Monday, May 9, 2011

Creativity Tips: A Lesson from Cirque du Soleil

The Kansas City Star this morning has a fun Q&A with Cirque du Soleil juggler/acrobat Vladik Myagkostupov (a great name that makes Sokoloff sound easy). At the end of the story, Vladik responds to the question, "And you juggle how many (balls) at one time?"

"In my act, seven.
But I actually do nine in training."

Isn't that fascinating? Vladik performs with tremendous confidence on stage because he absolutely knows he's not at his limit -- his live performance amazes the audience while carrying a greatly reduced risk of failure.

The question is: How can we apply that concept to our creative endeavors? And, if we do, will we be able to juggle all our daily responsibilities with a little less stress?

2 comments:

CJ Kennedy said...

For me it was embracing the Japanese philosophy of Wabi Sabi. Nothing is permanent. Nothing is finished. Nothing is perfect. Just an attitude of make mistakes, learn, grow, and strive for perfection.

Jan said...

I love that approach, CJ! Thanks for the comment.