Creativity brings us pleasure, but it’s made necessary by the things that delay, decrease, or deny our pleasure. When we feel disappointed with the world, that is not a reason to give up on creativity. That is a reminder for why we need it.
Author: T.K. Coleman
TK Coleman is the Education Director for Praxis. He has coached dozens of young people and top performers from all stages of life. He’s the author of hundreds of articles and is a frequent speaker on education, entrepreneurship, freedom, personal growth, and creativity. TK is a relentless learner, has been involved in numerous startups, and has professional experience ranging from the entertainment to financial services industries and academia. Above all else, TK is on a mission to help people embrace their own power and expand their own possibilities.
The Problems We Must Solve Are Too Important to Reduce to Left vs. Right Politics
When considering a way forward, the discussion initially seems to be complicated because there are a lot of things that have gone wrong in the aftermath of George Floyd’s tragic death.
The Time Is Now
Nobody is 100% on their A-game all the time. We all fall short of the standards and ideals we pursue. That’s why we pursue them: because we understand that character is a journey, not a “one and done” transaction.
Fires Aren’t Everything
If you have a fire, do what’s necessary to keep things from burning to the ground, but don’t forget to create space in your day to invest in the kinds of possibilities that can only emerge when you’re in a state of play.
On Being Offended
You have the RIGHT to feel whatever YOU wish, but beware the machinations of those who claim you have the RESPONSIBILITY to feel whatever THEY wish.
The Known Is Transformed by the Unknown
When we reach for new ideas, it results in a more nuanced relationship to the ideas we already have. By grappling with unfamiliar concepts, we breathe new life into the familiar ones. Learning not only begets new information. It begets new opportunities with old understandings we may have taken for granted.
Am I a Writer? Are You? Does it Really Matter?
I have never troubled myself with a preoccupation over the following question: “Am I a writer?” I simply write. Sometimes I do a decent job. Sometimes I do it poorly. At ALL times, I do it in ways that could use some improvement. The most important thing to me, however, is that I do it at all.
Don’t Apply for “A Job”
Don’t apply for “a job.” That’s too general. Apply for a specific opportunity to create a specific kind of value for a specific company. If you apply for something, that’s actually what you’re doing anyway. So you might as well adopt a mindset that’s congruent with the task.
Two Economic Tragedies
Two economic tragedies: 1. Refusing to acknowledge any forms of value that don’t make money. 2. Resenting markets for not rewarding all the things we value in terms of money.
Your Future Is Not a Debate
Instead of pressuring yourself to discover and defend new dogmas, focus on exploring and experimenting with new mental models. Self-improvement is an adventure, not a religion.