{"id":70254,"date":"2022-06-20T10:57:00","date_gmt":"2022-06-20T14:57:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=70254"},"modified":"2026-01-22T22:54:29","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T02:54:29","slug":"keep-going-austin-kleon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/keep-going-austin-kleon\/","title":{"rendered":"Keep Going by Austin Kleon: Overview and Takeaways"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What is Keep Going<\/em> by Austin Kleon about? What are the main takeaways of the book?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Keep Going<\/em>, Austin Kleon provides methods for overcoming emotional obstacles to creativity<\/a>. He suggests an approach to creativity that finds joy in the process <\/em>of making art, rather than the external rewards it might bring you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep reading for a brief overview of Keep Going<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Keep Going<\/em> by Austin Kleon<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In Keep Going<\/em>, Austin Kleon provides 10 principles for staying creative\u2014even in the face of burnout, self-doubt<\/a>, or distress at the state of the world<\/a>.<\/strong> We\u2019ve divided his principles into three central themes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Have healthy creative goals.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Stay in the moment<\/a>.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Live a healthy creative life<\/a>.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Principle #1: Have Healthy Creative Goals<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Kleon says that to be creative without feeling overwhelmed<\/a> or burned out, you have to use your creativity to pursue the right goals.<\/strong> He separates creative goals into two categories: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    1. Unhealthy results-based goals<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Healthy process-based goals<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Kleon says that results-based goals are unhealthy, and you should avoid pursuing them. While results-based goals make creating work a means to an end, process-based goals make creating work an exciting and joyful experience.<\/strong> This is because process-based goals allow you to enjoy the work itself and avoid feeling pressured to complete it. This prevents you from having to go through the cynical disinterest of burnout or the anxiety and dread of feeling overwhelmed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      (Shortform note: You might not have realized that pursuing results-based goals is unhealthy. This may be because, as Daniel Pink\u2019s Drive<\/em><\/a> suggests, society is built on results-based goals<\/a>\u2014in other words, we\u2019re conditioned to see these as the types of goals we should<\/em> pursue. For example, jobs and schools provide motivation by offering rewards like money or higher grades. This suggests that when you pivot to pursuing process-based goals, you\u2019ll have to unlearn<\/em> bad creative habits<\/a> on top of making new, healthier ones.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Principle #2: Stay in the Moment<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Once you\u2019ve made sure that you\u2019re doing creative work for the right reasons, you can focus on the creative process<\/a> itself. Kleon suggests that to ensure a healthy and productive creative process<\/a>, you must stay in the moment. <\/strong>Staying in the moment prevents you from thinking too much about the past or worrying about the future<\/a>. This way, you can focus entirely on thinking of new ideas and putting them into your work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      (Shortform note: Psychological research supports Kleon\u2019s suggestion that staying in the moment stimulates creativity. A survey of various studies found a positive correlation<\/a> between mindfulness<\/a> (or being aware of what you\u2019re thinking and doing in the present) and creativity.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Kleon provides three guidelines for staying in the moment:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      1. Take things one day at a time.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
      2. Make a creative space.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
      3. Slow down.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        Principle #3: Live a Healthy Creative Life<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

        After discussing why and how you should pursue creativity in Keep Going<\/em>, Kleon talks about the interaction between creativity and life as a whole and how you can make this interaction positive and healthy. This interaction is important because one benefits the other:<\/p>\n\n\n\n