The Artist's Way at Work: Riding the Dragon

This excellent book has been og enormous help to me in making me aware of all the things I put up with, and what it was I really wanted ! A great investment in living a happier life!

After completing the self-study program with Julia Cameron's Artist's Way ... this work-oriented book helps artistic and creative souls find a way to breath life and express their creative fire on the job. Cameron's analogy of the dragon is a dep metaphor to the fears that stop us from being our true selves. Instead of bottling up all the intense energy ... Riding The Dragon ... draws out our intensity with constructive excercies, wisdom, and a proper channel to achieve positive results. Cameron is one of the best informal writing guides for all of us with a voice were excavating.

If you've read the Artist's way, this book will seem very familiar. However, don't stop there. The different flavor of this book makes it worth pursuing in addition to the Artist's way. I went through the Artist's way book and then took a 4 week hiatus and then jumped into this one. I have been doing morning pages for over 6 months now. They have value to me, even more than the 45 minutes of sleep, I give up each day for themThis book is strongly geared toward the working world. As with the Artist's way book morning pages and time-outs are necessary to help you work through these and other issues. In addition this book is arranged in a similar weekly sequence with excercises and a weekly check in. PUTS THE PEOPLE YOU WORK WITH IN PERSPECTIVE:This book unlike the Artist's way, deals with personal interaction not just personal creativity. Let's face it we all work with people and how we relate to them does influence our ability to get the job done.As the Artist's way does, it also recognizes there are certain people (crazy makers) that complicate our lives, there are also personality types and roles we all play in any interaction. This book gives great tips on how to recognize these and work with them.IDENTIFIES WHAT MIGHT BE SLOWING YOU DOWN AT WORK:Similarly, with working with people, we have priorities to adjust and readjust. If we are stuck in a point in our career, maybe these need adjusting. This book if you objectively do the exercises helps us understand where some or road blocks might be.Sometimes we are the road block.IN GENERAL LIKE THE ARTIST'S WAY, THIS BOOK LEADS YOU TO EXAMINE YOUR LIFEFor the most part the Artist's way presses the reader to examine what they want out of life and how they can get there. Also it helps you to understand what your true desires are, not just what you think you want.LIKE THE ARTIST'S WAY, THERE ARE QUOTES TO PONDER IN THE MARGINSIt is a small thing but like the Artist's way there are quotes in the margins from famous people. It makes you think the confusing path we are all on, is one many have taken. Some of the quotes really connect.To give you the full flavor of the book, here is the Table of Contents:INTRODUCTION: Entering the gateFIRST TRANSFORMATION: PART ONE: WEEK ONE: EMERGENCEMorning pages/Creative Collegue/Secret Selves/Listening to the Chorus/Inner Mentor/Check-in/Creativity ContractFIRST TRANSFORMATION: PART TWO: WEEK TWO: THE ROAR OF AWAKENINGTimeout/The Dialogue/Archaeology, Round One/Archaeology, Round Two/The Us and Them list/Imaginary Lives/Affirmations and Blurts/Customized Affirmations/Dumping the Albatross/Walking your Wisdom/Check-inSECOND TRANSFORMATION: PART ONE: WEEK THREE: SOARINGSecrets/Watching the rapids/Wish list/Leadership Quiz/Explore a sacred space/Secretly I'd like to.../Watch the picture, without the sound/Filling the form/Check-inTHIRD TRANSFORMATION: PART ONE: WEEK FOUR: THE ABYSSAdmitting our emotions/Anger as a map/Metabolism/Footholds for optimism/Coun

I find this book to have a plethora of practical, useful suggestions for thriving instead of surviving in the workplace. The workbook format stimulated my thinking about how we can get beyond our usual progammed "survival" techniques and find new ways ways to address old problems. I also have found it helpful for stimulating creative opportunities in my own life. This book is just what the doctor ordered for those of us who aren't satisfied with just getting by and collecting money. Not only is it a pathway to uncovering and discovering a fresh kind of meaning to work, it also offers us a real chance to forge new directions in both our professional and personal lives.

The Artist's Way at Work was great for me because it shows those of us who aren't painters or screenwriters how to tap into our creativity. I approached my job with new inspiration after I started taking time-outs with myself. I highly recommend this book.