A book for artists and creatives, certainly, but also a book for those just seeking a little bit of life advice, wisdom, guidance, and direction from one of the most successful record producers of all time. Rick Rubin, co-founder of the iconic Def Jam Records and the man who helped launch the careers of LL Cool J, Public Enemy, Run-D.M.C., amongst many others, and also brought hip-hop and hard rock into the mainstream, wrote The Creative Act: A Way of Being in 2023, and this quick book (can easilly be finished in one sitting) showcases Rubin’s imagination, vitality, ingenuity, and vision through the life of an artist and creator, but is also a logical read for anyone in a position of leadership, management, at a career-crossroads, or someone who is simply sitting at their desk in search of a new idea and doesn’t know how to start or what to do when inspiration can only take you so far. Rubin embraces the concepts of thinking, acting, and playing like a child at times to let the creative ideas flow, but also acknowledges that sometimes rules and guidelines are necessary to stay focused and on track when perspectives change, deadlines are floating overhead, and things aren’t working the way you want them to. As a student and college professor, I welcomed Rubin’s advice to step away from my work every once in a while, get outside, take a walk, gain a fresh perspective, and come back with a clean slate so new ideas can flow more naturally. Artists, creatives, dreamers, thinkers, and everyone else can benefit from continually asking, “How can this be better?” whether in art or in life in general. Rubin is still going strong to this day, reminding us, in his words and work, that “the magic lives in the wonder of what we do not know”. True words spoken by a brilliantly creative man who isn’t stopping anytime soon.
Get Adam Marks’s stories in your inbox
Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.
creativity is a fundamental aspect of being human
art is a circulation of energetic ideas
awareness is not a state you force
presence with, and acceptance of, what is happening in the eternal now
though we can’t change what it is and what we are noticing, we can change our ability to notice
restore our childlike perception: a more innocent state of wonder
art is our portal to an unseen world
when looking for a solution to a creative problem, pay close attention to what’s happening around you
look for what you notice but no one else sees
a practice is the embodiment of an approach to a concept
we build a habit
one where expanded awareness is our default way of being in the world
take a daily walk in nature, looking at everything entering our field of vision
purpose is to evolve the way we see the world when we’re not engaged in these acts
we are building the musculature of our psyche to more acutely tune in
awareness needs constant refreshing
if it becomes a habit, even a good habit, it will need to be reinvented again and again
because there’s an endless amount of data available to us and we have a limited bandwidth to conserve, we might consider carefully curating the quality of what we allow in
there is never a shortage of awe and inspiration to be found outdoors
we don’t have to understand nature to appreciate it
this is true of all things
simply be aware of moments when your breath gets taken away by something of great beauty
the world is constantly changing so no matter how often we practice paying attention, there will always be something new to notice
it’s up to us to find it
the information we seek it out there
if we’re aware, we get to tune in to more of it
if we’re less aware, we miss it
active play and experimentation until we’re happily surprised is how the best work reveals itself
papancha, preponderance of thoughts
mind’s tendency to respond to our experiences with an avalanche of mental chatter
distractions keep one part of the mind busy while freeing the rest to remain open to whatever comes in
nonthinking thought allows us to access a different part of our brain
one that can see more angles than the direct path
distraction is a strategy in service of the work
a painting is just a painting until you put a frame on it and hang it on the wall, then it’s called art
an intention is more than a conscious purpose, it’s the congruence of that purpose
the creative energy exists in the journey to the making, not in the act of constructing
the reason to make art is to innovate and self express, show something new, share what’s inside, and communicate your singular perspective
art is confrontation
it widens the audience’s reality, allowing them to glimpse life through a different window
beware of the assumption that the way you work is the best way simply because it’s the way you’ve done it before
listening is suspending disbelief
more often than not, there are no right answers, just different perspectives
the more perspectives we can learn to see, the greater our understanding becomes
listening is freedom from accepted limitations
consider how different your experience of the world might be if you engaged in every activity with the attention you might give to landing a plance
time is something that we have no control over
patience begins with acceptance of natural rhythms
there’s a great power in not knowing
innocence brings forth innovation
the Ramones thought they were making mainstream bubblegum pop
they unwittingly invented punk rock and started a countercultural revolution
inspiration is the rocket fuel powering our work
inspirare, breathe in or blow into
break habits, look for differences, notice connections
one indicator of inspiration is awe
Wooden, creating effective habits, down to the smallest detail, is what makes the difference between winning and losing games
just one habit, at the top of any field, can be enough to give an edge over the competition
good habits create good art
ancient, Chinese alchemists searching for immortality mixed saltpeter, sulfur, charcoal
they discovered gunpowder
countless other inventions were discovered by accident
failure is the information you need to get where your going
persuasion leads to mediocrity
to be evaluated, ideas have to be seen, heard, tasted, touched
many of Warhol’s paintings were done by other artists and by machines, while he supplied the ideas and retained authorship
demo-itis
happens when the artist has clung too tightly, for too long, to their first draft
a bridge is easier to build when it’s clear what’s on either side of it
the goal of art isn’t to attain perfection
the goal is to share who we are
and how we see the world
the goal of art isn’t to attain perfection
the goal of art is to share who we are, and how we see the world
the personal is the universal
a point of view is different from having a point
great art opens a conversation rather than closing it
for a musician who was blocked, write just one line every day
change an element of the environment
being observed changes how an artist plays
alter the perspective
write for someone else
criticism allows us to engage with our work in a new way
the best art divides the audience
if everyone likes it, you probably haven’t gone far enough
whatever we concentrate on, we get
experimenters are partial to dreaming and play
finishers move quickly to the end point with immediate clarity
borrow from the other
as artists, we get to create a new set of rules each and every time we play
there are no bad or good rules
only rules that fit the situation and serve the art, or those that don’t
greatness begets greatness
it’s infectious
success occurs in the privacy of the soul
success has nothing to do with variables outside yourself
most variables are completely out of our control
only ones we can control are doing our best work, sharing it, starting the next, and not looking back
protect your personal understanding of success
instead of sinking into pain and heartbreak, “I wasn’t expecting that plot twist … I wonder what’s going to happen to our hero next”
the outcome is not the outcome
this practice, of never assuming an experience you have is the whole story will support you in a life of open possibility and equanimity
Zoom in and obsess
Zoom out and observe
we get to choose
wanting to outperform another artist or make a work better than theirs, rarely results in greatness
Roosevelt, comparison is the thief of joy
Brian Wilson, heard Rubber Soul, wrote God Only Knows
being made happy by someone else’s best work, inspire you to rise to the occasion, not competition, collaboration
McCartney hard Pet Sounds, they played it over and over again to create Sgt, Pepper
Martin: “Pepper was an attempt to equal Pet Sounds.”
all art is a form of poetry
it’s always changing, never fixed
let’s make art, and let others make the stories
self awareness allows us to listen to what’s going on in the body, and notice the energetic changes that either pull us forward or ups us away
sometimes they are subtle, other times intense
sometimes the mistakes are what makes a work great
humanity breathes in mistakes
invite beliefs that are different from the ones you hold and try to see beyond your own filter
the heart of open mindedness is curiosity
curiosity explores all perspectives
do what you can with what you have
nothing more is needed
there is no telling where that next great story, painting, recipe, or business idea is going to come from
why it’s of such great importance to remain aware and present at all times
watching and waiting
maybe the best idea is the one you’re going to come up with this evening
art made accidentally has no more or less weight than art created through sweat and struggle
Dylan could write a song in minutes, Cohen sometimes took years
A/B testing
we limit our options for each test to two choices wherever possible
any more cloud the process
we place them next to each other, step back, and directly compare
more often than not, there will be a clear draw toward one
what ultimately makes a work great is the sum total of the tiniest details
does the artist have a social responsibility?
works that attempt to overtly preach a message often don’t connect as hoped, while a piece not intended to address a societal ill may become an anthem for a revolutionary cause
art is far more powerful than our plans for it
the artist’s only responsibility is to the work itself
if a ritual or superstition has a positive effect on an artist’s work, then it’s worth pursuing
the only practice that matters is the one you consistently do, not the practice of any other artist
cycle of practice and adoption creates multifaceted growth
you are building concentration and focus, and training your brain to learn more effectively
Anderson: “I’m both a professor and student, because if you’re no longer a student, you don’t have the right to call yourself a professor.”
by practicing to improve, you are fulfilling your ultimate purpose on this planet
a way to practice keeping a clean slate is to avoid looking at the work too often
let it sit for a minute, a week, or longer, while you go get lost
time is where learning occurs
unlearning as well
the best work is the work you are excited about
while the artist’s goal is greatness, it’s also to move foward
in service to the next project, we finish the current one
in service to the current project, we finish it so it can be set free into the world
making art is pure play
feel free to experiment, make messes, embrace randomness
success is harder to come by when your life depends on it
creativity is contagious
when we expand time with other artistic people, we absorb and exchange a way of thinking, a way of looking at the world
competition serves the ego
cooperation supports the highest outcome
the best results are found when we’re impartial and detached from our own strategies
we all benefit when the best idea is chosen, regardless of whether or not its ours
great decisions aren’t made in a spirit of sacrifice
they’re made by the mutual recognition of the best solution available
friction allows the fire to come
when giving feedback, don’t make it personal
on the receiving end, our task is to set aside ego and work to fully understand the critique offered
when receiving feedback, a useful practice is to repeat back the information
ask questions to gain clarity
when sharing observations, specificity creates space
the critic doubts the work, undermines it, zooms in and picks it apart
the editor steps back, views the work, holistically, and supports its full potential
Mingus: “Making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that’s creativity.”
continually asking, how can it be better?
whatever it is
it may be your art, and it may be your life
art has an ability to connect us beyond the limitations of language
art is a universal way to send messages between each other and through time
the magic lives in the wonder of what we do not know
I love books, I have a ton of them, and I take notes on all of them. I wanted to share all that I have learned and will continue to learn. I hope you enjoy.
