The Mystical Might Of A Creative Voice Unleashed
The grand vision you seek is unlikely. Rarer than a miracle! Perhaps, for a lucky few, but not you. Get your head out of the clouds! Back to work. Listening to your heart is foolish. Wait in line for your time. Tick-tock. Wait in line for your time. Tick-tock. Wait in …
Well-intentioned or not, such advice is ludicrous! You can do almost anything with the right set of tools. When improbable roads converge, give in to the urge to meet the moment. As impossible as the journey may seem, stay the course. Be effective. Pursue your passions. Everyone has hidden potential to unlock. Discover the lightning you have yet to unleash.
Ignore the peer pressure.
Run wild and free.
The bread and butter of our craft is the ability to see the world through a different pair of glasses. The need to trust our distinct point of view is absolute. Not blindly! That would be reckless. Trust is earned. But at the end of the day, it’s our creative, artistic, or pioneering voice that paves the way. Which can spark fundamental questions.
Do I have what it takes? Is my talent up for the task at hand? In the act of doing, we clarify our style and value. Our projects slowly awaken our most potent abilities. Step, stumble, and succeed. That’s the formula! Rinse and repeat. Take detailed notes. Make adjustments. More steps. More realizations. We give birth to ourselves one passion project at a time.
Meeting the moment is being ready to rock long before the moment arrives. It’s the key that opens the treasure chest! Opportunity knocks. Answer the door. Messy is a given. Keep at it to excel at your craft. It’s how we transform ordinary skills into extraordinary talent.
Preparation is key.
Fertilize the soil!
We soar when we’re properly prepared and willing to act. Inherent within this truth is the willingness to fail, which happens often. It’s all a part of the process. Are you ok with falling on your ass? It’s a serious question. We avoid risk because who wants to crash and burn? Hell, I don’t want to crash and burn! But fail, we must. Repeatedly. Ouch! It sucks. Here’s the thing. Creative minds who bring tremendous value to their work know failure all too well. There’s always a price to pay.
People who see the world through a different pair of glasses make history every day. We rarely know their names, or that they exist. Yet, there they are, pushing against the tide. Courageous art shattering norms. Ingenious activism calling out injustice. Dreamy culinary experiences that bring people together. The art of meaningful human impact is alive and well.
You could become the next Steven Spielberg, Cesar Chavez, or Amanda Gorman. It could happen, but it doesn’t need to happen for your impact to matter. Your value as a mold-shattering creator stands alone. Burn the costumes! Throw away the masks. The path that fits best is the one that points to True North. How to have the impact you crave? Walk your path.
Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia, wrote a bohemian business book titled “Let my people go surfing.” In it, he shares ten principles that have informed his life as a conscious capitalist over many decades. Those principles were not casually thrown on a page to sell books. Chouinard's soulful success is an authentic manifestation of his rebel DNA. So, what about that DNA? How do outliers, legendary or otherwise, add value to the world?
INDEPENDENCE
Driven by a felt cause. Unrelenting. Unable to pause. Milestones to achieve. Rules to break. It’s how a bold vision is realized without compromise. When necessary, burn convention to the ground! Make waves. Blow up the status quo. Disruption demands passion. It’s a tricky juggling act. Doing visionary work. Paying the price. Doing our thing. How to unleash our mystical might without losing our way as human beings?
Rumor has it we’re radical. Unhinged. Self-obsessed. It’s a common stereotype. While I have met my share of toxic rogues, it’s not the norm. Being opinionated is not the same as being an asshole! It’s acceptable, dare I say, necessary … to have a strong point of view. Absent that intensity, it’s tough to do your own thing. How to blaze a trail if you’re constantly worried you’ll piss people off? Confident creators know how to make good trouble. It’s a point of pride. How else to be fully alive? It is an essential part of the equation.
Speak your mind.
Be a good human.
Creative minds come in many flavors. Ergo, autonomy has many looks depending upon the person. It's your choice to make. The version that matters most is the one that aligns with your internal compass. Even so, the need for independence, whatever that might look like, is real. Unapologetic creators don’t wait for approval! Facilitate. Collaborate. Empower. All are critical to your success. Yet, those skill sets serve a broader vision. How to articulate a bold vision without a strong point of view?
Get everybody on the boat.
Sail True North!
Independence is a blessing and a curse. Strong opinions. Doing whatever it takes to have the impact we crave. Calling out bullshit. Painting outside the lines because that’s how we do our best work. All good stuff! Refusing to take prudent counsel. Having all the answers. Pushing people away when we need them the most. Doing it all yourself. Being too proud to ask for help. Not the road to a meaningful existence or success. Finding balance is essential.
Fight for your vision.
Be vulnerable along the way.
I hope this article takes you to a whole new level. The insights can make for a delicious wake-up call. But it’s also essential to learn from your mistakes and embrace your imperfections. We’re all messy! Transformation starts with transparency. Walk your version of interdependence.
VISION
A spark lights up your brain. The next hit musical? A way to solve a big problem? Thoughts race through your head! Create a mixtape? Start a nonprofit? Launch an online community? A few weeks pass. Minimal progress. The spark slowly fades. Time marches on. Sparks come and go until an ember burns so hot it sticks to your soul. The first domino falls!
The seed that initially captures your imagination is but a wee flicker of potential. Barely more than a glimpse. Still, it’s a place to begin. Let’s revisit Yvon Chouinard’s story. As an avid rock climber and environmentalist, damaging the rock faces he loves to conquer was a problem. He listened to his internal compass. A spark floats into the night sky! To solve the problem, Yvon starts making rock-friendly climbing equipment. Eventually, his first business, along with other glints of inspiration, becomes Patagonia.
One ember can alter your life.
One spark can change the world.
Look for wee little glints of inspiration!
When visionaries are sold as superheroes, ordinary folk retract into the shadows. Who am I to facilitate a fantastic brand, art, revolution, or solution? It’s not the cloth from which I’m cut! Visionaries are not born with the gifts they possess. An Imagineer's toolkit grows with time. The ability to transform a glimpse into a viable vision is an artisan craft.
Did Chouinard instantly know his tiny enterprise would become a billion-dollar brand? I seriously doubt it! Where to begin? Authentically manifest your creative and artistic obsessions. You'll fail. You'll succeed. Occasionally, you will question your sanity. But as you hit key milestones, the impact you crave will become a reality. No risk, no reward. No failure, no growth.
Stay curious.
Play with fire.
True North rumbles, no longer willing to hide. Embers stir, but most fade away. Look for the spark that remains! Where might it go? Nobody knows. Explore virgin land. When the moment is right, lightning will strike.
LEADERSHIP
In my late twenties, I became a Regional Sales Manager for a prestigious aviation school. My territory included five states. I had never been on a plane! My next promotion with the same firm was to National Sales Manager. What fueled my rapid rise? Apparently, turning around poor-performing companies is a thing. Who knew? It’s an intense niche.
Leadership is in my blood. When all hell broke loose, I brought calm to the storm. When doing the impossible was the only option, I was the miracle worker who got it done. I’m grateful for the experience. While the money was good, it never stopped feeling surreal. How did a terrified boy from the streets of Los Angeles grow to do such grand things? I can draw a direct line between transcending being a lifelong creative and my turnaround skills. Exceptional leadership is about more than skills. Who we are is how we lead.
There are many types of leaders.
What’s your jam?
A pivotal concept of strong leadership is serving a purpose greater than yourself. What do you want to build, create, or offer? Why should people care? How will it bring meaning and value to your team? How will it bring meaning and value to the world? Will it rise above the noise? Environmentally friendly rock climbing gear meets the criteria. It was a compelling retail position that served a greater purpose than its founder. Soul-led leadership is the pragmatic side of visioning.
Banksy turned street art mainstream while using it to spotlight social issues. His work in Ukraine brought me to tears! His legendary talent and edge put him on the map, but sustaining that over the long haul requires savvy leadership. I’m guessing Banksy mastered both skill sets or hired exceptional leaders to lend a hand. Going viral because you’re bloody brilliant is one thing. Sustaining that momentum requires a different set of tools.
What skill sets do you bring to the table? What skill sets are missing? How can you scale your toolkit? Who do you need to hire to offset your blind spots? If you’re not the solution, hire the solution. Your ability to lead directly impacts your ability to create.
RESILIENCE
Disney Plus has an excellent documentary about ILM (Industrial Light & Magic), the visual effects house that came into existence to make the first Star Wars film, "A New Hope." Central to the ILM origin story is how difficult it was to get the movie done. People struggled to understand George Lucas's vision. Funding was a never-ending battle. The technical demands felt unachievable. Lucas made an observation that is pitch-perfect for this article.
“You got to be persistent under
impossible conditions.”
George Lucas
If you’ve been breaking the rules for over a minute, you already know George Lucas is spot on. Chasing fame and fortune is not a sustainable approach. When facing impossible conditions, a sane person only persists because they have a damn good reason for doing so!
You fight for a visionary project when you’re heavily invested in that project. Intellectually. Emotionally. Monetarily. Creatively. Whatever it takes, you’re going to make it happen! You’ll find a way. It’s a heavy load to carry. At times, the process can be tedious. But what’s the alternative? Playing it safe? Hard pass! Doing the work you love? Pour another round! La Vie Bohème!
Why do a thing?
Clarify your motivations.
Typically, we fail repeatedly before we find the rocket that makes history. When we do, everything changes. What do you crave so intensely that you’re willing to endure impossible conditions? Find a prize that is worth the price.
CURIOSITY
The Netflix show, Chef’s Table is an anthology of master classes on becoming an elite artisan in any field. Why not learn from the best? Specific episodes strike a chord so profound I have watched them over ten times each. I’ve done the same with the musical, Hamilton. Work!
One of my favorite Chef’s Table episodes features Michelin Star Chef Massimo Bottura, who describes his restaurant, Osteria Francescana, as a “laboratory of ideas.” How might such a philosophy transform your work? Another favorite is Buddhist Monk and world-renowned chef Jeong Kwan, who offers, “Just as water springs from a fountain, creativity springs from every moment. You must not be your own obstacle.” What do you think Kwan meant by that statement?
Fortune cookies are fun.
Answering tough questions is better.
There is immense synergy between curiosity, creativity, and ideation. Accomplished creative minds draw inspiration outside their niche to work at the highest levels. Bringing bold ideas into existence does not happen by accident. It’s a way of life and a philosophy. Do you have an unrelenting hunger for the spark that will trigger your next creation? Producing work that says something is the byproduct of a disciplined process that stays hungry.
FIND THE ART
Pounding on the keyboard like a brain-dead zombie does not make for good writing. Spicing up turns of phrase because, well, why not? Everything is better with hot sauce! Not a stellar approach! My eyes roll back into my head.
Find the art is the mantra that gets me back on the page when my writing is pregnant with potential, but lacks a pulse. Find the art in a story, moment, or nuance. Find the art in our shared pain, offered as a common refrain. Insight with an edge. Jump off the ledge. Find the art!
The mantra is my chisel when writing words that matter. But there are times I don’t want to write. Go away! Kicking off a writing session when burnt out is like trying to rein in a two-year-old on fifty pounds of sugar. Eventually, I surrender my walls. When I do, the congestion of life disappears. Worldly noise becomes reverent silence. All that remains is a porous being with things to say.
Self-expression lives in artistry.
Find the art.
Earlier, I mentioned Chef Massimo Bottura. When his restaurant first ranked number one on the top fifty places to eat, he was asked about the secret to his success. “In a world of obligation, you can lose your point of reference. The secret is to keep a small space open for poetry, to be able to jump into that space and realize the unimaginable. This is what it means to make visible the invisible.” Let Massimo’s words wash over you like a cool breeze on a picture-perfect day! In surrendering to the art of everyday life, we find the art that elevates our work and craft.
When we surrender to all of our senses, we see the world around us with a new set of eyes. Magical moments once missed, suddenly appear in surprising, even humbling ways. Like anything, it takes time to build new muscle. But once you do, the smallest of details will render you speechless! Stand in awe of tiny sparks found in everyday life. Realize the unimaginable.
Beauty with brokenness. Performing at the highest levels then crashing into a sea of despair. And yet, I remain. All of me remains. I trust my path as an unapologetic creator with things to say. What about you? Give yourself permission to crash then soar. That's life. Trust your journey. Embrace the fractures.
This thing you’re trying to create takes time. It’s worth the price. All the sacrifice. The raging seas of self-doubt. The heavy load and pain. Could it be? It’s hard to believe. Will it happen? Stay the course. Just a few more steps. One day, looking back, you'll see the impact of your life. Ideas molded by your mind. Slow down. Grab your breath. Feed the fire. Fan the flames.
Traveling True North is a mystical experience of the soul. A journey to be whole. Our internal compass helps us find our way. Gently prodding. Course correcting. No matter how lost we become in life, the path to True North remains. It never leaves us behind. Claim your path. Listen to your internal compass.
IF THIS SPOKE TO YOU, PLEASE HELP
The two things most writers need are appreciation and exposure. When you share my work on Substack and especially on your socials, you tell me my words had an impact. And you’re helping me connect with your network. Please help me get the word out. I greatly appreciate your support.
With kind regards,
Bobby Ford