Creative Something

No Motivation Monday next week.

Next Monday, August 18th is going to be my birthday, so there will be no Motivation Monday next week.

I know, without Motivation Monday, finding a reason to motivate your creativity next week is going to be tough. But don’t fret, I’ll be back with a new post on Wednesday that is sure to inspire your creativity.

Today, in celebration of my birthday, I just want to share a few interesting tidbits about August 18th.

Did you know that on August 18th, 1963, James Meredith, the first African American at the University of Mississippi graduated with a degree in government?

Did you know that Austrian Emperor Francis Joseph I, king of Hungary, was born on August 18th, 1830? His brother was executed, his wife was assassinated, his only son, Archduke Rudolf, committed suicide, his nephew, Francis Ferdinand, was also assassinated (which led to World War I).

Did you know that on August 18th, 1937, the Toyota Motor Company was established? They now represent Japan’s number 1 auto manufacturing company and are ranked number 1 for customer loyalty in the United States!

Know anything else interesting that happened on August 18th? I want to hear about it, post it in the comments!

  

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Tim Ferriss on negotiating with reality.

Who is Tim Ferriss? He’s the guy that wrote The 4–Hour Workweek, a number one, best-selling book about how to change your life, and have it all – really.

Tim has become known in the entrepreneurial world as a revolutionary leader (though most people that hear what he has to say just call him an asshole). His techniques for managing your life are incredible, and he owes it all to the fact that he started to dispute assumptions about the real world early on in his life.

Derek Sivers recently did an interview with Tim, and posted the interview on his blog.

The interview is absolutely great; and whether or not you hate Tim Ferriss, he has some pretty good insights into negotiating with reality (which inspired my creativity today).

One of the most prominent points I felt Tim made was when he said: “Scratch your own itch. Like Twitter: Evan Williams and Jack Dorsey created it in two weeks as a way to scratch their own itch. …it’s amazing how many otherwise smart, well–funded companies will use awful statistically–invalid focus groups, then say, ‘Well, no one in this room likes the idea, but our focus groups tell us that we should make it,’ so of course the product comes out and it fails.”

Tim goes on to talk with Derek about how being fearless – just trying out your ideas – will lead you to finding success. When it comes to creativity you need to be fearless. You will not create something if you are afraid to try anything.

Read the entire interview right here and share your favorite points right here on Creative Something.

  

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Motivation Monday: The Best of JPGMag.

Searching for creative motivation or inspiration? Each Monday you can find all of the creative insight you need right here at Creative Something, with “Motivation Monday”.

If you have never heard of JPGMag, that’s ok. As JPGMag.com states: “JPG Magazine is for people who love imagemaking without attitude. It’s about the kind of photography you get when you love the moment more than the camera. It’s for photographers who, like us, have found themselves online, sharing their work, and would like to see that work in print.”

In a nutshell: JPGMag is the place to look for creative photo inspiration.

To inspire your creativity this week, here are some of the absolute best short stories from JPGMag.com. From friendly flies, to forgotten neighborhoods of the world, these stories are packed full of inspirational photography and stories that are guaranteed to motivate your creativity.

Grab a cup of coffee (or any other preferred reading drink), tell your co–workers/friends/family that you are going to be busy for the next half an hour, and get inspired!

The Adventures Of Mr. Fly by Nicholas Hendrickx, is all about the uncanny friendship between a fly looking for work and a photographer. Unique and a bit off the wall, this story is a must–read for anybody looking to motivate their creativity.

The Ward by Kate Wilhelm, is an inside look into the small, up–and–coming town of St. Patrick’s Ward in Guelph. The photos of the rugged Ward, blended with descriptive details of the people and places therein are enough to give you a good feeling of creative inspiration.

Astoria, Queens-it’s not all grape leaves and feta is a resident look into the small, yet lively, Asotria, Queens by Michelle Enfield. The photos in this story are beautiful, but the words Michelle uses are what really make this an inspirational piece.

Antiquity Abating takes a look at an antique-style bed & breakfast in Edinburgh, Indiana, known as Toner Maley House. The story, by Talia Halliday, about this 1870s house, and the pictures that go along with it, are stunning and almost irresistible.

Through the Viewfinder - Giving an old camera a new lease on life, is a first–hand look at the experience of using an old camera style, by Madelyn Herring. More proof that good things never die.

Gazelles: Ever Poised & Graceful Even In Captivity! is a story and series of photographs by Winston D. Munnings. There are no words to explain how great this story is, you just have to read it and look at the photos that go along with it.

My neighborhood: Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico is all about Anahita Avalos and the city she has called home for the past three years, Villahermosa, Mexico. Take a minute to look at a different part of the world, a part that Anahita says “is like a new place but one I’ve always known and loved.”

  

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