As I was browsing around Ted.com I stumbled upon this wonderful presentation of Elizabeth Gilbert writer and author of "Eat, Pray, Love" which is one of my favorite novel's yet next to The Divinci Code by Dan Brown. Gilbert explains that writing is not just her profession but it has been her "life long love and fascination." Through the recent mega success of her novel, Eat Pray Love she has found her self through some what of a slight predicament. No one ever imagined that Eat Pray Love would blow up to be such a huge local and international success.
Gilbert has found herself in the midst of daunting questions like "Are you ever gonna be able to top that? Will you able to produce another novel just as powerful that everyone will care about just as much if not more?....With such questions picking her thoughts it has caused Gilbert to recalibrate her whole outlook and relationship with her work. Gilbert admits to fears before and after her success. Event when she was young and in grade school she would constantly get asked by her peers "aren't you afraid that you won't be able to make a career out of writing?. Should we as creative minds fear the work we were put on this earth to do.
I can say that I'm on board with Gilbert on the notion of the fear of being successful or not in the career that I feel I was destined to fulfill in my life time has always been a daunting question in my mind. It lingers in my mind constantly questioning my reasoning in every decision and move I make towards getting closer to reach my career goal. Every creative mind that can affirm that at some point in time in their path they have question themselves on their motive, direction, and purpose.
Gilbert later on elaborates on the notion of how there is such a high death rate among the creative minds of our time and day. As time has evolved the genius is now considered to be the creative mind instead of having a genius as the ancient Romans considered it. Gilbert says that it was a bad bad idea for the perception of "genius" to be the creative mind because it now adds this load of anxiety and responsibility that human psyche cant handle resulting in the pressures of that responsibility killing our creative minds for the past 500 years. Artists like Marylin Monroe, Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, Chris Farley, Curt Cobain, Chris Penn, Amy Winehouse, Heath Ledger and the recent death of Pop King Michael Jackson are just a few examples of creative minds that unfortunately short lived there lives due to the pressures and anxieties of life and career responsibilities overwhelming their psyche.
Gilbert wishes this would stop because "I want our creative minds to live" we all want all the talents and stars that we have come to love to last for as long as they can.
I feel that through Gilbert's presentation has edified my perspective outlook on the importance of nurturing creativity. Truly is precious and important to safe guard and hold fast to or else it can spontaneously combust if not properly care for. I agree with Gilbert's perspective of the roots of the artist and how it has evolved and effected our artists through out the years. The vain materialistic demands of the craft and how it distorts the beauty of the creative mind. It has also help me to focus on nurturing the creative mind of the talents that I manage within my company including not losing my own creativity. I have fears as well but I can't let those things hold me back. I acknowledge that those fears are there but I evaluate options on how to get past those fears and I hope to help my talents with those fears as well.
In order for Gilbert to protect herself from that "pit of despair" as she calls it she creates a psychological construct to manage her emotional and mental inhibitions. When she feels stuck or going through a small road block she figures out ways to circumnavigate and continue persevering to the work is finished and finished to her satisfaction.
I agree that creative process is different for every creative mind and does not behave rationally and can be at times as Gilbert would put it "paranormal". Inspiration comes elusively and tantalizing.
Gilbert gives the example of Tom Wade a tormented contemporary artist who figured out how to take the "genius" out of him to relieve the stress and heavy anxiety that had been tormenting him for soo long. He understand how to calibrate it to fit his creative process. The work was all the same and just as good just the process and outlook on life is what change and helped him continue to make the music that everyone appreciated.
Gilbert is an amazing speaker and I hope to one day be able to attend one of her presentations. She continues to be one of my favorite authors and I look forward to enjoying a couple more decades of her amazing writings.
Source of original video:
Elizabeth Gilbert presentation on Ted.com
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