We all want to do remarkable things, and lead remarkable lives.
No one wants to spend the day engaged in mundane productivity in pursuit of a meaningless consumer existence. Certainly not you, right?
So why do we find it so hard to break out of our rut and do truly innovative things?
Because it’s hard. Because it often requires us to significantly alter our perspectives and step outside our comfort zones.
It’s almost like becoming another person.
I Know This Because Tyler Knows This…
If you haven’t seen the movie Fight Club (or read Chuck Palahniuk’s excellent novel), I won’t spoil the fantastic plot twist where we come to understand who Tyler Durden really is. The story isn’t for everyone, but if you think it’s about fighting, you’re on the wrong track.
At its core, Fight Club is about living the life you truly want to live, and the hard path to getting there. Tyler helps the story’s nameless hero (usually referred to as Jack) down that path to enlightenment, so maybe what Tyler says can help the rest of us as well.
Luckily, Tyler says a lot of things that apply directly to innovative action. Here are his 8 rules for creative people to live by.
Tyler’s First Rule of Innovation:
“No fear. No distractions. The ability to let that which does not matter truly slide.”
This is the most important lesson, and it’s the one people struggle with and resist. Tim Ferriss advocates the 80/20 rule of productivity, where you focus relentlessly on the 20% of the actions that lead to 80% of the return. People see this as nice in theory, but not practical.
But believe it or not, this is how I’ve been running my businesses for the last 10 years. I used to actually feel guilty because I wasn’t constantly “getting things done” at a maniacal pace, even though I was enjoying increasingly significant success each year. It’s only been in the last few years I’ve realized that this approach is essential for entrepreneurs and creative professionals of all stripes.
The 80/20 rule of productivity requires radical elimination, or letting that which does not matter to creative moves truly slide. Use that newfound time for creative thinking that leads to innovative action, and you will succeed, guaranteed.
Tyler’s Second Rule of Innovation:
“No fear! No distractions! The ability to let that which does not matter truly slide!”
Seriously. Don’t break the first two rules.
Tyler’s Third Rule of Innovation:
“I say never be complete, I say stop being perfect, I say let’s evolve, let the chips fall where they may.”
Let’s face it, when we break Tyler’s first two rules of innovation and distract ourselves with foolish productivity, it’s often because we’re afraid (which also violates Tyler’s first two rules). We’re afraid of failure, ridicule, risk, mediocrity, and perhaps even success itself.
If you’re going to evolve and grow as a creative person, you’re going to make mistakes. In fact, you should start making twice as many mistakes as soon as possible if you want to have an innovative breakthrough.
Make mistakes and let the chips fall where they may. You might like the landing.
Tyler’s Fourth Rule of Innovation:
“It’s only after we’ve lost everything that we’re free to do anything.”
Oh, yeah… don’t be afraid to make big mistakes. More importantly, don’t worry about everything going according to plan. In fact, if everything’s going according to plan, there’s a good chance nothing remarkable is getting done.
They say life is what happens while you’re making other plans. Innovation is what happens when you recognize when to change the plan and perhaps the entire game. Maybe your initial plan falls apart, or maybe you simply need to throw the current plan away.
Don’t let the plan restrict the freedom to have a game-changing idea, and act on it, at any time. Losing everything may be the best thing that ever happens to you.
Tyler’s Fifth Rule of Innovation:
“You’re not your job. You’re not how much money you have in the bank. You’re not the car you drive. You’re not the contents of your wallet. You’re not your fucking khakis.”
When we talk about fear, risk, mistakes, and losing it all, what are we really afraid of? Are we defined by the stuff we own, or would we prefer to be defined by what we accomplish and create for the world?
I’m not saying give all your stuff away or take foolish risks that harm your family or yourself. I’m saying don’t let the stuff you own start to own you to the point that you can’t live the life you want to live and do the things you want to do.
Tyler’s Sixth Rule of Innovation:
“People do it everyday, they talk to themselves… they see themselves as they’d like to be, they don’t have the courage you have, to just run with it.”
I bet you’ve got a great idea right now, bouncing around in your head. What are you going to do with it?
Be what you’d like to be, and do what you’d like to do… it really is that simple. Having the courage to just run with it is the difference between a fulfilling life and a life full of regret.
Tyler’s Seventh Rule of Innovation:
“Sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken.”
On the other hand, wearing black hipster clothing and hanging in cafes smoking Gaulloises cigarettes does not make you creative. Buying a MacBook Pro and an iPhone doesn’t get it done either.
Creativity and innovation are mainly about hard work. It’s about constantly coming up with ideas and thinking through problems instead of vegging out. And it’s about taking action, plain and simple.
Tyler’s Eighth Rule of Innovation:
“This is your life, and it’s ending one minute at a time.”
First, you have to know, not fear, know that someday you are going to die. Until you know that, you have no sense of urgency. You think you have all the time in the world to do amazing things, but you may not live to see that particular someday.
So quit reading articles for a bit and go do what really needs to be done today.
About the Author: Brian Clark is a new media entrepreneur and co-founder of Lateral Action. Subscribe today to get free updates by email or RSS.
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« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 … 22 Next »excellent points! and what a good reference! its been so long since i have watched fight club that i almost started to think of it as a fight movie :) The third rule is so necessary! and not just towards yourself -being able to share even mistakes with the world increases the creative flow significantly!
Ehehe...great post!
I've just printed this out and will read it every morning in order to ensure I am being as effective as possible and that I focus on the 'Bigger picture'.
Thanks for sharing... sometimes we all need a big slap in the face with a metaphorical wet fish and, for me, this is that fish.
Cheers,
Simon Dance
While I don't disagree with the philosophy presented here, I wonder if it might be a mistake to view it as a route to success (depending, of course, on how you define success). I suppose, if you're lucky, it might be. But not being afraid to fail (see, for instance, the third rule) can often just mean failing - the thing is people don't hear about the failures, only the successes, et cetera.
I say this because, checking the list, I am surprised at how many of those rules I already seem to live by without particularly trying to, but even in my particular area of endeavour, which is creative, but not often thought of as business, perhaps, it would be hard to describe myself so far, after an entire adult life of effort, as anything other than an abject failure.
I'll have to check the list again to see if there's some key rule that I'm not getting, I think.
This is going to get lost in a sea of comments, but hey.
Thanks. I love when you write stuff like this, because now I'm going to spend another of those three-day runs constantly thinking over the damned post. Which means I get to procrastinate in the name of creative (and critical) thinking.
Rock on.
Awesome post. Genius to take the already GREAT Fight Club words of wisdom and expanding and personalizing them.
I thoroughly enjoyed this article. The Fight Club analogy is outstanding, pure genius!
Brian,
You're right on when it comes to these rules, and Fight Club is an all time favorite movie of mine (of course!)
I especially like the 80/20 principle, it's one I use all the time and strive to implement more every day.
Later
Caleb
I try and live by the idea that there's no merit in consistancy. I suppose this is Rule 3. Painters make good paintings bad by obsessively trying to 'finish' them. Don't - it might not 'work' the way you want, but it might work in a whole new wayyou never thought of.
These are genuinely great rules. If you follow them, it'll all fall into place. But it's having the balls to do it in the first place that matters - hence rules one and two.
Brian, it's hard not to like the content of the rules. Rules and innovation, however, isn't that a contradiction in terms - or only wishful thinking on my side? How about Innovation Manifesto?