Kicking off 2013’s first Chicago CreativeMornings—and the 14th one in The City That Works—was Nick Campbell (above top), an animator, photographer and all-around curious guy, held in the new office of men’s outfitter Trunk Club (above below). Amazingly without the typical slideshow, Nick shared his pursuit of happiness: the first global theme of CreativeMornings. He gave insights to stimulate your happy path:
“I’m a kind of paranoiac in reverse. I suspect people
of plotting to make me happy.”
—J. D. Salinger, Author of The Catcher in the Rye
Campbell served up a timeless reminder to never act as if you’re the smartest one, with any group, in any room. This is a lesson repeated to would-be leaders. Acting as though you’re the best, smartest, or whatever quality, blocks learning and its segue of doing—something that Campbell proactively thrives on, as demonstrated in his personal blog Greyscalegorilla, “one of the leading sites to learn about motion graphics and 3D software.” In a recent LinkedIn article, Hunter Walk, Director of Product Management at Google, recommends, “Don’t try to be the smartest person in the room anymore. The smart person isn’t sitting in any room—she’s out there getting stuff done.” In addition to learning and then doing, Campbell takes it further by sharing.
No doubt that we live and work in an artificial environment. We’re surrounded by a long, storied range of diverse objects that sprung from human creativity. Any of these creations can spark fascination or investigation, layer by layer, into how a thing works. Campbell testified to this fact, sharing how he became a fierce enthusiast of pinball machines. This enthusiasm led him to acquire a few of them. It also steered a client, who happened to be in the pinball machine industry, his way. What launched these events was Campbell’s curiosity. As Jim Coudal, who spoke at the first CreativeMornings Chicago, put it: “Our number-one value isn’t in any of the skills we have. It’s that we’re essentially curious.”
Happiness is one of the best natural resources. To Campbell, being happy naturally benefits everyone’s quality of life, especially, as he expressed with excitement: “to make better stuff.” Happiness begets happiness in the form of “by-products.” Jason Fried, Co-Founder of 37signals and who spoke at the second Chicago CreativeMornings, encourages the discovery of by-products: “When you make something you make something else. … Everything has a by-product. Observant and creative entrepreneurs spot these by-products and see opportunities.” The pursuit of by-products, the kind that feeds the soul, is the pursuit of happiness.
• • •
• • •
Especially big thanks: to Tina Roth Eisenberg—Swissmiss—for inventing CreativeMornings in 2008. The fifth chapter was launched in Chicago, June 2011—my write-up and photos.
• • •
Huge thanks to Mig Reyes for establishing CreativeMornings’ presence in Chicago in 2011 through 2013! Congratulations to Kim and Kyle of Knoed Creative on becoming the new organizers! Read about their talk at Chicago CreativeMornings #7.
• • •
• • •
Photos by Nate Burgos. View more.
• • •
Read more Chicago CreativeMornings coverage.
• • •
