#62: Red Line

There are various types of lines. They all mean something to us. Thin. Thick. Dotted. Solid. Double. And then there is the red line.

Where have you set yours?

Hugh MacLeod was one of my early inspirations to even wildly consider doing anything else other than what I thought I was meant to. I had bought his book Ignore Everybody and fell in love with his style immediately. He was playful with words as well as lines, mixing simple straightforward language with highly entertaining cartoons drawn on «business card canvas».

«The most important thing a creative person can learn professionally is where to draw the red line that separates what you are willing to do from what you are not.»

This is one of MacLeod’s keys to creativity I have been thinking about lately.

While the red line tends to be drawn for others, there is ample evidence that crossing the red line often results in no consequences at all. Obama’s red line in Syria is just one of those examples.

However, what MacLeod refers to isn’t a line we draw for someone else. Instead, he suggests drawing one for ourselves, which turns us into the party drawing the red line and suffering the consequences from potentially crossing it.

Why would we want to do that?

MacLeod calls it «defining your own private creative domain, your sovereignty». That makes so much sense to me. Growing up in and returning to the fourth smallest country in Europe after exploring other parts of the world has taught me the importance of sovereignty. The smaller you are, the more important it is to define and defend your borders.

It feels like my sovereignty will be tested tomorrow. I am curious to know how I will handle the situation. Mentally, I have drawn my red line. As of today, I am unsure about the consequences, though.

«Knowing where to draw the red line is like knowing yourself or knowing who your real friends are.»

So true, Mr. MacLeod.