Grateful to read this.. that line about helping the younger version of you, it came from a place of truth. A decade back, travelling in trains, I was that person – figuring things out, looking for guidance. Today when I speak or write, it’s for that version of me, and everyone else on that journey.
Remembering where we started keeps us real, keeps us creating value. That’s the kind of world we want to live in, need to build – where everyone lifts everyone up :)
Thanks for the kind words. But more importantly, thanks for highlighting why we do what we do – to help others find their path faster than we did.
A few months back I found this book which I loved.. something I would have totally enjoyed as a kid! So I posted on LinkedIn – if you have kids (8+ years), or just wanna explore that childhood innocence, curiosity and mindfulness again (you know how kids just live in the moment), this book is for you, and I’ll ship them as a gift
Got busy with moving houses, travel and craziness of life.. but finally today, the box of books is ready! Will ship them next week to everyone who shared their address.
Why this book? Because creativity needs to be nurtured from childhood, before education and programming slowly supresses it, the best ideas of tomorrow will happen out of innocence.. curiosity and the pursuit of possibilities..
If you weren’t on the list – highly recommend getting this book. If you’re waiting – they’re finally heading your way!
Happy Children’s Day! From the kid in me to the kid in you
Creative people thrive on freedom & fun. Rules can limit how far their ideas flow. But here’s the thing: certain structures & best practices provide a foundation to build upon, rather than starting from scratch every time
For someone breaking the rules, going in different directions, I’d say: Encourage it, as experimentation.
Only through experiments do we find unexpected hacks. Give complete freedom to explore all directions during the ideation phase.
Then, when putting the project together, we pick and choose the best ideas while still following the guidelines. A creative person needs both freedom & a little structure. When we balance these, it’s a win-win-win for the project.
Remember, the goal is to enhance creativity, not stifle it
In my experience, if you’re skilled at what you do, if you love learning and getting better at your craft, you can figure out how to schedule and prioritise – that’s the easy part.
But in all of this, you must carve out time for yourself each day to focus on what you love in the whole process – the part where you forget time, which you truly enjoy, that one aspect of the whole game.
If you don’t do this, you’ll stay in the rat race of handling multiple projects as a skilled vendor/service provider, whether in a job or being independent, but you won’t grow in your career.
Remember, career growth must be like building/investing in an elevator to take you higher, not like climbing stairs.
So, while juggling priorities: 1. Figure out realistic time requirements for each project. 2. Aim for excellence, not perfection. Produce what’s required. 3. Most importantly, set aside one hour a day for self-improvement, playing with your craft, following your heart, learning and experimenting. Give your best to get better.
This daily practice, over months and years, will give you an exceptional flow in your craft. And that, my friend, will produce magic.
Prioritize effectively, but never at the cost of your growth. This will help you tackle multiple projects while still moving forward in your career.
Prioritize fun! Great creative output is always an outcome of fun, freedom, and happiness – not the other way around. The more you’re having fun, the more your mind flows freely. Ideas happen when dots connect naturally.
You can’t force it. Just go for a walk, play a game, chat with a friend. What’s that one activity that gives you joy? Do that for 30-60 minutes and come back fresh.
Creative roles aren’t like traditional jobs. Your success depends on the quality of ideas you produce. And that’s always an outcome of fun, freedom, and happiness.
I remember working on a video once.. which went on to become the one with highest engagement in Asia a few years back… Before we finalised it, we just took a break for a few hours.. filming slow-motion shots of toy cars falling off the table For an hour we made Hollywood style footage with our phones.. After that, we got back to work.
About deadlines, break projects into manageable chunks with mini-deadlines, one brick at a time. Don’t get overwhelmed about building the entire wall. You need progress, not perfection. Celebrate the tiny wins. The more it seems like an adventure, the less overwhelmed you’ll feel.
In my experience, the best ideas come when you’re not trying so hard. So loosen up, have fun, and let creativity flow!
