In the last few days I’ve been shown several examples of people rethinking their world, mastering their craft, and letting their creativity shine – like this Glass Harp performance of Tchaikovsky’s Sugar Plum Fairy and this Redesign of the Airline Boarding Pass.

Now, lots of people have proposed redesigns of the boarding pass over the years, but this one (at least to me) stands out beyond all the others. It’s so nicely (and thoroughly) thought out, so simple, so aesthetically pleasing, so well-designed (aligned with its purpose).

There’s something almost magical when someone breaks from the crowd and demonstrates a new level of creativity and … more than that … a true mastery in their craft.  Examples are all around is, in architecture, artwork, software design, the lyrics to a song, or even the assembly instructions that come with the stuff we buy. Seeing such creativity combined with such mastery in execution is inspiring, don’t you think?  As we embark on a new year, let’s be inspired to shine in our own way, to truly master something. Only you can shine in the unique way that is you.