Generosity is luck going in the opposite direction…inviting yourself into a community of good fortune. Whenever I feel I’m working in a groove…I am being the benefactor [not] the beneficiary.
Twyla Tharp
People have suggested that I read The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life. I had resisted because I thought, “I don’t have much in common with a choreographer.”
Thankfully, someone recently gave me an extra nudge. Twyla Tharp is an Emmy-and Tony-winning creator of over 130 dances for her company, the Joffrey Ballet, The NYCB, Paris Opera Ballet, London’s Royal Ballet, ABT. Yet, she can break things down for anyone:
Creativity is not just for artists. It’s for businesspeople looking for a new way to close a sale; it’s for engineers trying to solve a problem; it’s for parents who want their children to see the world in more than one way.
She gives you concrete ways to build creative habits.
What was interesting is that one of them was about how to get lucky. To elaborate on the quote above, she says:
I am sharing my art with others, lending my craft to theirs, interest-free without no IOU. I want the dancers to look great, so I try to give them great steps. In return, they live up to the potential I see in them. Then I am the one who feels lucky. In the luck equation, who is the winner here?
This description of turning the focus away from yourself, reminded me of what Ethan Cross says about distancing yourself, something that helps you remove negative self-talk.
I also shared that when I find myself nervous before any public speaking or workshop, I remind myself, “You’re worried about how you will look. But, Stacy, it’s about you. It’s about helping them!”
Now that you know how to get lucky, how might you be generous and creative today? Please let me know.
Knitting Notes
I don’t think knowing how to get lucky has anything to do with my vest pictured here. But, the habitual knit stitch is useful when I’m listening to a good book or podcast! (Hey, what are you listening to or reading? I’d love to know.)
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