And so on. Do you see a pattern here?

One of secrets of Great Men of past is that they cultivated creativity and artistic expression in their lives. Sometimes Great Men consciously chose a craft or a fine art as an outlet, a creative diversion from intensity of their daily lives. And sometimes Great Men had no particular objective in pursuing creative expression, it just simply happened as an overflow of who they already were. They created, just as day follows night.

You can be creative, too, and reap incredible benefits. That is, if you use right tools.

***

My new web site, http://www.ConversationFromthePast.com, will help you live a creative life of adventure and challenge you to expand your horizons and reach new frontiers. At Conversations From Past, men are challenged, edified and encouraged to embrace what Theodore Roosevelt called The Strenuous Life.

We challenge each other to live lives of steadfast resolution, to overcome obstacles, to win in spite of a thousand repulses or defeats, to never fear to try a new line of attack because of a previous setback.

We urge each other to grasp, to rise and struggle, even against incalculable odds, to attempt, to make bold move.

We also recognize that as we live lives that we desire, we will also be object of begrudging, resistance, hostility and resentment. Bold, intensely masculine lives create friction. It is not just historical irony that greatest peacemakers in history of world have met with violent death; it is simply way of this world.

One of best ways to deal with these difficulties, these assaults, is to seek a creative outlet, an artistic expression.

***

But, you rightfully ask, how do I get started? Great question. The answer is surprisingly simple.

Just start and don’t look back. As Churchill wrote of his own painting career (which was by any standard very successful, especially since he had a few other things on his plate):

[T]he first quality that is needed is Audacity. There really is no time for deliberate approach.

Who wrote rules to your life? Did you? When you look at your life you begin to realise that most of time you are living by someone else’s rules. The rules made by your family, education system, culture you grew up in. The rules made to ensure you conform and are easy to manage.

But when you look around you can see many successful people who don’t conform to your rules.

They see a different way. They have accepted that there is more to life than conforming. More to life than accepting what everyone else accepts. They see that it is important to be different. It is important to be true to yourself. It is important to live by your own values.

Yes they get it wrong sometimes. Yes they cause difficulty for others sometimes. Yes they cause others to rethink their position sometimes but they realise that more they live according to their own principles. The more they live according to their inbuilt values more chance they have of being successful.

When you conform to other people’s rules you are reducing your opportunities. When you conform to other people’s rules you are reducing your potential.

Take a look at your life:

Do rules, you live your life by, get best out of you or are they designed to keep you in a box? Do rules, you live your life by, help you to become successful or do they reduce your chances?