Art for art’s sake
📪 The Optimal Agent Newsletter #039
Take Action:
Choose your art for art’s sake.
Why It Matters:
Doing something simply because you love it is one of the highest expressions of Agency. Free from judgment, measurement or expectation of reward, you’ll develop a deeper sense of yourself (and your capacity for freedom) every time you engage.
How To Do It:
Choose your art. You should be both a creator and a beginner. You might draw, compose, play, code, build, produce, make, write, paint, or design — but it’s best if you come with little knowledge and no expectation of competence.
Place no stock. Your pursuit matters by not mattering. The second you begin to seek the approval of yourself or others for your output, it may be time to choose another art.
Begin with action, not preparation. Cut your first board, bang the snare, fire up the welder, shoot some video, knit a row, spread paint, write a sentence, open a compiler. Stifle the urge to over-research, read, and see how others recommend doing it — you are here for the act rather than the outcome.
Spend the time. Do not leave your art for last. Engaging with it regularly and with priority will bring the feeling of freedom you’re after — a corner of the world where your Agency is instant (and loosely held).
Explore More:
Listen: O.A. Podcast Episode #39, where we revisit our favorite Optimal Agency episode of 2023: “The World is Clay”
Read: The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin
Watch: Rick Rubin’s 60 Minutes interview with Anderson Cooper
