Neil Gaiman is a prolific creator of works of prose, poetry, film, journalism, comics, song lyrics, and drama. Listed in the Dictionary of Literary Biography, he is one of the top ten living post-modern writers. His work has been honored with many international awards, including the Newbery and Carnegie Medals.
A fan of Tim Ferriss and devotee of Seth, I have heard both refer repeatedly to Neil Gaiman’s commencement speech at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia (2012). They spoke of Neil’s work and of this speech with reverance. I watched the speech over and over again, mesmerized by Neil’s message. When I caught my breath … I was afire with a passion for my art which has never waned.
Some of you will believe yourself to watch a 20 minute speech on YouTube. I beg of you … watch and listen … NOW.
Neil tells the graduating class of artists that they are in a transitional world explaining that the models that the career and economic models of the past will no longer work for them today. He assures them that while this is intimidating, it is also liberating. The old rules have been broken down. As nobody knows what the new rules are, we can make up our own rules! We can now do whatever we need to do to get our art into the world.
This was a significant revelation for the world when Neil gave this speech. As you and I watched friends and colleagues lose what they thought were secure jobs, we learned the truth of it. The old ways are gone. But not just the old ways of a few bygone years have changed. EVERYTHING has changed … since YESTERDAY. EVERYDAY is a whole new market. EVERYDAY is the beginning of a whole new career.
The industrial economy is over. The connectivity economy is here. With the advanced tech, ubiquitous data and high-speed connections of today, the rate at which change occurs is incomprehensible. Traditional business models, plans, processes, and infrastructure are not designed (and cannot be) to survive CHANGE of this magnitude. There is, however, one resource which is specifically designed for change: PEOPLE. Businesses must transition their workforce from micro-managed employees with limited roles and responsibilities to a COMMUNITY of artisans free to use their talent, skill and passion to prepare and adapt the business to thrive in the connectivity economy. What we need are TRUE ARTISTS.
Many of you are artists or are on the path to becoming artists. But some of you are reticent about putting your art out into the world. I encourage you to be BOLD and to push beyond where you are now into areas that are outside your comfort zone.
“The moment you feel that, just possibly, you’re walking down the street naked, exposing too much of your heart and … showing too much of yourself, that’s the moment you may be starting to get it right.”
The world still needs great strategists, experienced business professionals and hard working laborers. But for how much longer? We all know the machine is well on its way to doing all of this for us. How then will you add value in the future if you are still doing the same thing you are doing today? Scary? It would have been in the industrial economy. But in the connectivity economy, your options are without limit.
What you DO is NOT your ART. This is mere shadow. Your ART is YOU. Take time to look at that part of you that sees the world uniquely. Your view on the world. Your analysis. Your conclusion about what needs to be done. Your idea of how you can solve problems and maybe even change the world. Find your ART and put it out into the world.
That’s what our customers and stakeholders want: our ART.
That’s what will propel our companies and economy forward: our ART.
Being an artist that is brave enough to put your art into the world and see what happens, and then responds by making better art ….
That’s leadership.
And it’s exactly what we ALL need.
Here’s the link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plWexCID-kA
Go make good art!
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