The artist says, “that sounds like business, and I want nothing to do with it. It will corrupt me and make me think small.”

The businessperson says, “art is frightening, unpredictable and won’t pay.”

Because the artist fears business, she hesitates to think as big as she could, to imagine the impact she might be able to make, to envision the leverage that’s available to her.

And because the businessperson fears art, she holds back, looks for a map, follows the existing path and works hard to fit in, never understanding just how vivid her new ideas might be and how powerful her art could make her.

There’s often a route, a way to combine the original, human and connected work you want to do with a market-based solution that will enable it to scale. Once you see it, it’s easier to call your bluff and make what you’re capable of. —Seth Godin’s Blog

For those who have been living under the proverbial rock (I don’t blame you, it’s cozy down there), Seth Godin is one of the most original thinkers today. Ostensibly, he is a marketer who has authored a bevy of unusual titles, such as Meatball Sundae.

One of the things I love about Seth is his sense of humor, but his real value is in how he has challenged the bean-counter mentality of the marketing industry with **gasp** creative ideas. He is a kind of philosopher of marketing, turning a talent for trend-spotting into an influential speaking career.