Ben Wilson

And so if you put all this pressure on yourself that you have to develop a whole world, you got a middle earth whole cloth out of nothing. How daunting is that? You have to think of the language and the culture and the economy and all this stuff. But if you imagine that that world actually, it already exists out there. That history is there.

And so if you put all this pressure on yourself that you have to develop a whole world, you got a middle earth whole cloth out of nothing. How daunting is that? You have to think of the language and the culture and the economy and all this stuff. But if you imagine that that world actually, it already exists out there. That history is there.

You just need to do the imaginative research to discover it, then it becomes a whole lot easier. And so I think this is true of so many domains, whether you're trying to write a book in nonfiction or a book of fiction, or you're trying to paint. Now think of it as a painting metaphor. If you're trying, if you just look at a blank canvas and you say, okay, I need to create something new.

You just need to do the imaginative research to discover it, then it becomes a whole lot easier. And so I think this is true of so many domains, whether you're trying to write a book in nonfiction or a book of fiction, or you're trying to paint. Now think of it as a painting metaphor. If you're trying, if you just look at a blank canvas and you say, okay, I need to create something new.

like where do you even start? But if you just say, this is imaginative research, I am going to, what does a tree look like? You know, this is how Da Vinci essentially painted. He was doing research as he painted. What do these things actually look like? How do they work? You know, how can I best express them?

like where do you even start? But if you just say, this is imaginative research, I am going to, what does a tree look like? You know, this is how Da Vinci essentially painted. He was doing research as he painted. What do these things actually look like? How do they work? You know, how can I best express them?

Then it becomes a lot easier and you can just get started on doing that research and creativity comes more naturally. So when you are being creative, focus on imaginative research. I know this is kind of a new idea. It makes a lot of sense in my head. I hope that that makes sense for you as well. And then number eight, this is my last lesson. It's probably the most simple.

Then it becomes a lot easier and you can just get started on doing that research and creativity comes more naturally. So when you are being creative, focus on imaginative research. I know this is kind of a new idea. It makes a lot of sense in my head. I hope that that makes sense for you as well. And then number eight, this is my last lesson. It's probably the most simple.

But whenever someone asked Johann Sebastian Bach, how is it that you were able to be so great to accomplish what you've accomplished? His answer was, quote, I was obliged to be industrious. Whoever is equally industrious will succeed equally well. And I don't think that's true. Bach was a one in a billion level genius, but. He was industrious.

But whenever someone asked Johann Sebastian Bach, how is it that you were able to be so great to accomplish what you've accomplished? His answer was, quote, I was obliged to be industrious. Whoever is equally industrious will succeed equally well. And I don't think that's true. Bach was a one in a billion level genius, but. He was industrious.

And it's only because that genius was paired with hard work that he was able to accomplish what he did. And he was able to work so hard, not out of duty, not because he had some taskmaster, not because he felt like he had to, but because he was filled with the love of music and the pleasure of doing it with great musicians, to borrow a line from John Williams. So I think that's true.

And it's only because that genius was paired with hard work that he was able to accomplish what he did. And he was able to work so hard, not out of duty, not because he had some taskmaster, not because he felt like he had to, but because he was filled with the love of music and the pleasure of doing it with great musicians, to borrow a line from John Williams. So I think that's true.

You have to work hard in order to be great. And hard work is downstream of loving what you do, of just being filled with a genuine passion and enthusiasm for what you're doing. And if you don't feel that, then you've got to find something new. So that ends the free version of this episode. It's longer than I thought it was going to be. Thanks for sticking with me.

You have to work hard in order to be great. And hard work is downstream of loving what you do, of just being filled with a genuine passion and enthusiasm for what you're doing. And if you don't feel that, then you've got to find something new. So that ends the free version of this episode. It's longer than I thought it was going to be. Thanks for sticking with me.

I also have a lot of end notes and a lot of interesting stuff. I'm going to talk about how to enjoy Bach more. If you're someone who's always found Bach boring or wondering where to start and how to find them accessible, I'm going to go through that.

I also have a lot of end notes and a lot of interesting stuff. I'm going to talk about how to enjoy Bach more. If you're someone who's always found Bach boring or wondering where to start and how to find them accessible, I'm going to go through that.

I'm going to talk a little bit more of some takeaways of how to find perfection in an imperfect environment, how to find focus when you've got a lot of various interests and how Bach did that. We'll talk a little bit more about how he actually composed, what his desk looked like. We'll talk about what he was like as a parent and the legacy of his children.

I'm going to talk a little bit more of some takeaways of how to find perfection in an imperfect environment, how to find focus when you've got a lot of various interests and how Bach did that. We'll talk a little bit more about how he actually composed, what his desk looked like. We'll talk about what he was like as a parent and the legacy of his children.

There's a lot more to talk about about Bach. So you can get all of that if you go to takeoverpod.supercast.com and subscribe for $7 a month. And you'll get all of the extra episodes that I release, all the end notes, all of the extra takeaways. So that helps support the show and helps me do this full time. So I hope you will go and do that and subscribe at takeoverpod.supercast.com.

There's a lot more to talk about about Bach. So you can get all of that if you go to takeoverpod.supercast.com and subscribe for $7 a month. And you'll get all of the extra episodes that I release, all the end notes, all of the extra takeaways. So that helps support the show and helps me do this full time. So I hope you will go and do that and subscribe at takeoverpod.supercast.com.