On losing your mind and gaining something else

I don't want clutter or distraction. Of course I get exactly this. Everything is urgent, nothing can wait, competing priorities abound. But unless I remain rooted within myself how can I be truly creative? How can I maintain my aim?

By remaining alert to anxieties. These present themselves as unwelcome fears; my own, or the fears and anxieties of other minds involved in the project.

My attitude is that however apparently humble the project in hand, its overall aim is or should be unique. It is nothing less than a quest to produce a minor miracle. This is why I do what I do. Anything less and I lose all interest. The direction needs to change...

This is where thought comes in. A workmanlike change around or run-up maybe, but I also know that my best creativity occurs only when my mind ceases to chatter. Then it is an instinctive flight; something airborne where there is no friction of thought.

To my joy and sadness I know where this flight begins and ends in all my endeavors. Instinctive work appears pure, self-contained, in itself. It is the result of something singular. There was an aim. There was a flight towards that aim. And nothing, absolutely nothing, got in the way.

 

Charles of The Ritz
and how to out-perform everyone

We appear to be living in the age of self-publicists. However, here is another way of becoming successful that involves no more than dedication to your craft and tip-top customer relationship skills.

'Charles of The Ritz' is a phrase, perhaps not often used nowadays, but among the management and clients of The Ritz still mentioned as an expression of excellence. Charles was an employee, not a director. His fame was established by enthusiastic customers. 'Darling, your hair is adorable, please let me know the secret?' was answered by, 'Well, you've simply got to see Charles.' Of course, Charles was in The Ritz New York. So a transatlantic crossing for your coiffure might suddenly have become a reality for some. Only as good as his last hair cut his fame continued to spread. And given time his reputation became endorsed by the owners, who named a range or perfumes after him, which only much later was sold to Revlon and then, later still, became no longer available except to collectors. But the inspiration for those working on any shop floor ought to be that as an employee one can match or even suceed the status of your employers and that your reputation may increase with nothing but the absolute excellence of your work. Your own values of excellence are under your complete control. And if the hat fits, cease thinking and behaving as an employee. Invest in your skills and drive right on through the apparent ceiling of your own job description.