Larry G. Maguire
Writer | Artist | Storymaker
Hello, I’m Larry.
I live in Dublin near the Phoenix Park with my wife Joanne and our three kids, Ruairí, Cian and Cara. I’m a writer, occasional portrait artist and slight perfectionist, studying a BA degree in Psychology by night.
I am fascinated with human behaviour. What is it about the mind that makes one person succeed and another equally skilled fail? Why do we persist in habits that do not serve us? Are there basic principles to help us succeed?
I’m extremely passionate about artistic freedom & creativity too, and I write on this most of the time. I take a look at the creative process through the lens of psychology, and assess what science says about achieving success in life and work.
Many of us work at jobs we don’t love – work is toil. I believe work should not be toil, we should be doing what we love. Putting our lives on hold for the sake of work we don’t like is insane, and it creates an insane society.
Only when the majority of us are doing what we love for a living can we create a sustainable society that serves all equally.
Allowing ourselves the freedom to create is fundamental to this, and so one question sits behind everything I write;
“How can we lead successful and personally fulfilling lives doing what we love?”
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What’s Your Background?
I left school at 15 and began an apprenticeship as an electrician – turns out I was good at it. After a brief stint in Philadelphia drinking my ass off, I returned home to start my own business at age 26.
I operated that business quite successfully for 16 years, counting Intel and US Government as clients. The business kept moving reasonably well through the crash in 2008 but by 2010 work had dried up. With big debt and no work, I had to shut the doors.
Everything I had built was gone. However, I had found a new passion – writing. I had been spending considerable time online writing, marketing my business, building websites and experimenting.
So I decided this would be my new direction.
The last 10 years have given me a new perspective, one I wouldn’t change for any money. It’s been the foundation for huge personal growth and a basis for my writing.
What Do You Write About?
Admittedly, I only write about what I’m interested in and passionate about. That’s a plus for you because you can be sure to get my best. My hope being that my stuff strikes a chord with you.
The basis for the content I share is found in philosophy and the science of psychology, so no pseudoscience stuff here. I will attempt always to bring you the facts in a way that you can easily digest and implement.
Here’s what I write about mostly;
- How to nurture creativity
- How to follow your heart and do what you love
- The psychology of creativity
- Habits: forming new and breaking old
- How to develop mental toughness
- The right way to set goals
- Memory & perception
- Beliefs & behaviour
- Willpower & determination
- Motivation & inspiration
What’s Your Philosophy?
My philosophy for everything is to just go for it and forget the consequences. It’s not that I encourage recklessness, but rather that we consider adopting a “can’t lose” attitude.
I’m constantly working on this myself, so when I figure it out I’ll let you know.
For me success is in the eye of the beholder, so think as big as you can, move from your heart and follow your dreams. Put those closest to you top of your priorities but put yourself first – Nothing else matters.
Do what you love and do nothing else. Life is short so you shouldn’t spend it doing the things you don’t like. Make your work your art, and throw you heart and soul into it.
Say “fuck it” daily, take chances and have no regrets, because you and everyone you know will be gone one day soon.
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