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Becoming a Life Change Artist: 7 Creative Skills to Reinvent Yourself at Any Stage of Life
The Artist's Way meets What Color is Your Parachute? in an innovative approach to reinventing yourself at any stage of life.
Leonardo da Vinci, Monet, Picasso, and Berthe Morisot are some of the most creative thinkers in history. What do these artists have in common with you? More than you think, if you're looking to tackle a major life transition. The skills these artists used to produce their masterpieces are the same abilities required to make successful shifts-whether it's finding a new career or a new purpose or calling in life.
In Becoming a Life Change Artist , Fred Mandell and Kathleen Jordan share the groundbreaking approach made popular in their workshops across the country. There are seven key strengths that the most creative minds of history shared, and that anyone rethinking their future can cultivate to change their life
*Preparing the brain to undertake creative work
*Seeing the world and one's life from new perspectives
*Using context to understand the facets of one's life
*Embracing uncertainty
*Taking risks
*Collaborating
*Applying discipline
* As Mandell and Jordan illuminate, at its heart, making a major life change is a fluid process. But, armed with these seven key skills, anyone can overcome the bumps and obstacles effectively. With targeted exercises throughout, this is a book for all ages and stages-from those looking to transition to a new career to people embarking on retirement. Becoming a Life Change Artist sparks the luminous creativity that lies within each of us.
Leonardo da Vinci, Monet, Picasso, and Berthe Morisot are some of the most creative thinkers in history. What do these artists have in common with you? More than you think, if you're looking to tackle a major life transition. The skills these artists used to produce their masterpieces are the same abilities required to make successful shifts-whether it's finding a new career or a new purpose or calling in life.
In Becoming a Life Change Artist , Fred Mandell and Kathleen Jordan share the groundbreaking approach made popular in their workshops across the country. There are seven key strengths that the most creative minds of history shared, and that anyone rethinking their future can cultivate to change their life
*Preparing the brain to undertake creative work
*Seeing the world and one's life from new perspectives
*Using context to understand the facets of one's life
*Embracing uncertainty
*Taking risks
*Collaborating
*Applying discipline
* As Mandell and Jordan illuminate, at its heart, making a major life change is a fluid process. But, armed with these seven key skills, anyone can overcome the bumps and obstacles effectively. With targeted exercises throughout, this is a book for all ages and stages-from those looking to transition to a new career to people embarking on retirement. Becoming a Life Change Artist sparks the luminous creativity that lies within each of us.
280 pages, Paperback
First published July 29, 2010
20 people are currently reading
232 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 13, 2024
My first nonfiction of 2024!
I went with 3 stars here, but I did like this book. I like the parallel it creates between master historical painters and people making creative changes in their everyday lives. If you like painting, even if you don't like self help, I'd recommend this book just for the interesting stories of some of history's most well known and regarded artists.
I found the diagrams and self assessments in this book really helpful. The 7 creative skills not only made sense but were easy to grade my own life against. (I definitely have some I need to work on!) The book's exercises at the end of each chapter left room to reflect and journal too.
⭐⭐⭐ because too many of the real life examples of life change artists were in a circumstance that would be hard for the general population to learn from. Many of us haven't been corporate executives for decades or have the financial freedom to quit our jobs today. A handful of examples did recount the stories of people in less stable circumstances, but more diversity would have been helpful.
Still, a nice random pick up from a used bookstore, I recommend checking it out.
I went with 3 stars here, but I did like this book. I like the parallel it creates between master historical painters and people making creative changes in their everyday lives. If you like painting, even if you don't like self help, I'd recommend this book just for the interesting stories of some of history's most well known and regarded artists.
I found the diagrams and self assessments in this book really helpful. The 7 creative skills not only made sense but were easy to grade my own life against. (I definitely have some I need to work on!) The book's exercises at the end of each chapter left room to reflect and journal too.
⭐⭐⭐ because too many of the real life examples of life change artists were in a circumstance that would be hard for the general population to learn from. Many of us haven't been corporate executives for decades or have the financial freedom to quit our jobs today. A handful of examples did recount the stories of people in less stable circumstances, but more diversity would have been helpful.
Still, a nice random pick up from a used bookstore, I recommend checking it out.
December 10, 2017
How to apply the creative process and techniques used by the masters such as Picasso, Rembrandt, and da Vinci to move through a major life change. Thoughts from a grandfather who learned to read at age sixty-three: "For the first time I feel like a whole person. Its not just reading to the kids. I walk differently. I talk differently. I think of myself differently."
Working people such as Dan work through major life challenges. A former veteran becomes a successful business executive, then everything falls apart. Picking up the pieces, at age fifty-four, he enrolls in a master's program in English Lit, then applies to teach and coach football at high school. He becomes an award winning teacher and there is a waiting list to get in his year long military history class.
Working people such as Dan work through major life challenges. A former veteran becomes a successful business executive, then everything falls apart. Picking up the pieces, at age fifty-four, he enrolls in a master's program in English Lit, then applies to teach and coach football at high school. He becomes an award winning teacher and there is a waiting list to get in his year long military history class.
September 11, 2024
A nice concept but largely un-relatable. I dug out a few nuggets, mostly in the Risk and Discipline chapters, but otherwise this is a lot of theory and wild examples of people making life changes.
December 3, 2010
I'm not usually inclined to read self-help books, but the recommendation of a friend along with the premise that creative skills developed by artists can be applied to life situations attracted me to this one. I found the book interesting and (uncharacteristically) even made some notes: a list of the creative skills discussed and a list of the artists who used them. My plan is to review the skill list as I work on my own creative skills and to use the artists list as a starting point for learning a bit about art and art history.
February 18, 2014
Yup, this was ok. Recommended to me by a dear friend who is an artist - the comparison between making (embracing) life change and the creative process works. I've just read better books on the same subject (mindfulness, openness to change, risk-taking, etc). Reading books recommended by others is wonderful, I always wonder why this one - for me? I did take away some good thoughts and reminders, am curious and looking for possibilities in my life, new directions...
February 15, 2012
What a great book to bring your consciousness to the art of embracing change, change as a constant and as part of life itself. A great set of tool to incorporate even for those who may think they are not in need of any major life changes.
February 15, 2015
A well-written book about making change--successful change--happen in your life. A solid structure, with real-life examples. Well-done organization and sequencing. Interesting case studies. Solid exercises that don't demand too much of people who are struggling with change. Well thought out.
September 11, 2011
not for me.
August 4, 2012
An unusually intelligent approach to exploring life's options and opportunities. Highly recommend.
May 21, 2013
interesting at times, but overall a little to common and not for me. Did not find it overly intriguing, moving or deep.
July 15, 2013
Really great advice on how to change your focus and therefore change yourself.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews