An Incomplete Manifesto for Growth...

So I was perusing around Steve Pavlina's site today and I came across a link to Bruce Mau Design's An Incomplete Manifesto for Growth.

I liked it so much, I had to share it with you!

My personal favourite's:

#4. Love your experiments (as you would an ugly child).

Joy is the engine of growth. Exploit the liberty in casting your work as beautiful experiments, iterations, attempts, trials, and errors. Take the long view and allow yourself the fun of failure every day.

Don't be afraid to try new things. Every failure is a learning experience.

#9. Begin anywhere.
John Cage tells us that not knowing where to begin is a common form of paralysis. His advice: begin anywhere. There is no time like right now (literally).

Don't postpone your happiness. Do the things that make you happy NOW.

#13. Slow down.
Desynchronize from standard time frames and surprising opportunities may present themselves.

I love this one, because it's one of my secrets. I've been doing it ever since I read Noelle Chatelet's "La Dame en Bleu" a few years ago. The simple act of literally slowing down makes you concious of things you would otherwise miss and can help give you a new perspective on things.

#14. Don’t be cool.
Cool is conservative fear dressed in black. Free yourself from limits of this sort.

I can't say this LOUD enough! Embrace your uniqueness!

 #17. ____________________.
Intentionally left blank. Allow space for the ideas you haven’t had yet, and for the ideas of others.

;-)

#26. Don’t enter awards competitions.
Just don’t. It’s not good for you. 

It's futile, because in fact there is no competition, there's only one you! Thanks Mandy! ;-) Just do you, the best you you can be is always good enough.

 #31. Don’t borrow money.
Once again, Frank Gehry’s advice. By maintaining financial control, we maintain creative control. It’s not exactly rocket science, but it’s surprising how hard it is to maintain this discipline, and how many have failed.

I don't need to explain this one, do I?

#37. Break it, stretch it, bend it, crush it, crack it, fold it.

Consider all options. Look at things from multiple angles. Flip it. Switch it up. Be unpredictable. Surprise yourself sometimes!