I was thumbing through the remarkable observations set down by Nicolaus Copernicus in his book On the Revolutions of Heavenly Spheres in the 1400s. You may recall that Copernicus abandoned the long-held Ptolemaic system, where the Earth was seen as being fixed in the center of the universe (geocentric) in favor of his mathematical proof that it in fact moved around the sun (heliocentric). …
Continue reading On the Revolutions of Heavenly Spheres by Nicolaus Copernicus
Finally, stay positive. Motivate. Encourage. Take heart yourself. These downturns have happened before and they will happen again. As interminable as they may seem, these periods in history come and go and have never proven historically to be permanent. If anything, redirect the energy that you would waste on worry, fear, panic, blame or regret to more productive pursuits, such as creative thinking, rallying the troops, refining and simplifying work flow and so on.
Rene Descartes "Cogito ergo sum," Rene Descartes' Latin translation of the statement he made several years earlier in his native tongue, "Je pense donc je suis" or "I think therefore I am" is worth considering. How often do you think, really think about that which you are doing? In one way or another we are all creatures of habit. Our …
Continue reading Thinking, Capability and Greatness: They’re related, don’t you think?
If you haven't developed the habit of thankfulness, you're missing something fundamental, for thankfulness is the greatest of all virtues. What virtues do you hold dearest? Have you thought about it? Make a list. It will tell you a lot about yourself.
Luca Turin is a fascinating biophysicist specialized in the science of olfaction. Turin has proposed a revolutionary alternative to the theory about smell that is generally held to be true. The commercial fragrance industry as well as the academic centers that study the sense of smell largely adhere to the "shape theory of olfaction," which states basically that different smells are …
The key to change is to let go of fear. Far too often people will recognize the need for change and then sooner or later, fail to take the steps necessary to let the change manifest in its fulness. Some scupper change right at the "get-go," either out of a fear of failure or even of success, preferring instead the …
Continue reading The Fear of Change: Lessons from FDR and Benji
To know love, you must give love, freely and without expectation of results. No matter what you face, love is the perfect point of departure. If you leave the shores of this moment or the next upon a dinghy of disdain, complaint or dissatisfaction, you will surely be crashed upon the rocks by the tides of discontent.
In yesterday's post I made the point that internal changes modify that which emanates from you and as a result others see you in a new light. How they perceive you is related to ethos, for ethos belongs not to you but to your audience.
"The Ass and his Purchaser" by Aesop A man wished to purchase an Ass, and agreed with its owner that he should try out the animal before he bought him. He took the Ass home and put him in the straw-yard with his other Asses, upon which the new animal left all the others and at …
Continue reading The Ass and his Purchaser: A valuable life lesson from Aesop
Whether you feel it important or necessary to change your view on the nature of the source of creativity, the important lesson I believe is that you never stop allowing yourself to be a source of creative inspiration. Whether to your family, to your friends, to co-workers or clients, in private or in public, keep the "channels open" and the "creative juices flowing."
Gregory Hake 