Embrace the. . . Limitations?

I’ve watched this TED Talk at least three times in recent days. I’ve showed it to each of my girls, curious to gauge and discuss their reactions. Carve ten minutes out of your day. It’s worth checking out. Few things have inspired me the way uber talented artist Phil Hansen does in this talk.

For starters, Hansen challenged me to think about how life circumstances—even and especially limitations—can be used to enhance our craft. He rejuvenated my belief that perspective helps to shape experience. Candidly he shared that at times he became creatively stumped. It was through these times of reflection and contemplation that Hansen grasped an appreciation for the process—for the love of creating itself.

By inventing twenty-three projects within a Goodbye Art series, Hansen grew to understand the liberation of letting go . . . of outcomes, failures, and imperfections. Can I get an Amen?!

I won’t spoil the rest because it’s just that good. Trust me.

But I will leave you with a quote that struck me as deeply profound.

“Learning to be creative within the confines of our limitations is the best hope we have to transform ourselves and collectively transform our world.” –Phil Hansen