Find your passion, explore your passion, live your passion. This is what WWB’s Passioneer department is all about! I am so excited to present this new monthly column ‘Passioneer Library’ because I get to fulfill my passion, which is to share knowledge and wisdom I have found in wonderful books! I can’t remember a time in my life where I didn’t recommend a book, share a book or quote a book when I wanted to encourage someone to explore and learn. Equally and magically books always seem to find me exactly when I need wisdom or inspiration. Does that happen to you?
Well if it hasn’t happened, I hope the Passioneer Library becomes your ‘go to place’ for books that will ‘feed your passion’. Passion often leads to your purpose, and your purpose is often your calling. But keep in mind, your passion doesn’t have to be your job. There are all kinds of ways to tap into your passions, and the idea is to bring them to life, and enjoy them to the fullest. This month we focus on ‘creativity’ and I present two fantastic books that are sure to get your creative juices flowing. I myself can’t wait to read the first book featured because it was just released. Let’s read it together! The second book is an older book I have read and it is a must have for the Passioneer’s library. I often recommend the author’s other National bestseller ‘Flow’ (which is a classic now around the world) to people who are interested in the creative process. Happy reading and exploring…
P.S In addition to this monthly column, I also interview high-profile authors, experts and visionaries who are Passioneers and will inspire you to pursue your passions in life. I invite you to take a look at some of the wonderful people I have featured here at WWB who are out there living their passion, and also making the world a better place. I promise it will make you feel rainbows up and down your spine! How is that for a visual?!
Readers of all ages and walks of life have drawn inspiration and empowerment from Elizabeth Gilbert’s books for years. Now this beloved author digs deep into her own generative process to share her wisdom and unique perspective about creativity. With profound empathy and radiant generosity, she offers potent insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration. She asks us to embrace our curiosity and let go of needless suffering. She shows us how to tackle what we most love, and how to face down what we most fear. She discusses the attitudes, approaches, and habits we need in order to live our most creative lives. Balancing between soulful spirituality and cheerful pragmatism, Gilbert encourages us to uncover the “strange jewels” that are hidden within each of us. Whether we are looking to write a book, make art, find new ways to address challenges in our work, embark on a dream long deferred, or simply infuse our everyday lives with more mindfulness and passion, Big Magic cracks open a world of wonder and joy.
The classic study of the creative process from the national bestselling author of Flow creativity is about capturing those moments that make life worth living. Legendary psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi reveals what leads to these moments—be it the excitement of the artist at the easel or the scientist in the lab—so that this knowledge can be used to enrich people’s lives. Drawing on nearly one hundred interviews with exceptional people, from biologists and physicists, to politicians and business leaders, to poets and artists, as well as his thirty years of research on the subject, Csikszentmihalyi uses his famous flow theory to explore the creative process. He discusses such ideas as why creative individuals are often seen as selfish and arrogant, and why the “tortured genius” is largely a myth. Most important, he explains why creativity needs to be cultivated and is necessary for the future of our country, if not the world.
