Author: Garth Beyer

A Spin On UW-Madison Liberal Arts Pursuit

Garth Beyer

Everyone studying liberal arts knows the value and importance of lifelong learning and global perspectives. Through my time at Madison, I have noticed that students have lost a certain sense that is important to the Wisconsin experience, and it will surprise you.

I noticed a lacking sense of community with other students. We’re all aware of clubs, organizations, internships, and work study, but very little of starting something new that has a direct connection to developing the Madison community.

I was barely through my first semester at Madison when I noticed this and decided to assign myself the challenge of building this part of the Wisconsin experience.

Before I can tell you of my efforts, we have to define “community.” A community is not a tight circle of like-minded people, rather multiple circles of like-minded people with a goal to give back.

Much of what students attach themselves to is built as a resource that they can take from. What’s the common reason behind joining a certain club? “It looks good on the résumé.”

What’s the common reason behind building a community? “To create something outside of the classroom that others in the area can embrace, not use as a stepping stone to what they really want.”

What I have learned inside the classroom is that there are hundreds of liberal arts students with phenomenal ideas. I’ve learned that students want to work on projects, want to create something meaningful for others to use, and – surprisingly – want to work in groups.

I saw an opening to do something about it. At this point, I have to credit the liberal arts program that I am in with putting the fire in my belly and the opportunity to lead in my hands.

The summer of 2013, I put together a team of students to be part of a think tank – to share the wildest ideas they could come up with and see if we could fulfill them. Currently, fall of 2013, I have put together a team to talk about fear, failing, and how to follow through with our creative impulses. I plan to take what I’ve learned from these experiences and voice them at Wisconsin’s Festival of Ideas.

 

Stay Positive & Hope To See You There

– Garth E. Beyer

The Swap

Garth Beyer

For some, finding/making time to work on their art is impractical. The hassle of time management, task management, and people management is too complicated and, in itself, time-consuming. Nearly counterintuitive.

That is why I often suggest that they swap something they do regularly to work on their muse. The reading sessions at night can be put on a halt for a week. Karaoke night, family scrabble, lunch dates; they can all be post-pined for a week or two.

Finding time to work on your art is difficult. Swapping it with one of your weekly (or, hopefully, daily) habits is much easier to do.

Before you know it, you’ll be able to do both.

 

Stay Positive & Time Will Find You

Garth E. Beyer

For Starters

Garth Beyer

First sentences are expensive, mentally that is.

I’ve had writers, teachers, and friends remind me that the first sentence of any writing (the attention grabber) is the most important sentence and needs to be perfect. I squirm when I hear people tell me the first sentence must be perfect because they talk as if there is only one perfect way to start.

There are thousands of great ways to start. My philosophy is to find one that is great and move on. Most changes I see writers make with their first sentence doesn’t make it better, it just changes it into another great one.

Artists, not just writers, spend so much time on perfecting that first sentence.

Make it great and move on.

 

Stay Positive & Chasing Perfection Is Time Not Well Spent

Garth E. Beyer

People don’t remember the first sentence anyway. They do, however, remember the story and the ending.

Can You Do It Better

Garth Beyer

Of course you can, there is always room for improvement. But, I’ll admit, you will get to that point when you don’t want to put in the effort. Maybe it’s because you won’t get acknowledged for your effort, you don’t get paid enough, or you’re stretching the expectations of your job further than your boss may want you to.

I am in full support of finding and executing more ways to do what you have to do better. When you get to that point where you don’t want to (or do not have the freedom to) do any better, that’s when you stay just ahead of the game and work on your muse.

You don’t need to quit your job to fulfill your goals as an artist. Nor do you need to work your way all the way to the top of your current job to be able to support yourself as an artist.

If 4 is the best. Put 3 toward your job and 1 toward your muse. You don’t need a 4-0 or 0-4 ratio.

 

Stay Positive & Don’t Tell Me There’s No Way… You Can Do Better Than That

Garth E. Beyer

Habitude

Garth Beyer

When you feel behind, you need to change not what you do, but the attitude you carry with one action. Before you know it, your attitude will be consistent with other actions.

Your consistent attitude with one action always becomes present in all other habits.

It’s just the way it is.

 

Stay Positive & Use It To Your Advantage

Garth E. Beyer

Bittersweet Productivity

Garth Beyer

I never plan to be productive. Night after night in the past I’ve said to myself that I will take care of the banal so that I can be productive in the late evening. I never was. Maybe I got a few words on paper, but not enough to consider it a productive night. And that is why I don’t plan to be productive.

I’ve realized that there is no surer way to invite the unexpected into your life than to plan progress. This alone sounds bitter.

But, what do you do when your entire day is filled with banality, when your routine is running your life, when there’s just no inspiration to be productive with?

Plan evenings, or mornings, or afternoons, to be productive, even when there is nothing to be productive with. You’ll be surprised at how quickly the world will throw something at you to stop production.

 

Stay Positive & Sweet, Sweet Productivity

Garth E. Beyer

 

Looking Like The Good Guy

Garth Beyer

If you’re given 10 free canvases, you still need to buy the paint.

If a friend gives you his old Gameboy, you still need to come up with the games.

When you buy an iPod, you have to get all the songs and shows you want.

Smart product creation is when you pay a large amount for one product that forces you to spend small amounts on what you need to use it: paints, games, songs, etc,.

Keurig is letting Madisonians trade in their used corded coffee makers for a brand new Keurig, looking like the good guy.

But now those that trade up have to buy K cups to go with it. Short term loss for Keurig, but creating a long-term gain. From my estimates, it will take roughly 300 K-cups for the Keurig to be paid off. From then on, it’s all profit.

(The target audience in itself is brilliant. They are appealing strictly to frequent to extreme coffee drinkers. Point for another post, perhaps.)

Keurig makes itself look good, but really it’s genius product design. Not necessarily making them the bad guy, but just a reminder that your habit is their profit, making you the product.

If it weren’t for the ease of pirating music. I’m sure Apple would be letting you upgrade your mp3 player to an iPod. I think we can cope though. It takes a very special product to pull off what Keurig is.

 

Stay Positive & It’s Coffee Time

Garth E. Beyer