I’m a big fan of The Beatles. I love the music. Sergeant Pepper’s is one of the best albums ever made. But it’s not just the music. It’s the story. The transformation from a boy band to psychedelic fueled artists to proteges of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. But they didn’t start that way. They started like many musicians, as a cover band. They spent years covering other people’s music until the lightening began to strike. They didn’t wait to start to figure out who they were. They began the journey and figured it out on the way.

The lightening occasionally strikes and that perfect piece of art comes from the brain of a creative. I joke that I can write one perfect ad each year. A lot of creatives feel that way. But the truth is that you don’t always need the perfect creative. Only so many new ideas exist. Many times you are just recycling an old idea and putting a new spin on it.

Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon is a book all creatives should read. It’s chalk full of great advice like:

Don’t wait until you know who you are to get started.

Put down the screen.

Make time for hobbies.

Write the book you want to read.

Be nice.

This is an incredibly short read that can be knocked out in a day. I give it five stars. It should be read by every creative.