I remember one day when my son Ben signed a piece of his art with a big number 5, informing me it was “so you’ll know how old I was.” I chuckled at the time, imagining myself adding a “40” next to my signature on each of my paintings. But I actually think it's a good idea. Maybe if we saw a drawing from a five-year-old Leonardo da Vinci, we’d be surprised to see that it wasn’t very good. But it wouldn’t surprise us that a drawing from when he was nine showed considerable improvement, and perhaps even contain a spark of his genius. And maybe if we lined up all of his paintings by age, we’d more clearly see the journey he took in his career and clearly observe the process of one thing leading to another, with new discoveries opening up new areas to explore. And maybe in the work he made as an old man, we’d see ghosts of his five-year-old self, reminding us that we really are all the ages we’ve ever been. I spend too much time focusing on how I don’t measure up, rather …
Studio Sneak Peek #91: Walter, Jesse, and Willy, Oh My!
A candid look behind the scenes of Jason’s studio, through the eyes of his biggest fan... …
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Purposeful Unpredictability
The best parts of life aren’t always planned.But they can happen on purpose. I recently spoke at a nursing conference in Honolulu. My family was put up in a room with a breathtaking view in a huge Hilton resort on Waikiki Beach. It had five pools, twenty restaurants, oodles of neat shops, and all kinds of organized activities you could sign up for. For us, it was…meh. It was a lovely property, but Kim and I have come to learn that massive hotels, cruises, and all-inclusive resorts are not our thing. Places that cater to tourists are often missing the authentic sense of culture that come with out-of-the-way spots. Everything is orderly, structured, and perfectly curated. They excel at delivering predictability. And that's the problem. We like freedom, authenticity, and the magic that comes from a little unpredictability. Like the place we stayed the week before my talks, a little bungalow on the other side of Oahu, half a block from Lanikai Beach. The unit was well-kept …
Studio Sneak Peek #90: Wondernite Countdown
A candid look behind the scenes of Jason’s studio, through the eyes of his biggest fan... …
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Are You Bad or Just Busy?
"Shelter" by Jason Kotecki. Digital art. All of our technological advancements are supposed to give us more time. Instead, we fall for the temptation of trying to pack more tasks into the time we’ve saved. Last month I was booked to speak in Hawaii. I was able to take Kim and the kids along, and the week before the engagement, we played in the sun and surf of Lanikai Beach. I made a special point – a very concerted effort, indeed – to refrain from checking email, surf the internet, or scan my social media feeds. Somehow, the world continued to rotate on its 23-degree axis. The sun rose and set on a regular basis, and my business didn't crumble to the ground. I heard a saying once that if the devil can’t make you bad, he’ll make you busy. Adultitis thrives in all this busyness, which tricks you into feeling like you’re productive. When you feel productive, you think you’re actually getting something accomplished, which fools you into believing that your work is not …
Insight Springs Forth From Ugliness
Things got pretty ugly at one of my recent speaking programs. I was invited to help the staff at one of Madison's most treasured landmarks adopt a mindset of creativity and innovation. As part of the workshop, the attendees got an opportunity to decorate cookies together. But the goal wasn’t to make Martha Stewart jealous. The goal was to make them as ugly as possible, as a callback to a story I often tell. Mission accomplished. Underneath this seemingly innocuous activity, a number of powerful elements were at play. Chief among them was, well, play. It’s not every day that you come to work and get to decorate cookies. (Unless you work in a bakery, that is!) That alone gets people’s attention, and draws them into the activity more than any predictable ice breaker activity ever could. This level of engagement helped them to connect quickly with their co-workers, breaking down silos, as many of them work in different departments. It also drew them …
Studio Sneak Peek #89: Varnish Break and Wondernite Preview
A candid look behind the scenes of Jason’s studio... …
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The Easiest Way Leave a Powerful Legacy
Mr. Olsen had written a series of math problems across several chalkboards. The avalanche of white scribbles was overwhelming, but not impossible. “Anyone who gets them all correct,” he told his fifth grade class, “will get a sucker.” Sheryl was one of five students who were up to the task. Unfortunately, the teacher said he only had four suckers, and was forced to ask if anyone would be willing to give up theirs. Sheryl said she would. Mr. Olsen thanked her, and proceeded with the rest of the school day.Before the students were dismissed that afternoon, Mr. Olsen asked Sheryl to stay after school so he could talk to her. She’d never been asked stay after school, and she was terrified!After all the other students exited the classroom. Mr. Olsen asked Sheryl to have a seat at his desk. He pulled open the bottom drawer and withdrew a whole, unopened bag of suckers and presented it to her. With a look of shock across her face, Mr. Olsen said, "Sheryl, what you did today was very generous …
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Studio Sneak Peek #88: Kid’s Edition!
A candid look behind the scenes of Jason’s studio, through the eyes of his biggest fan... …
Shine On: Looking for Light During Dark Times
Kim and I were invited by American Family Insurance's DreamBank to share our story about when we returned home from vacation with our three kids to find something we were not expecting. It led to an emotional roller coaster of fear, anger, and grief, but eventually evolved into an inspiring story of hope and the power of community. In this vulnerable but uplifting program, we share our journey from darkness into light. We also touch on themes from Jason’s newly released book, "A Chance of Awesome: How Changing the Way You See Changes Everything," giving tips and insight for finding the silver linings amidst the dark clouds that roll into our lives. …
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