Friday , March 29 2024
Remember, today was tomorrow yesterday.

Book Review: ‘The Art of Getting Started’ by Lee Crutchley

Need to get unstuck? Get the nudge you need with The Art of Getting Started, by Lee Crutchley. This is a deceptively simple and almost joyful little book, with graphics and suggestions in wild fonts. And it works. If you write and draw as directed, Crutchley’s method will shake you up enough that you will follow the prompts to see what step to take next.

We all know the feeling when you’re faced with a task and are stuck on where and how to begin. The result is usually feeling rooted in frustration and getting nowhere.  But open The Art of Getting Started to any page, and you’re likely to feel creative again in a few moments. Since the author is a professional illustrator and designer, much of the book is fill-in or drawing, with list-making and humorous ways to recharge your thinking.

Procrastination can be overcome with the author’s suggestions and ideas for unique tasks. One important one is to remember “procrastination kills free time.” That should be a good motivator to get moving.

Crutchley’s friendly style is straightforward and very energizing:

“Turning ideas into real things is NOT the easy part. It takes work, and delaying the work does one thing – It delays the work.”

Fans of Keri Smith’s Wreck This Journal will feel right at home. Let The Art of Getting Started help you find your focus for your next project. You’re sure to have fun with the book along the way.

Whether you are staring at a blank page and a looming deadline, or too bored to be able to motivate yourself, you’ll find a solution here, often after doing the drawing exercises.

Crutchley’s intention is to shift your perspective and shine light on the way to get started. As he advises: “There are hundreds of ways to reach your goal. But the most important thing is always the next step.”

One last quote from The Art of Getting Started to inspire you:

Remember, today was tomorrow yesterday.

About Helen Gallagher

Check Also

Book Review: ‘In It Together: The Beautiful Struggle Uniting Us All’ Is a Self-help Book for the Soul

If you want a new outlook on life, read this book.