Tag: creativity

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creativity motivation

Getting Our Ducks in a Row

There is a time to ad-lib and go with the flow. And there is a time to get our ducks in a row.

The closest I have ever seen ducks get in a row

At libbing is fine for creativity. But getting everything organized and in its place is better for productivity. That’s a hard lesson for a creative like me who wants the muse to lead me wherever she wants to go.

Ducks are hard to get lined up. They scatter if you approach them. My creative mind likes to do the same thing. Thankfully, I’ve discovered there is a time for the muse to lead and a time to get productive. Know when to get your ducks in a row.

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Leadership

Does Consensus Kill Courage?

Cartoon of man selling idea to skeptical businessmen asking does consensus kill courage

Carey Nieuwhof had a great post entitled, 5 Signs Bad Governance Is Stifling Your Church’s Growth and Mission. In a previous post that he no longer has posted, Niewshof had some great points on how committees can knock the wind out of good ideas. In his post, he said,

When it comes to courageous change, here are four things that are true:

Committees kill vision

Individuals are almost always more courageous than teams

The more people you seek to please up front, the less inspiring your idea will become

Leaders don’t always walk alone, but sometimes they have to start alone.

Carey Nieuwhof
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Business motivation Quotes

Why is Humility Good Business?

A quote from The Millionaire Mind, by Thomas Stanley, answered my question, “Why is humility good business?” The author interviewed an entrepreneur that owns and runs an auto junkyard. He asked the owner what made him successful.

The owner replied that at first, he got a lot of pushback from his family. he said his mother asked him, “Anyone can own a junkyard. Why did you go to college—not to own junk!”

Yet, this owner was a deca-millionaire. The author noted that many people overlook opportunities because social status and concern about appearances keep many from noticing opportunities. That led to Thomas Stanley’s quote:

"Snobs do not make great entrepreneurs." Thomas Stanley Why is humility good for Business
From The Millionaire Mind by Thomas Stanley
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Categories
motivation

It's Not Over Until You Say It's So

Cartoon of a man and his dog. They are trying to go up an icy hill, to no avail. I drew this for Illustration Friday. This week's word is "reverse."

Do you feel like giving up? Did you think you had some traction, only to discover you were on ice and sliding downhill? In those times, it can be tempting to give up, throw in the towel and sulk in a corner. It may feel hopeless. But it’s not over until you say it’s so!

Cartoon of a man and his dog. They are trying to go up an icy hill, to no avail. I drew this for Illustration Friday. This week's word is "reverse."

Yogi Berra was famous for his yogiisms. Even the BBC noted while some of his sayings were silly, this one has become quite helpful:

“It ain’t over till it’s over.”

Yogi Berra
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motivation

Worry is Wasted Creativity

Cartoon of a man in a fetal position. He says to another, "I'm okay. This is just how I get creative."

No one really knows the future. We can make assumptions based on past experience and current data, but it’s still a guessing game. And if all the predictions are based on fear, worry is wasted creativity.

Anxiety can limit our creativity. Whether our surroundings make us anxious, or we put too much pressure on ourselves to be creative, fear and anxiety can stymie us. It wastes our imagination when we think about all the bad things that have happened, are happening now, and could happen.

The energy we put into fretting only serves to encourage those circumstances. I have found the old adage, what we think about, we bring about, to be way too prophetic.

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