I’m not generally into using social mediums as an avenue to preach business strategies or philosophies like the rest of the Twitterati, but for some reason I feel compelled to share this passage regarding creativity in the work place and getting shit done.

It stems from the book “Ignore Everybody” by Hugh MacLeod and focuses on eliminating the pillars we create in our lives that do nothing but stand in our way.

“There’s no correlation between creativity and equipment ownership.
  
Actually, as the artist gets more into her thing, and as she gets more successful, the number of tools tends to go down. She knows what works for her. Expending mental energy on stuff wastes time. She’s a woman on a mission. She’s got a deadline. She’s got some rich client breathing down her neck. The last thing she wants is to spend three weeks learning how to use a router drill if she doesn’t need to.
  
A fancy tool just gives the second-rater one more pillar to hide behind.
  
Which is why there are so many second-rate art directors with state-of-the-art Macintosh computers. 
  
Which is why there are so many hack writers with state-of-the-art laptops.
  
Which is why there are so many unremarkable painters with expansive studios in trendy neighborhoods.
  
Hiding behind pillars, all of them.
  
Pillars do not help, they hinder. The more mighty the pillar, the more you end up relying on it psychologically, the more it gets in your way.
  
And this applies to business as well.
  
Which is why there’s so many failing businessmen spending a fortune on fancy suits and expensive yacht club memberships.
  
Again, hiding behind pillars.
  
Successful people, artists and nonartists alike, are very good at spotting pillars. They’re very good at doing without them. Even more important, once they’ve spotted a pillar, they’re very good at quickly getting around it.
  
Good pillar management is one of the most valuable talents you can have on the planet. If you have it, I envy you. If you don’t, I pity you.
  
Sure, nobody’s perfect. We all have our pillars. We seem to need them. You are never going to live a pillar-free existence. Neither am I.

All we can do is keep asking the question, “Is this a pillar?” about every aspect of our business, our craft, our reason for being alive, and go from there. The more we ask, the better we get at spotting pillars, the more quickly pillars vanish.
  
Ask. Keep asking. And then ask again. Stop asking and you’re dead.” 

The AVP has been hiding behind pillars for years. The entire Leonard Armato era was founded on pillars. And look where we are now. With no base of substance to build upon.

But the tide has turned. Things are looking up as pillars disappear by the day. We’re getting back to our roots. In the end, our sport will be whole again. And mark my words, profitable.