219: Adam Savage | Every Tool's a Hammer

Pursuing Excellence

Adam Savage shares his journey towards mastery by embracing his creative passions, even when they seemed unconventional. He emphasizes the importance of pursuing interests like cosplay, which led him to discover his unique perspective and strive for authenticity in his creations 1. Adam's path to finding his passion involved exploring various industries, from theater to special effects, ultimately realizing that a fulfilling career combines skill and obsession 2.

When you're obsessed with something, and let's say it's cosplay, and you see other people do it, and you're like, I would like to try that. Not sure that I should because it seems kind of weird and kind of freaky. Sure. It might be. In my experience, when I went towards that and started to like assemble a costume, I realized, Oh, I have this very specific point of view about the kind of custom I want to wear about the character, but also about the fidelity to the original.

--- Adam Savage

This pursuit of excellence is a journey of self-discovery, confronting personal biases and insecurities along the way.

   

Practical Skills

Adam discusses the acquisition of practical skills as essential tools for creativity and problem-solving. He recounts how identifying the specific type of bottle he needed led to a breakthrough, illustrating the power of understanding and naming things 3. Adam also reflects on his experience with chess, realizing that true expertise involves a deep, almost physical understanding of the subject, which allows for mental problem-solving before taking action 4.

I submit that in anything one can become an expert in, that expertise carries with it a kind of a physical understanding of the thing.

--- Adam Savage

These skills and insights are crucial for tackling challenges creatively and effectively.

   

Learning from Failures

Learning from failures is a key theme in Adam's creative process. He shares how his father's dedication to art instilled in him the value of creativity and the importance of allowing space for experimentation and failure 5. Adam also highlights the role of self-awareness and introspection in personal growth, drawing from his family's values and his own experiences in therapy 6.

You can only take this in and learn what it is about you that brought this about to the degree that you're responsible, which is an important thing to rigorously examine and try not to do it again.

--- Adam Savage

This approach fosters resilience and compassion, both for oneself and others.