Lessons
Course Introduction
08:10 2Ikigai
05:31 3Technique
05:08 4Greenhouse for Creative Growth
04:22 5Manifesto
09:40 6Time
06:31 7Momentum is a Friend
06:53 8Harvard of the High Seas
03:50Style
05:24 10Creative Clarity
10:35 11Awaken the Inner Artist
05:44 12Disciplined Daydreaming
03:32 13The Freedom of Constraint
04:18 14Intermission
01:14 15Reframe
03:38 16Stay Hungry
04:58 17Identity
07:34 18The Amateur Spirit
04:57 19Design the Life You’d Like to Live
06:59 20Too Much, Too Fast
03:08 21Lucky to Be Alive
06:49 22Guts, Courage and Confidence
10:53 23Thin Places
03:40 24Devil’s Advocate
08:27 25Create a Collection
06:39 26Dead Sea
04:47 27Solitude
04:07 28The Journey Ahead
02:13Lesson Info
Course Introduction
Who am I, what do I have to share, and what is this course all about? Well that's what I want to talk in this movie. And what I've done is, I've written out a bit of a manifesto for this course, and I want to read some of that with you and give you a sense on the adventure that we have ahead. Well I'm a teacher, and I'm a photographer, but this course isn't about photography or any of those things. It's about something deeper than all of that. I make a living looking for light, and capturing photographs, and searching for ways to inspire people to live a more creative life. And while I am a photographer, and this is my trade, we're going to go, as I mentioned to, something which I think is behind all of that. It's the deeper creative pulse that kind of flows within us all. In my life, I've faced a lot of challenges. And what I've found is that creativity is what has pulled me out, and that this creative force is applicable here, but in other places as well. I'm also a best-selling auth...
or and a photographer. And for me, doing these things that I do, it isn't a magic gift, but I think it's a mix of creativity and grit that anyone can have. And we're going to explore how we can have more of that ourselves. So for over a decade I've been teaching around the world and I've come to find and believe that we're all born with these natural capabilities and capacities to create. And we all have creative potential of which we're unaware. Like all of us, you and I together. And this untapped creative force, it patiently waits inside and that's why these small events that occur, sometimes awaken that spark. Sometimes I think it happens, at least for me, when I see a great film. Or watch live music. Or view a photograph. Or stand at the edge of the ocean. Or looking out at the sea. And those are moments, what they do is they awaken that creative potential that's been sitting there. These situations, it moves us. It makes us appreciate life. Makes us want to make something ourselves. That's what the best creativity always does. It's contagious. It begs us to iterate, to try to keep it alive. It calls us to create something ourselves. Well what is creativity? It means a lot of different things to different people. At its core, I think creativity is this raw energy that moves us forward in life. It pleads with us. Calls us to make the most with what we have. To take what's there, and to create something new. Whether beautiful, curious, or odd. The creative energy is in no way tame. It's a wild and illusive force. Which makes it seem, I think, in a lot of ways like it's only for an elite few. Because we can't just nail it down. You can't pin down that creative force. You can't have it come up on command. And we think that maybe creativity is only for the gifted types. But no way is that true. No matter who you are, what you do, that raw energy for life can be yours. And it can revolutionize how you see, what you do, and ultimately who you are. Creativity, it isn't limited to a specialized group. It isn't tethered to one type of vocation or career. We are all innately creative. Our minds, our hearts, our souls, they're creative machines. I think creativity is woven into the twists and turns of our double helix strands. And creativity, really it's all around us. If we look around us now, or wherever you are, and we think about it, it's hard to find something that creativity hasn't touched. Whether it's our shoes, the paint on the walls, the devices that we use. And so much in life is creative. Coffee is creative, and so is sex. In creativity, I think it's given us romance, recovery, culture, cuisine, music, motocross, fables, fashion, and sports. Creativity stirs our souls. It awakens our minds. Deepens our drive to live a full and complete life. And if we are all born with this innate capacity to create, and if we all have this creative potential that's concealed, why isn't it always there? Why doesn't it always show up? Well unfortunately, it doesn't happen on its own. Neglect the creative spark, and it will dwindle and die. So then the question is, "How do we really become more creative?" There are of course, many ways. Like you can visit a museum, listen to an indie band jam, or go to a conference, or hear someone speak, or listen to an interview of a creative genius share her thoughts. You can travel to a new part of the world. These things, they are essential. It's how we absorb new ideas. But being a sponge isn't enough. Being exposed doesn't always work. There are plenty of people who see great art, but very few who create it themselves. To transition to becoming a creator, we need to fight. We need to work. We need to do some exercises ourselves. This is when what we need to really do is to reflect, to dig deep into our soul. We need to not only abandon some old habits and ideas, but adopt some new ones as well. That's where this course comes in. In this course really, it isn't seven simple steps to a more creative life. Those don't exist. The path to creativity is a much more adventurous trail. It's less of a formula. I think it's more of a unique journey that each of us have to take ourselves. It of course, it makes sense, right? Creativity isn't keen on cookie-cutter plans. It's most interested in helping us bust out of the mold so we can live wild and free. And part of the foundation for why I'm saying all this, is we have to really realize that creativity isn't just about thinking happy thoughts or using colorful crayons. The path to creativity includes both light and dark. As Plutarch once said, when talking about music, he said, "Music to create harmony must investigate discord." And so here we're going to investigate a range of topic, or concept of ikigai, to writing a manifesto, to climbing ladders, to tenacity grit, and even death. And our goal in all of this is to move beyond the passive approach. To move beyond being a sponge. So that you can rekindle that fire for creating your best work, and making the most with what you have, or time that we have. So whether you are stuck in a creative rut, or just need a boost, this course will provide you with the ideas and the actionable steps so that you can thrive. Alright, so now that we know a little bit about what lies ahead, how can we approach the content that we're about to experience and explore? Well, one of the things that I've found, especially with things that have to do with creative inspiration, and taking different action steps, is that sometimes it makes sense to watch things straight through. Maybe you want to watch this whole course start to finish, but then afterwards, to go back to those particular movies, or those particular ideas which really resonate in a deep way. In other situations, it may make more sense to give things its needed time. Sometimes what you may find is that as we go through these 25 different steps, after a couple, you just need to stop and think about things, and give it the weight it deserves. That's okay. So whether you're going to spread things out, or watch it in a more condensed way, keep your approach in mind because what I don't want to have happen is that you just watch this and say, "Okay, well that was great. It was entertaining and inspiring." And nothing gets done. This course is all about taking action. So give yourself some time, so that you can take those steps. Whether it's writing in a journal, or taking pictures, or whatever it is that I have you do, because if you do that, you'll get more out of the adventure that we have ahead.
Class Materials
Bonus Materials with Purchase
Ratings and Reviews
Lynda
Excellent. Would recommend this to every creative soul. Inspiring . Thank you very much Chris for this course.
Brenda Pollock Smith
Chris is an evangelist for all creatives. He facilitates expanding our creativity in very simple, practical ways. Really good stuff! Thank you Creative Live for offering this kind of soul food content.
François Morisset
Wow...we need more of Chris Orwig..His wisdom in life mix with photography is extraordinary! What a great gift I got from creativelive..that gift is Chris Orwig. thank you soo much