5 Motivating Books to Rekindle Your Creativity

Are you losing your passion for design? Is your drive, or personal vision in your work lacking?

Here are some great books to help rekindle your creativity, or help you re-evaluate your life purpose. We all go through dry periods when we lose site of our vision and languish in our inspiration–whether in our life, career, or just the next project. Every now and then, we need a kick in the pants–or at least a little encouragement from other like-minded, and very human artists! If you’re in need of a creative reboot, consider a few of these books written by those who through sheer determination traveled upstream to follow their inner calling.

Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative

Austin Kleon is a writer and artist living in Austin, Texas. Kleon offers practical advice, insights and bits of wisdom on creating art in our modern world by collaborating with artists of the past and present– “stealing”, and adding your own touch and making it yours.

The Art of Work

Jeff Goins Marketing expert, writer and author of four books including The Art of Work.

“The path to your life’s work is difficult and risky, even scary, which is why few finish the journey. This is a book about discovering your life’s work, that treasure of immeasurable worth we all long for. It’s about the task you were born to do.” (1)

 The Crossroads of SHOULD and MUST; Find and Follow Your Passion

Elle Luna, designer, painter, and writer. Elle Luna describes her path from designer to artist, following her dreams and choosing ‘must’ over ‘should’.

–“The Crossroads of Should and Must guides us from the small moment, discovering our Must, to the big moment—actually doing something about it, and returning to share our new gifts with the world.”

The Artists Way

Julia Cameron, American teacher, author, artist, poet, playwright, novelist, filmmaker, composer, and journalist.

“The Artist’s Way is the seminal book on the subject of creativity. An international bestseller, millions of readers have found it to be an invaluable guide to living the artist’s life.” (2)

“Art is not about thinking something up. It is the opposite — getting something down.” – Julia Cameron

The Creative Habit: Learn it and use it For Life

Twyla Tharp   is an American dancer, choreographer, and author who lives and works in New York City.

A Practical and encouraging book for anyone who wants to understand how to achieve their dreams as fulfilled Creatives. Twyla draws from a variety of life experiences of well known artists throughout history. She writes with straightforwardness on the necessary development of building good work habits as well as recognizing and fighting your own inner demons that cause so many to quit before they begin.

“The only thing I fear more than change is no change. The business of being static makes me nuts.” (Twyla Tharp)

“There are mighty demons, but they’re hardly unique to me. You probably share some. If I let them, they’ll shut down my impulses (‘No, you can’t do that’) and perhaps turn off the spigots of creativity altogether. So I combat my fears with a staring-down ritual, like a boxer looking his opponent right in the eye before a bout.” (Twyla Tharp)