Becoming The Penultimate Creative!
Plus, 5 things worth sharing this week.
Hey Crashers,
For probably at least 30 years, I’ve been wrong about something so simple yet so life-changing! I wonder if you have made the same mistake? We’ll get to that later.
But first, this week, we’re at RENAISSANCE AUSTRALIA (link in Rapid 5). If you’re there too, come say “hi!” … If not, maybe it;s not too late!! 😉
Grace and Peace,
Cass & Rich
P.S. - You can still get 50% off a paid subscription for a few more days. Now’s the time to be a part of it all!! (And we’d appreciate the support)
In today’s issue:
A correction we all need to make: Don’t miss this!
Cass’s mic-drop moment: The audio edition is where that’s at.
Link #3: Tell us what you think.
and more…
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Rennaissance Australia is a new creative conference that’s launching this week. We’ll be there and would love to meet you if you’ll be there too!! (LINK)
Aodhan King has just launched a new album this week. It’s called ‘Beyond Us’ and is playing as we type. (LINK)
Here are the ‘penultimate rules for being more creatives,’ which we refer to in the Rhino Journals…. I would love to hear your thoughts on this one. (LINK)
Imagine singing the first hymn ever written! It looks like we may have that chance real soon if our friend John Dickson has anything to do with it! (LINK)
We’re LOVING this new album from a fellow ‘Crasher’, Cephas Azariah! If you’re looking for something to put on while you create, work, or study, this may well be it!! (LINK)
🎧 On the go? Listen to the audio version of this week’s edition, where Cass and Rich explore the concept of becoming the ‘Penultimate Creative’ from a curious angle…
Becoming The Penultimate Creative!
Some things in life just don't make sense.
Think about this…
How is it that when you're bored, time feels like it drags on and on, but when you're busy, it feels like you have no time at all?
Does time change? Is it fluid?
I'm no scientist, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't. It just feels like it does.
What about the concept of failure leading to success?
That makes no sense... failure is failure... right?
Well, no... not when you realize that even though failure feels negative, it's often the greatest teacher... and can be the stepping stone to future success.
And then there's the concept of "less is more."
How can less be more? That makes absolutely no sense.
Or does it?
Think about it in the context of being a Christian who is also a Creative.
Jesus Himself says in Mark 9:35 that if you want to be first, you have to be last. If you want to be the greatest, you must become the least.
We need to become less to become more.
Put another way - in your life - does your creativity have to become less so you can become more?
Less obsessive.
Less self-centered.
Less demanding.
Less critical.
More like Christ.
More loving.
More others focused.
More kind.
More generous.
You get the idea...
It's a challenging concept to get your head around.
True?
It's one of those things in life that doesn't make sense. But it's still what Jesus is asking of us.
James Altucher, in his Medium article entitled "The Penultimate Rules On Being More Creative" (link in the Rapid 5), explains how a woman corrected him on the use of the word 'Penultimate.'
Do you know what the word means? I must admit I had the definition wrong in my mind. I thought it meant the 'very best'… or the 'absolute ultimate.'
With that definition, becoming the penultimate creative' would mean that Jesus' greatest goal for your life is for you to become successful beyond your wildest dreams... and for you to become THE creative person that others think about when people think of super creative people.
Those things may be on Jesus' list of goals for your life - but that's NOT His ultimate!
God cares about your creativity. He wants you to excel. But more than that, His desire is for you to want to know Him more than He wants you to do amazing things for Him.
We have to ask ourselves: How much do I value my relationship with Jesus compared to what I create for Jesus?
That's where getting the proper definition of 'penultimate' helps.
According to the Miriam Webster dictionary…
But penultimate means "next to last" or "second to last." It's probably because it adds an emphatic extra syllable to the word ultimate that people think it somehow means "more" than ultimate—but it really means less… It's a formal or literary way of saying "next to last."
So, although penultimate sounds like it means the very best, it's actually an accurate description of Jesus' desire for you.
Like John the Baptist - we're meant to decrease so Jesus can increase.
He wants our creativity to be less important to us
so He can become more important.
And although it's one of those things in life that doesn't make sense, becoming less IS becoming more.
Penultimate, in Jesus' view, is the ultimate.
So, the next time you're asked to describe yourself, how about going for the much-misunderstood term 'penultimate creative'?
People will think highly of you... and you get to align yourself with Jesus' true desires for your life.
It's challenging, and yet it's true...
Jesus wants you to become the penultimate creative!
Tell us what you think…
Looking for more?
🦏 So how do you become less so Jesus becomes more?
One thing we know is this: you don’t do it alone.
And that’s why having a community is essential.
We’d love to help - upgrade your subscription and join the growing “crash” of creatives at The Hopeful Rhino.