Cambridge Business Association
Making Work that Matters
Video

Making Work that Matters

Seth Godin and Adam Grant
RSA, 2020
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Editorial Rating

9

Qualities

  • Applicable
  • Engaging
  • Inspiring

Recommendation

Seth Godin, revered thinker on entrepreneurship, marketing and leadership, discusses creative practice in a companionable 40-minute conversation with best-selling author and TED speaker Adam Grant, presented by the RSA. Godin outlines the contents of his recent book, The Practice: Shipping Creative Work, and Grant offers insights from psychological studies of motivation. Creators in any field can apply their practical, compassionate and often surprising recommendations to increase productivity, avoid stumbling blocks and build a satisfying career.

Summary

All creative work can benefit from a practice.

No guarantees exist in creative work, but creators who maintain a practice will always achieve better results than they would without a practice. Having a practice means seeing creation as a form of work. Don’t expect creative work to be easy: You will get blisters. For example, science fiction author Isaac Asimov, who published 400 books, sat at his typewriter from 6:30 a.m. to noon every day. Painter Abbey Ryan launched her career by completing one painting every day and selling them on eBay.

Creators who embrace practice show up to work, they know that writer’s block doesn’t really exist, and they separate the work from the outcome. Having a practice can help you stop getting in the way of your own work, and the elements of your practice will all contribute to productivity.

To maintain productivity, compartmentalize and demythologize your work.

Harmful mythologies about creative...

About the Speakers

Seth Godin is the author of 20 best-selling books, a popular blogger, the founder of the altMBA and The Akimbo Workshops, and host of the podcast Akimbo. Adam Grant is an organizational psychologist, author, top-rated Wharton professor and host of the TED podcast WorkLife.

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