What separates struggling artists from successful ones? Looking to creative geniuses like Mozart, Edison and Monet, video creator Jon Youshaei explains why aiming to be prolific — despite flops and failures along the way — is the key to unlocking your creative success.
Watch the video:
and choose the best answer:
1. Why did the speaker upload only six videos in his first year?
a) He was too busy.
b) He lacked equipment.
c) He kept trying to make every video perfect.
d) He didn’t enjoy making videos.
2. What did James Corden do differently?
a) He interviewed more celebrities.
b) He experimented with many different formats.
c) He uploaded fewer but higher-quality videos.
d) He copied other late-night shows.
3. What do Mozart, Edison and Corden have in common?
a) They produced a large amount of work.
b) They avoided failure.
b) They focused only on quality.
c) They became successful very quickly.
4. Why does the speaker mention Monet?
a) To show the importance of artistic talent.
b) To illustrate how perfectionism can destroy valuable work.
c) To compare painting with music.
d) To explain why artists should work slowly.
5. According to the speaker, what does “cringing at your past work” usually mean?
a) Your work was a complete failure.
b) You should delete your old work.
c) Other people will probably dislike it.
d) You have improved since you created it.
6.What is the speaker’s main message?
a) Never revise your work.
b) Quantity is always more important than quality.
c) Publishing imperfect work is often better than never publishing it.
d) Critics should always be ignored.
Key: 1c; 2b; 3a; 4b; 5d; 6c
Glossary
- to trim off – to cut away or remove an unnecessary part of something
- saturated – very rich, intense, and vivid in color
- riff off – a musical competition in which groups take turns singing short sections (riffs) of songs, often trying to outperform each other
- staggering – extremely surprising, shocking, or impressively large
- flop – something that is unsuccessful
- to hit home – to have a strong emotional impact or make someone realize something important
Practice makes perfect
Read the article:
and match the word/phrase 1-10 with its meaning a)-j).
|
1. meltdown |
a) becoming part of your thinking without noticing |
|
2. reassess |
b) help with something |
|
3. prevalence |
c) being cheap enough to buy |
|
4. culprit |
d) unhealthy or extreme |
|
5. internalisation |
e) try very hard |
|
6. pathology/pathological |
f) have a noticeable effect |
|
7. strive |
g) the person or thing responsible |
|
8. affordability |
h) think about something again |
|
9. make a dent |
i) how common something is |
|
10. pitch in |
j) serious emotional breakdown |
Key: 1j; 2h; 3i; 4g; 5a; 6d; 7e; 8c; 9f; 10b
Discuss
- Would you describe yourself as a perfectionist? Why (not)?
- Can perfectionism be a positive quality? In what situations?
- Have you ever delayed finishing or submitting something because you wanted it to be perfect?
- Do you usually regret mistakes, or do you see them as opportunities to learn?
- The speaker says, “Perfectionism is just procrastination in disguise.” Do you agree? Why or why not?
- Do you think producing more work is a better strategy than trying to create one perfect piece of work?
- Have you ever abandoned a good idea because you thought it wasn’t good enough?
- Do you think today’s parents and teachers expect too much from children?
- How does social media influence our expectations of ourselves? Does it create perfectionism, or does it simply make it more visible?
- Why are many people more afraid of making mistakes than of missing opportunities?
Watch and Revise!
Perfectionism
The Hidden Barrier to Creativity and Mental Health
https://www.cloud.worldwideschool.pl/index.php/s/nCAt86Aaq277JtF
(7370)
