are you playing?

from today’s aiga chicago newsletter:

“To play it safe is not to play.”
:: Robert Altman, film director

this one may bump my tibor quote in my sig line. at the very least it will get a place on honor in my notebook(s). what a challenging question to ask yourself. i think it’s especially difficult as we age and, maybe, mature in our career to remain fresh and playful in out approaches. if you’re honest with your self and you think back on most of your best and must fulfilling ideas 9 times out of 10 they probably started with play. they may have started with crazy. or…with “what the hell”.

fresh ideas are what keep me going in this business. it’s the excitement, the positively electric jolt, i get when i find a solution or when i see a colleague find one. the light-bulb above the head is my own personal jesus of design.

go play. and if you’re not playing, you need to ask yourself why…

~ by designhead on May 10, 2007.