The Wall Street Journal recently did a piece about Andrew Silton, a man who spent 30 years in the asset-management industry and retired in 2011 with at least 75 spiral-bound notebooks with about 600 drawings created during that timespan.
Puzzled? Don’t be. While doodling is often considered a byproduct of boredom, some find that it helps the doodler retain information.
Mr. Silton used his doodling to give him instant recall of who was in the room, what they were talking about, and something unique to this art form — the ability to capture mood.
The essence of these gatherings and the essence of money management is the central task of navigating between fear and greed.
Transcending the numbers and “weasel speak” to get to the crux of the situation is definitely a benefit of drawing.
Early in my life, I got in trouble for drawing, but that didn’t stop me. There’s something about the hand -mind connection you can’t get from other mediums. Those using a mouse and keyboard, or even just a smartphone are missing out on a vital way to engage the brain.
The article mentions how Mr. Silton has continued to draw in retirement. It’s a great habit. In fact, journaling with a pencil (or pen) can really help you sort through things you’ve experienced. Drawings along with handwritten content helps you re-connect in a way technology can’t. It is what it is.
The Journal link also provides access to a slide show so you can see for yourself Mr. Silton’s work. He has a blog too: http://meditationonmoneymanagement.blogspot.com/p/about-andrew-m-silton.html
Check it out! Maybe you’ll be inspired to doodle yourself!
###
Editor’s Note: The author of this piece, Frannie, was tossed out of school for drawing cartoons of her teachers. She later parlayed her talents as a poster artist in Los Angeles — hired because of her ability to capture the personalities of the people she was portraying.
Speak Your Mind