I
would never have made much progress in anything without internalizing the philosophies of the greats. I was actually quite surprised to find how many people were on this list – which goes to show how many different perspectives come together to form an identity. Here’s what I learned from each.
Design
Heinz Bienefeld (architecture): All design, even the most modern in spirit, needs a firm link to tradition. Conventions allow you to sculpt meaning.
Le Corbusier (architecture): The plan is an illusion. Design is about finding and establishing axes that are intuitive from the ground level, not from a birds-eye-view.
Naoto Fukasawa (product design): If you want people to experience joy through your products, you need a sense of humor, a light touch.
Dieter Rams (products): “Good design is the least design possible.”
Sagi Haviv (logos): Visual identity design is closer to business than art. Logos are periods, not sentences.
Massimo Vignelli (everything): Design is the simple act of sifting “vulgarity” (roll the r) and “intellectual pollution” from the lived environment.
Le Corbusier (architecture): The plan is an illusion. Design is about finding and establishing axes that are intuitive from the ground level, not from a birds-eye-view.
Naoto Fukasawa (product design): If you want people to experience joy through your products, you need a sense of humor, a light touch.
Dieter Rams (products): “Good design is the least design possible.”
Sagi Haviv (logos): Visual identity design is closer to business than art. Logos are periods, not sentences.
Massimo Vignelli (everything): Design is the simple act of sifting “vulgarity” (roll the r) and “intellectual pollution” from the lived environment.
Art
Richard Diebenkorn (painting): Good things happen both spontaneously and with immense patience. Be ready for both.
David Park (painting): Be precise and thoughtful where it matters – and clumsy as hell everywhere else.
Robert Motherwell (painting): You need to do it again and again before you get to the core meaning.
Raimonds Staprans (painting): Good art has a bit of magic.
Jean-Michel Basquiat (painting): Everything is material.
Willem de Kooning (painting): The medium is the message.
Henri Matisse (painting): Colors are very beautiful.
Marc Chagall (painting): All art, even abstract art, is storytelling.
Pablo Picasso (painting): Don’t be afraid of greatness.
Paul Klee (???): The best place is between categories – your own category.
Dorothea Lange (photography): Nothing is more powerful than the human face.
David Park (painting): Be precise and thoughtful where it matters – and clumsy as hell everywhere else.
Robert Motherwell (painting): You need to do it again and again before you get to the core meaning.
Raimonds Staprans (painting): Good art has a bit of magic.
Jean-Michel Basquiat (painting): Everything is material.
Willem de Kooning (painting): The medium is the message.
Henri Matisse (painting): Colors are very beautiful.
Marc Chagall (painting): All art, even abstract art, is storytelling.
Pablo Picasso (painting): Don’t be afraid of greatness.
Paul Klee (???): The best place is between categories – your own category.
Dorothea Lange (photography): Nothing is more powerful than the human face.
Writing
Louise Glück (poetry and teaching): Poetry is honest. When looking at my work, she used to say puzzling things like “I don’t believe you here,” or “You made this up.” But it’s all made up! No, I learned, it isn’t.
Shifra Sharlin (essays and teaching): Good art starts with who you are as a person. Shifra is the most beautiful, loving, and attentive teacher I’ve ever had by a long shot. She always had the attitude of focusing on the best aspects of your work and emphasizing it, as opposed criticizing you to perfection.
George Oppen (poetry): Every word is a story.
Anne Carson (poetry): Metaphors come at the moment of perception.
Cesare Pavese (poetry): The strangest and most hidden parts of yourself can be the subject of great artwork.
James Tate (poetry): “The challenge is always to find the ultimate in the ordinary horseshit.”
Seamus Heaney (poetry): Pay attention.
Sandra Lim (poetry): Poetry can be a play of thoughts while still directly talking about your life.
Pablo Neruda (poetry): Love the world.
Fyodor Dostoevsky (novels): A good story has a life of its own.
Alexander Chee (essays and teaching): It’s all material.
George Saunders (novels and teaching): Stories are constantly posing and answering questions.
Shifra Sharlin (essays and teaching): Good art starts with who you are as a person. Shifra is the most beautiful, loving, and attentive teacher I’ve ever had by a long shot. She always had the attitude of focusing on the best aspects of your work and emphasizing it, as opposed criticizing you to perfection.
George Oppen (poetry): Every word is a story.
Anne Carson (poetry): Metaphors come at the moment of perception.
Cesare Pavese (poetry): The strangest and most hidden parts of yourself can be the subject of great artwork.
James Tate (poetry): “The challenge is always to find the ultimate in the ordinary horseshit.”
Seamus Heaney (poetry): Pay attention.
Sandra Lim (poetry): Poetry can be a play of thoughts while still directly talking about your life.
Pablo Neruda (poetry): Love the world.
Fyodor Dostoevsky (novels): A good story has a life of its own.
Alexander Chee (essays and teaching): It’s all material.
George Saunders (novels and teaching): Stories are constantly posing and answering questions.
Other
Rick Rubin (music producer): Pay attention to what the world is saying to you.
Marcus Aurelius (emperor): You’re gonna die.
Bill Watterson (emperor of comics): Fight for the integrity of your work.
Richard Feynman (physicist): Good thinking makes the complex simple.
Tim Ferriss (podcaster): Frontload your efforts.
Lex Fridman (podcaster): Follow your heart.
Naval Ravikant (investor): Money is trust.
Steve Jobs: Sometimes you have to be an asshole.
Jiddu Krishnamurti (spiritual teacher): Asceticism doesn’t mean total freedom.
Chogyam Trungpa (spiritual teacher: The ultimate enlightenment is gentle.
Marcus Aurelius (emperor): You’re gonna die.
Bill Watterson (emperor of comics): Fight for the integrity of your work.
Richard Feynman (physicist): Good thinking makes the complex simple.
Tim Ferriss (podcaster): Frontload your efforts.
Lex Fridman (podcaster): Follow your heart.
Naval Ravikant (investor): Money is trust.
Steve Jobs: Sometimes you have to be an asshole.
Jiddu Krishnamurti (spiritual teacher): Asceticism doesn’t mean total freedom.
Chogyam Trungpa (spiritual teacher: The ultimate enlightenment is gentle.