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Mozart was not a stodgy prodigy. His childhood
travels often brought him to the tavern, where he would head for the spittoon and amuse
the locals with spitting games. One difference between Mozart and ordinary folks is that
Mozart managed to bring this playful spontaneity into his work. He was an avid billiard
player. And it's said that he found musical inspiration in the "click" and
"thump" of the balls in play.
This suggests to me that we shouldn't even bother to make the distinction between work and
play.
The directors of Honey, I Blew Up the Kids learned this lesson trying to direct
the ultimate creatives--a pair of two-year-old identical twins.
Talk about creative prima donnas! They absolutely refused to deliver their lines or wait
for their cues.
But then, one day the crew celebrated a birthday on the set. Suddenly the twins did what
kids do at a birthday party. They acted like kids! So, from then on, the crew staged a
birthday party every day. The twins thought they were playing. The director thought they
were working.
It's the typical two-year-old in you that makes you creative. Makes you do what you feel
like doing. If you want creative results, from yourself or from your staff, throw a party
every day. Encourage play, independence, and experimentation.
Forget all the left-brain management techniques you've studied and
think naked.
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