I’ve had this nagging feeling in the back of my mind for years now – a feeling that I have settled in the wrong place for what it is that I want to do. After reading through part of Jeff Goins’ Real Artists Don’t Starve, I voiced those frustrations earlier today to my peer group (check them out here). Upon further reading, and some insight from my peers, I’ve had something of a revelation.

“If you want to be creative, go where your questions lead you.”

Louis L’Amour

Most of the questions and ideas that I want to follow can be started right where I am. It is not a question of physical location; it’s a question of people.

An issue that myself and other Creatives seem to experience often is that we isolate ourselves. It isn’t that there are no creative areas or places around; it’s the fact that we don’t go to these places. We don’t automatically surround ourselves with other creative and artistic problem-solvers. We simply try to do things on our own.

The “right place”, then, maybe isn’t a new location…

Perhaps it is just finding the right group of people.

So for all of us Creatives out there, let’s start going to the places where things are happening. If nothing is happening, then make something happen.

Go start something, somewhere, with someone.

Find someone who wants to start reading the Great Books with you. Go old-school and have a pen-pal correspondence relationship with this person so that your brilliant insights are captured for posterity.

Start a band, even if all you do is practice some different ideas together. You may never play a show or go on tour, but that’s not the point. Music is meant to be made with other people, and we need to be surrounded by other people.

Get a few friends together every week at a coffee shop or library, and discuss projects that you are working on, ideas you have had, things you have written, or art you have created.

My problem is not where I live – it is that I have isolated myself from the others who are already doing the work. I need to find the tribes of which I want to be a part and engage with them.

I suggest you do the same.

*Disclaimer: some of the links above are affiliate links which means I get a small payment if you purchase something through them. Just gotta say it.