Pay Attention

And be curious about what makes us want to make anything at all.

You know what's wild about creativity?

Everyone talks about output - make more, create more, ship more. As if creating was just another aspect of productivity to hack.

But here's what I discovered after a 20-year detour between art school and making my first picture book: the secret isn't in how much you make. It's in what you let in.

Think about it.

We're all drowning in input right now.

Notifications.

Feeds.

Algorithms deciding what should catch our eye next. Everyone's shouting about what we should create and how we should create it.

But what if we've got it backwards?

What if, before we worry about making more, we got curious about what makes us want to make anything at all?

That's why I'm theming 2025 "The Year of Creative Influence." Not another resolution to create more. Not another system to optimize your output. Instead, I'm inviting you to try something that feels both radical and obvious:

Pay attention to what makes you pay attention.

TEN MINUTE ARTIST PROMPT

What do you pay attention to?

Make a list, or draw icons for the things you pay attention to. Take your time and ask slowly and wait for the answer.

“Where is my attention?”

Spend ten minutes then date your list. Do this exercise whenever you like. Over time the answers will change, notice the patterns.

PS: Let me lead you into a year of creative influence, Get Community, all 365 New Prompts in 2025 & The Illustrator Career Growth Roadmap plus other bonuses at a festive price by clicking the tree 🎄 . I’ll be taking the tree down soon so this is the last chance to lock in this price ever. (Click the tree)

You could also buy my books, visit this affiliate link to start writing online, and shop at my mom’s stationery shop :)

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Lastly, Enroll to ART GYM to get 24 Drawing Workshops for $25, offer ends soon!