Four Great Creativity (and Life) Lessons from Vincent Van Gogh

Four Great Creativity (and Life) Lessons from Vincent Van Gogh Four Great Creativity (and Life) Lessons from Vincent Van Gogh By day I run my resume business but in my spare time, Im working on developing a second career as an artist. Its notlage easy as any artist knows, but whenever I feel daunted, I think of my favourite artist of them all, Vincent Van Gogh. Many people dont realize that Van Gogh welchesnt born brilliant. He worked very hard for many years before he started to paint masterpieces, and during that time, he was fueled by sheer determination and bloody-mindedness.I was intrigued to read this Think Collective post about what can be learned from Van Goghs life and work. Its worth a read because there are some solid takeaways for anyone who has ever said Im just not talented enough or I simply dont have what it takes.And it got me thinking about the things Ive learned from Van Gogh. Here are my four favourite life/work lessons from my favourite painter.1.Just do it Did y ou know Van Gogh was considered a mediocre artist when he started out. But that he taught himself to paint by just doing it day after day after day. He once said if you hear a voice within you say you cannot paint, then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced. 2. Dont be afraid of failure Ive been taking art classes recently and its amazing how many students ask the teacher whether its OK to try something. (Can I put some orange here? Can I paint with a bigger brush? Can I use acrylics on top of pastel?) His answer is always the saatkorn try it and see what happens. At first I thought he wasnt much of a teacher after all, anyone can say that But as each person blossomed and produced work far beyond what they started with, I realized he was right. The greatest block to creativity is fear of getting something wrong.Van Gogh knew there was no such thing as wrong, no such thing as a mistake there were just opportunities to try it and see what happened. 3.Work at it Van Gog h never stopped working. Once he had decided to be an artist, he took himself from mediocre student to master by sheer dint of effort. He just kept working and working and working until he got to what he wanted. In the end, he produced an average of 4 works of art a week for a decade a prodigious effort.I have a friend who is a full-time teacher and a writer. He gets up at 5am every morning even on weekends to make sure he has time to write every day. I also know a local artist who runs a busy farm by day and then spends several hours every evening in his senderaum painting. Despite a terminal illness, he rarely misses an evening.But I often meet people who tell me what they want to become once they get free of their current day job. A recent client wanted to become an interior designer, but felt trapped because of her lack of experience. It hadnt occurred to her to work weekends and evenings on designs for friends and family as a way of building a portfolio. She was simply waiti ng for someone to give her a chance.By the way, if youre lucky enough to work at your creative profession as your day job, you can still learn from Van Gogh. He used every single day to improve his craft, never letting up, never cutting himself slack. 4.Dont wait for inspiration Van Gogh didnt wait for inspiration to strike. He sat himself down every day and made himself work sketches, drawings, paintings he never stopped, saying I am always doing what I cannot do yet in order to learn how to do it. If you work in a creative profession, you know those days where nothing seems to flow. Lately Ive hit a roadblock with my painting. In the past, Ive let those roadblocks derail me and wound up not producing anything, sometimes for months, once even for years. Now Im making myself keep working even if the work Im producing isnt particularly inspired. Ive started keeping a sketchbook and its here that I try out ideas without the pressure of getting anything right. I have been drawing and painting anything a wheelbarrow in the garden, the dashboard of my car, a cup of tea, some sheep in a field near my house anything just to keep myself working until inspiration strikes again. Which it always does.In the end, its about making things happen We might not all have the talent to be Van Gogh, but how do we know if we dont put in the amount of work and study and sheer determination that he did?

12 female best friends who started their own companies

12 female best friends who started their own companies12 female best friends who started their own companiesWhile celebrating female leaders is welcomed year-round, during the month of March, the nation celebrates the hard work and dedication of women in the workforce, both past and present. Considering there are mora than nine mio women-owned businesses in the United States today, this sector of entrepreneurialism is not only growing - its trail-blazing toward that glass ceiling. In fact, the most recent data estimates the number of lady-run businesses is growing 2.5 times faster than the national average.With no end in sight, you might consider testing out yur own entrepreneurial legs by diving into that idea you and your best friend have been talking about for ages. Before you secure the dot.com, print business cards and pour your energy into a budding business, take a page from these female best friends who have already navigated the hurdles. elend only have they managed to buil d successful companies, but theyve deepened their friendships and discovered how to support one another through all of lifes ebbs and flows, professionally and personally.Let their stories of sisterhood and triumph inspire you - and your bestie - todayFocus on each others strengths.Founders Kelsey Gilbert-Kreling, 30 and Mallory Ulaszek, 33Company Presence Agency, a firm helping their clients connect online and in person, through production, programming and web design. They have a special focus on non-profits, hospitality companies, small businesses and creative independents. This year, they worked with a longtime client, Pilot Light Chefs, to increase their fundraising at their annual gala by 51%.What its like working with your BFF While it requires being emotionally honest in a way that many other jobs wouldnt require, four years in our psychic hotline is up and working beautifully, Gilbert-Kreling says. We have both found the things we like, the things were successful at and th e ways we can help each other. It might not work for every platzdeckchen of friends, but sharing successes feels more fun and dividing stresses makes entrepreneurship more manageable.Always have one anothers backs.Founders Britni deLeon, 32 and Kasia Bednarz, 31Company FARE, a quick-service restaurant that offers a menu with simple, flavorful, filling dishes featuring thoughtful and transparent ingredients. They recently signed their lease and opened doors this year.What its like working with your BFF You always have each others back, first and foremost. It will be harder than you ever imagined. Make sure to rely on each others strengths, over-communicate and remember how lucky you are to be in this with your best friend. You got this, deLeon shares.Respect both your company and your friendship.Founders Meghan Patke, 34 and Lisa Strangis, 31Company Modern Currency PR, a communications house that curates bespoke public relationships and marketing hospitality campaigns for culinary, l uxury travel and lifestyle brands. Since their inception, theyve attracted award-winning Michelin-starred chefs and unique luxury travel resorts, like Kokomo Private Island Fiji, among others. Recently, they managed the launch of dineL.A. for the Los Angeles tourism board and exceed their client expectations by providing more than 85 million media impressions and a total ad value around $965K.What its like working with your BFF You need to balance your friendship with a new working relationship, and respect both sides of the coin so that neither relationship suffers in the long-run. Its an exhilarating and proud feeling to own a business with your best friend, and theres a great sense of unity and sisterhood in conquering any obstacles together, Patke shares. Think long and hard about the long game, and make sure youre both equally committed to one anothers growth, success, fulfillment, and happiness, alongside that of your business. Its like any other relationship, it needs transpa rency, honesty, strong communication, and a shared vision.Respect one another - but have fun, tooFounders Joy Fennell, 42 and Valerie Wray, 43Company The 125 Collection, a New York City-based candle brand that sells fun and fashion-forward soy-based products. Thanks for a bustling wholesale business, their trendy candles - featuring inspiring quotes - continue to reach more corners of the country.What its like working with your BFF Seeing how each others professional strengths are contributing to the business is amazing. Not only do we get to work together, but then we can go and hang out afterward. We do disagree on some things, but its important to respect each other, learn from each other, work your asses off and have fun while doing it.Maintain your friendship.Founders Lara Crystal, 36 and Lindsay Andrews, 37Company Minibar Delivery, a leading U.S. marketplace that provides on-demand delivery in more than 40 U.S. cities. In addition to shipping wine from vineyards across the nation, theyre also proud that more than 50% of their staff are females.What its like working with your BFF Its amazing to come into work every day with someone you can trust completely. That being said, if youre friends, and you want to stay friends, so make sure to spend time together as friends outside of the office.You have to be able to talk about the good, the badeanstalt and the ugly.Founders Janie Schwartz, 36 and Dina Litt, 41Company Local Mercato, a company that provides curated marketplaces showcasing talented artisans in fashion, accessories, food and home accents. They donate a portion of sales from each event to support an important local cause and have grown their database from zero to more than 4,000 targeted women.What its like working with your BFF Its a ton of fun, collaborative and exciting. You get to experience a lot of firsts together and truly share in the vision and mission of the business, deLeon shares. But, you have to be able to talk about the good, the bad and the ugly. As freunds, you will celebrate successes but even more importantly you will have to navigate failure. You will have to learn from your mistakes as partners. Its important to be able to talk about all aspects of your business, as well as your friendship, because thats what came first.Co-founding a company is like a marriage.Founders Evelyn, 33 and Angela, 34Company Yumi, a plant-based company that sells fresh, nutrient-dense foods for newborns and babies. This quarter, theyre on track to double their subscribers since last quarter.What its like working with your BFF Being a founder can be a lonely experience, with an inordinate amount of pressure, so I feel so lucky to have a real partner in the trenches. She jokes that she married me first and shes so right. I talk to her more than anyone else I know - even more than Daniel, Evelyn shares. Co-founding a company with someone is a huge decision. There has to be tremendous trust and mutual respect. And before you mak e the leap, you have to make sure youre aligned on the important stuff - like ethics and values.You will get militrischer abschirmdienst at one another, but thats okay.Founders Emily Taffel, 37 and Sarah Caro, 33Company Mugsy PR, an agency helping clients to build their brands, get noticed and showcased their personality through unique event marketing, digital campaigns, and strong media outreach. Since they were founded in 2013, theyve been able to retain the customers theyve had since year one proving their strategies work.What its like working with your BFF We balance one anothers weaknesses and we boost each others strengths. Since we are also friends we are able to know how to cheer one another up, how to handle each other in stressful situations, we know when a bad day calls for coffee and when it calls for tequila, Taffel says. You will get mad at one another. You will have days where you just dont want to hang out, and days when she is the only person in the world you dont want to scream at. You need to maintain a social life with other people so that you have your own separate lives, and you need to maintain a level of respect in the office, and outside the office in your friendship, to really make it work.Be one anothers confidant.Founders Chelsea Starr Alexander, 30 and Fallyn Smith, 34Company SMITH STARR, a direct-to-consumer lifestyle brand focused on creating products that are fashionable, functional and sustainable. Two years in, theyre proud to have a strong return customer rate and high email engagement. It helps they have rave customer reviews on Amazon, too.What its like working with your BFF Entrepreneurship can certainly be a rollercoaster ride, so its incredibly powerful to have someone you trust, believe in and can rally with by your side. Weve developed an even deeper friendship through the business because weve learned how to tackle new challenges together, Alexander shares. Dont let the day-to-day to-dos of the business cramp your communication and passion for the project. Try and schedule check-ins that are focused on the softer stuff and ask the tough questions. Your co-founder is your confidant and partner in crime, so maintaining open and honest communication is crucial. Also, dont forget to celebrate wins and reflect back on your accomplishmentsTrust is the most important.Founders Stephanie Cartin, 33 and Courtney Spritzer, 30Company Socialfly, a full-service social media agency specializing in influencer marketing, paid media and creative services. Theyve achieved double-digit grow since they were founded in 2012, helping their time to quadruple in size.What its like working with your BFF It takes a unique type of friendship and blend of personalities and business skill sets to make it work. We mesh in a way that allowed us to set healthy boundaries and expectations, and our ability to communicate and disagree in a healthy way has been key to our growth, Cartin says. Our ability to trust one another has been one of the keys to not just the success of our agency, but to our business and personal relationships as well.You must be certain you can rely on them, always. You will go through ups and downs, but confidence in the person you are weathering these storms with is everything.Make sure you really, really know one another.Founders Joanie Demer, 35 and Heather Wheeler, 35Company Krazy Coupon Lady, a U.S. media company whose aim is to make it easier to shop smarter, saving customers time and money. They aggregate coupons and pair them with great sales. Along with a team of 40, they brought in nine million in revenue last year.What its like working with your BFF Its literally the best. Theres a benefit to sharing a work style, a mentality and a goal set with your partner. For us, that has come naturally because weve known each other since college, and in many ways we grew up together, Demer says. If you havent been close for a long time, if you havent lived together nor have travele d together, you havent likely seen how you work together under stress. In our partnership, we each have different strengths. The degree to which we each contribute to the companys success ebbs and flows. When one partner is killing it, the other may be struggling and vice versa. The secret is trust. The other secret is finding the best best-friend, but shes taken.You must set your ego aside.Founders Chelle Neff, 40, Kim Pearson, 34, Hallie Spurlin, 37 and Nina Fitzgerald, 33Company Urban Betty, one of the largest independent hair salons in Austin, Texas, staff more than 40 women and have been featured seven times as one of the top 200 salons in the country. When they started, they grossed $170K in their first year, now theyre bringing in more than $2 million.What its like working with your BFF Its nice to have that support system in place. I have been all by myself and its a lot of pressure. Having a friend and a business partner helps to alleviate the burden of doing everything on your own, Neff says. You have to know how to compromise and make decisions together. You also have to be able to set your ego aside and do whats best for the business, even if it isnt your idea.

Former ASME President Jack Fernandes Dies

Former ASME President Jack Fernandes Dies Former ASME President Jack Fernandes Dies Former ASME President Jack Fernandes DiesJohn H. (Jack) Fernandes, Sc.D., P.E. John H. (Jack) Fernandes, Sc.D., P.E., a longtime member of ASME who served as the Societys 112th president, passed away March 9 at the Rhode Island Veterans Home in Bristol, R.I. He welches 91 years old.Dr. Fernandes, a resident of Tiverton, R.I., was employed as a mechanical engineer for 55 years until his retirement in 1999. After serving in the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1942 to 1946, he served as an associate prof of mechanical engineering at Lafayette College in Easton, Pa., from 1950 to 1960. He then joined the faculty at Manhattan College in New York as professor and head of the schools mechanical engineering department in 1960. He left teaching three years later to work for Combustion Engineering in Windsor, Conn. During his 21 years at the company, he served in a number of capacities, ultimately holding the position of senior technology consultant and director of technology transfer. He then worked for the Maguire Group in Providence, R.I., as vice president of the energy division until 1990, when he started his own consulting business.During his more than 65 years as an ASME member, Fernandes was an active and committed Society volunteer, particularly in the area of codes and standards. Fernandes, who was an ASME Fellow, served as senior vice president for the Council on Codes and Standards, vice president for the Board on Performance Test Codes, chair of the Performance Test Code Committee on Incinerators, chair of the Board on Hearings and Appeals, and a member of the Performance Test Code Committees on General Instructions and on Definitions and Values, among other codes-related positions.The president of ASME from 1993 to 1994, Fernandes served as a leader in areas outside of codes and standards as well. He was member of the Board of Governors from 1988 to 1992 and chair of the Committee on Staff from 1998 to 2003. He also served as a member of the Council on Engineering Committee on Technical Planning and the Board on Public Information, and was active in ASMEs Providence Section. He was honored by ASME for his decades of service with two prestigious Society Awards the Codes and Standards Medal (later renamed the Melvin R. Green Codes and Standards Award) in 1988 and the Dedicated Service Award in 1995. Fernandes received a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Rhode Island in 1949, a masters degree in mechanical engineering from Lehigh University in 1953, and a Doctor of Science degree from Calvin Coolidge College in 1960.