{The “One Question” Series} Keeping Your Eyes on Your Own Paper & Accomplishing Your Important Work, an Interview with Sustainably Creative’s Michael Nobbs

Welcome to day #16, our final day, of the “One Question” Series.  Click here to check out the previous 15 interviews. 

I have Leonie Dawson to thank for discovery today’s guest, artist, author, and owner of the site Sustainably Creative, Michael Nobbs.

Michael was a speaker in the World’s Biggest Summit and I was totally smitten when I heard him discuss his philosophy on accomplishing your important work.

In an online world where gurus seem to constantly encourage you to THINK BIG and LAUNCH EPIC SHIT, Michael gives advice that seems almost like internet sacrilege. Through his blog, podcast, and books, he encourages his audience to accomplish their creative goals by slowing down, focusing, and celebrating each achievement along the way. (And drink tea… how can you not love a man who has made tea into a productivity tool?!?)

His words were like a balm to my perfectionist, everything-should-have-been-accomplished-two-days-ago, heart.

Inviting Michael to participate in the “One Question” Series was totally a long shot. He was on my list of “dream” interviews… one of those people who I knew would be absolutely too busy to participate.  I also knew, sending the email, that he had decided to take time off in January to rest from the intense work of meeting his latest book deadline.

Nevertheless, I decided it couldn’t hurt to contact him.  So I sent him the following email:

I love the online world and the ability to engage in community with artists and writers that I may not have had the opportunity to meet in my offline world… however, I notice that most people share their best sides online… their success and triumphs… and it can be easy to believe that everyone else is accomplishing great things at the speed of light every single day… while I’m just plodding along. Here in the United States, there’s a lot of pressure to achieve and produce quickly… the idea of committing to a path and taking daily steps toward that path is very counter cultural.  Yet, I believe that for many creatives, that daily practice of creating and working toward your important work is a better and more fulfilling choice… and that’s where my question to you comes in.

What tips, suggestions, or techniques would you offer to creatives who need help shutting down the “not enough” spirit that makes them feel that they aren’t accomplishing enough in their creative life?

You can’t imagine my glee when I received his positive response… with one of his signature audios attached!

And I honestly can’t think of a better way to end this series than sharing Michael’s advice with you.

I encourage you to brew yourself a pot of tea, get comfy, and listen as Michael shares his tips on battling discouragement, respecting your own accomplishments, and getting your important creative work done… one small act of creativity at a time.

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Michael Nobbs is a full-time artist, blogger and tea drinker (not necessarily in that order). He is author of the popular blog, Sustainably Creative and writes, tweets and podcasts about drawing and trying to keep things simple.

In the late 1990s he was diagnosed with ME/CFS and over the last decade and a half he has learnt a lot about sustaining a creative career with limited energy.

His new book, Drawing Your Life (made one page at a time!) will be published by Penguin/Perigee Books on 5th March. 

I just discovered that Michael is offering a chance to win a signed prepublication copy of Drawing Your Life on the latest episode of his podcast, One Thing Today.  Be sure to go over and listen, for your chance to win!