Creativity Tip #2: Finish reading that book you bought or checked out from the library.

By Chris Dunmire

You seek answers to your creative challenges in every art, self-help, and inspirational dream book that catches your eye. But soon you find a dozen half-read, barely started, or skimmed through books laying around your house — all begging for your attention!

Why did you stop reading? Was it because you didn't find what you were looking for? Didn't the answers to all of your creative woes jump out from between the pages? Did the author have some suggestions or insights that you didn't like?

Whatever the reasons you stopped reading the book(s) that you made great strains to buy online, download, or travel to get, there was SOMETHING that attracted you to it in the first place.

Find out if that SOMETHING goes beyond the whimsical cover, the seductive jacket text, or the author's popularity. You needed SOMETHING from that book, and if it's there, you will only find it if you read it all the way through.

Finish that book. You might only be a page or two away from the SOMETHING you needed to propel you forward. •

© 2006, 2007 Chris Dunmire www.chrisdunmire.com. All rights reserved. Please do not reproduce this article without my permission.