Wednesday, October 3, 2018

Review of "Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear" by Elizabeth Gilbert

Brief Summary: Of all the self-help books I have read thus far Big Magic is my favorite.

Long Summary: The applicable content was packed so tight into Big Magic I found myself taking notes. One reason I was so deeply affected was the message on not being perfect. Getting things done is better than being perfect at them. There will always be a dissenting opinion to what you have done. If you are happy with the product take joy in that and use that joy to move on to the next en devour. Creativity was also emphasized as a key product for a happy life. I would say tend to look toward the strife of an activity instead of reveling in the joy of an activity. Being a trickster and figuring out how to game the system is presented for making the strife more manageable.  Here are a few notes I took: Creative living is where magic lives
Fear is not original
Fear is allowed to come along with creativity and me but doesn't get to vote and certainly isn't allowed to drive
You do not need anyone's permission to live a creative life
Take those 15 min left in your day to create (not Facebook)
Perfectionism should not have your time
Nothing is ever beyond criticism
If you are not actively creating something you are destroying something
Done is better than good
Be a trickster and figure out how to game the system
Move toward wonder through creativity
Move on from failure
Stay busy
Use combinatory play to find your way out of a problem
Any motion beats inertia


I recommend reading for anyone who needs perspective on how to get things done without being perfect.

Rating: 3.5/5

Other Works: Eat Pray Love, The Signature of All Things, etc

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