Recently, a colleague shared a great video on LinkedIn by Todd Henry highlighting his book, “The Accidental Creative,” based on the blog of the same name. His inspirational book and blog focus on unleashing a healthy dose of creativity in life and work. It got me thinking about a few other books in the same vein.
Brilliantly, each of these three books are designed to inspire us to new, creative and vibrant ways of thinking and living and they’re all also served up in small enough doses that fit easily into our time-crunched lives.
“The Accidental Creative” Todd Henry
http://www.accidentalcreative.com/book
Here’s a description from Todd’s site: “In The Accidental Creative, Todd Henry reveals the dynamics of organizational creativity and teaches simple practices that help you unlock brilliant ideas and establish a rhythm that supports your creative process. You’ll discover how to:
– Focus in on your most critical work and reclaim your attention.
– Develop stimulating relationships that will lead to creative insights.
– Effectively manage your energy so that you are always ready to engage.
– Curate stimuli that help you pursue creative possibilities
– Leverage your hours wisely and effectively to eliminate creativity drains.”
“It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want to Be” Paul Arden
I picked up this gem of a book on my last trip to NYC. I kept seeing it everywhere I went. All in one morning I saw it on the coffee table of my friend’s agency waiting room, in the hands of a gen-Xer in a coffee shop and finally in the MoMa bookstore in SoHo. It’s clear I was supposed to read it.
It’s a short enough read to absorb prior to crossing the Grand Canyon on a cross-country trip. This concise guide is about making the most of yourself and helping you manifest the unthinkable and the impossible.
“Orbiting the Giant Hairball” Gordon MacKenzie
The late Gordon MacKenzie spent 30-years to the day working in various roles at Hallmark. His life, times and creative insight is the foundation of this brilliant bible. This book has had such profound effect on me, that I’ve given dozens of this book to friends and colleagues over the past 12 years.
While the book is primarily about orbiting the corporate culture of an organization enough to stay highly creative and energized, it’s also about finding, honing and keeping your own creative and innovative voice in all that you do—personally and professionally.
For me, this quote sums it all up. ” ‘…if you follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while waiting for you, and the life you ought to be living is the one your are living.’ Joseph Campbell, The Power of Myth
Orbiting is following your bliss.”
Of course, there are many other great books for innovative business leaders and creatives, but the books listed in this post are intended as a triple espresso shot to inspire your own innovation.
Which books inspire your creativity? Post them in our comments section below!
Steven Morris
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[...] Morris Branding – Steven Morris offers his thoughts on the book and two others as well [...]
A wonderful job. Super helpful infaormtoin.
[...] Morris Branding – Steven Morris offers his thoughts on the book and two others as well [...]
I agree, the Arden and MacKenzie books are staples in my creative library. I just started listening to the Accidental Creative podcast and really like what Todd Henry has to say.