Previously, Austin Kleon taught us to ‘Show Your work!‘ but this time he is helping us to ‘Keep Going.’
As we know, it’s one thing to start getting your work out there, but that is only half the battle. We need to keep posting/publishing so we can keep learning, keep improving and increasing the chances of our work being seen. In a lot of ways, this sustained effort can be more challenging. You will have rough days where you don’t want to post. But, we have to keep going.
the following points have really helped me to keep putting one foot in front of the other, and I hope they do the same for you.
1. Creation is a process
There is no finish line.
We may finish one piece of work, or one series of content, but all that happens is the process starts again. The only things we can control are what we work on, and how hard we work. So, set your routine for creating and keep going. There will be rubbish days, but it’s one day. The main thing is to turn up tomorrow and try again.
2. Have fun
Looking back to ‘Share Your Work!’ we looked at work as a verb and noun. Concentrate on the verb (ie, the doing). Enjoy the process, have fun. If you can lose yourself in your work, then you will create something full of passion and joy; two things that cannot be imitated! The fact that you enjoy your work will make it much easier to sustain, even on those days that you don’t want to.
3. Slow Down
It’s all too easy to rush ahead, trying to get as much work crammed in as possible. And while this may help in some ways, it won’t help the process of creativity. Slow down, and look around. What are you focussing on, what is important? Take note of that, and spend more time focusing on those things. In short
Pay attention to what you pay attention to.
Austin Kleon
Everything that you need for extraordinary work can be found in everyday life.
4. Uncertainty is ok
So many times we set off on one path, only for that to change direction or take a detour. And that’s ok. You don’t need to know the answer 100% of the time, so just trust your gut and go along with what is fun. Challenge and be challenged, and you will develop your own ideas and path to creation. The below perfectly sums this up:
5. The cycle of life
(sorry, bad Lion King pun, I know…)
There will be ups, and there will be downs. But generally, good things follow bad. For instance, I had a day last week when I was filming a YouTube video and I didn’t have long, and my back was right up against it. But do you know what, it was once of my best videos, in my mind anyway!
So go with it. It will pass, and something good will come of it. This is all part of the process, so take the long term view and back yourself.
6. The meaning of art
Very simply, art is meant to make life better.
That means art of all forms; writing, drawing, film, music. Both the process and the finished article. But the improvement can also be in any form; entertainment, education, self reflection, the list is endless.
So concentrate on making something positive, something that will make life a bit better for at least one person. In my mind, that is the holy grail of creativity. Ignore the metrics (follows, views, likes etc) and instead create work that makes one person’s life better.
Obviously this is not an extensive review or critique of this book, but I would definitely recommend getting a copy and turning to it in those moments of need. All three of Austin’s books now sit on my desk, and they are a great prompt for anytime I need a pick me up.
Check out ‘Keep Going’ on Amazon
