[library] steal like an artist

Do you ever re-read books? I didn’t much — too busy trying to jam through the latest books on this or that to fully digest and use the books I’d read.

I don’t know if this will be helpful or of interest to you. Let me know with a reply. But I’m re-reading books that had an impact on my thinking and I’ll share some of those notes with you here.

Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon

This book is why Target Burn exists. Actually, page 1 of this book is why Target Burn exists.

“All advice is autobiographical,” says Kleon. “This book is me talking to a previous version of myself.”

Sometimes it’s the version from yesterday. Other times it’s a version from 20 years ago.

Creativity is the smashing together of ideas

Maybe there are 100% original ideas still waiting to be sparked. But until that moment of divine inspiration, it’s acceptable encouraged mandatory that we continue smashing ideas together to create something new.

Ideas can’t smash together, though, if they’re left dusty on a shelf. You and I need to read, write, talk, take walks, try random stuff, and keep doing the work.

Don’t wait until you know it all to get started

A big lesson from Kleon is that art is created from doing. If you wait until you know what you’re doing, it’s too late. Art — or in our case, business — happens when we stop waiting and start doing.

Experiment with ad copy. Write more to find a point of view and a voice for yourself and your company. Go on podcasts. Write newsletters (even if nobody reads).

Do it deliberately. It’s what Seth Godin might call the practice. Art isn’t mindless, careless activity. It’s intentional and purposeful. The same applies to the things you and I do to grow a business.

Any books you’re big on right now?

Steal Like and Artist is one I come back to often. What about you? Which book do you go back to again and again?

Peter

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