Review: Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon

When I first read this book,

I was fresh out of school, within the first few months of my professional career. I was green. And curious. And figuring things out. Steal Like an Artist was more of a “cool story, bro” which sounded great, I just couldn’t relate.

The second time around — three years later — it read more like a timely intervention.

Like the universe was trying as hard as it could to keep me from becoming a stale creative. The funny thing is, I'd picked the book up months before to read again and let it sit on my coffee table. It wasn’t until my office suggested it for this quarter’s book club that I was forced to thumb through my wake up call. 

“Don’t wait until you know who you are to get started.”

I’m one year away from my quarter life crisis (yes, that’s a thing), and I’m not quite sure what I want to do with my career. I know what it looks like, what the outcomes are and the impact is...but I don’t know if the job itself actually exists. It doesn’t really help that my interests are so broad, and I find myself with hands in everything from community engagement and public speaking to social media and project management. Folks keep saying — “You’re young. You’re not supposed to have it all figured out." Which is fine. Sure, maybe even true. But it doesn’t really help me decide what to do now. Today. 

So I curate.

I read articles, write poetry, watch TED talks, thumb through non-fiction books. I’m not a hoarder (said every hoarder ever), but I just like to hold on to stuff — in case I need it later. The same is true for information.

“Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic.”

Inspiration is everywhere if only you know where to look.

No, it’s just everywhere. So open your eyes, digest the world around you, and hold on to the nuggets you like until you’re ready to eat them. Then drizzle them in honey roasted barbecue sauce. (Accepting Chickfila gift cards on a rolling basis).

That’s what Steal Like an Artist is all about.

At least to me. It’s about not racking up the balls, but just shooting until you hit the corner pocket. It’s about swinging even if you don’t have your form right. Sowing (read: scattering) your seeds. Because you’ll get it in time. If you can’t quite perfect your craft yet, at the very least, you should be practicing it. Studying others so your own style can emerge. So that one day, people will be stealing from you.