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Mastering Creativity
Break through mental blocks, uncover your creative genius and make brilliance a habit.
36 pages, ebook
38 people are currently reading
6821 people want to read
About the author
James Clear
80 books15k followersJames Clear is the author of "Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones"
He writes about habits, decision-making, and continuous improvement at jamesclear.com. His website receives millions of visitors each month and hundreds of thousands subscribe to his popular email newsletter.
His work has appeared in the New York Times, Entrepreneur, Time, and on CBS This Morning. He is a regular speaker at Fortune 500 companies and his work is used by teams in the NFL, NBA, and MLB.
Learn more at jamesclear.com
He writes about habits, decision-making, and continuous improvement at jamesclear.com. His website receives millions of visitors each month and hundreds of thousands subscribe to his popular email newsletter.
His work has appeared in the New York Times, Entrepreneur, Time, and on CBS This Morning. He is a regular speaker at Fortune 500 companies and his work is used by teams in the NFL, NBA, and MLB.
Learn more at jamesclear.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
April 14, 2018
Favorite quotes:
"You have brilliance inside of you, but only if you can find the guts and grit to pull it out of yourself."
"How do creative geniuses come up with great ideas? They work hard at it."
"Creative genius only reveals itself after you’ve shown up enough times to get the average ideas out of the way."
"If you want to make a masterpiece, you have to be willing to create a little garbage along the way."
"The schedule is the system that makes your goals a reality. If you don’t set a schedule for yourself, then your only option is to rely on motivation."
"Stop waiting for motivation or inspiration to strike you and set a schedule for your habits."
"And as your skills improve, so do your odds of success."
"You have brilliance inside of you, but only if you can find the guts and grit to pull it out of yourself."
"How do creative geniuses come up with great ideas? They work hard at it."
"Creative genius only reveals itself after you’ve shown up enough times to get the average ideas out of the way."
"If you want to make a masterpiece, you have to be willing to create a little garbage along the way."
"The schedule is the system that makes your goals a reality. If you don’t set a schedule for yourself, then your only option is to rely on motivation."
"Stop waiting for motivation or inspiration to strike you and set a schedule for your habits."
"And as your skills improve, so do your odds of success."
January 5, 2015
Mastering Creativity really brought up some great points about conquering perfectionism in your work and art. Sometimes, it's easy to feel paralyzed to take action on your craft because you think it might suck. Well, guess what? It's okay if it sucks. You have to do something over and over to master it. The author goes over more detailed techniques in the book about this. I found it very helpful.
March 18, 2016
Small book, but a good read.
Makes you get out of the non-creative rut, and kicks your mind with the idea that creating something is better than waiting to create the greatest thing ever.
Talks of the importance of Systems and Habits to boost creativity.
Recommended to anyone beginning their creative journey- photography, art, business or writing.
Makes you get out of the non-creative rut, and kicks your mind with the idea that creating something is better than waiting to create the greatest thing ever.
Talks of the importance of Systems and Habits to boost creativity.
Recommended to anyone beginning their creative journey- photography, art, business or writing.
January 25, 2016
A short read, after " transform your habits " which I found some ideas repeated..
August 7, 2021
Mastering creativity by James Clear
1. Creativity is something that could be developed.
2. Short story on creativity
As the story goes, Picasso was walking through the market one day when a woman spotted him. She stopped the artist, pulled out a piece of paper, and said, “Mr. Picasso, I am a fan of your work. Please, could you do a little drawing for me?”
Picasso smiled and quickly drew a small, but beautiful piece of art on the paper. Then, he handed the paper back to her saying, “That will be one million dollars.”
“But Mr. Picasso,” the woman said. “It only took you thirty seconds to draw this little masterpiece.”
“My good woman,” Picasso said, “It took me thirty years to draw that masterpiece in thirty seconds.” [1]
3. Watch the book thief movie
4. Dreams do not come true just because you dream them. It’s hard work that makes things happen. It’s hard work that creates change...
Ditch the dream and be a doer, not a dreamer.
5. You want to be a writer? A writer is someone who writes every day, so start writing.
6. We all have some type of creative genius inside of us. The only way to release it is to work on it.
7. The equal odds rule:
Scientists, artists, inventors, writers, entrepreneurs, and workers of all types are equally likely to produce a useless project as they are to produce an important one.
Because you can’t predict your success, the best strategy is to produce as much work as possible, which will provide more opportunities to hit the bullseye and create something meaningful.
All I can do is try my best each time, commit to doing a volume of work, and trust if I stick with the process then something useful will find it’s way from my hands.
8. Willingness to create garbage
Sometimes you’ll create something good. Sometimes you’ll create something useless. But no matter what, you should always be creating.
If you want to make a masterpiece, you have to be willing to create a little garbage along the way.
9. Read Daily Rituals: How Artists Work
10. The work of top creatives isn’t dependent upon motivation or inspiration, but rather it follows a consistent pattern and routine. It’s the mastering of daily habits that leads to creative success, not some mythical spark of genius.
11. The only way to unveil the great ideas inside of you is to go through a volume of work, put in your repetitions, and show up over and over again.
12.“A lot of people never get around to writing because they are always wondering when they are going to write next.”
13. The schedule is the system that makes your goals a reality. If you don’t set a schedule for yourself, then your only option is to rely on motivation.
14. If you only do the work when you’re motivated, then you’ll never be consistent enough to become a professional.
15. Professionals stick to the schedule, amateurs let life get in the way. Professionals know what is important to them and work towards it with purpose, amateurs get pulled off course by the urgencies of life.
16. There have been a lot of days I’ve felt like relaxing, but I’ve never regretted showing up and working on something that is important to me.
17. How to Become a Pro
i. Decide what you want to be good at
ii. Set a schedule for your actions
iii. Stick to your schedule for one week a.For one week, do the things you want to do without letting life get in the way. Next week, start again.
18.Set a schedule for your work. Genius arrives when you show up enough times to get the average ideas out of the way.
19.Setting limits for yourself — whether that involves the time you have to work out, the money you have to start a business, or the number of words you can use in a book — often delivers better results than “keeping your options open.”
i.Constraints inspire your creativity.
ii. Constraints force you to get something done.
You can only spare 15 minutes each day to write? That’s the size of your canvas. Your job is to make each paragraph a work of art
20.The surprising thing about motivation: it often comes after starting a new behavior, not before. Getting started is a form of active inspiration that naturally produces momentum.
21.The key to any good ritual is that it removes the need to make a decision: What should I do first? When should I do this? How should I do this? Having a ritual takes that burden off your shoulders.
22.The Idea in Practice
Here are some other examples of how you can apply ritual and routine to your habits and behaviors:
* Exercise more consistently: Use the same warm-up routine in the gym
* Become more creative: Follow a creative ritual before you start writing or painting or singing
* Start each day stress-free: Create a five-minute morning meditation ritual
* Sleep better: Follow a “power down” routine before bed
23.The most important thing isn’t to create something world-changing, but simply to create.
24.Creating something is the perfect way to avoid wasting the precious moments that we have been given. To contribute, to create, to chip into the world around you, and to add your line to the world’s story — that is a life well-lived.
Completed at 10:23 PM 18/06/21
1. Creativity is something that could be developed.
2. Short story on creativity
As the story goes, Picasso was walking through the market one day when a woman spotted him. She stopped the artist, pulled out a piece of paper, and said, “Mr. Picasso, I am a fan of your work. Please, could you do a little drawing for me?”
Picasso smiled and quickly drew a small, but beautiful piece of art on the paper. Then, he handed the paper back to her saying, “That will be one million dollars.”
“But Mr. Picasso,” the woman said. “It only took you thirty seconds to draw this little masterpiece.”
“My good woman,” Picasso said, “It took me thirty years to draw that masterpiece in thirty seconds.” [1]
3. Watch the book thief movie
4. Dreams do not come true just because you dream them. It’s hard work that makes things happen. It’s hard work that creates change...
Ditch the dream and be a doer, not a dreamer.
5. You want to be a writer? A writer is someone who writes every day, so start writing.
6. We all have some type of creative genius inside of us. The only way to release it is to work on it.
7. The equal odds rule:
Scientists, artists, inventors, writers, entrepreneurs, and workers of all types are equally likely to produce a useless project as they are to produce an important one.
Because you can’t predict your success, the best strategy is to produce as much work as possible, which will provide more opportunities to hit the bullseye and create something meaningful.
All I can do is try my best each time, commit to doing a volume of work, and trust if I stick with the process then something useful will find it’s way from my hands.
8. Willingness to create garbage
Sometimes you’ll create something good. Sometimes you’ll create something useless. But no matter what, you should always be creating.
If you want to make a masterpiece, you have to be willing to create a little garbage along the way.
9. Read Daily Rituals: How Artists Work
10. The work of top creatives isn’t dependent upon motivation or inspiration, but rather it follows a consistent pattern and routine. It’s the mastering of daily habits that leads to creative success, not some mythical spark of genius.
11. The only way to unveil the great ideas inside of you is to go through a volume of work, put in your repetitions, and show up over and over again.
12.“A lot of people never get around to writing because they are always wondering when they are going to write next.”
13. The schedule is the system that makes your goals a reality. If you don’t set a schedule for yourself, then your only option is to rely on motivation.
14. If you only do the work when you’re motivated, then you’ll never be consistent enough to become a professional.
15. Professionals stick to the schedule, amateurs let life get in the way. Professionals know what is important to them and work towards it with purpose, amateurs get pulled off course by the urgencies of life.
16. There have been a lot of days I’ve felt like relaxing, but I’ve never regretted showing up and working on something that is important to me.
17. How to Become a Pro
i. Decide what you want to be good at
ii. Set a schedule for your actions
iii. Stick to your schedule for one week a.For one week, do the things you want to do without letting life get in the way. Next week, start again.
18.Set a schedule for your work. Genius arrives when you show up enough times to get the average ideas out of the way.
19.Setting limits for yourself — whether that involves the time you have to work out, the money you have to start a business, or the number of words you can use in a book — often delivers better results than “keeping your options open.”
i.Constraints inspire your creativity.
ii. Constraints force you to get something done.
You can only spare 15 minutes each day to write? That’s the size of your canvas. Your job is to make each paragraph a work of art
20.The surprising thing about motivation: it often comes after starting a new behavior, not before. Getting started is a form of active inspiration that naturally produces momentum.
21.The key to any good ritual is that it removes the need to make a decision: What should I do first? When should I do this? How should I do this? Having a ritual takes that burden off your shoulders.
22.The Idea in Practice
Here are some other examples of how you can apply ritual and routine to your habits and behaviors:
* Exercise more consistently: Use the same warm-up routine in the gym
* Become more creative: Follow a creative ritual before you start writing or painting or singing
* Start each day stress-free: Create a five-minute morning meditation ritual
* Sleep better: Follow a “power down” routine before bed
23.The most important thing isn’t to create something world-changing, but simply to create.
24.Creating something is the perfect way to avoid wasting the precious moments that we have been given. To contribute, to create, to chip into the world around you, and to add your line to the world’s story — that is a life well-lived.
Completed at 10:23 PM 18/06/21
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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November 15, 2022Te Amerikaans voor mijn smaak. Bevat een aantal goede lessen, maar die hadden op 2 a 3 pagina's gekund ipv 35
April 17, 2023
A bit too short but the message cannot be more straightforward. I updated my definition of pros and amateurs. I previously thought pros were those who use a craft to earn a living. I wasn't wrong, but there's more to it:
The booklet seems to follow a formula, but it's a good formula. Sentences are trimmed down to the absolute kernel of the meaning they carry. Perfectly Clear!
Professionals stick to the schedule, amateurs let life get in the way.
The booklet seems to follow a formula, but it's a good formula. Sentences are trimmed down to the absolute kernel of the meaning they carry. Perfectly Clear!
January 29, 2015
A short read, but one that takes you to a whole new mindset. Think your efforts are not good enough, or that where you want to go is not reachable, or the journey is hard to start... hold your thought right there, grab this book and start DOING. You won't need any more impetus.
August 8, 2019
As a free promotional e-book, this is alright, but it repeats the same message over and over that I'm sure you've heard a million times...don't wait to be inspired, stick to a schedule, and work at creativity even when you don't feel like it and even when you're not that good. If you're looking for inspirational, in depth, the many ways HOW to do that...read Daily Rituals: How Artists Work.
March 1, 2018
So-so. A lot of water about "A friend of my used to do blah-blah-blah, now they do it on schedule and they rock". After this water, the author repeats himself again and sums up what was told above. The raw plot of the book is probably roughly 5-6 pages, but instead, it is 36 pages long, and those were boring to read.
July 25, 2016
Simple and direct to the point, the author emphasizes on the basic habit of having a routine and sticking to it.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to start a routine and get the insights of sticking to that routine
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to start a routine and get the insights of sticking to that routine
February 2, 2020
I've been a subscriber of James Clear weekly newsletter for a long time, so I haven't found anything new in this book. However, this doesn't change the fact that it's succinct and beautifully written as everything that James wrote so far.
September 17, 2021
Great book, great insights. Many examples how one can be creative and spark new creative ways of doing things inspite of constraints.
April 17, 2022
Lots of ideas, none unheard of, but he presents them in a linear manner and that's what kept me hooked till the end. It was a short read, but quite retrospective for a creative professional.
November 7, 2022
Great little stories for some daily creative motivation
January 2, 2023
Gained useful information but nothing special
February 18, 2023
This 36-page ebook is available for free on the author’s website: https://jamesclear.com/wp-content/upl...
The book is a nutshell version of Atomic Habits. Great read!
The book is a nutshell version of Atomic Habits. Great read!
March 31, 2023
Thank you so much for this amazing book. for
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March 30, 2024
short, simple, but powerful
December 28, 2023
I wasn't expecting this author to really hit the spot with the books that I am in need to read lately. As 'motivation and inspiration will not strike me' I have to use the most useful yet forgotten tool: 'consistency'.
Even though I have trillions of agendas and timers to work on my dreams my scheduling was a bit poor, always focused on results. That is not how it works. To make my dreams a reality I only have to follow a plan and be disciplined about it.
One quote that maxe me truly feel what I was reading is, without a doubt, 'Limitations drive you to figure out solutions, constraints inspire your creativity.'
I hope someday I can publish a book with maybe more than 50 words...so, let's go.☺️🍀
Even though I have trillions of agendas and timers to work on my dreams my scheduling was a bit poor, always focused on results. That is not how it works. To make my dreams a reality I only have to follow a plan and be disciplined about it.
One quote that maxe me truly feel what I was reading is, without a doubt, 'Limitations drive you to figure out solutions, constraints inspire your creativity.'
I hope someday I can publish a book with maybe more than 50 words...so, let's go.☺️🍀
June 2, 2021
I was occasionaly stumbling upon this gem- a little and very insightful book- which came to my hands in perfect timing.
In addition, I've figured out that it's the same author as of the best selling book "Atomic Habits" which clearly intrigued me more.
Bottom line -go and read it! There's a whole piece of good advice to apply in everyday life also helped me with my decision making. Even though it's a little bit repetitive the whole book takes 36 pages so it feels like a long article which can be read quickly.
Last thoughts - this book was a milestone before this writer wrote the best selling book that reached over 2 million copies. Asking why? The answer is in the book.
In addition, I've figured out that it's the same author as of the best selling book "Atomic Habits" which clearly intrigued me more.
Bottom line -go and read it! There's a whole piece of good advice to apply in everyday life also helped me with my decision making. Even though it's a little bit repetitive the whole book takes 36 pages so it feels like a long article which can be read quickly.
Last thoughts - this book was a milestone before this writer wrote the best selling book that reached over 2 million copies. Asking why? The answer is in the book.
March 5, 2018
i have been procrastinating all February, today I felt grateful, reading this thirty-something pages of short amazing truths about working our ass*s off is the beginning of me, completing my thesis, in consistency. thank you so much James Clear, for giving this book for free, may your life is as consistent as how you wish it to be.
September 11, 2020
I got too read this small and beautifully written book by James Clear due to an article written about it and boy it has so been so inspiring and motivational to create something and make routine to be a creator in life, must read book to get inspiration to be a better creative person.
June 18, 2017
A bit too short for me. And the idea was... "Just keep creating and sticking to a routine". Huh. Not that amazing.
December 13, 2017
Such a good book!
July 30, 2019
Booklet
February 27, 2020
A quick read but, a fantastic one! I highly recommend Chris book to anyone looking to improve there creative side or for anyone looking to add self discipline to their life.
March 17, 2021
An interesting look into James Clear's early writing style. Although simple, the fact that he put it into a form appropriate for it (essentially a long form blog post) means it's not at all a problem.
August 20, 2023
Great book,so clear
October 6, 2025
so good and have positive impact
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews