(Make Today) End Malaria Day

Buy a book, save someone’s life. How often do you get to do that?

Seth Godin

Well today’s the day we all get to do it. End Malaria: Bold Innovation, Limitless Generosity, and the Opportunity to Save a Life is the latest book from Seth’s Domino Project.

$20 from every sale will go to Malaria No More, the charity working to eradicate malaria. That’s 100% of the Kindle price, and 80% of the hard copy (The remaining $5 covers production costs.)

None of the contributors or the publishing house are taking any money from sales, and Amazon makes no profit.

The book is written by 62 thought leaders, including Tom Peters, Gary Vaynerchuk, Sir Ken Robinson, Brene Brown, David Allen, Sally Hogshead and Mitch Joel.

The theme of the book is Great Work – how to do more of the stuff that matters and less of all the other stuff that fills up your day. It’s divided into eight key areas such as Create Freedom, Disrupt Normal and Take Small Steps.

End Malaria is edited by Michael Bungay Stanier – when he told me about the project I knew this was something Lateral Action readers would want to know about, not just because the theme of Great Work resonates so strongly with the purpose of this site, but also because this is one small action each of us can take that will make a big difference to many lives.

$20 sends a mosquito net to a family in need and supports life-saving work in the fight against malaria.

Malaria No More

You can buy your copy (paperback or Kindle) and join Michael and the other authors in their Great Work via EndMalariaDay.com (or Amazon.co.uk for my fellow Brits).

And please help to spread the word by blogging, Tweeting and generally sharing this link: http://endmalariaday.com

Why There’s No Such Thing as a Creative Block

This post is part of the Break Through Your Creative Blocks series.

Break Through Your Creative Blocks!I’m serious.

It might sound a strange claim to make after having written an entire series on overcoming creative blocks, but there really is no such thing.

Think about it. Have you ever seen a creative block?

How big was it?

What colour was it?

How much did it weigh when you tried to pick it up?

Exactly. There’s nothing there. The ‘block’ is just a metaphor.

The block only exists in your mind.

[Read more...]

How to Get Back in the Creative Zone after Hitting a Brick Wall

This post is part of the Break Through Your Creative Blocks series.

Break Through Your Creative Blocks!You need to be tough to succeed in a creative career. Unless you’re the exception to the rule, you will be criticised, rejected, ridiculed, cheated and disappointed – many times.

So I wasn’t surprised to hear this story from ‘Sally’ (not her real name) in response to my invitation to tell me about your creative blocks. I’m guessing it’s a tale many of us can relate to.

I have been struggling with creative block for 5 years now. I used to write prolifically (songs), until I came to a brick wall, artistically and commercially – I had been offered a record deal which fell through, I was then in a girl band with promises of great things that again came to an end etc etc. I seemed to have run out of energy – the momentum had changed and I just felt frustrated and angry!

I then put together a girl band whom I began to write for and promote. 6 months later when the band collapsed (and I was left with £15k worth of bank loans), I had to return to the job I had previously left (and hated) to work full-time to pay back the money.

[Read more...]

Dying to Do Letterman: Why Your Dream Is Urgent

Steve Mazan in front of Letterman Show billboard

Maybe you have a dream – something you’ve always wanted to do.

And maybe, today, you are doing something to make that dream happen.

Or maybe you’re putting it off, doing other things today but promising yourself you’ll pursue the dream ‘someday’.

Either way, I have an amazing story for you.

If you’re already working on your dream, it will inspire you to redouble your efforts.

And if you’re putting your dream off, I hope it will change your mind.

[Read more...]

Organization for Creative People – Why Your Brain May Be Keeping You From ‘Getting Things Done’

Messy desk

Photo by EvelynGiggles

This room looks like a tornado went through!  How on earth do you ever find anything in this mess?

Sound familiar?

Most creative people have had a version of this conversation at some point in their lives, be it with a parent, a friend or partner, or a well-meaning mentor or teacher.

Invariably, the offered solution was a thorough cleaning, perhaps accompanied by a purge of the piles and a new, shiny filing system.  

But what happened when the dust settled and you tried to go back to the project?  

[Read more...]