The Spark and the Grind

Ignite the Power of Disciplined Creativity

By: Erik Wahl

Narrated by: Erik Wahl, Tasha Wahl

We've been conditioned to think about creative genius as a dichotomy: dreamers versus doers, creativity versus discipline, the spark versus the grind.

But what if we're wrong?

What if it's the spark and the grind?

We love people whose creative genius arrives in sudden sparks of inspiration. Think of Archimedes in his bathtub or Newton under his apple tree.

But we also admire people who work incredibly hard and long for their creative breakthroughs. Think of Edison in his lab, grinding through hundreds of failed variations on the lightbulb. We remember his words in tough times: "Genius is 1 percent inspiration, 99 percent perspiration."

Now Erik Wahl, a visual artist, speaker, and entrepreneur, helps us unite the yin and yang of creativity - the dynamic new ideas with the dogged effort. He shows why we won't get far if we rely on the spark without the grind or the grind without the spark. What the world really needs are the creators who can hold the two in balance.

Fortunately, it's possible to get good at both, as Wahl knows from experience. After his corporate career suddenly ended, he pursued a spark - to paint photorealistic portraits - and ground it out until he got good enough to make very good art very quickly. That's the basis of his riveting live shows, which have captivated skeptical audiences who never expected to be inspired by art - and taught them to embrace creativity in a whole new way.

This audiobook offers surprising insights and practical advice about how to fan the sparks and make the grind more productive. Wahl deftly synthesizes the wisdom of other artists, philosophers, scientists, and business visionaries throughout history, along with his own views. Here's how he sums up his approach:

The world needs people who enjoy swimming in ideas until they discover a great one. The world also needs doers who have a gift for activation, aka "getting s--- done." But the most potent individual creators in any industry or environment have learned how to be both. They've learned how to spark their grind, and they've learned how to grind their sparks. As a result they not only make things happen, they make great things.

If you want to ensure constant creativity in your life and produce your most innovative work - this is your guide.

©2017 Art is Freedom, LLC (P)2017 Gildan Media LLC

Worth reading!

I was new to Erik Wahl but discovered his work in my search on the subject of curiosity and creativity. This book is not meant to emulate Erik but to provoke one to think about why they have chosen what to do and why they might need to look beyond what they are presently doing. Wahl's story is very interesting but the underlying truths can have a tremendous impact on your future.

It was okay.

I like it. It was okay. The author started to sound a little snooty in the final third of the book but ended on a positive note.

The reader/performer did a good job. I liked listening to her voice.

Listen to Erik! You can't have one w/o the other!

If you could sum up The Spark and the Grind in three words, what would they be?

1) SPARK, GRIND, REPEAT!
2) Focused "Discipline is key" to creativity!
3) Practice, Practice, Practice.

What did you like best about this story?

Erik's experiences, challenges and triumphs.

Which character – as performed by Erik Wahl and Tasha Wahl – was your favorite?

That seems like an Ai/computer generated question. If YOU are reading this, just listen to the book for great true stories of men and women through the years who've modeled disciplined creativity.

What did you learn from The Spark and the Grind that you would use in your daily life?

You can become more creative and creativity can open some amazing doors for you both this week and in weeks to come. All great challenges are begging for a creative solution.

Any additional comments?

Read (listen to) the book, don't wait for the movie! (Although it'd be a great one if Erik and Tasha were to 'grind' a movie out!)