Do You Believe In Magic?
Inspired by magically-inclined fish people in The Great Pond
Do you believe in Magic?
Today I am inspired by my son, Joseph, aka Rico, a magician in his own right. Nothing is better than to see your child thrive because they have remained true to themselves in a world that condemns outsiders and forces extraordinary (sometimes called “weird”) people into boxes.
My son created a fantastic world called The Great Pond, populated by magically-inclined adventurous fish people called Whiskers. They are evolved koi. An old Wizard created the world out of the devastation of the Earth. First, there is the “lore” of the world that explains how the world was created and how it works. Then, the archetypal story uses the shamanic concept of maná — life force — to explain how the Old Wizard made this new world with his last bit of life. I’m not sure he even knows that this is a shamanic concept.
He imagined all this, then designed 5000 — yes, FIVE THOUSAND — Whiskers. His team members live all over the world. Finally, in April 2022, he minted the NFTs with outstanding success.
Recently he launched a Kickstarter campaign to market his new game, The Last Fish! The graphics, game strategy, artwork, and delivery stunned me. A small group of young people from different cultures, countries, and backgrounds came together — virtually — to create the Whiskers brand. I can think of several seasoned leaders who could learn from how they did this.
WHY AM I TELLING YOU THIS?
Besides a proud mama moment, there is something to learn here. In a time of “quiet quitting” and “the great resignation,” companies must pay attention to imagination and creativity. Instead of ostracizing creative individuals that play by their own rules, there is an opportunity to embrace the rebels and magicians. You won’t find them in companies that think inside boxes, function in linear ways, or only look at profit as the measurement of success.
People seek to find meaning in their work. They shouldn’t fear humiliation or bullying for bringing their unlimited potential to the workplace. Instead, individuals should be encouraged to create new worlds of imagination, like my son, that build connections and community as the outcome of meaning-making.
WHY THIS MATTERS FOR THE FUTURE
The most rebellious people are the creatives, the artists, the musicians, the writers, and all those who create for a living. We know that all creation is constantly in motion, never exactly as it was a few minutes ago. We know that imagination is limitless — and so are we. We don’t want to be defined by the boxes society or culture has created to make themselves comfortable, as if to name something were to know it truly.
Creatives thrive in disorder. We see chaos as an opportunity. We’ve learned to live with the discomfort of change. We dance with the unknown with the radical trust that something will appear if we are open to receiving the unexpected, which I call synchronicity. It doesn’t make for acceptance in a society that values conformity, but it does make for a deeper, enriched life.
Creatives function better than most people in environments of uncertainty, which is exactly what the world needs now to solve our most compelling problems.
If you’re one of the ones longing to release yourself from your box, have faith. You’re in good company. You’ll discover that the only way to know you can fly is to leap courageously into the full creative expression of who you are. Then, you will find those who value, encourage and support your creativity.
It’s the only way you will be happy and lead a fulfilled life, and it is the key to transforming old, ineffective, and dull business models that omit meaning as central to success.
If you believe that the world needs more imagination and creativity, please consider supporting the Whiskers Kickstarter Campaign. Everything helps. Let this team know that their story and their community are valued as much as their initiative and boldness.
Find me at www.aliciamrodriguez.com or follow me on IG at @msaliciamrodriguez and @slow_living_in_portugal for a look at my “intentional” life! I also write Nothing Is Ordinary on Substack!
