Real Artists Don't Starve: Timeless Strategies for Thriving in the New Creative Age

by Jeff Goins

Some places have an “it” factor. We see this in architecturally beautiful cities like Rome or Paris, which are full of amazing art and well-designed buildings. Other places serve as hotbeds for certain industries, such as the personal computer revolution launched in Silicon Valley. We intuitively grasp that certain locations are more attractive than others. This, of course, applies to creative work, as well, maybe even especially. “The most important factor in the success of your career,” Richard Florida told me, “is where you decide to live.” This is the Rule of the Scene, which says that places and people shape the success of our work far more than we realize. Location is not irrelevant. Place matters. As social psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi wrote, “Creativity is more likely in places where new ideas require less effort to be perceived.” The Starving Artist thinks she can do her work anywhere, but the Thriving Artist understands that where we live and do our work affects the work itself.