Creative Achievement in the wild

Now that I’ve started turning (some of) my thoughts toward creative achievement, I’m seeing awesome confirmation-bias examples of people talking about it. Because I’m interested, I’m going to document what I notice and see if anything interesting shakes out.

Not all of these mention creative “achievement” per se, but I’m going for the spirit of the thing rather than the letter. The last thing I want to be is some stuffy academic who has to use the exact right words.

Japanese Chefs

Simon and Martina, everyone’s favorite kawaii food battle Youtube channel, has been upping their game with visits to higher-end restaurants in Japan. This one, Gion Roiro, is a French-Japanese fusion concept, using techniques from France with (only) local Japanese ingredients.

Simon: I feel like if you come to Japan and you only try traditional food you’re missing out on so much artistry and creative energy that Japanese chefs have–that would be like going to America and saying “I only want burgers.” That wouldn’t be fair. There are so many amazing chefs here who are trying new things.

I like the idea of creative energy, of that ebb and flow, of how energy can build with a group of people to unimaginable heights. “Where are you going to spend your creative energy for the day?” Like the people who wear the exact same outfit every day so they can spend their decision-making power on other things, like creative achievement. (I’ll put Steve Jobs in this category.)

Democrat to Deplorable

Jack Murphy was doxxed recently, but he also published a book. From the sounds of it, it’s a pretty good book, at that. (I haven’t read it yet.)

Exceeding people’s already high expectations is a great feeling.

Few things compare to the thrill of creative accomplishment.

— Jack Murphy (@jackmurphylive) July 3, 2018

I would imagine that few things compare because it is so difficult, and especially difficult to do well. I’ve shitposted my way to accomplishment a few times, but I wouldn’t consider that real accomplishment. Not in the same way that I would consider someone who took enough care with his self-published book to get a fantastic cover designed accomplished.

That was a ridiculous sentence but I’m leaving it in.

Gary Vaynerchuk

Everyone’s favorite love-him-or-hate-him one-man motivation squad takes a creative approach to business.

I think my game is very reversed from everybody else’s, creatively. ALL of you is number one. “The market.” I only care about you motherfuckers–as a collective–so I’m just putting out. It’s a creative strategic framework that I have that’s absolutely fucking right.

I love applying the idea of creativity to domains other than artistry. For some reason, it still feels like crossing a boundary–like creativity only “belongs” in the arts. That complete BS, but it feels true.

Sometimes at my day job I pull out phrases like “creative problem solving” and people look at me like I’ve invented some crazy amazing new idea. It’s just problem solving, people. All problem solving is creative.