At least from a business perspective, doing nothing doesn't fit into any kind of productivity metric. I think that's the main reason why it's so counterintuitive for most people, and why it's so underrated - undervalued, even!
I don’t tell stories in person as well as Vince did about Ali, but that was a great tale of creativity in practice. And probably a good dose of professional intuition too!
Thanks for addressing this! When people think Lawyers & Creativity, they think they’re opposites. So .. You’re tapping into a very special niche. Eager to see where this goes!
That sounds like an intriguing challenge. I had not thought about this as a special niche! I had thought this would be a one-off. Lawyers, creativity. Is there much more to write about it...? 😉 And who would want to read about it???!!!
But I am jotting it down in my Tana and am going to mull it over! Thanks for the inspiration!
Lawyers do creative work. Thank you for saying it! If we don't open our minds to that fact, we likely don't end up being creative in our work. Which makes for bad law, and just bad lawyers.
I learned of the idea of doing nothing as valuable for neural links to develop, from the Learning to Learn teacher Barbara Oakley (hence my obsession for toggling between "diffuse attention" and "focussed attention".)
If we start from a place of "I am" or "I can", it's much easier for that to happen. We are definitely creative, for sure, but perhaps not in the way we conventionally think about if we talk about "creatives" or "creative types".
The worst lawyers are the ones that AREN'T creative in finding a solution when there's an impasse, and are convinced they're "right.
I see how your newsletter name, Diffuse Attention, might have been inspired!
I wonder at what point in your legal career did you realise the importance of toggling between those states? I definitely didn't learn about it in the midst of it. I was eithe rtoo busy, or didn't have anyone around me who modelled that in a way that could have sparked a curiosity to try!
This reminds me of the Alice in wonderland quote, "Don't just do something, stand there!". Doing nothing is so underrated.
At least from a business perspective, doing nothing doesn't fit into any kind of productivity metric. I think that's the main reason why it's so counterintuitive for most people, and why it's so underrated - undervalued, even!
Never heard that Ali story. It's a gem re creativity.
I don’t tell stories in person as well as Vince did about Ali, but that was a great tale of creativity in practice. And probably a good dose of professional intuition too!
Love these moments in your newsletter Eric!
- your opening photo
- doing nothing Is productive
- examples / suggestions / reminders of how to take "downtime"
Thought provoking writing. Thanks Eric, and for the shout-out! :)
Cheers Charlotte. It wouldn’t have been written without your suggestion we go to the talk! Thank you!
Thanks for addressing this! When people think Lawyers & Creativity, they think they’re opposites. So .. You’re tapping into a very special niche. Eager to see where this goes!
Thanks Leo!
That sounds like an intriguing challenge. I had not thought about this as a special niche! I had thought this would be a one-off. Lawyers, creativity. Is there much more to write about it...? 😉 And who would want to read about it???!!!
But I am jotting it down in my Tana and am going to mull it over! Thanks for the inspiration!
Lawyers do creative work. Thank you for saying it! If we don't open our minds to that fact, we likely don't end up being creative in our work. Which makes for bad law, and just bad lawyers.
I learned of the idea of doing nothing as valuable for neural links to develop, from the Learning to Learn teacher Barbara Oakley (hence my obsession for toggling between "diffuse attention" and "focussed attention".)
💯 Thanks for sharing these perspectives.
If we start from a place of "I am" or "I can", it's much easier for that to happen. We are definitely creative, for sure, but perhaps not in the way we conventionally think about if we talk about "creatives" or "creative types".
The worst lawyers are the ones that AREN'T creative in finding a solution when there's an impasse, and are convinced they're "right.
I see how your newsletter name, Diffuse Attention, might have been inspired!
I wonder at what point in your legal career did you realise the importance of toggling between those states? I definitely didn't learn about it in the midst of it. I was eithe rtoo busy, or didn't have anyone around me who modelled that in a way that could have sparked a curiosity to try!