Steal. Try. Do.

Nothing is original.

Steal like an Artist.

Austin Kleon’s “Steal Like An Artist” highlights some not-so-common common sense stuff for creative people, as a guide to spur people in their creative endeavors.

Whenever I read these kinds of books, they resonate with me on parallels or particular use cases for me.

How Do I Apply It To Productivity?

As someone who has self-identified as having less traditional creative outlets but resonates with creative endeavors as they pertain to productivity and workflow - what is it that I can take away?

Sometimes, it’s the conceptual metaphors or frame of thinking.

Sometimes, it’s the perspective taking or the approach to challenge.

I know I’m not going to revolutionize productivity workflow, unlock a previously untapped mindset or discover something new. Again, nothing I do to optimize my productivity is going to be original.

Instead, immediately from the get-go, Steal Like An Artist reminded me of people’s obsession with knowing a productive, successful person’s work habits. How do I steal other productive people’s routines or habits to optimize myself and my workflow.

Tim Ferriss comes to mind.

Optimizing time of waking up, amount of protein within the first 30 minutes, morning routine, etc.

Wake up at 5:30am before your competitors. That way, you’ve already exercised, worked out, done some meditation and entered your deep focus flow work before they’ve even opened their eyes.

Now, in the same vein of stealing creative influence, inspiration, motifs, or artistic style, go right ahead and steal productive workflows, habits and routines. Copy and see if it works for you. Take what works for you, reiterate upon it for your own personal needs, and make it yours.

The Main Takeaway Though Is To Start. Simply Start.

Read about some successful person’s productivity hack? Try it yourself.

Read about the benefits of meditation? Try it yourself.

Try it yourself and see for yourself how it feels.

Does it makes you more productive?

Do you feel more focused?

Do you accomplish more in a day?

Whatever it is, you must start and try it first. Because it’s no good to just read about the benefits it has for other people. It’s only useful if it impacts or influences your personal workflow.

The Second Takeaway Is To Continue To Try New Things.

Being creative necessitates trying new things. You are always pushing boundaries. Bending rules. Trying something different. Testing out a new medium or technique that can potentially better represent what you are wanting to express.

Same goes for dancing. Trying new and unique ways to express yourself in physical form. New sequences of movements to reflect a sound or a rhythm.
But productivity can sometimes insinuate determining a MOST efficient way and never steering away from it. To resist change. To stay the course with one specific method.

This can at times leave you feeling stagnant, boring, and complicit. Yes, being boring is an aspect of productivity because it is the way to focus, clear your mind of unnecessary thoughts and produce results but there must still be room for trial, exploration, seeking out new or different workflows because they may result in even greater productivity.

So make sure to set aside time to try.

To experiment.

To be open to change.

Seek out what productivity hacks others are doing.

See other people’s workflow.

There may be a new product, a new perspective, a new way of doing things that may work better.

And that openness to trying is the thing that will take you forward.

And it’s okay even if that thing that will take you forward is some idea or habit you stole from someone else.