Author- Austin Kleon
Understanding the meaning of the book
Keep going is a book written by Austin Kleon to fellow artists and also other people on the ways to stay creative in good as well in bad times. The book highlights 10 key ideas for an artist to overcome through their bad times and keep up their good work going. Here are the notes of the book but these are just 5 points from the book which I liked the most and also read the whole book because it's worth it.
1.Every day is a groundhog day
How we spend our days is how we spend our lives. Creative loop is not linear it is more spiral. No matter whatever you achieve you never really arrive at a point. There's no finish line for a creative person other than death. Make every day is a groundhog day like "yesterday day is over tomorrow will never come and there is just today. The real creative journey is like waking up without fail and have more work to do. Make a daily routine. When you don't know what to do next your routine tells you what's the next. Their is no perfect routine for a creative work. You have to make your own perfect routine you cannot borrow it from someone else. Also check where you can make time for a creative work. Make a list of things you need to do and strike off when completed. You just want to have a starting point. Once you start, everything happens on its own. Finish your day and forget about it and start with a new beginning the other day. No matter what happens get through the day and start with a new beginning. Sometimes the days aren't that good or interesting but just get through it any how. When you don't get something done make a list of it at the end of the day and accomplish it the next day.
2. Make gifts Turning a thing which you love into hating it by converting it into a job. Always have a proper mindset of what impact can monetizing your hobbies can cause. Keep a tiny part of the hobby for yourself instead of monetizing everything because that way you won't hate your job but will create a better relationship with the hobby. Always live below your means when you do what you love. Monetizing your work and earning higher numbers from it doesn't mean everything. It can also be 'how much people you reach or how many people actually comment or react to your work'. When you get rid of the quantitative measurements of your work you get back to the qualitative measurements. Don't do any work for becoming famous or getting more money because you will never become famous and rich enough. Everyone should have their own definition of success. When you get bored of something mostly from your work make gifts for people you will receive some great smiling faces. They can even turn into life changing stuffs for someone if you have a bigger audience.
3.The ordinary+ extra attention = the extra ordinary
You don't need to be extraordinary to do extraordinary things because great things can be found in everyday routines which can make something huge you just need to pay extra attention to it. The first step to transforming your life into art is by paying more attention to it. When your job is to see things you need to slow down to actually look. When people look slowly they make discoveries. "Pay attention to what you pay attention to you". Your attention is the most valuable thing you possess that's why everyone wants to steal it. What you pay attention to is what your life will be made of. If you want to change your life you should change what you pay attention to. When you pay attention to your life it not only provides material to your art but also makes you fall into love with your life.
4.Slay the art monsters All the arts are performed by jerks and creepy people. We all have the art monsters inside us we just need to be a little bit better at our art. Art makes our life better. If making art is ruining someone's life, including your own then it is not worth making it. If you don't think art is your calling just be a better human being the world needs them more.
5.You are aloud to change your mind To change your mind you need some sort of thinking. You can't change your mind on the internet because people follow you for the way you think. You need to go off brand which is thinking and changing your mind offline. When you are interacting with 'like minded' people there is less opportunity to change your thinking also it can become boring over time. Instead, deal with the people who are against your thinking they might change your mind. Instead, look for the people who listen to the perspectives first rather than reacting instantly. Try to seek like-hearted people to get connected. Refer to the past books or terms when you came across problems. The problems you face in the present can have an appropriate solution in the past.
Conclusion
This book is and an amazing read for the artists who are going through their dark times or even their bright. Ending with these beautiful lines from the author: "Every day has a potential seed that we can grow into something beautiful. None of us know how many days we have so whatever art you create now will pass too. Whatever situation you face now will pass too. Always remember while living a moment "this too will pass". Just keep going through it".
Comments