Creativity begets clarity begets creativity.

A friend recently shared with me this quote from Judy Collins — acclaimed musician, author and artist:

‎The creative act is one of great boldness where you act on your own beliefs.
Creativity is the ability to risk being different from the crowd,
to think differently, to act differently, and yet in a calculated, orderly fashion 
so that your idea, your vision, your new insight, is clear.
It is the successful effort to make completeness out of chaos,
to make the world dance, for a moment or forever,
to your drum, at your pace, to your dream.

Great storytelling creates a whole new world in a person’s mind. It is Creativity stirring the senses and the imagination of the reader/listener/viewer. Boldness comes from making specific choices for how you tell your story — whose voice, whose eyes, what obstacles, which characters, how they struggle and how they will triumph — to serve a clear and relevant message. But your most important decision is: “To whom am I telling my story?” Everything else, all your other choices fall in line.

This Memorial Day weekend, think about the people who have made a significant impact on your life. Think about their stories and what makes them unforgettable. I bet some of them made you laugh, some made you cry, and a few even made you dance. But I’m sure they all made you dream.

Join me on Tuesday, June 5 — 

I will be speaking at the 13th Annual Symposium of the Axelson Center for Nonprofit Management. I’m going to lead the discussion entitled: “Dynamic Storytelling: Be Sensational. Be Memorable.” Hope to see you there.

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