You want to change things?
Make art.
Art is the human ability to do something for the first time.
Something that may not work.
Art is the work of a human being doing something real and personal that might change things.
Art is about the important stuff.
Because…
But this world of art is not a world of rules or best practices.
That’s because every tribe is different. Every tribe’s worldview is different.
So the minute someone gives you a map or a checklist, is the minute it’s not art anymore.
The art to change
Art is an original gift.
It is a connection that changes the recipient. And as such, it is the human ability to make a difference.
Art isn’t necessarily a painting or even a poem.
It’s something that any of us can do.
Art is the opposite of trigonometry
Art doesn’t follow instructions or a manual or a boss’s orders.
Instead, art is the human act of creating the uncreated. It’s the act of connecting with another person at a human level.
Warren Brown makes art
Warren Brown was one of over a million lawyers in the United States.
“My moment of truth came late on a Friday night when I was still practicing law, he said. “On that particular night, I was making a cake for one of the senior managers in my office, and I was trying to make it look extra nice.”
The law vs. cake
Warren was good at his job, but it was only a job. What he really loved was baking.
Baking with people. And baking for people.
Soon, what started as a hobby became a bakery. CakeLove became wildly successful.
So Warren eventually left his job as an attorney.
Fast-forward two years
Warren wasn’t happy. Despite doing what he loved, he was, in fact, spending all his time running the bakery.
What he loved most was talking to his customers about cake and creating the kinds of amazing cakes that wowed them.
As it turned out, his passion was making cakes, not managing a bakery.
A new voice
After recognizing the gap between what he was doing and what he wanted to be doing, Warren hired a manager to run his business.
And Warren refocused his energy on baking and looking for new ways to create cakes.
He loved talking to his customers about what they loved about cakes. In the process, he found that while his customers loved cake, they didn’t love how messy it was to eat.
A new discovery
So after a little trial and error, Warren created Cake Bites: small cakes baked and served in tiny jars.
Cake Bites were an instant hit.
Warren was soon selling them to Whole Foods.
Art feels risky because it is
The risk that the artist takes is that you might not like what he or she makes. You might not be touched. Might actually laugh at the effort.
But it’s taking these risks that lead us to the big rewards. To change things. To make a real difference in the world.
That’s why the future, as always, belongs to the brave.
Be brave
If you interact with others, you have the platform to create something new.
Something that changes everything.
That’s art.
Please learn how to do it with elegance and respect for your tribe and their passion and purpose.
And most importantly, without fear.
But that’s just my opinion. What’s yours?
