Formerly The Accidental Creative.
Being a creative professional should be the greatest job in the world. You get to solve problems, express yourself, bring some...
In this episode of Daily Creative, we share insights from my recent (grueling, yet rewarding) speaking tour across the United States, where I delivered nine keynote presentations in just 14 days. My travel provided me with valuable lessons and inspiration, captured as quick sketches and observations in my notebook. Today, I'm pulling back the curtain to discuss two powerful moments from my recent travels that challenged my thinking and revealed profound insights about creativity and leadership.The first moment comes from a Q&A session following a keynote about The Brave Habit. A client's story about teaching his daughter the importance of bravery and wise decision-making led to an insightful takeaway on agency and optimism. The story of a man repeatedly falling into a hole but eventually deciding to take a different street, inspired us to consider how often we fail to fill the holes in our lives and how an optimistic vision and a sense of agency can prevent repeated mistakes.The second moment of discovery happened unexpectedly during an Uber ride in Houston. Despite exhaustion, a casual conversation with my driver unearthed his aspiration to write. This experience reminded me that meaningful contributions often occur in small, seemingly insignificant moments. Sometimes, our impact on others happens in private, when we choose to be present.Key Learnings from the Episode:Documenting meaningful moments and insights during travels can fuel inspiration and creativity.Bravery often requires an optimistic vision and a sense of agency to embrace challenges and prevent repeated mistakes.Small, everyday interactions can lead to significant inspiration and encouragement for others.Consistency over perfection is vital in achieving creative goals, such as writing a book.Embracing little moments of engagement can enrich our body of work and contribute to the greater good.Get full interviews and daily content in the Daily Creative app at DailyCreative.appMentioned in this episode:NEW BOOK! The Brave Habit is available nowRise to important moments in your life and work by developing the habit of bravery. Available in paperback, ebook, or audiobook wherever books are sold.
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12:21
Bambino (replay)
Chances are, you're probably not taking enough shots.In this episode, we explore the importance of starting more and letting go of the pressure to finish everything. We discuss how embracing parallel creation and being unafraid to repeat ourselves can lead to brilliant work. We also hear from Becky Blades, Austin Kleon, Andy J. Pizza, and Ozan Varol about the significance of taking action on our ideas without being paralyzed by the fear of public perception.Key Insights:1. Overthinking can hinder creativity, so it's important to move from imagination to action swiftly.2. Embracing the process of starting multiple ideas can help identify the ones worth persevering for.3. Pay attention to the ideas that won't leave you alone, as they may be the keepers.4. Life is more of a jungle gym than a ladder; sometimes the road ahead only becomes clear as you take each step.5. Taking action on the ideas that resonate with you is crucial, as the world often lights the path ahead only a few steps at a time.Get full interviews and daily content in the Daily Creative app at DailyCreative.app
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21:33
Brave New World
In this episode we delve into the concept of adopting a brave mindset in our daily lives, drawing inspiration from Todd Henry's book "The Brave Habit." Throughout the episode, we discuss the significance of choosing which narratives to respond to in defining our identities. We emphasize that bravery is not synonymous with bravado; rather, bravery involves self-sacrificial actions that pursue visions outside of oneself. We further explore how acts of bravery can influence those around us, encouraging others to recognize and follow their path to courage.Five Key Learnings from the Episode:Bravery vs. Bravado: Bravery is about self-sacrifice and pursuing visions beyond oneself, while bravado is often mere posturing.Choosing Your Narrative: Our true names are not what we're given at birth, but the identities we choose by our responses to life's challenges.Influencing Others: When we act bravely, we inspire and call out bravery in others, raising the collective standard.Bravery in Discomfort: Embracing discomfort for the greater good is a key aspect of living bravely.Individual Impact: While we may not change the world, we are called to transform the world around us by leading bravely.Get full interviews and daily content in the Daily Creative app at DailyCreative.app.Mentioned in this episode:NEW BOOK! The Brave Habit is available nowRise to important moments in your life and work by developing the habit of bravery. Available in paperback, ebook, or audiobook wherever books are sold.
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13:15
10% Better?
In this episode, we delve into the powerful concept of incremental improvement, using the inspiring example of one writer's simple but effective writing routine. We're joined via a 2016 interview by Dan Harris, author of "10% Happier," as he shares his transformative journey from a skeptic of meditation to an advocate, following a live panic attack that stemmed from mounting stress and self-medication. Harris discusses how meditation provided him with mindfulness—an essential tool that enhances focus, reduces reactivity, and promotes calmness.We explore how mindfulness practices can profoundly impact decision-making, creativity, and leadership. By being mindful, we can navigate life's challenges more wisely, transforming how we respond to stress at work and in personal relationships. Dan offers practical advice on starting a meditation practice, emphasizing the importance of consistency, even if it begins with just five to ten minutes daily. Five key learnings from the episode:The Power of Routine: Maya Angelou's disciplined daily writing practice demonstrates how small, consistent actions compound over time into substantial creative work.Mindfulness Benefits: Meditation can lower blood pressure, boost the immune system, and rewire the brain, leading to improved focus and calmness.Mindfulness in Decision Making: Practicing mindfulness helps break unproductive thought patterns, enabling better decision-making and creativity in challenging situations.Consistent Practice: Starting with just five to ten minutes of meditation daily can yield significant benefits; consistency is crucial to maintaining mindfulness.Grace in Practice: The key to sustaining creative and personal practices is granting oneself grace and understanding that starting again is part of the process.Get full interviews and daily content in the Daily Creative app at DailyCreative.app.Mentioned in this episode:NEW BOOK! The Brave Habit is available nowRise to important moments in your life and work by developing the habit of bravery. Available in paperback, ebook, or audiobook wherever books are sold.
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14:02
Outsiders
In this episode, we dive into the fascinating story of Fred Cox, a former NFL kicker for the Minnesota Vikings, who transitioned from the football field to becoming the inventor of the Nerf football. His story showcases how innovation can emerge from unexpected places and how outsiders with fresh perspectives often lead to groundbreaking changes.We are also joined by Kim Christfort, chief innovation leader and national managing director at the Deloitte Greenhouse Experience and co-author of The Breakthrough Manifesto. She discusses the concepts of overcoming resistance to change, distinguishing between critical thinking and cynicism, and fostering innovation by maintaining a beginner’s mindset. Kim enlightens us on dealing with internal and external skepticism, optimizing team dynamics to promote innovation, and leveraging the language of your organization to advocate for new ideas.Key Learnings:Outsider Innovation:Fred Cox’s journey from NFL kicker to the inventor of the Nerf football exemplifies how fresh perspectives can lead to groundbreaking innovations.Critical Thinking vs. Cynicism:Critical thinking involves asking provocative questions and seeking truth, while cynicism is a toxic presence that shuts down new ideas.Beginner’s Mindset:Adopting a beginner’s mindset helps strip away preconceived notions and encourages openness to new possibilities, crucial for fostering innovation.Dealing with Skepticism:Logical explanations and creating structured environments for discussion can help mitigate the impact of skepticism and keep innovation efforts on track.Leveraging Organizational Language:Framing innovation opportunities in the language of the company (e.g., ROI, culture) can make them more convincing and increase the likelihood of buy-in.Get full interviews and daily content in the Daily Creative app at DailyCreative.appMentioned in this episode:NEW BOOK! The Brave Habit is available nowRise to important moments in your life and work by developing the habit of bravery. Available in paperback, ebook, or audiobook wherever books are sold.
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Formerly The Accidental Creative.
Being a creative professional should be the greatest job in the world. You get to solve problems, express yourself, bring something new into the world and you get paid to do it. What's not to love. Yet every day, creative pros face, tremendous pressure and uncertainty. The temptation is just to play it safe, surrender to distraction and settle for less than your best daily creative is about making sure that's not your story.
Each episode focuses on a topic relevant to creative pros, like how to come up with ideas under pressure, or how the collaborate when you're overwhelmed, or how to lead your team and help them discover motivation.
It's time to fall back in love with your work.
Listen to Daily Creative wherever you get your podcasts or subscribe in the Daily Creative app at dailycreative.app.
Ireland