Sustainable Ambition Forum - 05.25.21
Have you ever asked yourself, “What can’t I not do?” It’s an oddly phrased question, but a powerful one.
Said another way—what do you create or think about where you just can’t help yourself?
I have activities where I lose myself. One might look at what I’m doing and think it’s not the best use of time.
But I realized in the last month (or just put language to) the fact that I am a creative person who makes art through left brain thinking.
What does that mean? There are times I write articles, white papers, or blog posts, because I’m called to do it. It is creative work I just can’t not do. I feel compelled to create the thought piece even if I’m the only person who gets pleasure out of having thought it through and got my thinking straight on the subject.
Is that any different than someone who feels compelled to create a painting or write a song? I don’t think so. It’s my form of art, just inspired more through left brain thinking (there probably is some right brain thinking in there, too!).
I recently went to the deYoung Museum in San Francisco to see the exhibit of Calder-Picasso. First, WOW! The work was brilliant and so inspiring. In reading about the pieces and what inspired each artist to create each one, I took away that each artist was indulging in what they were drawn to do, explore, and create.
(Hercules and Lion, Alexander Calder, 1928)
I left thinking that we all likely have some form of art in us. We may or may not get recognized for it, but the point is that the universe is calling us to do it for ourselves.
What’s your art? What is something you can’t not do? Is there something you are compelled to create? Is there a way of being you are compelled to express?
I encourage you to indulge that side of you.
I’ll also point you to Episode #12 of The Sustainable Ambition Podcast (noted below) featuring Stephanie Carter, founder of The Verse, a media platform focused on those crafting their second half. “What can’t you not do?” is a perfect question to ask yourself at that stage. Lest you think it’s too early to think about your second half, it’s likely not. And, Stephanie shares great wisdom to consider regardless of where you stand in your career.
As you start to look towards summer and, I hope, more space in your life, I encourage you to consider where you might indulge your creative side.
What art do you want to create?
Be well,
Kathy
P.S. We have a new Instagram account! I’m caving and bringing some content there now, too. : ) Follow us here. Or, search for sustainableambition. Thanks!
The Round-Up
Right Success: A lot of great tips in here that I agree with that can be applied at each stage of your career to help you define success for yourself and help unlock “what you can't not do,” including questioning your beliefs, aligning to purpose, defining your values, knowing your strengths, and aligning work with what brings you joy.
Right Aspiration: Self-confidence can keep us in action, improve our resiliency, and give us the courage to put our “art” into the world. As we navigate our careers from decade to decade, we can lean into self-confidence to keep us in motion. This article offers some surprising, helpful tips on how to boost our confidence.
Right Effort: Lifelong learning is important to building a regenerative career. Yet, how do we fit that in with an already busy work schedule? This article offers wise counsel on how to integrate learning into your day-to-day work.
Reading: Adam Grant feels omnipresent of late. I, too, got drawn into reading his latest book, “Think Again.” It’s a worthy read. Grant writes a chapter at the end on applying the concept to careers, and I agree with a lot of what he says: do regular career check-ins (pay attention!), rethink your career along the way as your satisfaction, ambition, and curiosities ebb and flow, know there are multiple paths we can take (we aren’t one note), seek purpose, and know that passion often develops rather than is discovered.
I have to say—I'm somebody who is a rethinker. But, I may need to write him to better understand when rethinking becomes counter-productive, as we can also waste a lot of time rethinking good decisions when we should really just leave good enough alone!
Listening: I’m re-listening to this podcast episode given our newsletter topic. I really loved this conversation with Amy Whitaker, author of “Art Thinking,” who champions carving out your own studio time. This concept is important for all of us. Studio time is your creative, contemplative time, and I think we all need it. To unearth the creativity inside us, we need to carve out space for it to unfold.
Smiling: A fun, exploratory, interactive article that takes you deep into the understanding of an art piece.
The Sustainable Ambition Podcast - Episode 12
Join me for conversations with experts, authors, and friends on
what it means to live with Sustainable Ambition.
Stephanie Carter is founder of The Verse, a media platform designed and delivered by grown-ups, for grown-ups, built on real talk, action-ready, beyond-the-masses tips, and original ideas for those seeking reinvention. Stephanie hopes that by sharing her setbacks and wins, she can help people to view their second half with optimism and excitement. And this is what we delve into in this conversation. If you’re wondering what's next for your second act, listen in! And if you’re earlier in your career, take Stephanie's advice to take more risk (this is becoming a theme on the podcast!) and if you’re in your 30’s and 40’s look and plan ahead. As Stephanie shared, which is applicable regardless of the stage of your career: “You're never going to take some risk and try something if you're not okay with making some mistakes.”
Find it on Apple Podcast here
Or, listen on our website here
You can also find the podcast, subscribe, and listen on Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Overcast.
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A Practice: What’s your art?
Wondering where your creativity lies? Ask yourself: What can’t I not do? What must you create? What do you generate just because you want to? To what are you drawn to give yourself wholly? Where are you holding back and would rather be unleashed? Carve out some time for this type of activity and create your own art, give voice to your personal expression.
Find Your Guide:
Find the perfect guide to match your journey.
“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and will be lost.”
— Martha Graham
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