge and weirdness, not less.â (S. 213)
- âThe artist doesnât need reminders about reality or lawyers or regulations or even the rules of physics. The artist merely needs to be encouraged and cajoled and supported to make better art.â (S. 213)
You always get to dance
- âNo, it doesnât all work, but you always get to dance. Win or lose, you get to play.â (S. 214)
- Sehr schön!
- Vgl. Seth Godin: Thirty five + years of projects
Never been a better time
- âThereâs never been a better time to have something to say, to embrace change, and to see the world differently.â (S. 215)
âDo you care enough to fail?â (S. 216)
- Ist es dir wichtig genug?
- Ist es dir ernst genug – mit SILBE?
At least you lived
- âItâs entirely possible that there wonât be a standing ovation at the end of your journey. Thatâs okay. At least you lived.â (S. 218f)
Gifts
- âGifts are the essence of art. […] To share your art is a requirement of making it.â (S. 236)
- vgl. Gabenökonomie
Remix
- âRemix, reuse, respect, recycle, revisit, reclaim, revere, resorb. Art doesnât repeat itself, but it rhymes.“
- Wir stehen alle auf den Schultern von Riesen.
- âOriginell wird ĂŒberbewertetâ, sagt Seth Godin
Figure out who your art is for, get better at connecting with that audience, and forget the rest.
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