[Chris Campbell]

Creative people say NO more than other people .... interesting reading.
It seems we are more aware of how much time we have left, how we should use our time and how easily it can be wasted.
I know I am hyper aware of how quickly it passes and how 'musts' turn into 'should haves' .....

https://medium.com/t...ty/bad7c34842a2

What do you all think of this?

[GEP]

I love this. It takes a really long time to learn that saying "no" is not wrong. But really, you cannot run a succesful creative venture without it.

Here's my version ... because all of these requests come to me through the contact form on my website (because they are from people who do not have my actual email address), sometime last year I added this verbiage on that form:

"Some proactive expectations management ... I try to respond to the notes and questions I receive through this form, but I don't always manage to do it! So many pots to make, so little time."


Mea

[Mark C.]

No took me a long time to come around to as far as pottery orders-but now its the right answer
As Mea eluded to as far as e-mail contacts -No is often the outcome as people think I'm Amazom and I'm not.
For aspiring potters the sooner you learn No the better for you and the bottom line.

Can you make me a left handed mustache mug that says grampa on the side--Well NO I cannot.
Mark

[Denice]

It seems like I say NO a lot anymore. Someone sees my work and then comes up and ask me it they can take classes from me so I can teach them to make pottery like mine. I already feel like I don't have enough time in my studio and I sure don't want to spend it on some one who doesn't seem to appreciate the time and education it takes to get good consistent work. I guess I'm a selfish person but time is to short and rare to share. Denice

[TJR]

I agree! Fabulous post Chris. Right now I am doing my taxes, and have to say "No" to the studio. All those little restaurant receipts and bills for clay.OMG.Two days sitting unfolding scraps of paper. I have said NO to matching the green plate from a broken dinner ware set.Or matching Belique pottery. It does get easier to say NO as we get older. Is it because time becomes more precious?
TJR.

[Diane Puckett]

Absolutely. I love it when I read something that verbalizes some truth I already know to which but have not given much thought. Thanks for sharing this.

[Pres]

Chris Campbell, on 19 March 2013 - 11:19 AM, said:

Creative people say NO more than other people .... interesting reading.
It seems we are more aware of how much time we have left, how we should use our time and how easily it can be wasted.
I know I am hyper aware of how quickly it passes and how 'musts' turn into 'should haves' .....

https://medium.com/t...ty/bad7c34842a2

What do you all think of this?

Was it a creative guy that said "Time is Money"? Seems like that is what most of this is about. I guess I'm not very creative as I spend a lot of time on the forums here, as many of you do. :lol:src="http://ceramicartsdaily.org/community/public/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif">

[bciskepottery]

Didn't Peter Drucker, one of the no sayers, do his research by interviewing successful managers and executives and their subordinates? If you depend on the generousity of others, I would think you'd be inclined to reciprocate. Maybe I'm wrong.

[Chris Campbell]

No, you are not wrong ... But thinking you have to attend to every request you receive sucks away the time you need to accomplish your goals. I think it s important to differentiate between things others would like you to do and things you need to do.

[Denice]

You need to reciprocate kindness but you use your time where it will do the most good. I help, shop and make calls for my mother-in law who is 90 and also took care of my parents until they passed. Denice

[TJR]

Denice, on 20 March 2013 - 08:00 AM, said:

You need to reciprocate kindness but you use your time where it will do the most good. I help, shop and make calls for my mother-in law who is 90 and also took care of my parents until they passed. Denice

Denice;
You can say "no" without being rude. You also can still do all of your obligations to your family. Yes, I present a lot of workshops for little pay and give back to the youth. What we are talking about here are those soul crushing projects that you might get stuck doing.
One school I taught at-come to think of it, it's my current school, asked me to calligraphy all the high school diplomas. I said "No,I am left handed, and all the ink would smear". The other art teacher is left-handed as well. I said no for her as well. I can actually do calligraphy, but it takes me forever. Can you imagine the time it would take for that?
I was also asked to make a 1000 paper cranes in origami. I said no to that as well.
TJR.

[AtomicAxe]

Half the time I don't even say NO .... I point to my shirt ... it's printed on it. I also have 'I don't work here' and 'go away' ... 3 shirts that save me so much energy.

[TJR]

AtomicAxe, on 20 March 2013 - 09:32 AM, said:

Half the time I don't even say NO .... I point to my shirt ... it's printed on it. I also have 'I don't work here' and 'go away' ... 3 shirts that save me so much energy.

I saw one that says; "I'm on break" She wears it all the time. All day. I think it's a bit rude myself.
TJR.

[trina]

Mark C., on 19 March 2013 - 03:35 PM, said:

No took me a long time to come around to as far as pottery orders-but now its the right answer
As Mea eluded to as far as e-mail contacts -No is often the outcome as people think I'm Amazom and I'm not.
For aspiring potters the sooner you learn No the better for you and the bottom line.

Can you make me a left handed mustache mug that says grampa on the side--Well NO I cannot.
Mark

What! NO to the grampa mug.... but it's all I have ever wanted and make sure you use that exact eggshell blue glaze (you know the one...like my car but just a bit lighter and not so shiny) or I will argue. haha T

[Chris Campbell]

I also think that sometimes I take the request too personally .... Now that I have started saying no more often I notice no one is particularly crushed, they just ask the next person in line. The next warm body .... I thought they needed me but no, they just needed someone to do whatever.

[Roberta12]

Chris Campbell, on 20 March 2013 - 04:10 PM, said:

I also think that sometimes I take the request too personally .... Now that I have started saying no more often I notice no one is particularly crushed, they just ask the next person in line. The next warm body .... I thought they needed me but no, they just needed someone to do whatever.

The article was great! I thought I was saying no more often simply because I am getting older and crabbier....who knew it was because I am getting more and more creative!
Roberta

[Claypple]

I don't have time to finish reading the article. Can anyone tell me what it is about in one sentence?

[marthamarks]

Big Electric Cat, on 21 March 2013 - 09:40 AM, said:

Alright, I'll take the bait - NO!

Y'all are funny!! I love this site.

[Wahine]

I will never forget the day my husband said, "My God, its like your obsessed with it!"

-chantay