Today marks six months since the beginning of this project – a commitment to write and publish each day on the hidden heart of living and working.

I had been thinking of writing for a long time before starting here, and one of the inspirations to begin was a wonderful book ‘The Icarus Deception‘ by Seth Godin.

It’s a book about the necessity of creating art:

• art that makes us human
• art that allows us to be ourselves fully
• art that brings what’s new into the world
• art that’s a contribution to others

It’s also a book about the background narratives that shape our lives invisibly, and in particular the industrial narrative that has us keep our heads down and fit into the shape that others (particularly in the world of work) have made for us. At its heart is an impassioned plea for courage – to step out of the endless cycle of ‘more and more’ and the sense of scarcity it inevitably brings, and instead to turn towards what brings us and the people around us fully to life.

For anyone who longs to make a contribution, but did not yet find the wherewithal to begin, I cannot recommend it too highly.

Watch upcoming posts here for news of a book study group I’m about to launch. By joining you’ll have the chance to read and talk about a book with others and explore how to bring it to life and work. The Icarus Deception will be the first book we’ll be taking up.

Photo Credit: Federico Negro via Compfight cc