Keep Going

                                      - by Austin Kleon 

I bought this book from Pune Pustak Mahotsav 2023. I knew about the author from his most popular book "Steal like an Artist' and that's why I bought it. 

As a person who creates digital art, I was able to relate to a lot of things that the author wrote. 

Here are my notes from the book: 

1. Every day is a Groundhog Day: As an artist, you create art from scratch every day, and it will keep repeating, so it's better to be prepared for it. 

2. Make lists: Make as many lists as possible, even for small-small tasks. Lists help us to clear the fog from our brains.  (I have started doing it and let me tell you, this works)

3. Many artists have discovered that they work best upon waking up when their mind is fresh. Many artists don't want to get distracted by their phones, news, and the surrounding environment. 

From the book: Keep your eye on your inner world and keep away from ads, idiots and movie stars

4. Try not to use a mobile phone when you are outside. 

5. Create with your back to the world.

6. Create as much as possible

7. Focus on creating stuff and not on the result

8. From the book: I noticed a long time ago that there's actually very little correlation between what I love to make and share and the number of likes, favorites, and retweets it gets. I'll often post something I loved making that took me forever and crickets chirp. I'll post something else I think is sort of lame that took me no effort, and it will go viral. If I let those metrics run my personal practice, I don't think my heart could take it very long. 

9. When people look slowly.... they make discoveries. 

10. From the book: Your attention is one of the most valuable things you possess, which is why everyone wants to steal it from you. First, you must protect it, and then you must point it in the right direction. We give things meaning by paying attention to them. 

11. The world doesn't necessarily need more great artists. It needs more decent human beings. Art is for life, not the other way around. 

12. If you've never changed your mind about something, pinch yourself; you may be dead. 

13. Neuroscientists have explained that cerebrospinal fluid in your brain starts flowing more rapidly when you sleep, clearing out the toxins and bad proteins that build up in your brain cells. 

14. Take long walks and walk whenever you can.