When I see somebody 'suffering for their art', it%uFFFDs usually a case of them not knowing where that red line is, not knowing where the sovereignty lies. - Hugh Macleod
People who are 'ready' give off a different vibe than people who aren't. Animals can smell fear; maybe that's it. The minute you become ready is the the minute you stop dreaming. Suddenly it's no longer about 'becoming'. Suddenly it's about 'doing'. - Hugh Macleod
There's no correlation between creativity and equipment ownership. None. Zilch. Nada. Actually, as the artist gets more into his thing, and as he gets more successful, his number of tools tends to go down. He knows what works for him. Expending mental energy on stuff wastes time. - Hugh Macleod
Never compare your inside with somebody else's outside. - Hugh Macleod
Your idea doesn't have to be big. It just has to be yours alone. The more the idea is yours alone, the more freedom you have to do something really amazing. The more amazing, the more people will click with your idea. The more people click with your idea, the more it will change the world. - Hugh MacLeod
Part of being creative is learning how to protect your freedom. That includes freedom from avarice. - Hugh Macleod
If you try to make something just to fit your uninformed view of some hypothetical market, you will fail. If you make something special and powerful and honest and true, you will succeed. - Hugh Macleod
The creative person basically has two kinds of jobs: One is the sexy, creative kind. Second is the kind that pays the bills. Sometimes the task in hand covers both bases, but not often. This tense duality will always play center stage. It will never be transcended. - Hugh Macleod
The first rule of business, is never sell something you love. Otherwise, you may as well be selling your children. - Hugh Macleod
Diluting your product to make it more 'commercial' will just make people like it less. - Hugh Macleod
It's about what YOU are going to do with the short time you have left on this earth. - Hugh Macleod
The best way to get approval is not to need it. - Hugh Macleod
Good ideas alter the power balance in relationships, that is why good ideas are always initially resisted. Good ideas come with a heavy burden. Which is why so few people have them. So few people can handle it. - Hugh Macleod
Publishers are just middlemen. That's all. If artists could remember that more often, they'd save themselves a lot of aggrevation. - Hugh Macleod
Admit that your own private Mount Everest exists. That is half the battle. - Hugh Macleod
Art suffers the moment other people start paying for it. The more you need the money, the more people will tell you what to do. The less control you will have. The more bullshit you will have to swallow. The less joy it will bring. Know this and plan accordingly. - Hugh Macleod
Everybody is too busy with their own lives to give a damn about your book, painting, screenplay etc, especially if you haven't sold it yet. And the ones that aren't, you don't want in your life anyway. - Hugh Macleod
Stamina is utterly important. And stamina is only possible if it's managed well. People think all they need to do is endure one crazy, intense, job-free creative burst and their dreams will come true. They are wrong, they are stupidly wrong. - Hugh Macleod
Question how much freedom your path affords you. Be utterly ruthless about it. It's your freedom that will get you to where you want to go. - Hugh Macleod
The fact is, the old clich%uFFFDs work for us in abstract terms, but they never work out in real life quite the same way. Life is messy; clich%uFFFDs are clean and tidy. - Hugh Macleod
If you have the creative urge, it isn't going to go away. But sometimes it takes a while before you accept the fact. - Hugh Macleod
The only people who can change the world are people who want to. And not everybody does. - Hugh MacLeod
If you're creative, if you can think independently, if you can articulate passion, if you can override the fear of being wrong, then your company needs you now more than it ever did. And now your company can no longer afford to pretend that isn't the case. - Hugh Macleod
You have to find a way of working that makes it dead easy to take full advantage of your inspired moments. They never hit at a convenient time, nor do they last long. - Hugh Macleod
Part of being a Master is learning how to sing in nobody else's voice but your own. - Hugh Macleod
Put your whole self into it, and you will find your true voice. Hold back and you won't. It's that simple. - Hugh Macleod
Nobody can tell you if what you're doing is good, meaningful or worthwhile. The more compelling the path, the more lonely it is. - Hugh Macleod
All existing business models are wrong. Find a new one. - Hugh Macleod
Part of understanding the creative urge is understanding that it's primal. Wanting to change the world is not a noble calling, it's a primal calling. - Hugh Macleod
People are fond of spouting out the old clich%uFFFD about how Van Gogh never sold a painting in his lifetime. Somehow his example serves to justify to us, decades later, that there is somehow merit in utter failure. Perhaps, but the man did commit suicide. - Hugh Macleod
Anyone can be an idealist. Anyone can be a cynic. The hard part lies somewhere in the middle i.e. being human. - Hugh Macleod