Comments on: Are You Building a Body of Work or a Cornucopia of Chaos? http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/body-of-work/ Innovation, Creativity, Entrepreneurship, Personal Development Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:15:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Amy http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/body-of-work/#comment-17686 Amy Mon, 16 Aug 2010 20:02:43 +0000 http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/?p=2327#comment-17686 Yes. This is what I struggle with. I do an awful lot of things - and to me, to my mind, in my life, they all serve a purpose, but from the outside, I imagine it's pretty chaotic. And not necessarily connected. I had come to peace with the fact that I've got such diverse interests (and am willing to hustle it to get the funding from one area that I need to build the other). But just last week, I realized that there actually is an umbrella that neatly covers everything I do. (Or maybe, bedrock that underlies everything.) The logic may not be immediately visible, but is IS there. And until I had that AHA! moment, it was invisible, even to me. Sometimes you do have to do, to understand. :) My bias for action's gotten me into trouble before. But this time I tried really hard to "force" a structure and framework up front -- a mission statement, that umbrella -- and it never, ever worked. It just left me frustrated to tears. But, whaddaya know, it happened by "accident"! Yes. This is what I struggle with. I do an awful lot of things – and to me, to my mind, in my life, they all serve a purpose, but from the outside, I imagine it’s pretty chaotic. And not necessarily connected.

I had come to peace with the fact that I’ve got such diverse interests (and am willing to hustle it to get the funding from one area that I need to build the other).

But just last week, I realized that there actually is an umbrella that neatly covers everything I do. (Or maybe, bedrock that underlies everything.) The logic may not be immediately visible, but is IS there. And until I had that AHA! moment, it was invisible, even to me.

Sometimes you do have to do, to understand. :) My bias for action’s gotten me into trouble before. But this time I tried really hard to “force” a structure and framework up front — a mission statement, that umbrella — and it never, ever worked. It just left me frustrated to tears.

But, whaddaya know, it happened by “accident”!

]]> By: Pamela Slim http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/body-of-work/#comment-17683 Pamela Slim Mon, 16 Aug 2010 17:09:57 +0000 http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/?p=2327#comment-17683 Yes, yes, yes, yes and yes. Oh, and YES. It makes so much sense to have clear body of work. And it is so easy to get caught in the chaos. The timing of this is perfect. Thanks! -Pam Yes, yes, yes, yes and yes. Oh, and YES.

It makes so much sense to have clear body of work. And it is so easy to get caught in the chaos.

The timing of this is perfect.

Thanks!

-Pam

]]> By: kate http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/body-of-work/#comment-17512 kate Sat, 07 Aug 2010 00:52:41 +0000 http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/?p=2327#comment-17512 I am so pleased to come across this post! I am struggling with just this issue and am getting quite despairing in process. I have got myself into a confused mess re trying to decide on a body of work to develop for exhibition. There are many reasons for this I understand but at bottom of it is not being centred and mindful. I feel lost in a maze getting too focused now Ive finished college and successfully been awarded a grant, on how to find my way in the art world in a sustainable way - fair enough question but... to point where I am loosing focus and energy on my practice and not having confindence to make a decision re a direction for my work and sticking to it. I just keeping 'playing' with materials and going around in circles. I am so pleased to come across this post! I am struggling with just this issue and am getting quite despairing in process. I have got myself into a confused mess re trying to decide on a body of work to develop for exhibition. There are many reasons for this I understand but at bottom of it is not being centred and mindful. I feel lost in a maze getting too focused now Ive finished college and successfully been awarded a grant, on how to find my way in the art world in a sustainable way – fair enough question but… to point where I am loosing focus and energy on my practice and not having confindence to make a decision re a direction for my work and sticking to it. I just keeping ‘playing’ with materials and going around in circles.

]]> By: Crystal Street http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/body-of-work/#comment-17486 Crystal Street Fri, 06 Aug 2010 16:32:52 +0000 http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/?p=2327#comment-17486 Thanks for posting this again on Twitter, very timely article! What I struggle with, as I imagine many other artists do, is that within the chaos lies the heart of creativity. I produce the best content when I'm immersed in chaos. Not personal chaos- or drama- but the chaos of the unknown, of a foreign environment or outside circumstances. But, when I allow the chaos to seep into the business side of my work- not the creative production- I end up stuck in the vortex of my own chaos- and that's never pretty. I think many artists wrestle with this separation. In order to create, we must stand next to the flames of chaos, but when we stay too long- we get a little crispy. Here's an excellent speech from TED about creativity, stories and chaos- I've watched it often- love it! http://www.ted.com/talks/shekhar_kapur_we_are_the_stories_we_tell_ourselves.html Thanks for the fabulous work! Thanks for posting this again on Twitter, very timely article!

What I struggle with, as I imagine many other artists do, is that within the chaos lies the heart of creativity. I produce the best content when I’m immersed in chaos. Not personal chaos- or drama- but the chaos of the unknown, of a foreign environment or outside circumstances.

But, when I allow the chaos to seep into the business side of my work- not the creative production- I end up stuck in the vortex of my own chaos- and that’s never pretty. I think many artists wrestle with this separation.

In order to create, we must stand next to the flames of chaos, but when we stay too long- we get a little crispy.

Here’s an excellent speech from TED about creativity, stories and chaos- I’ve watched it often- love it!
http://www.ted.com/talks/shekhar_kapur_we_are_the_stories_we_tell_ourselves.html

Thanks for the fabulous work!

]]> By: Teresa Romain http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/body-of-work/#comment-17481 Teresa Romain Fri, 06 Aug 2010 14:16:28 +0000 http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/?p=2327#comment-17481 This is my first time here, Jonathon. Met you through Sarah Robinson. And I have to say that this was the PERFECT time for me to show up. Everything you wrote made perfect sense to me and is exactly the process I am in the midst of. I'm beginning to extract myself from the cornucopia of chaos (which, of course, I've tried to hide) and beginning to get clearer and more focused and more authentic in creating a body of work. And this "not in the old but not in the new yet" place is hard - especially since patience is something I'm only beginning to develop. :-) What I loved most about this post was the idea of leaving a legacy. That's a great place for me to come from... to ask myself when creating a program or a newsletter... "Is this what I want to leave behind? Will this continue to create value for others in the future? Is this what I stand for and want to be known for and remembered by? Thanks! This is my first time here, Jonathon. Met you through Sarah Robinson. And I have to say that this was the PERFECT time for me to show up.

Everything you wrote made perfect sense to me and is exactly the process I am in the midst of. I’m beginning to extract myself from the cornucopia of chaos (which, of course, I’ve tried to hide) and beginning to get clearer and more focused and more authentic in creating a body of work. And this “not in the old but not in the new yet” place is hard – especially since patience is something I’m only beginning to develop. :-)

What I loved most about this post was the idea of leaving a legacy. That’s a great place for me to come from… to ask myself when creating a program or a newsletter… “Is this what I want to leave behind? Will this continue to create value for others in the future? Is this what I stand for and want to be known for and remembered by?

Thanks!

]]> By: Becky McCray http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/body-of-work/#comment-17247 Becky McCray Mon, 26 Jul 2010 17:25:21 +0000 http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/?p=2327#comment-17247 I keep coming back to this post and this idea. I printed it out, and I re-read it. I've tweeted it repeatedly. I've realized after a long time of just moving from one opportunity to the next, that I have a choice of the direction. Thank you for clarifying a lot of my thought. I keep coming back to this post and this idea. I printed it out, and I re-read it. I’ve tweeted it repeatedly. I’ve realized after a long time of just moving from one opportunity to the next, that I have a choice of the direction.

Thank you for clarifying a lot of my thought.

]]> By: The Art of Legacy Blog » The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Legacy: 100 Insanely Useful Posts http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/body-of-work/#comment-14454 The Art of Legacy Blog » The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Legacy: 100 Insanely Useful Posts Tue, 13 Apr 2010 21:12:50 +0000 http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/?p=2327#comment-14454 [...] Are You Building a Body of Work or a Cornucopia of Chaos? by Jonathan Fields [...] [...] Are You Building a Body of Work or a Cornucopia of Chaos? by Jonathan Fields [...]

]]> By: Garry http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/body-of-work/#comment-10987 Garry Fri, 11 Dec 2009 17:14:16 +0000 http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/?p=2327#comment-10987 Absolutely brilliant post. When working with new start-ups one of the largest challenges they face is admitting that they are NOT the perfect choice for everyone! Narrowing suspect and prospect search for effective acquisition is CRITICAL to business development. Who is and who isn't our customer is essential data. Thanks again for the great post! Absolutely brilliant post. When working with new start-ups one of the largest challenges they face is admitting that they are NOT the perfect choice for everyone!

Narrowing suspect and prospect search for effective acquisition is CRITICAL to business development.

Who is and who isn’t our customer is essential data.

Thanks again for the great post!

]]> By: 5 comments of the week « V is for Voice http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/body-of-work/#comment-10596 5 comments of the week « V is for Voice Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:54:36 +0000 http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/?p=2327#comment-10596 [...] 4. Jonathan Fields asked his readers whether they are focused on creating a body of work or floating along: http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/body-of-work/ [...] [...] 4. Jonathan Fields asked his readers whether they are focused on creating a body of work or floating along: http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/body-of-work/ [...]

]]> By: Helen http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/body-of-work/#comment-10527 Helen Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:51:23 +0000 http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/?p=2327#comment-10527 Where does it come from, this need to create that body of work? As a chronic floater, flitting from one thing to the next, I feel like an underachiever and very frustrated. I'm actually consulting with a career/life coach at the moment to help get on the right track. I've been thinking about this post all week. Plenty of people have very satisfying lives, they just do their job daily - do their shift as a worker, deliver the mail, whatever - and go home to their partner and their tv, or staying at home, keeping house and caring for their family, and that's their life, you know. Good and happy lives. Why isn't that enough for me? Where does it come from, this need to create that body of work? As a chronic floater, flitting from one thing to the next, I feel like an underachiever and very frustrated. I’m actually consulting with a career/life coach at the moment to help get on the right track.

I’ve been thinking about this post all week.

Plenty of people have very satisfying lives, they just do their job daily – do their shift as a worker, deliver the mail, whatever – and go home to their partner and their tv, or staying at home, keeping house and caring for their family, and that’s their life, you know. Good and happy lives.

Why isn’t that enough for me?

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