Catching the big fish: David Lynch

As I think campaigning is an art form - if you want to deliver real results and not just change things on the margin - I think a lot can be learnt from creative processes such as film making.

Many people that I meet think that the big challenge is to find the right tools, but artists start with an idea and create/find the tools necessary to realize the idea. If you want to copy already existing things you can ask for a list of things to do or ask for a handbook with tools, but if you what to do something new that will not help.

Lynch focus on meditation in his book and the search for the creative place where you can both see new aspects and get new ideas is a key aspect for any person that want to deliver results. If meditation sounds strange, try think of it as "focus".

The book is divided in small observations/reflections and can be read in an afternoon if you want to know more about a creative process. Among the many observations there should be something for everybody.

For me it was probably the balance between the urge for clarity and also a real passion/desire that he captured best. Probably because I often find that on the one hand there are those who run things and lack passion and any real will to change things and on the other hand there are those who have passion and empathy, but often struggle with their suffering.

“There are some people who try to run the whole business on fear. But I think it is such a joke – it’s pathetic and stupid at the same time.”

“Anger and depression and sorrow are beautiful things in a story, but they are like poison […] They’re like a vise grip on creativity. If you’re in that grip, you can hardly get out of bed, much less experience the flow of creativity and ideas. You must have clarity to create. You have to be able to catch ideas.”

PS
I hope to get around in 2009 to write the “campaigning for real results” handbook.