5 ms·

Neil Gaiman Commencement Speech: Make Great Things. Learn From Failure.

139 points by rblion 14y ago

deyan 14y ago
Thank you for this, it really resonated with me.
- rblion 14y ago
  I'm sure you'd do the same for me, I had a feeling it would resonate with at least one other person.
leke 14y ago
That was cool. Never hear of the guy, but gave some good life advice. I've just figured out what I love so I'm about to start a programming/IT degree and I plan to 'make good art'.
- undantag 14y ago
  If you want more of the guy, he's been writing fiction for a long time. If you like reading graphic novels, read the Sandman series. If you like reading books, read American Gods. If you have kids, read them Coraline.
  - creamyhorror 14y ago
    And if you like humour, read Good Omens (by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman). Gaiman's a gem.
    - coreygoodie 14y ago
      Definitely one of my favorite authors. 'Sandman' was a brilliant series, and 'American Gods' is one of my favorites. Go read them if you haven't.
  - Deestan 14y ago
    And if you like piano punk music, listen to his wife.
    - mark_h 14y ago
      His wife who has just had her own $1m kickstarter success! http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/amandapalmer/amanda-palmer-the-new-record-art-book-and-tour http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/amandapalmer/amanda-palm... Quite the creative couple.
  - Karellen 14y ago
    If you like Doctor Who, watch The Doctor's Wife https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/The_Doctors_Wife https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/The_Doctors_W...
  - nightpool 14y ago
    And, eventually, read them all.
happyrichpinoy 14y ago
link to the speech in comic form http://zenpencils.com/comic/50-neil-gaiman-make-good-art/ http://zenpencils.com/comic/50-neil-gaiman-make-good-art/
- daliusd 14y ago
  Interesting enough that's my favorite part from the speech as well.
math 14y ago
"Someone asked me recently how to do something she thought was going to be difficult ... and I suggested she pretend that she was someone who could do it. Not pretend to do it, but pretend she was someone who could." A trait of pretty much all the people I know who society would view as "very successful" is they seem to do this automatically all the time. Their confidence gets them into higher profile situations where there is opportunity to succeed and once there their mindset maximizes their chances of doing so. A trait of the few people I know who I'd describe as "exceptionally bright" is they don't do this because they are too aware of their limitations. People who fit into both groups I think are rare ... and quite something.
- gyardley 14y ago
  'Pretend you're someone that can X' works for all kinds of things, not just challenging tasks. People on the subway grating on my nerves? I pretend I'm someone patient. Need to bang out a particularly annoying task? I pretend I'm someone who's really interested in that task. Wife irritated by my sloth about the house? I pretend I'm someone who cleans up promptly. Feeling particularly miserable today? I pretend I'm someone who's naturally happy. It doesn't work forever, and it doesn't work perfectly, but it works better than any other mental trick I've discovered.
  - AznHisoka 14y ago
    It might be a trick but if done over and over, can't it have a bad effect mentally over time? I can imagine it can suppress your real emotions which can lead to a mental breakdown when you can't suppress them any longer.
    - gyardley 14y ago
      In my experience the pretending changes, not masks, your real emotions. You start by smiling because you're pretending to be a happy person, and you end up genuinely happier.
randomdrake 14y ago
"People keep working, in a freelance world, and more and more of today's world is freelance, because their work is good, and because they are easy to get along with, and because they deliver the work on time. And you don't even need all three. Two out of three is fine. People will tolerate how unpleasant you are if your work is good and you deliver it on time. They'll forgive the lateness of the work if it's good, and if they like you. And you don't have to be as good as the others if you're on time and it's always a pleasure to hear from you." One of my favorite gems. I really appreciated how much of his talking about art, creation and freelancing was so incredibly applicable in this day and age of technological creation. What a great speech.

139 points by rblion 14y ago

deyan 14y ago

Thank you for this, it really resonated with me.

rblion 14y ago
I'm sure you'd do the same for me, I had a feeling it would resonate with at least one other person.

leke 14y ago

That was cool. Never hear of the guy, but gave some good life advice. I've just figured out what I love so I'm about to start a programming/IT degree and I plan to 'make good art'.

undantag 14y ago
If you want more of the guy, he's been writing fiction for a long time. If you like reading graphic novels, read the Sandman series. If you like reading books, read American Gods. If you have kids, read them Coraline.
- creamyhorror 14y ago
  And if you like humour, read Good Omens (by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman). Gaiman's a gem.
  - coreygoodie 14y ago
    Definitely one of my favorite authors. 'Sandman' was a brilliant series, and 'American Gods' is one of my favorites. Go read them if you haven't.
- Deestan 14y ago
  And if you like piano punk music, listen to his wife.
  - mark_h 14y ago
    His wife who has just had her own $1m kickstarter success! http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/amandapalmer/amanda-palmer-the-new-record-art-book-and-tour http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/amandapalmer/amanda-palm... Quite the creative couple.
- Karellen 14y ago
  If you like Doctor Who, watch The Doctor's Wife https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/The_Doctors_Wife https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/The_Doctors_W...
- nightpool 14y ago
  And, eventually, read them all.

happyrichpinoy 14y ago

link to the speech in comic form http://zenpencils.com/comic/50-neil-gaiman-make-good-art/ http://zenpencils.com/comic/50-neil-gaiman-make-good-art/

daliusd 14y ago
Interesting enough that's my favorite part from the speech as well.

math 14y ago

"Someone asked me recently how to do something she thought was going to be difficult ... and I suggested she pretend that she was someone who could do it. Not pretend to do it, but pretend she was someone who could." A trait of pretty much all the people I know who society would view as "very successful" is they seem to do this automatically all the time. Their confidence gets them into higher profile situations where there is opportunity to succeed and once there their mindset maximizes their chances of doing so. A trait of the few people I know who I'd describe as "exceptionally bright" is they don't do this because they are too aware of their limitations. People who fit into both groups I think are rare ... and quite something.

gyardley 14y ago
'Pretend you're someone that can X' works for all kinds of things, not just challenging tasks. People on the subway grating on my nerves? I pretend I'm someone patient. Need to bang out a particularly annoying task? I pretend I'm someone who's really interested in that task. Wife irritated by my sloth about the house? I pretend I'm someone who cleans up promptly. Feeling particularly miserable today? I pretend I'm someone who's naturally happy. It doesn't work forever, and it doesn't work perfectly, but it works better than any other mental trick I've discovered.
- AznHisoka 14y ago
  It might be a trick but if done over and over, can't it have a bad effect mentally over time? I can imagine it can suppress your real emotions which can lead to a mental breakdown when you can't suppress them any longer.
  - gyardley 14y ago
    In my experience the pretending changes, not masks, your real emotions. You start by smiling because you're pretending to be a happy person, and you end up genuinely happier.

randomdrake 14y ago

"People keep working, in a freelance world, and more and more of today's world is freelance, because their work is good, and because they are easy to get along with, and because they deliver the work on time. And you don't even need all three. Two out of three is fine. People will tolerate how unpleasant you are if your work is good and you deliver it on time. They'll forgive the lateness of the work if it's good, and if they like you. And you don't have to be as good as the others if you're on time and it's always a pleasure to hear from you." One of my favorite gems. I really appreciated how much of his talking about art, creation and freelancing was so incredibly applicable in this day and age of technological creation. What a great speech.