Getting Work To Work: Recent Episodes
Chris Martin Studios
Getting Work To Work is a weekly podcast for creative entrepreneurs, storytellers, visionaries, and change-makers who are on a mission of chasing big ideas, telling epic stories, and leaving living legacies. Whether you’re just starting out or have been at this creative and curious life for some time, I hope you’ll not only learn something new in this podcast, but also find yourself challenged and inspired to break through the barriers that hold you back from getting your work to work.
How do you discover necessary patterns of change in your life? For me, I journal, writing down emotions, successes, and failures throughout moments in time. For decades, I lacked consistency, but in late 2023, inspired by a video on my friend Jack’s YouTube channel, I started a daily log of thoughts and ideas. Yesterday, I came across a notebook from 2019–2020, so I traveled back in time to see what was going on six years ago. What did I find? An entry that could have been written today. I honestly felt discouraged. What’s the point of keeping a journal if it doesn’t help you identify recurring patterns before they become problems? Yes, journals can help us find patterns, but you actually have to do something with them. You have to make the decision to change, then actually do it.
Seven questions to help you identify patterns of change, figure out what actually needs to change, make a plan, and then do it:1. How will you document your life and work? 2. What are the patterns you identify? 3. As you reflect on the patterns, what are the changes that you need to make? 4. How will you decide what to change and what to ignore? 5. What are the changes you can make today? 6. What are the changes you need to work toward over a longer period of time? 7. Who, or what, will hold you accountable?
Show Links Why Is So Much AI Tech Useless? * Start A Journal Now! Unlock your inner potential! * Seth’s Blog * Airtable * Episode artwork from Envato Elements: Abstract Geometric Pattern Background in Pink Blue and Yellow*
In this thing called life, we undoubtedly face endless questions: How do I write a funny joke? Am I funny? Where is Chris? What is the meaning of life? Here to help us find some answers to those questions and to talk about his latest audio projects—Reflections – Where is Chris? and The Meaning of Life—is the funnyman himself, gough. We dive right into our typical podcasting shenanigans filled with laughter, inappropriate phrases, and the answer to yet another question: Who has the wettest mouth in Australia? We also talk about important things like oranges, human nature, two-line zingers, trusting your audio producer, how gough rehearses his actors to get great performances, and how he keeps his creativity fresh. If you’ve ever wondered where the line between drama and comedy is, gough even has an answer for that, too.
Show Links Beernuts Productions + The Meaning of Life + Reflections – Where is Chris? * All of Quentin Tarantino’s Filmic Foot Fetish Moments * Crocodile Dundee (1986) * America’s Got Talent * 9 Common Types of Oranges—And The Best Way To Use Each * Recording Room * Pulitzer Prizes * Zambia * Zambian kwacha * Still Life (2013) * Memento Explanation by Christopher Nolan – True Genius – Must Watch * The Muppets * The Happytime Murders (2018) * One Battle After Another (2025) * Breaking Bad (TV Series 2008–2013) * Big Mouth (TV Series 2017–2025) * “Big mouth Theme Song” by Charles Bradley * Human Resources (TV Series 2022–2023) * Mating Season (TV Series 2026–) * Episode Photo from Envato Elements: Fresh ripe oranges as background, top view*
As listeners of this show know, I love asking my guests what they are endlessly curiosity about, but what I rarely take the time to consider is that we could overload our curiosity. What do we do when this happens? Today’s guest provides several insights into forming our personal answer to that question. Micah Kassell is a graphic designer, drummer, and a deeply creative soul fascinated with curiosity, belief, and cult-like behavior. From corporate boardrooms to stages, he’s learned to approach teamwork from the perspective of the drummer, as time keeper and vibe tender. In this conversation, we explore his obsession with aspirational and motivational speech that builds fans of brands and culture. We also talk about his journey into music and graphic design, how his dad’s creativity influenced his life and career, why baseball is an imagination sport, learning to win and lose in life and business, why the trio is his favorite band and team configuration, patience, limitations, highlights and shadows, and learning to document his creativity with improvisation and communication.
Quotes:
“The longest of shadows are when the magic really happens.”
“Focus on doing really, really good and important things instead of just more things.”
Show Links Micah Kassell * Iron Maiden – The Trooper (Official Video) * Dead Kennedys * Steely Dan * Rush * Paul’s Boutique (20th Anniversary Edition / Remastered) * A Tribe Called Quest * Bill Evans Trio * Ahmad Jamal Trio – Manhattan Reflections * Minutemen live & interviewed 1985 * Ansel Adams * Pysanka * Have a good time all the time * Beabadoobee * Angine de Poitrine * Dan Harumi * Episode photo from Envato Elements: Abstract Light and Shadow on Walls and Floors*
The best conversations not only have interesting questions, but also the necessary time and space to think and respond when answers present themselves. From “What most often brings you joy?” and “What are you endlessly curious about?” to “What is the space you need to give yourself today?” and “Why does where you are matter?”, today’s guest and I dive deep into ourselves and share what we discover. Michael Hunter is the Founding Mentor of Uncommon Teams, a Coach, Podcaster, and Author of The Resilient Tech Leader: Harness the Power of Mind, Body, Spirit, and Heart to Lead with True Balance and Joy. Beyond the questions, we explore topics such as communication and science, why AI will never replace him, the solid foundations that allow him to have fun with change, what it means to be an uncommon hero, tiny experiments, resilience, and the simplest possible process.
Quote from the Episode:
“The most heroic thing I can do is to help you get in touch with your own inner hero, so that you can go on your own hero’s journey.” – Michael Hunter
Show Links Uncommon Teams * The Resilient Tech Leader: Harness the Power of Mind, Body, Spirit, and Heart to Lead with True Balance and Joy by Michael Hunter * HERO Starter Kit (Adventure Kit – Cogsworth City) * Disneyland and the Rise of Automation: How Technology Created the Happiest Place on Earth by Roland Betancourt * Multiplicity (1996) * Phrenology * Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb by Al Perkins * Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle by Betty MacDonald * The Satir Change Model by Steven M Smith * What About Bob? (1991) * Royal Hunt by Raven Storm * Episode Photo from Envato Elements: Color geometric architecture of Egypt*
The longer your creative career lasts, the less written about your specific struggles. Writing and producing work for young professionals is enticing because there will always be an eager audience, hungry to succeed. They will 10x absolutely everything in order to keep up with the algorithm and crush the content calendar. The message never changes even though the audience does. But for the rest of us, time tempers all things. While your creativity continues to soar, your willingness to settle for long hours and low wages does not. You grow tired of playing the game. The message grows stale in your mouth. You still dream impossible dreams, but the truth is that you don’t need anything fancy, you just need to work on your craft. The patient reawakening has nothing to do with being the next hot commodity, it’s returning to you, practicing, focusing, and refining. Every single day. It’s not chasing popularity or relevance, it’s doing the work that resonates.
Quote from Episode“We must train ourselves. Not to make spoons or jewelry or paintings or chairs but to be more competent, more forgiving, more patient. If we were simply training for production, there would be only engineering geared to cost-benefit analysis and not the value of Quality. But if you are truly interested in making changes in your work, if you are attempting to do work of Quality, then the work to be done is on you.” – Gary Rogowski, Handmade: Creative Focus in the Age of Distraction
Questions* Reawakening Question: Why do I keep going on? * Awakening Question: Why did I start?
Show Links Handmade: Creative Focus in the Age of Distraction by Gary Rogowski * Guns N’ Roses – Patience * Perfect Days (2023) * Episode photo from Envato Elements: Rustic Metalworking Shop Interior with Forging Tools*
What’s your gift to the world? What makes you uniquely different than everybody else? Why should I choose you? Three powerful questions from today’s conversation with John Ravaris, consultant, speaker, and author of Define Value, Drive Growth: Build a Business Clients Choose and Competitors Envy. In our conversation, John unpacks these questions and more, focusing on how uniqueness creates client value. He talks about his curiosity with what people and businesses are really trying to accomplish, what sales is and is not, how his 4D Roadmap—Discover, Develop, Deploy, and Delight—reveals what makes a business unique, the difference between a customer and a client, his approach to niching and standing out, and building your reputation by saying no and not chasing the shiny object. If your business is stuck positioning itself just like its competition, then it’s time to discover just how valuable uniqueness can be.
Show Links John Ravaris | UVP Solutions * Define Value, Drive Growth: Build a Business Clients Choose and Competitors Envy by John Ravaris * Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) * From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life by Arthur C. Brooks * The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness by Arthur C. Brooks * Episode photo from Envato Elements: Colorful Rock Texture with Lichen and Vegetation*
Years ago, I was having coffee with a friend and he asked me if I wanted his old 3D printer. It had been awhile since I modeled anything in 3D and I couldn’t visualize the process, so I declined with a simple statement, “I need to learn to see first.” I’m shaking my head at my ignorance. Have I learned to see yet? Nope, I haven’t. I haven’t even tried. What I did was miss out on an opportunity to dive in and have fun learning something completely new. Vision doesn’t show up because we see something, it’s revealed through our experiences. It’s the combination of our senses and the understanding we earn as a result of our efforts. In today’s monologue, I’m going to dive deeper into how we can develop our creative vision by doing our work, sharing it with others, and refining it along the way.
Six areas of vision that are lost when I say something as dismissive as “I need to learn to see first”:1. Vision starts with imagination, but it’s much more than that. 2. Vision is fueled by knowledge built upon research and examination. 3. As I said in the previous monologue, “vision is the living embodiment of creative expression.” 4. Courage is essential for turning vision into reality. 5. I want to reiterate what I said in the previous monologue: “Don’t conform to someone else’s vision for your life.” I’m also going to add don’t conform to someone else’s vision for your work as well. 6. Your vision is about our future.
Show Links MasterClass * david carson design * Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial vs. That’s the Weight of the World) * Episode photo from Envato Elements: Abstract Digital Light Rays Shining Outward*
Of all the questions today’s guest asks in our conversation, the biggest of them all is this: “What does it mean to be alive?” Making his sixth appearance on the show, Christopher Butler is a designer, communicator, and deep thinker not afraid to ask tough questions and explore obscure topics. Our conversation begins with nature journaling, the joy of slowing down, observing, and modeling wonder for others. From there, we explore what it means to trust information, the role of modern propaganda and disinformation in our technical society, and the importance of having a consensus, shared reality. Ever deeper, we question purpose, meaning, and what we leave behind to the next generation. As Chris models throughout this conversation, open your mind as we go on this adventure together.
Quotes from the Episode:“What is it that I really do? What is the thing that is indispensable that I bring to the table?”
“It’s not about what you’re good at, it’s about who you are.”
Show Links Christopher Butler * Signals #004: What Doesn’t Compress by Christopher Butler * Newfangled * The Scrap Exchange * Offline Magazine * Renée DiResta * Invisible Rulers: The People Who Turn Lies Into Reality by Renée DiResta * The Rights of Man by Thomas Paine * The Art of Doing Science and Engineering: Learning to Learn by Richard W. Hamming * What Wendell Berry Saw Coming by Joshua Heath Scott * SmarterEveryDay * The Only Planet of Choice: Essential Briefings From Deep Space by Phyllis V. Schlemmer * The Stargate Conspiracy: The Truth about Extraterrestrial life and the Mysteries of Ancient Egypt by Lynn Picknett & Clive Prince * Other Tongues Other Flesh by George Hunt Williamson * Episode photo from Envato Elements: Abstract Dark Background with Blue, Pink, and Orange*
What are the things you’ve studied, explored, or even built a body of work around, but ultimately moved away from? As creative professionals, we are wanderers and explorers, constantly searching and striving for new experiences and techniques. But what do we do when we feel the call to return to past areas of study? We are different than before, so why would we even think of doing this, let alone grapple with the feelings that we’re selling out or short-changing our evolution? The creative process is like the tide, it comes in, it goes out. We stay and go. Not everyone chooses to return, but if we do, we must honor the past with who we’ve become, and have a vision for something beyond what we could ever do before. It’s not about nostalgia or taking shortcuts, it’s about transformation. That’s the creative return.
“Writing an introduction to the tenth anniversary edition of Weaveworld last year I remarked on much of the same thing: The man who’d written that book was no longer around. He’d died in me, was buried in me. We are all our own graveyards I believe; we squat amongst the tombs of the people we were.” – Books of Blood: Volumes One to Three by Clive Barker
8 Reasons Why We Would Return to Earlier Forms of Creative Expression:1. Control 2. Ability 3. Patience 4. Focus 5. Process 6. Evolution 7. Revolution 8. Vision
Show Links Books of Blood: Volumes One to Three by Clive Barker * CS50’s Introduction to Programming with Python * Episode photo from Envato Elements: Aerial view of hand working with spatula with acrylic paint on p*
I want to prime you with a question asked by today’s guest during our conversation: “What does it mean for you to be fully expressed as a human being in whatever shape that takes?” So much of our life and work is spent in opposition to what we actually want, and yet the possibilities are truly endless. Sarah Bush is a mixed media artist who explores “the relationship between materials and ideas” with fiber, metal, handmade books, and the written word. In our conversation, we dive deep into imagination, the creative process, and the importance of struggle in our work. We also talk about healing through our work, making work that is true versus good, how risk changes as we get older, the role of mystery in her work, the threads that weave through it all, how to commit to your vision, and Sarah’s obsession with scale.
Show Links Sarah Bush Artworks * What’s Wrong with Hard? – The Pink Teacup * Paul Simon * David Byrne * Robert Plant * Devin Townsend * A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness* by Michael Pollan
TranscriptChris Martin: It’s always fun when you meet people for the first time and they just put you in a place of not ease, but just calm and peace and excitement for the conversation. And I think you just bring an energy to the Zoom room of just that. So welcome to the show.
Sarah Bush: Thank you so much. I’m so happy to be here.
CM: Awesome. Well, I love asking this question of everyone I talk with, and it’s, what are you endlessly curious about?
SB: Well, one of the reasons that I make art is that it feeds my endless curiosity. And it’s one of the places in the world where I can’t be bored. And also partly because I set the terms. So that really interests me.
The creative process and how it works, I find that really interesting, and I do find exploring how to use my imagination as almost like a spiritual practice, a lifelong endeavor. And so all the things I love to do most, make art, garden, spiritual work, it’s all, to me, those will keep me busy till I’m dead.
CM: What a great way to describe it, ’cause I feel like we look at work as this thing that we do drudgingly until we die, as opposed to how you just phrased it as like, “This is gonna keep me busy until I’m dead.” And there’s almost a freedom to that, as opposed to the drudgery nature of how we often look at it.
SB: That’s right, and I think that’s like owning your work. And understandably, a lot of people can’t own their work, when it’s externally imposed upon you it can feel a lot like drudgery. But then I think we can also treat anything really challenging as drudgery.
And one of my other big mantras is—I wrote a blog post called What’s Wrong with Hard?—and it’s one of my more popularly read ones. I’m glad it’s popular because I think we live in a culture obsessed with natural talent and things that come easily, and when something doesn’t, people think, “Oh, that’s not my thing.” And I think, oh, how strange. That anything worth doing is usually hard, and that if you’re just okay with it being hard, then it kinda opens up a lot.
CM: It’s so interesting that you said that too, because one of the areas that I have a lot of conversation around is friction, and that needed component of work that, yes, it is hard, it is challenging. That’s how you develop the abilities, the skills to continually do your work. And yet I think we do live in a society that wants things to make it easier for us, for whatever reason. I don’t know why.
SB: I know. I think some of it is because we have this thing about natural talent and natural abilities that other cultures actually don’t have so strongly. And I also think what’s so interesting about that is that those aspects of our work, like the things that we do find hard, they’re almost like a spiritual practice too. I think basically what’s hard for me is that I’m facing the thing in myself, like my anxiety, I don’t know how to do this.
What I’m bumping up against is often internal about the process that I find where all the friction is really, and that, like I always thought as an artist, I try to, when I’m talking to other artists about pricing, like I was a designer for a long time, and we all had to pr- I kind of enjoy it, but it took, you’re really bumping up against your feelings of self-worth. All those issues come up, and so it’s like an opportunity really to heal that stuff, through your work, through this thing you’re giving your time to, and treating it like this little lens onto what’s going on inside.
CM: That’s interesting. What was that process to go from the world of design and wrestling against the self-worth and charging and pricing to then that point of expansion to where you enter the world of art and you’re like, “Okay, this is what I’m doing now,” and it sounds like there’s a lot of freedom that showed up for you.
SB: Yes and no. I also think design, it tends to be more concrete. You have these concrete parameters and you’re working with them, and there is something soothing about that. And then you’re still facing things, like if I’m making a product, I’ve designed so much jewelry and so many personal accessories and you’re in a meeting and discussing the price, it’s much more nuts and bolts.
When you have a painting that you made and the price feels much more about, like you’re pricing your soul or something. And then you have to kind of still address that and think about how to hold that lightly. Sometimes from my design background, I’ll think, “Well, with that price, I had to make things that were wholesale.” So now, if a gallery has my art, what’s the price? If someone comes into my studio, what’s the price? So it’s still varied.
I just think that answering to yourself with your work, regardless of whether you sell it or not, that’s where that freedom lies that you’re talking about, where you make something that resonates for yourself. And you are trying to make something true more than you’re trying to make something good. And that is to me where you get more committed to your process.
CM: Oh, that’s really interesting. True versus good.
SB: I think about that all the time. Because when you go to art school, you really learn how to make something good or you try to make something good. And in a funny way, you have to unlearn a lot of that if you wanna make something true, and it will push you to make something that maybe won’t be good at the end, and it’s true. And then you maybe that expands your capacity. And then also it helps me more understand when people are new to making work, they’re very driven to make something good, and that is where all the angst is because when you’re new at something, it’s harder to make something good.
And then everyone talks about how you should feel so great about making something bad. I think that’s not easy to like making something bad, but I also think kind of honoring it is important, honoring it as part of your process and as part of your journey. And I’ve made work, I’ve felt like, “Oh, that fell on its sword for me. And now I can make the thing correctly now.”
CM: I feel like we don’t let time speak enough in our lives in terms of how long it takes to be able to make something good. I think about when I was younger just starting out and, yeah, you’re right, I felt that in order to be worthy of what I was doing, I had to make something good immediately.
SB: Yes. I think there is a great pressure there, and I also think social media kind of creates that illusion. You see a lot of things that seem to happen in a one-minute video, and that part, you know, is hard. And also, don’t you find that as you get older, there’s less risk for me to make something bad because I’ve made a lot of things I consider good. And so, yeah, that one didn’t work out. It’s not such a verdict about my ability as it is when you’re starting and you don’t have things that you’re proud of yet.
And I think that stuff’s really legitimate and bringing more awareness to what’s happening. So really, the stakes are lower for me to screw up at this point. And so I can tell you to screw up and enjoy it, but I think it’s a way of finding that mercy with yourself when you’re having the courage to make something and try to express yourself.
CM: What comes to mind as you’re talking about this too is my wife and I watch a lot of competitive cooking shows, and inevitably someone always says, “You know, if I win this, it’ll prove to my parents, prove to my family members that all this time spent was worth it.” And it’s just like, “Uh, okay that’s kinda sad,” you know?
SB: Yes, and darn it. That’s the other weird part on a social level that people maybe aren’t that comfortable with you committing to something that doesn’t show quick success, that doesn’t make you money. One of the things I used to always say is that it’s such a reflection on our culture. When you make something, one of the biggest compliments that someone will give is, “Wow that’s so good you could sell it.” That’s the framework that the culture has offered to determine something’s value. And so that’s why it’s also so important that you can sell it. And why so many of us artists have this angst about that, or these cooking show people who are trying to prove that they could get that great chef’s job or whatever it is.
CM: Value is one of those conversations too that is very challenging, whether you’re a artist or a designer. And I think sometimes I feel like it’s not the right conversation to have. I feel it’s one of those conversations that we let us distract from answering the question, what do you want to do with your life? Because personally, I spent 20 years trying to satisfy other people and still struggled. And yet, as I move forward, I’m thinking, “How can I answer this call that I have in my spirit in a way that might actually yield better valued results down the line?” I don’t actually know, but I’m willing to go that way because history has proven that this other way that I was doing wasn’t actually valuable.
SB: That’s right. I agree with that, and also in a funny way, social media exacerbates that. “Like me! Like me!” If you have a lot of likes, you’re validated, but from an artist point of view, it’s so clear there’s certain kind of art that’s gonna get a like online. Very graphic, very bold. So it’s very hard to see something on a phone, the image is the tiny image. All of it. You know, it’s not really that much of a direct experience, so it skews, you know? If you make work that doesn’t really take photograph well or all those things.
CM: And there’s so much more to our senses than just vision. My mom makes handmade bags, and so she sews and makes bags. And when I see people walk up to them, sometimes they’re afraid to even touch them, as if they’re gonna break the bag. And usually it’s the people who walk up and start undoing the button and seeing what’s inside and having that tactile experience, they’re the ones that tend to probably purchase more than the people who just kind of view it as this art that would just sit there and not do anything.
SB: So interesting, that willingness to engage and connect with it. And also, I think, um- I mean, what’s, one, one, one nice thing about that is they are at least being reverential kind of about the handmade object. And I think that we have so little of that. Like, people are so unaware of how most things are made that it makes it really hard to appreciate that. Like, for an American artist, like when I work with natural dyes or things like that, like people get those things from people in other cultures and countries that whose cost of living is completely different. And, it’d be really hard to compensate someone appropriately here.
I have a friend who’s an unbelievable knitter. And people are always saying, “Oh, you should sell those.” And she’s thinking, “Would you pay $1,000 for them?” I don’t think you would. So some things are even hard to sell, you know?
CM: One of the interesting things about you, Sarah, is you do multiple things. So you aren’t just, like, um, you know, you aren’t just like a painter. You are, you are many things, and I love that you describe your art as the exploration of the relationship between materials and ideas. Like, that, to me, was mind-blowing. Because oftentimes we think of art as the idea and the relationship between the idea and the audience. But I like even taking it back and saying, how do these ideas and materials work together? And so have you always had this clarity about this freedom from the weight of specialization and not feeling like you need to niche down and stay in your lane, and all those stupid phrases that we use to keep people, like, stuck in this homogenous world of categorization?
SB: I used to kind of beat myself up. I used to say, “Oh, jack of all trades.”
CM: Master of none.
SB: Master of none. Because, I always worked in multiple things and that gets kind of penalized, I’d say. And then I finally was like, “Screw it,” you know? “This is who I am and what I’m gonna do, and I just have to honor that.”
Otherwise, I just can’t make what I make. And I like fusing things. I feel like the important thing a little bit is to not just learn techniques to learn them. Like, I’m usually trying to figure out how it helps me express something. Like, when I want a particular technique or I wanna use a different material, I have a reason generally.
And even if I’m learning, like I can explore a technique when I’m not sure of that, but always I’m thinking, you know, how is this serving my- muse or what I want, you know, what is this doing? ‘Cause I’ll s- sometimes I’ll start, I’ll try to solve a problem, like I’m in the middle of something. Mm, it’s not working.
Maybe I need to try something else. I, I go down this rabbit hole, and then I might come out of that rabbit hole saying, “No, no.” Or I’m very drawn to materials, and then I’m seeking to see how that relates back to, like, my kind of priorities and, and generally how I express myself or the ideas that really interest me.
CM: Do you have an example of something recently that you kinda dove into to kind of explore as you’re talking about this, this something new or this new idea?
SB: I really like to try something new in the winter. Like, I’m hunkered inside. I decided to learn how to do rust printing on fabric. So I have a fiber degree, which I then kinda walked away from and, and became a real mixed-media artist. Like, do- in all my design jobs, blah, blah, and then on the side of what I was doing my mixed-media artwork. And then in the last few years I feel like I’ve done this return and doing new things about it.
When I was getting my master’s degree it wasn’t, natural dyes for instance weren’t really big, but that’s something that’s really important to me now. So playing with those. So I was learning this rust because I was just intrigued- By the process. And then as I’m learning it, I am, you know, watching different videos and then thinking, I’m trying these different fabrics. I’m always asking myself, which one is resonating with me? Why is that resonating? What do I want out of that? Like, I put this on this Japanese cotton. I’m like, “Yeah, it’s all right. I probably won’t, I don’t need to do that anymore.” Then I do silk charmeuse and I’m like, “Oh, yes. Okay. This is right. I… Okay. This can help me explore my interest in symbols and images.”
‘Cause I’m laying these rusty pieces down and I’m getting these really sharp, clear images, which is blowing me away. And then the shimmer of the charmeuse is sort of luscious to me. Then I’ll play with the form. I start making them very long and narrow, and I’m thinking, “Oh, is that, like, a priest’s stole around the neck?” Or, oh, now I’m thinking, “Ah, I’m gonna riff on these very early…” I like book arts and I like these very early book forms. And I was reading about these very early Chinese books, and so they, they tore strips of bamboo off the bamboo, and they wrote down in it.
And I even think, someone can correct me who’s listening if I’m wrong, that that’s why they write vertically is because their first sort of papers were long and narrow. And so I think, “Oh, my long and narrow charmeuse, like, now I’m gonna grow off this, my book.” ‘Cause I saw all these bamboo sheets lined up, and I thought, “Oh, I’m doing that, but with silk and with the rust.”
And then I’ll blend it. I’ll experiment with blending it with the indigo or different tannins to get subtle gradations of tone that, you know, maybe help express this mystery I’m trying to communicate or something.
CM: It’s that mystery that’s so captivating, isn’t it?
SB: Yes. I have a series I’ve been working in for a while that I call Bowing to the Mystery, but I almost feel like that’s all my work. That’s what I’m trying to do with all my art is bow to the mystery.
CM: I love the way you lit up when you started talking about that exploration, too, because I think there’s power in that. That power to be almost that childlike- part of your soul that, that is willing to just try something even if it’s not gonna work, and you have no proof or reason.
SB: And there’s plenty of them that don’t work, and then you have this handful that does work. And then it feels like a conversation, you know? I really like all the subtlety there of the conversation with the materials.
CM: How do you then bring that back to other parts of your practice then? So if you’re doing rust printing on silk charmeuse, how do you bring that back to a canvas or metal or different things that you might do?
SB: Well, it’s more like, oh, am I starting a new body of work based on those? I already had bought these headboards from a thrift store, like of an old children’s bed. So then I thought, “Oh, I’m gonna cut those up, reshape them.” So I go to the saw and I’m reshaping them, and then I’m like, “Ooh, I love this shape.” And now my strips will hang from there. And then I’m thinking about Indian art and Persian art and all the looking, looking, looking that I do and things moving. Then it becomes more like how my priorities get expressed through different media. The same priorities getting expressed through different media.
The shininess thing, it’s always with me. I’ve worked on metal, literally worked on metal, then I was working making these large black pieces with Queen Anne’s lace that I pressed, and I’m painting them and people are coming into my studio saying, “Are those metal?” I’m thinking, “Oh, that’s so interesting that that looks like…” But I’m using powdered graphite on them, and so they have the sheen. And then the silk charmeuse, it’s the shiny stuff I want.
So there’s always these interconnecting threads of how each thing is relating to each other even though- On the surface or on the immediate moment, they might look quite different.
CM: I love the use of the word thread, too, ’cause it’s both literal and metaphorical for you.
SB: That’s right. That is often my metaphor, and that’s no accident.
CM: I think that’s the important thing that people don’t think enough about, especially those who want to explore different mediums, is that in a sense they are the thread through their work. As opposed to needing to find some organizing principle that makes sense to the external world or something. Let yourself be the thread that weaves through your work.
SB: That’s exactly right. That’s almost like a sacred thing; don’t cheapen that. And also, I think that there is a rush to niche yourself, and I see people doing that where I think, “No, no, no, no. Keep going. Keep going. You’re just getting started. Don’t, don’t rush there.” Because you might make a few things that are good in a certain way, and then you start to think, “Oh, that’s my voice.” And I think your voice is bigger than that.
Let your voice bloom. Don’t get too narrow too quickly so that you can say you have a style, because you don’t wanna just mimic yourself. I don’t like it when I feel like someone, I’m thinking, “Are you just making the same painting over and over?” What are you doing? It’s a little over product-y for me, I guess. Even though I love products and I love objects. I like things. I’ve made so many things. I like them. I like packaging the little things. I like all that stuff.
CM: I think about music a lot, and one of the things that always intrigues me are the artists who almost become the band who’s the legacy artist. You know, like The Rolling Stones or, you know, you get a little bored because they’re just playing the hits. And yet there’s the artists who reinvent themselves, sometimes to the detriment of success or to the fan base because, oh, there they go, they’re, you know, doing something different again. And yet as an artist, you look at that going, “I want that freedom to be willing to chase and follow where my creativity goes, and hopefully my audience will as well.”
SB: I have so much respect for that. Like the Paul Simons of the world or the David Byrnes or Robert Plant. You’re a committed musician. It wasn’t like something, you were in your 20s, you happened to be in a band that got popular, and now you’re in your 70s thinking, “We could all make a bunch of money if we just play those old songs again,” and people get to go down memory lane. That’s what’s happening at those shows where it’s really in service of someone’s memory, where it’s just about that nostalgia. But when they’re just really committed to their craft, I think that’s great. I’m exactly there with you on that, and those are the people that I really admire.
CM: There’s this one artist that I follow. He’s from Canada, and he’s done everything from extreme metal to ambient soundscapes. And his latest album took 10 years to make, and it’s actually a combination of all those sounds, and there’s just so much respect for that ’cause it’s just like on a commercial level I can’t imagine it being popular, and yet he has a fan base that gives him the freedom to explore that. And I think what that does for me is it expands the language of possibility that is constricted by what the world tells me I should be and do.
SB: Yes. It’s liberating. He’s role modeling how to be committed to your own vision through all that sound collection. I know exactly why he’s collecting those sounds. That’s how I am. Like, I’m collecting, collecting to help me put them together. The way I want.
CM: Sarah, you said something a little bit ago that really got me thinking, and it was the creative return to what you studied before. And you were talking about your art degree and all that. I think a lot about return, and that the creative process is as much about leaving as it is coming back, and that relationship between going and staying. There’s a rhythm there that I think is important.
SB: Fascinating. And in that sense, I wonder if there’s parts of you that know it before your brain knows it. When my husband and I moved to New Mexico several years ago, we were looking at different houses, and each one I was like, “Well, where’s my studio gonna be?” Don’t tell me about that guest bedroom. That’s not adequate. We came into this building that we live in now, and it had almost like a whole other side. And I was like, “Oh, this whole place, this place could be my studio.” And it had this little rustic kitchen, and I was so charmed, and I said out loud, “That’ll be my dye studio.”
I thought, “Why did I even say that? I’m not dyeing anything.” And that’s exactly what it is. It’s my dye studio. It’s my dye kitchen. So it’s like I almost felt some part of me knew it before my brain knew it.
CM: That connection of our body to our space is so important, and I don’t think we think enough about that.
SB: I agree. And also trying to honor who you are in your space by asking for a space that gives you what you need when you can do that.
CM: I’ve seen a photo of your studio that you’re talking about, and it honestly looks like something out of a movie.
SB: Oh my God.
CM: And I’m curious how that space inspires your creativity. When you moved there and you started to let your creativity inhabit that space, how did you change as a result?
SB: Well, I wonder if having that separate kitchen really opened that up. It opened up two things for me. It opened up having a nice space to make a giant mess of starting seeds inside in that kitchen, and then also I can dye things. No one really encourages a lot of dyeing of fabric in your regular eating kitchen. So having this little rustic kitchen to do that in, the space helped me then create. I didn’t have to assert myself so much, like go hunt a place down, and that part then allows that to blossom.
And I think that it would be hard to think of making very large work in a very small space. And so you are inhabiting a space, and it is affecting your imagination, I would say. Not like making large work is superior or anything, but it does, I think, change what you make. What can you get out the door?
And even when I was looking at that space, we had to renovate a little, ’cause it’s a live-work space. We live here. I got doors made that had a garage door, and I thought, “Well, I need these… I can’t have these doors open because they’re gonna use up too much wall space. I need them.” And the guy’s like, “What if they slide?” And then I was like, “Yeah, okay. Sliding works.” And they open up more, and that would let me get something outside…
CM: Oh, cool.
SB: …that was bigger. And then, for someone who’s thinking, “I can’t do any of that,” one thing that does strike me that a lot of people do who are creative is they give themselves no space in their home. Our house is a place we do things. It’s not a showplace. And yeah, that means I have to clean like a mad woman maybe when people come over. People who are very neat, you can’t really create if you put everything away. You’re really inhibiting that ability because you have to look at those things. Things have to be out.
Or a guest room, and I think, “Well, how many times do you have guests? Why is this sitting here like a hotel room?” I get the importance of a guest room, but if it’s 10% of the time, you should be using that the other 90% for yourself and your creativity. And if you are super neat, it’s a room that you can be less neat in and then shut the door.
CM: Right. And just start throwing paint in there.
SB: Yeah. Let’s see what happens. I’ll tell people, you know, if your sewing machine’s in the closet, you’re not using it. Period. It has to be out or you’re not gonna use it.
CM: Right. Doesn’t matter the tool if it’s not there, out of sight, out of mind.
SB: That’s right. If you get the urge and then you take everything out, by that time something else has happened and you can’t keep going.
CM: I laughed when you said, “Can you get your art out the door?” I built a workbench in my space here and I couldn’t get it out the door ’cause I made it too wide. You don’t really think about things like that until you actually make something. I think scale is important, especially in the digital world, because right now our scale is the size of our hand in a sense of our phones or our tablets or our TV screens, and that’s small comparatively speaking.
SB: I can’t believe you brought that up. I’m obsessed with scale, and on the internet, to me, the most deceptive thing is scale. It’s very difficult to appreciate the size of anything. And we have no idea. Just because you know how to mail a letter doesn’t really mean you know anything about shipping a container. You’re still mailing something completely different experience. When you change scale, everything changes.
CM: Yes. Just thinking about moving to another area and taking your entire house and putting it in a truck, that’s hard to do. It’s hard to conceive of that, and yet when that happens, it allows how you think and your imagination to change as follows.
SB: That’s right. Just like when you learn a new technique or a new tool, it changes your imagination. It changes what you can think up, because now you have more skills to utilize with your imagination, and your imagination will accommodate you accordingly.
CM: At what point in your journey did imagination really enter your picture as something that you wanted to think and write about?
SB: I feel like my imagination is my best friend. I really rely on my imagination. I trust it. And then several years ago, I got involved in a small spiritual community where they were talking about the imagination more, and on a spiritual level. And because the imagination matters to me, I was very struck by that. And I was very struck by the idea of using my imagination as a tool of connection, a way to expand my understanding of the universe, deepen into my sense of myself in the web of life. All those things that felt like they mattered so much.
We have kind of an Earth-based focus in this group, it’s almost like how the imagination can be a form of prayer. Just in its connective capacity, really, and even imagination as becoming and it’s so much more than creating, and even so, the universe is constantly creating itself.
When we create, we are a part of that constant creation and there’s not a lot of conscious awareness to me about that. And then the same thing is true with the imagination. A lot of people will tell me they don’t have much of an imagination, and yet everyone on a low grade way is using their imagination every day.
Everything around us in this, in our built environment started in someone’s imagination. All the problems that we’re in now started in someone’s imagination. The human imagination got us into this mess, and the human imagination is gonna get us out. We have to start realizing that our imaginations have that capacity, and that we could take responsibility for our imaginations by embracing them, and understanding how our imaginations work so that when someone tries to hijack your imagination, that you understand what’s happening, and then you can stop handing over your power and, and take it back and understanding the reason someone hijacks your imagination is your imagination is very powerful. So when they start insinuating a lot of terrible things that that might happen, and then each separate one of us picks the terrible thing that scares us the most, and tell, and fills in the blanks.
Our fear and our imagination are very old friends. But our dreams, our hopes, our love, those can also be old friends with our imagination. We just have to be willing to consciously embrace that.
CM: I love that reminder that imagination is a spectrum between fear and hope. And it just kind of reminds me of you can’t be necessarily in one place and hope for the other. You can’t be in hope and thinking about fear. You can’t be fearful and thinking about hope, in a sense. It’s hard.
SB: That’s right. It’s also natural that part of our survival mechanism is our fear and our imagination’s relationship in our amygdala brain or whatever. But also, being willing to take responsibility for that. When I’m worrying, I’m using my imagination to come up with the worst-case scenario. And then I can stop doing that. And I can ask my imagination to do something else.
CM: How have you learned to incorporate your imagination in your creative process? ‘Cause sometimes with the creative process, it’s just like input, process, output, input, process, output. But an important part of input comes into the process, and then the imagination starts to do something that the process could never contain, if you let it.
SB: Our imaginations love a container, and your art can be that container. And it gives it, the imagination, a place to land and grow. An idea in your imagination, it can help it evolve. And as you get more familiar with that, you use it more. I just taught a little class, and kind of that process through the act of making something very concrete, like sort of finding out how you’re feeling, then trying to take the next step with making this object based on that, and then getting to the real thing that you’re caring about.
And through that give and take between your idea or the concept of what you might make based on your feelings, for instance, and then wrap it, trying to wrap it in this container, a thing, a painting, uh, a toy, then using that vehicle, that container to listen and ask yourself.
It’s like when you allow that first step, maybe that all comes out and then you’re like, “Is that really what I mean? Is that what I mean? Is this really what I mean?” And this, it becomes to me like a conversation between the materials and the ideas. Like that, oh, the materials, you’re trying to put it somewhere that makes sense to you, so that’s why you’re doing it that way. Things are allowed to emerge because you are in this play between the materials in the process and your…
So even if your idea’s kind of nascent, you’re not really, it’s hard for you to have words for that idea. It’s like a listening. And so for me, it’s like a trusting of my imagination. So like even when you’re listening to your work, you’re really trusting your imagination, instead of dismissing something that’s coming into your head. That tight relationship between your intuition and your imagination, and if it pops into my head, I trust that.
CM: It’s funny that you mention trust, ’cause that was the thing that was in my mind as you were talking. How did you learn to trust that voice, to trust your imagination? ‘Cause I think sometimes we look at this idea that comes into our mind, and we only trust it if it has economic value or there’s some clear ROI or whatever business term we wanna throw on that idea, and essentially drown it under some weight of responsibility. And yet, if we don’t trust our imagination, we could never get there.
SB: That’s right. And we also could never get to a new place.Sometimes making art you can be thinking, “Oh, no one’ll buy that.” “If I do that, no one’s buying that piece. It’s too weird,” or something. And then you’re basically refusing to listen. And it’s in tandem with being on your own side. And I feel like when we’re really self-critical or when we’re being perfectionist…I really think perfectionism is a form of self-violence and people can be very attached to their perfectionism, like it’s a high standard.
But I think holding yourself to a high standard is different. When you finally decide that you’re willing to be on your own side then you have to practice being on your own side. Instead of like, “Oh, look at this piece of shit I just made.” “This sucks.” And then the little story gets going. See, what was I thinking? And then your imagination’s like, “Oh, I’ll help you there.” If we wanna talk about how, what a piece of crap you are. Like you, you know, you’ve honed that. And so it’s sort of like being unwilling to continue that path. And then I think you have to… So that’s like sort of I guess finding your why really, like why do you wanna do it enough?
One of my obsessions is being all in on my life. It’s my life. I’m here. I don’t wanna lie on my death bed and be like, “Oh, I was afraid to make a bad art.” You know? I would find that very disappointing. Oh, I didn’t wanna do that thing ’cause I thought someone would reject me. And I still struggle with those things, but my driver is strong to overcome that.
When you do, if you do decide to do that, when you get rewarded, like where the maybe the piece works out because you took a risk or you listened, then it’s a little easier to try again.
CM: I’m just taking that all in, ’cause you just dropped something incredibly important that I want to sit with and that I hope the audience sits with. Always looking for the out so that you don’t have to, in a sense, do the hard thing, do the thing that you know you really wanna do, sometimes you can expend all of your energy just looking for the out so that you don’t have to step up. That is what I’ve done for so long, was looking for the out. And so, as you’re sharing this connection back to yourself, back to your life, it’s an invitation. It’s an invitation to not be afraid of yourself anymore.
SB: Yeah and to be your own ally. Don’t think I have it all figured out. I just have my mission, you know? That’s what I want for myself. I wanna not be afraid. Especially when a lot of those things we have to be afraid of. But there’s a lot of things that we make up to be afraid of.
CM: I’m just very grateful because I think what you have allowed your imagination to do in this conversation is to show the way forward in a way that is life-affirming, art-giving, and expansive, as opposed to shutting someone down, putting them in a box, making it too constrictive. I’m very grateful of what you’re doing right now ’cause I think it’s so necessary. Your voice is so powerful and needed in this world.
SB: Oh, thank you so much. Gosh.
CM: That’s the thing that I love about these conversations, you’re able to connect with someone that you’ve never met before, to connect with their mission. And I hope it reveals to other people what their mission could be, and that they see that it’s worthy to go all in on that.
SB: Yes. That’s a lot of my writing, I think. What does it mean for you to be fully expressed as a human being in whatever shape that takes. Why not commit to that? Not because you know what’ll happen, because there’s such dignity in taking the risk. There’s such dignity in throwing yourself into it, and when we see that in other people, generally we’re really rooting for them.
CM: It’s really hard to root for someone if all your experience of them is just this talking video that’s muted on Instagram. But as you start actually conversing with them or interacting with their writing or their thinking they start to become this fully formed human being, as opposed to just some digital avatar talking at you.
SB: Yeah, or if you only see everything that looks perfect. So when we moved here, we had this crazy yard. Like, it’s really hard to garden here in New Mexico, like the hardest I’ve ever had. And I was out in this yard, and it’s on a busy-ish corner, and I’d be out there throwing myself into like pickaxing, the wind is blowing, and ‘m just all immersed in my thing, struggling. My struggle was extremely overt and people would yell out the window like, “You go, girl.” I thought people just loved seeing you willing to throw yourself into it.
I had somebody walk up behind me like, “It so inspires me what you’re trying to do here.” He got out of his car. Like I jumped out of my skin. He was going, “I’m so sorry. I have to go visit my mother, and I just wanted to come up and tell you.” And I just think it’s that, that’s as simple as being honest with your struggle. Because there’s just integrity to it. No one can take it from you.
And I get it about being revealed. It’s hard for me to show my works in progress, but I do show my sketchbook pages now, which has been really good for me in my posts on The Pink Teacup. And so it’s like a spectrum there as well. But you know, I often think about someone like Oprah. She doesn’t understand that the fact that she struggled with her weight her whole life was what made her so accessible. The reason she had all these women who loved her is that angst about her weight. It wasn’t like she was heavy and was fine with it. She wasn’t fine with it. She was constantly struggling with it. But that’s what made her human, because if she didn’t have that struggle, it would seem like she had no problems. And so it was the way to connect. The vulnerability.
CM: Yeah, that connection through struggle as well. Cause then it’s like, “Oh, you don’t have it all together. Oh, you’re not, you know, innately talented with what you’re doing, yet you’re really good at what you’re doing. So maybe I need to change a story about what I think about talent or, you know, success.”
SB: That’s right. Yes, because a lot of people think, “Well, those people, it’s just easy for them, and it’s really hard for me.” I think like, “No, no, it’s hard for them.” Make no mistake, It’s hard for them.
CM: Well, Sara, I could honestly talk with you all day long. You are a bundle of positive energy and creative energy, and I’m all for that. But, um, thank you for being here. And as we end our time together, is there a bit of wisdom other than the last hour that you’ve shared that you’d like to leave with the audience?
SB: Know that you’re creative, know that you have an imagination, and that when you are trying to explain to me in your head right now that you’re not, that that’s just a story you’re telling yourself, and there’s a myriad ways of expressing all of that, and art is just one of them.
CM: Well said. Well, final question for you. Is there a book, podcast, or resource that’s blowing your mind right now?
SB: I’ve been following all the little trails about plants having consciousness. And Michael Pollan’s doing the route of all the famous podcasters talking about plant consciousness. But I also follow a lot of smaller people who are talking about plant consciousness, and I find that a very exciting topic.
CM: Ooh. So what is plant consciousness?
SB: Just the fact that they have consciousness. And that just because maybe they don’t have a face like we’re used to things that do, that we assign consciousness to ourselves, mammals that we comprehend, things like that, but that maybe consciousness is a much, much bigger, broader quality in the universe that is shared by perhaps a much wider range of life expressions than we might be used to thinking about.
CM: Now, that is an expansive idea.
SB: Expansive is my favorite word after possibility.
CM: Well, Sarah, thank you so much for being a guest on Getting Work to Work. Hopefully we can connect again on this show just to see what’s new in your world, ’cause I think you’re gonna be one of those people who just, as you continue exploring and expanding your expansiveness, that there will always be something new to talk about. So thank you for being here.
SB: Well, I would love that, and I really loved this conversation as well. Thank you so much.
As a curious person, I am intrigued with what it takes to build skills and get good at a craft. Sure, there’s the initial impulse, the desire to pick up a guitar, make a leather bag, or design furniture, but at some point you need to start doing the work. You pluck and strum, sew and saw, cursing and crying as you suck beyond measure. But something in you tells you to keep going. Slowly, you get better. It’s hard to say where you’ll end up, but that doesn’t stop you as you dream about new ideas and possibilities. Maybe you’ll make money, it might just be a hobby, but that doesn’t matter because you feel alive. This is the work we do in a skills-based society. But there’s an interesting conversation emerging in some corners of the internet centered around this question: How is AI de-skilling humanity and what impact will that have on society?
What’s the Point of Skills in a Skill-less Society?1. Skills are essential to making anything. 2. Skills help us dream. 3. The ability to think increases in parallel with the growth of our skills. 4. Skills become an extension to gauge how we feel. 5. Connection with others is a healthy byproduct of developing skills. 6. Skills transform hopes and dreams into a shared vision for humanity.
Show Links Shae O. Omonijo * Ai, Humanities, and the Future of Work by Shae O. * The Great AI De-Skilling is Upon Us * 39 (Or So) Lessons On The Way To 39 by Ryan Holiday * How It’s Made * Episode Photo from Envato Elements: Close Up Macro of Colorful Interwoven Fabric*
What is the work you want to put out into the world so you can experience it? What’s keeping you from doing it? Today’s guest not only thinks you should do it, but he also genuinely believes in you. I know I needed to hear that. Ian Honeyman is a film composer, songwriter, and founder of Film Score Academy. In our conversation, we talk about his limitless curiosity and creativity for writing and producing music that resonates with people. He shares a lot about the process of writing music, what it’s actually like working on Hollywood films, collaborating with metal band Voodoo Kungfu on projects, his journey from Wisconsin to Los Angeles, the role of luck and tenacity when doing creative work, building community, and why you should never stop sharing your work. No matter what type of creativity fuels your work, Ian’s warmth and love for the craft will undoubtedly inspire you.
Show Links Ian Honeyman * Film Score Academy * How Great Ideas Happen: The Hidden Steps Behind Breakthrough Success by George Newman * The Monkey King Theme Song (Main Theme) * Voodoo Kungfu * Ian’s Cannes 2026 Film Festival Recap on Instagram * The Odyssey (2026) * Disclosure Day (2026) * Backrooms (2026) * TRON: Ares (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) * Nine Inch Nails & Boys Noize * Episode photo from Envato Elements: Classical Musical Score Sheets with Elegant Typography*
How would you describe your talent? I know, not a comfortable question to start with today, but I think a lot about what talent is and how we choose to celebrate it as a society. The simple view of talent is this: whatever you want to do, as soon you share your dream with the world, you’re immediately put into a category, a genre, an industry, and judged against the best and the brightest. The result? You either have it, or in most cases, you don’t. We see this pattern play out in school, at work, in corporate America, and the entrepreneur’s garage. And let’s not forget the other side of talent: participation trophies. Don’t worry about talent, everyone’s equal and this trophy shows just how much we want you to believe that. I could go on and on, but I can’t stop wondering: What if we got talent all wrong?
Show Links The Work of Art: How something comes from nothing by Adam Moss * The Hours by Michael Cunningham * Episode photo from Envato Elements: Colorful Swirls of Paint: Abstract Background Texture*
When I find myself getting in my own way or needing a creative pick-me-up, I tune into what Heather Crank is doing with art, AI, design, and technology. She was one of the first artists in my circle to adopt AI, and since we last talked on Getting Work To Work three years ago, she continues to forge her message of shaping the future of AI by using and understanding it. In our conversation, we dive right into the topic of the decade: AI. We talk about what AI is as a tool, why we shouldn’t use it as it’s sold to us, trust, the importance of not being passive with AI, how she uses AI in her art and life, what the future of business might become, the boring nature of conformity, using AI to create propaganda, and maintaining our own cognitive sovereignty. Beyond AI, we talk about The Developing Life podcast and her recent participation in TEDxBend. If you are a creative wondering how you can challenge the status quo, Heather provides a few possible ways for you to take the power back.
Previously on Getting Work To Work:* “Entering a New World of Art” with Heather Crank (GWTW663) * “Champion for a Creative World” with Heather Crank (GWTW365)
Show Links Crahmánti * Heather Crank (crahmanti) on Instagram * “Netflix Lighting” and the Death of Cinematography by Robert Tolppi * Why Does Every Netflix Show Look the Same? An Investigation. by Josh Rosenberg * Palantir * James Victore * Artificiality Institute * Refik Anadol * Sougwen Chung * The Diary of a CEO * Ex-Google Officer: You Only Have 3 Years Left Before It Hits! – Mo Gawdat * The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin with Neil Strauss * Raising AI: An Essential Guide to Parenting Our Future by De Kai * The Developing Life Podcast * Is AI Making Our Brains Weaker? * WALL·E (2008) * TEDxBend * Tess Posner * RESONANCE | Tess Posner * What Is Intelligence? Lessons from AI About Evolution, Computing, and Minds* by Blaise Agüera y Arcas
As I examine my life, I find that I am in the middle of a massive pivot. I’m no longer who I once was, the young entrepreneur who wanted to work for anyone and everyone doing anything creative. I’m slowly becoming someone different, the thinker, writer, and artist who wants for more than just relying on formulas and routines to make ends meet. Yes, you could label this as a midlife crisis, but frankly, it’s more than that, it’s a life-altering process of reinvention. It’s not easy, it hurts as I get forged by the hammer of reality, and I could easily bemoan my existence. I could blame the economy or AI or globalization or automation or about a million other things for inflicting this shift upon me. But the truth is that I’ve known what I needed to do for at least a decade, and I’ve been too scared to do it. Until now. In today’s episode of Getting Work To Work, I’m going to talk about how I’ve been forging a creative life of strength, exploration, and experimentation that’s been working behind the scenes preparing me for what’s next.
Show Links The Art & Craft of the Blacksmith: Techniques and Inspiration from the Modern Smith by Robert Thomas * How Great Ideas Happen: The Hidden Steps Behind Breakthrough Success by George Newman * The Work of Art: How something comes from nothing by Adam Moss * Episode photo from Envato Elements: Abandoned factory from the inside*
How do you work through and process awful events that happen in your life? For today’s guest, author Liz Lazarus, she turns them into psychological suspense novels including her brand new book, Dawn Before Darkness. In our conversation, she shares her journey to becoming an author and the importance of educating while entertaining. She also talks about how she approaches multiple pursuits, recognizing and taking opportunities as they present themselves, the joy of writing characters, how spreadsheets organize her creativity, emotional management while writing, and perhaps the best writing tip I’ve ever heard. Whether you’re a fan of genre fiction, a writer looking for inspiration, or someone like me who lives in both of those worlds, Liz’s wisdom and enthusiasm for life is just what you need.
Show Links Liz Lazarus * Dawn Before Darkness by Liz Lazarus * The Anatomy of Motive: The FBI’s Legendary Mindhunter Explores the Key to Understanding and Catching Violent Criminals by John Douglas and Mark Olshaker * Matt Dinniman * Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi * Follow My Leader by James B. Garfield * Change Your Attitude…Change Your Life * Jennifer Jill Araya * Episode photo from Envato Elements: Mesmerizing view of the narrow footpath in a dark forest*
The only prescription you need to get through today is one for laughter. Fortunately, dr. gough—fear not, it’s an honorary title—is in the house, pad in hand, to talk about his latest film, The Proposal, now available to download at beernutsproductions.com. We talk about stuff, lots of stuff, funny stuff, and even some serious stuff, all the while chuckling like two idiots who find everything funny. Things like why being busy keeps the demons at bay, exercise routines for comedy writers, the culinary hell that is the scotch egg, why gough’s face can’t hide a lie, how influencers influenced this mockumentary, supporting live entertainment, the travesty of Australian TV, our shared love and admiration for Stephen Colbert, and why it’s never been easier to make your own content.
Show Links The Official Beernuts Productions Category on Getting Work To Work * Beernuts Productions + The Proposal + Trick Or Treat + Brisbane VLOG + The Beernuts Productions Podcast + gough’s parliament house speech * The Gathering * Magners Irish Cider * Texas, Queensland * Rome, Georgia * Roma, Texas * Rome, Italy (the good one) * The Whitlams – Blow Up The Pokies (Official Video) * The Whitlams * Bassoon * Flugelhorn * John Denver – Take Me Home, Country Roads (Official Audio) * Brisbane Lions * Charlie Cameron * Pricasso (Yeah, not safe for work, but talent is talent) * ilia chidzey * Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend * BritBox * A Musical Life… hosted by Scott Whatman * Metamucil * The Late Show with Stephen Colbert * Wanton Destruction Of CBS Property – Letterman & Colbert Toss Stuff Off The Roof Of The Ed Sullivan * Episode photo from Envato Elements: Talented Violinist Playing Music with Orchestra in Studio*
Today’s guests couldn’t have said a more profound statement during our conversation: “Art is our gift to the universe.” Ashley Wren Collins and Jordan Rockwell are the co-authors of She Wrote, He Wrote: A New York Love Story, here to talk about their shared love for art and romantic comedies. In our conversation, they talk about their creative partnership, cracking jokes on the beach of St. Martin, and how they worked together to write a novel, record an audiobook, and produce a podcast. We also talk about the rules of romantic comedies, bringing personal experiences to fictional stories, seeing themselves in their characters, and how writing can heal ourselves. Most importantly, Ashley and Jordan are shining examples of why you explore creative projects outside of your preferred genre, you end up having a lot of fun telling good stories with great characters.
Show Links Ashley Wren Collins * Jordan Rockwell * She Wrote, He Wrote: A New York Love Story – Official Website * She Wrote, He Wrote: A New York Love Story by Ashley Wren Collins & Jordan Rockwell * She Wrote, He Wrote: A New York Love Story on Audible * Interstellar (2014) * Lawrence of Arabia (1962) * NASA Artemis II Multimedia * Monica Bellucci * Wild Orchid (1989) * George R.R. Martin Quote – Two Types of Writers * The Shawshank Redemption (1994) * David Lean * Thriller by Michael Jackson * Apocalypse Now (1979) * The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks * Sweet Valley High book series * Danielle Steel * 500 Days of Summer (2009) * Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008) * 10 (1979) * Rebel Wilson * Melissa McCarthy * Robert Redford * American Psycho (2000) * Sydney Sweeney * Seth Winston * Rocky (1976) * Harrison Ford * Shrinking (TV Series 2023–) * Wes Craven * The Last House on the Left (1972) * Red Eye (2005) * Sidney Sheldon * Peacemaker (TV Series 2022–2025) * The Pitt (TV Series 2025–) * The Criterion Channel * The Making of FANNY AND ALEXANDER * Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir * Project Hail Mary (2026) * The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026) * Black Rabbit (TV Mini Series 2025) * Heat 2 by Michael Mann and Meg Gardiner on Audible * Episode photo from Envato Elements: Abstract Colorful Bokeh With City Night Background. Double Exposure*
What got you interested in the work you do? Maybe you experienced a work of art that drove you to an easel or a grandparent put a camera in your hands and you couldn’t stop taking pictures. For today’s guest, it was watching a TV show about a doctor at a young age that led him to medicine. Dr. Kenneth Ro is a physician, creator of the RECLAIM Method, and author of PRIME: How to Win the Second Half of Life. In our conversation, we talk about his journey to become an ER doctor with zero backup plans. He also shares how asking deep questions and becoming a patient himself, led him in a new direction to not just help people get better, but become healthier. We touch on a lot including why we should focus on strengths not inadequacies, learning to assert calm and collectedness in chaotic situations, why he focuses on the convergence of science, story, and soul, the difference between stress and stress response, the distraction epidemic, and the power of presence, especially when it comes to leadership.
Show Links Kenneth Ro, MD * PRIME: How to Win the Second Half of Life by Kenneth Ro, MD * Byron’s Babbles: Ontological Humility * Marcus Welby, M.D. * ER (TV Series 1994-2009) * Scrubs (TV Series 2001-2010) * The Pitt (TV Series 2025-) * Erik Erikson’s Stages Of Psychosocial Development * Your Inner Broadcast (GWTW881) * The Obstacle is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph by Ryan Holiday * Amor fati * Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error by Kathryn Schulz * Ryan Holiday * Through the Fog and Fire (GWTW886) * Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…And Others Don’t by Jim Collins * Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies by Jim Collins and Jerry I. Porras * What to Make of a Life: Cliffs, Fog, Fire and the Self-Knowledge Imperative by Jim Collins * Episode photo from Envato Elements: Person standing on a snow covered cliff over the breathtaking view of mountains under the sunset*
Recently, I had an interesting conversation with a friend about perfectionism. I asked, “What triggers perfectionism for you?” They shared some thoughts, generally around being a beginner, but when they asked the same question to me, I took it another direction. I responded, “When I’ve done things for a long time and feel like I need to prove myself.” It’s amazing how experience can be both positive and negative. Without it, I would lack the confidence needed to do my job, but too much? Perfectionism. Fear of judgment. Constant comparison. It’s amazing how certain questions can unlock a state of reflection, but how can we actually do something with them? That’s what this episode is all about: Curious Questions for Change.
7 Curious Questions to Ask Yourself to Inspire Change and Find the Next Steps to Take:1. What triggers perfectionism for you? 2. How do you rein in your curiosity when so much intrigues you? 3. How do you pick one thing when you do many things? 4. What curiosities lead to flow state (challenge/reward)? 5. How can curiosity reveal the next step in your pivot or reinvention? 6. What do you want to less of so you can do more of the things that matter to you? 7. What are you waiting for?
Show Links Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi * The skills needed in the 21st century * Episode photo from Envato Elements: Question Marks on Paper Create a Pattern*
What’s the first thought that enters your mind when you hear the word networking? Mine is some form of a sigh, usually ugh. But what if networking isn’t what we’ve made it out to be? What if it’s something you can do at your own pace, in your own way? Today’s guest is Monique Kelley, a professor, consultant, and author of Redefining Networking: How to Lead with Your Unique Value. In our conversation, we dive into all things networking including her three-step strategic approach: 1) Identify your value, 2) Find an audience, and 3) Communicate your value. She also shares how to overcome generational stereotypes with research and curiosity, why the best networkers are foodies, how anyone can be a connector, the importance of listening, how to make the time each week for connecting with people, and leading with win-win opportunities. We also redefine networking through several role-playing scenarios. If you hate networking, then this episode’s for you.
Show Links Redefining Networking: How to Lead with Your Unique Value by Monique Kelley * The Devil Emails at Midnight: What Good Leaders Can Learn from Bad Bosses by Mita Mallick * Episode photo from Envato Elements: Network of figures connected on painted gray backdrop*
What does it mean when a book that is not self-help actually helps more than most books in the category? No shade to those authors, I’m sure their books are helping people, but they probably didn’t embark on a 10-year research project in search of the answer to the question, “What to make of a life?” When I picked up What to Make of a Life: Cliffs, Fog, Fire and the Self-Knowledge Imperative by Jim Collins at my local library, I saw the title in capital letters, flipped through the pages, and thought I’d give it a shot. What surprised me the most was that I couldn’t put it down. It not only helped me to make sense of where I’m at in my life, but it also gave me tools to think about the future. In this episode of Getting Work To Work, I’m going to dive into the seven most impactful quotes from Collins’s book, share a few stories from my life, and encourage you to search for your own answer to the question, “What to make of a life?”
The seven most impactful quotes from What to Make of a Life: Cliffs, Fog, Fire and the Self-Knowledge Imperative by Jim Collins:Quote 1:“The sign of good research is that you end up in places you never expected. If after years of research all you do is reconfirm your own preconceptions, then what is the point of doing research? The whole point is to discover, to be surprised, to come to see the world and how it works differently than you did before” (p. 11).
Quote 2:“It’s not about finding what you can do better than others, but about finding what you can do exceptionally well relative to other ways you could expend yourself” (p. 59).
Quote 3:“…one of the conclusions of this entire effort is that no one can tell you what to do with your life or how specifically to lead your life. And if they do, they’re almost certainly wrong” (p. 23).
Quote 4:“If your life is knocked sideways or torn asunder by a cliff, and especially if that cliff comes with mourning a loss and/or feeling the deep pain of grief, you can find yourself lost in thick, murky fog for a very long time” (p. 152).
Quote 5:“Fog is when you go through a phase of immense uncertainty and lack of clarity about the best path forward, perhaps even having no clear idea where you want to go…. In the thickest fog, you can feel truly lost” (p. 157).
Quote 6:“Fog is normal, natural, common, and highly prevalent…. Even the most successful, capable, energetic, ambitious, and otherwise clearheaded and self-directed people can find themselves in a major fog funk” (p. 168).
Quote 7:“Extend Out/Circle Back: This is a continuous dynamic process of extending yourself—growing, learning, experimenting, expanding capabilities, discovering new encodings—while simultaneously drawing upon encodings discovered and capabilities developed earlier in life” (pp. 118-119).
Show Links What to Make of a Life: Cliffs, Fog, Fire and the Self-Knowledge Imperative by Jim Collins * Google AI Professional Certificate * Arduino 101- Crash Course w/ Mark Rober * Arduino * Shapr3D * Bambu Lab * Episode photo from Envato Elements: Abstract Orange Smoke Plumes on Dark Background*
How do you grapple with resistance when writing about personal stories from your past? As today’s guest learned, “When you get to the pain, slow down.” Darls Centola is a psychotherapist, educator, and author of Finding Truth with Michael: A Memoir of Friendship, Faith, and First Love.” In our conversation, Darls shares stories from her book including what it was like growing up as a Jehovah’s Witness in 1970s Los Angeles, being friends with Michael Jackson, and how her sister got them enrolled in a prestigious private school where they met the Jacksons. She also talks about her curiosity with neurobiology, the many paths she took to discover her calling, seeing people as they are, how doubt was the beginning of how to think, learning to listen to herself, and healing her relationship with her mother. Darls also provides practical advice on writing, discovering her adult voice, and how she worked on her craft in workshops and with coaches.
Show Links Darls Centola, LCSW * Finding Truth with Michael: A Memoir of Friendship, Faith, and First Love by Darls Centola * The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D. * Somatic Experiencing * Internal Family Systems * The Emerald Tablet: Alchemy of Personal Transformation by Dennis William Hauck * The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield * Episode photo from Envato Elements: Fresh Lemons Pattern Background. Copy space. Top view.*
Have you ever wondered what a crime novelist can teach you about your own creativity? It turns out, a lot—and not just about weird crimes and sketchy people. Today’s guest is Tod Goldberg, the bestselling author of sixteen books, including the Gangsterland quartet and his latest, Only Way Out. Tod is also a professor of creative writing and the founder and director of the Low Residency MFA in Creative Writing & Writing for the Performing Arts at the University of California, Riverside. We start our conversation with Tod stating why intellectual curiosity is essential for writers to connect with people. We then talk about what it was like to grow up in a family of writers, the movies we watched as kids that we probably shouldn’t have seen, a snapshot into his writing and professional life, the importance of doing your job and letting your brain breathe, why true crime is popular in chaotic times, why he created a writing graduate program and how it’s different than other MFAs, and his love for the democratization of art.
Show Links Tod Goldberg * The Story Behind The Stories – Tod Goldberg * The Gangsterland Series by Tod Goldberg * Only Way Out by Tod Goldberg * Dune by Frank Herbert * Lee Goldberg * The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams * The Godfather (1972) * Red Dawn (1984) * The Outsiders (1983) * C. Thomas Howell * Big Trouble in Little China (1986) * The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984) * Escape from New York (1981) * Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977) * Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980) * Todd Marinovich * Linda Woods Artworks * Visual Chronicles: The No-Fear Guide to Creating Art Journals, Creative Manifestos and Altered Books by Linda Woods and Karen Dinino * The Jesus and Mary Chain * Tod Goldberg, author of ONLY WAY OUT * Marty Supreme (2025) * Home – Harris Ranch Beef Company * Ben Folds Five – Brick – YouTube * Joe Loya * Dead Man Walking (1995) * Premier Low-Residency MFA | UC Riverside Palm Desert Creative Writing | Palm Desert Low-Residency MFA * John Cheever * John Updike * Martin Scorsese * Jane Campion * Taxi Driver (1976) * Lee Strasberg * Office Chairs | La-Z-Boy * Alta Journal: Stories of California and the West * At the Knee by Tod Goldberg * Sacrament by Susan Straight * Jason Isbell – Official Website * Episode photo from Envato Elements: The sun sets on the horizon as cattle graze in the field*
Be honest: How bored are you right now? In all this push to get seen, to be consistent and on-brand, you’ve managed to become more machine than human. Your processes all have systems that talk to each other, dashboards measure what matters instantaneously letting you know whether you’re succeeding or failing, and social media keeps you jacked in and distracted to what’s really going on within you. Boredom is often portrayed as something to be avoided, but what if it’s actually what you need? What if instead of clicking, swiping, scrolling, and tapping, you did absolutely nothing? What could you learn from a period of disconnection and introspection? The answers to these questions are anything but simple, but they are instructive and personal, specific to your circumstances and dreams. And perhaps, just the very thing to guide you into a more favorable future.
Show Links Episode photo from Envato Elements: Teenagers Holding Decorative Colorful Masks on a Sofa * edX: CS50’s Introduction to Programming with Python * Coursera: Figma UI/UX Design Essentials * Coursera: Google AI Professional Certificate*
I believe art finds us when we need it most. When I picked up the first issue of Art Bar Magazine and read the welcome letter from the editor, I felt like they were speaking directly to me and welcoming me home. I sent an email inviting the founders of the magazine, Sawa & Ira Ingram to the show, and they graciously accepted. In our conversation, we talk about how their roots in filmmaking, photography, and skateboarding, led them to create a magazine that celebrates new artists, successful creators, and an inclusive art world where everyone belongs. We also discuss Sawa’s documentary, Passing Through, Ira’s work in skateboarding and the Professional Skateboarding League, building trust and relationships, mortality and the importance of living life, what creativity looks like as a couple, the differences between analog and digital, and the symbiotic relationship of art and skateboarding. If you have an idea to create something, then this episode is the permission slip you need to go and make it.
Show Links Art Bar Magazine * Sarah Remetch Ingram * Passing Through (2024) * Professional Skateboarding League * Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls * Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury * Kurt Vonnegut * Valen Lambert * Jason Kulp * Spike Jonze: The Photos That Started It All | Epicly Later’d – YouTube * Jason Lee – Stereo Skateboards * Mark Gonzales – Skateboarding Hall of Fame and Museum * Ed Templeton * Jacob Rosenberg * Ty Evans * Atiba Jefferson * Bryce Kanights * Tobin Yelland * Amie Mcnee * Tommy Mitchell * Thrasher Magazine – RIP IN PEACE: Zane Timpson * Philip Glass – YouTube * Nils Frahm – YouTube * Cormac McCarthy Soc. * Heroin Skateboards * Big Special * Episode photo from Envato Elements: Artist painting on canvas*
When was the last time you listened to your inner broadcast? You know the one. It’s your unique internal monologue full of beauty, curiosity, hope, imagination, wonder, and intrigue. It’s always broadcasting and we have the opportunity to tune in or drown it out with the noise of the world. I’ll be honest, it’s been hard to hear my inner broadcast lately. Focus is reserved for a handful of daily scattered moments of productivity. But the rest of the time? My mind wanders in the desert of this season of life. As I’ve talked about before, there are a lot of changes right now, but what I’m realizing is that no matter what happens, I need to listen to what’s going on within. If I don’t, I’m going to get steamrolled by the discordant soundtrack of the world, which just gets louder by the hour.
Five ways to tune in and learn from your inner broadcasts:1. Create intentional moments of silence and solitude where you can tune in to your inner broadcast. 2. Pay attention to what’s being broadcast and write down what you hear. 3. Spend 15 minutes in active curiosity mode with something that comes up. 4. Spend 15 minutes in active creation mode with what you learn. 5. Reflection allows you to gauge the quality level of your inner broadcast. It is through reflection where you see what needs to be strengthened, added, changed, or removed.
Show Links “Input, More Input!” Johnny 5 Goes Crazy | Short Circuit (1986) * Episode photo from Envato Elements: Aerial view of highway junctions. Bridge roads shape in structure. Top view. Urban city*
For almost 50 years, today’s guest didn’t talk about what happened to her on September 6, 1970 when the plane she was on was hijacked. But in her new book, Hostage: A Memoir of Terrorism, Trauma, and Resilience, Mimi Nichter recounts her story of what happened before, during, and after her hostage experience. In our conversation, we talk about her work as a cultural anthropologist and the ways observation and listening inform our ability to understand others. She also touches on how she found her voice in the writing process, choosing to write from memory instead of interviewing others, how images and stories helped memories to emerge, reconciling our past and present selves, the value of compassion, and why we need to talk about what happens to us. When we share our stories with one another, either in memoir or conversation, we connect not only to moments in time, but bear witness to the experiences that shape history itself.
Show Links Mimi Nichter * Hostage: A Memoir of Terrorism, Trauma, and Resilience by Mimi Nichter * Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted by Suleika Jaouad * Episode photo from Envato Elements: Aerial Drone, Where Desert Meets the Ocean, Sandwich Harbour, Namibia, Africa*
What do you do when you get stuck? Maybe you’re like me and you let doubt and despair slow you down or even stop you. Today’s guest has a different answer: keep it moving. Bishop Kevin Foreman, “The People’s Bishop,” is a man of many pursuits—pastor, church planter, bishop, success coach, speaker, author, philanthropist, and entrepreneur—and in this conversation he shares how curiosity, faith, and divine conviction help him to keep his life and work moving. We talk about his insatiable thirst for knowledge, the art of letting go, building the essential skill of reframing, liberating versus limiting beliefs, how faith and data work together when making decisions, why prioritization matters more than balance, and his constant drive to bring the best out of people.
Show Links Bishop Kevin Foreman * History Makers by Bishop Kevin Foreman * Sins of the Fathers: Breaking Generational Curses by Bishop Kevin Foreman * Evolutionaries: Unlocking the New You by Bishop Kevin Foreman * Groundhog Day (1993) * How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie * Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson * Episode photo from Envato Elements: Texture of layers in orange and gray colors*
Do you ever feel like you’re making the same mistakes over and over again? Yeah, me too. There are some parts of my life and work where curiosity and experimentation are endless, but when it comes to money, I’m stuck on a treadmill of feast and famine. I know enough of the lingo to talk a good game, but really, I’m still doing business like I did when I started 20 years ago. Underneath it all, I’m stuck in a shame spiral wondering if it will ever change. The truth is that something broke a long time ago and instead of fixing it, I kept repeating my mistakes making the break worse and worse. But as I watch my wife heal from a broken leg, it’s time for me to heal my own brokenness.
Show Links Wisdom Takes Work: Learn. Apply. Repeat. by Ryan Holiday * Shrinking (TV Series 2023–) * Superagency: What Could Possibly Go Right with Our AI Future by Reid Hoffman and Greg Beato * The Daring Creatives * Episode photo from Envato Elements: broken glass, impact, overlay, realistic*
There’s a lot that holds us back as creative individuals, but today’s guest thinks one question is the death of our creativity: who cares? The work begins when you shift from asking the question to stating, “I care.” As a literary publicist, Kim Dower—also known as Kim-from-L.A.—is celebrating 40 years of putting authors on the map, booking them on shows, and getting their books in the hands of people like myself. But Kim is also a poet, “ordained” and “blessed with the gift,” as she shares in our conversation. Her latest book of poems is titled What She Wants: Poems on Obsession, Desire, Despair, Euphoria. Our conversation weaves between the worlds of art and entrepreneurship, starting with the clouds and the sky, reflecting on the magnificent sounds of nature, exploring Kim’s evolving relationship with persistence, lamenting the loss of nostalgia, and documenting our obsessions throughout our lives. Not to mention, a love for words, both written and spoken, conversationally between two people on Zoom.
Show Links Kim Dower * What She Wants: Poems on Obsession, Desire, Despair, Euphoria by Kim Dower * Kim-from-L.A. * Charles Baudelaire * The Stranger by Charles Baudelaire * Thomas Lux * Wallace Stevens * Lunch Poems by Frank O’Hara * Dorothy Parker * Bill Knott * Limerence * Parasocial Relationships: The Nature of Celebrity Fascinations * Friends (TV Series 1994-2004) * The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield * Why Write Love Poetry in a Burning World by Katie Farris * A Century of Poetry in The New Yorker: 1925-2025* * Photo by Chris J. Davis on Unsplash
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think about publicity? After I think about celebrities, perfume ads, TMZ, and shameless attention-seekers, I say, “I guess it’s not for me.” Thankfully, today’s guest is on the show to make me laugh and correct my thinking because PR is for everyone. KJ Blattenbauer is a publicist, author, and speaker who helps founders and experts move from overlooked to in-demand through credibility-driven visibility. In our conversation, she gives actionable steps on making sure your visibility is connected to your goals and your audience; it’s about service and storytelling. She also shares the importance of not giving up when someone says no, that all you need is a sprinkling of audacity to make a difference, why it doesn’t hurt to try something a million times, and why you can never have too much passion.
Show Links Hearsay PR * Pitchworthy: The No-Fluff Playbook to Publicity That Pays Off by KJ Blattenbauer * Aaron Rodgers: Enigma (TV Series 2024) * “Untold” – The Fall of Favre (TV Series 2025) * I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not (2025) * Three Amigos! (1986) * Tree Paine – Taylor Swift’s Publicist * P.T. Barnum * We Need Your Art: Stop Messing Around and Making Something* by Amie McNee * Threads
Rejection is on my mind today. Yes, it’s because I got rejected for something I actually wanted. But there’s also a deeper reason: Somewhere along my creative journey, I learned to minimize rejection by playing-it-safe, making my dreams small, and maximizing my chameleon tendencies. Recently, Shae Omonijo shared a short video on Substack about her plan for 2026: “Collect 1K rejections.” A lot ran through my mind after seeing the video, “1,000 rejections? One hurt enough! Are you a glutton for punishment?” I think my brain short-circuited when I watched it, but it didn’t take long for the truth to be revealed: I’m a chicken and I’m tired of being scared. If you are someone who has big dreams, but shove them aside because you have an unhealthy relationship with rejection, then this episode’s for you. Oh, and don’t worry, I’m preaching to the choir here because this is the work I need to do for myself as well.
Seven ways to go from avoiding rejection to chasing 1,000 rejections?1. Know what you actually want. 2. Adopt a rejection mindset. 3. Stop waiting and start moving. 4. Dream bigger and share often. 5. Allow yourself to change. 6. Learn to separate rejection from failure. 7. Become an advocate for yourself, your wants, and needs.
Show Links Shae O. – “Collect 1K Rejections” video * Finding Mastery * Mindset: The New Psychology of Success* by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D. * Episode photo by Jan Antonin Kolar on Unsplash
How do you respond when moments of disruption happen in your life? Do you shake your fist at the sky, bemoaning, “Why me?” Or do you get curious and ask, “What’s around the next corner?” During every pivotal moment in the life of today’s guest, he learned what it would take to not only escape the assembly line, but to build a life worth living. auGi Garred is a storyteller, former comedian, multi-instrumentalist, beacon of fun on the horizon, and founder of Molting Men, a place for Gen-X creatives to reimagine their futures. In this conversation, auGi tells powerful stories centered around three key areas: Rush, the power of humor, and staying open to what is around the next corner. He talks about why you should always choose best friends over young love, the challenges of collaborating with a college grad who thought he was the next Ira Gershwin, how he earned the equivalent of a business school education by speaking with over 70,000 people at the world’s largest telecom company, and the power of excavating your origin story to shape your future. Most importantly, he shares how what he calls “luvity,” the fusion of love and levity, can make the lives of those around you better.
Show Links auGi Garred on LinkedIn * Molting Men (Running Naked) * OGGOMATiC on YouTube * Rush * Caress of Steel by Rush * Signals by Rush * Permanent Waves by Rush * Moving Pictures by Rush * Cygnus X-1 Book I: The Voyage * Star Wars Trash Compactor Scene (A New Hope) * Binary sunset… from A New Hope, Star Wars: The Digital Movie Collection * Welcome to Ingham County * The Wonderful Wizard of Oz – Wikipedia * History of Oldsmobile – Oldsmobile Club of America * Goodyear Tires * Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru’s Death Scene – Star Wars: A New Hope [4k UltraHD] * Goblin Claudio Simonetti * REO Speedwagon * 3209 W Barnes Rd, Mason, MI 48854 * UFO (band) * Le Studio * Whitesnake * Foreigner – Hot Blooded (Official Live Video) * Miles Davis – Kind Of Blue – Full Album * Tears For Fears – Sowing The Seeds Of Love * Guns N’ Roses – Welcome To The Jungle * van-halen.com – The Official Van Halen Web Site * ABBA -– Dancing Queen (Official Music Video) * Nazareth – Hair of the Dog (Official Audio) * Foo Fighters – Breakout (Official HD Video) * Michelangelo’s Non-finito Sculptures Beyond the Notes * Leonardo da Vinci* by Walter Isaacson * Episode photo by Noah Klimpel on Unsplash
When you cross paths with someone whose mission is incredibly clear, it’s hard not to want that clarity for yourself. Scott Proposki is a photographer, entrepreneur, and author; his mission is to help photographers all around the world to build a business to last a lifetime. In our conversation, Scott shares stories from his journey living the photography dream—National Geographic, events at the White House, corporate client shoots, millions in sales—then losing it all in 2020, and rebuilding from nothing. We talk about the role of listening in storytelling, the importance of self-awareness, crafting a 25-year plan, doing one thing instead of 20, why photographers aren’t screwed, and why photography is more relevant than ever before.
Show Links Scott Proposki * Camera Focus: What Photography Teaches About Business, Life, and Success by Scott Proposki * We Need Your Art: Stop Messing Around and Making Something by Amie McNee * New England Patriots * Bill Belichick on Instagram * Watch Mr. Polaroid on PBS * Wall Street Journal Podcasts * Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries * Episode photo from Envato Elements: Snow covered mountain peaks, Monte Rosa Piedmont, Italy*
2026 is upon us and it’s not just a new year thrusting us toward change, it’s everything: society, culture, technology, relationships, work, life—it’s all dynamic, frenetic. Some of us start the year clutching our resolutions tightly, convinced that this is the year we actually live up to them. Others rely on the thesaurus to shift the psychological burden from resolution to something else, anything else, in order to trick our brains into actually accomplishing the things that matter most: “I don’t have resolutions, I have goals.” But it’s going to take more than hacks and tricks to comprehend the amount of change we need in our daily lives. It’s about introducing system-wide curiosity that shifts change from being the end result of an enormous task with a binary value—yes or no—to a daily process that gives us time to explore and open our minds to new realities.
Show Links Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman by Yvon Chouinard * The Art of Doing Science and Engineering: Learning to Learn* by Richard W. Hamming * Pearl Jam – Do the Evolution (Single Video Theory) * Photo by Nikoline Arns on Unsplash
When was the last time you got permission to have fun in your business? For me, it’s been too long, so I’m grateful for today’s guest. Dawn Andrews is a business strategist, executive leadership coach, and podcaster who approaches her business as a playground to explore new tools and technologies that not only help herself, but also her clients. In this conversation, Dawn softens the fear around AI through an exploration of how she uses tools to boost her curiosity and creativity. She shares insights into the ways her brain and business work, how creativity can help us manage the world, the important mindset shift we need to make, how beginners can start using AI with a single piece of paper, and actual examples of AI in action.
Show Links Dawn Andrews * 12 Day AI Quick Wins Series – Dawn Andrews * Is Your Business Killing You? (GWTW865) * Jasper * POSCA Markers * iA Writer * Filterworld: How Algorithms Flattened Culture by Kyle Chayka * On algorithmic anxiety – Kyle Chayka Industries * Airtable * Make * MindPal * Microsoft Copilot * Claude * ChatGPT * Google Gemini * The Five Minute Journal® * I am Shae Omonijo * The Art of Gathering Book: How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya Parker * Episode photo from Envato Elements: Glasses With Landscape View On City Background. Vision Concept. 3D Rendering*
Have you ever wondered what gough would do? I do, too. Fresh from his birthday celebration, gough is back on Getting Work To Work, again, to talk about his year-ending projects: a short documentary about a blind man traveling to see the greatest rock band in the world, an audio drama about the seedy underbelly of the podcasting world—sounds about right—and the Beernuts Productions podcast. We talk seriously about the reality of discrimination against people with disabilities, why gough uses silly t-shirts and humor to disarm people, his love for onion rings, the worst gym session ever in his life, jokes so old they can vote, how he found the most annoying voices for his podcasting audio drama, how he makes up the most important statistics to satisfy guests who only go on popular podcasts, the death of radio in Australia, and the weirdest podcast he went on to promote his work.
Show Links Beernuts Productions + The Seedy Underbelly of Podcasting + The Beernuts Productions Podcast + The Advertising Meeting + Trick or Treat + Mr. X. + Melbourne Trip – Documentary + Gold Coast News Clip * Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It* by Cory Doctorow * Oasis * Oasis – Wonderwall (Official Video) * dadsaysjokes on Instagram * Rush * I Love You, Man (2009) * Jason Segel & Paul Rudd Meet Rush * Apple iPhone * Virgin Atlantic * Marvel (Docklands) Stadium * Alcotraz – Immersive Cocktail Experience * Simpsons – Like, You Know, Whatever… (from “Summer of 4 ft 2”) * Recording Room * Airplane! (1980) * John Cleese Packs It In (2025) * The Naked Gun (2025) * The Running Man (2025) * Zambian kwacha * Tim Berners-Lee
Sprinkled throughout today’s conversation is a phrase I absolutely love. No matter the situation or the statement, the response is simple, “Let’s talk about it.” Chanda Coston is a Navy Veteran, PMP, and Business Strategist who helps purpose-driven entrepreneurs—especially women over 40—turn chaos into clarity and grow businesses that make sense (and money). In our time together, we talk about the need for clarity, the importance in telling our stories, and having people in our corner. Chanda also talks about her life as a professional pivoter, the reality that nothing happens overnight, trusting yourself, starting over and carving new paths, and systems as self-care. If you’re looking to make some changes, let this sink in: If Chanda can do it, so can you.
Show Links Chanda Co. Strategist * Chanda Co. on Instagram * Free Ebook: Barriers to Breakthru * 1:1 Tiny Challenge ($21) * The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks Than Others Do in 12 Months by Brian P Moran and Michael Lennington * Episode photo from Envato Elements: Study Of Patterns And Lines*
I’ve been slowly waking up to the reality that I’ve been running my business and living my life on autopilot for far too long. It’s been six years since I really felt like I was in control and not operating by the whims of others and the seat of my pants. But here I am, staring at 2026 off in the distance, ready to shake the sleep from my eyes and do something completely different. In this episode, I’m going to share why I’m ready to shake things up, how I’m reconnecting with my vision, passion, and action, and how you can, too.
Reflection Questions, Part OneBefore I go any further, I have some reflection questions for you. It might be useful to open your notes app or get a journal and pen out to write down your thoughts to these four questions:
- How loud is your fear?
- What is your fear saying to you?
- Do you know where you’re going?
- How long has your autopilot been engaged?
Reflection Questions, Part 2Okay, before I dive into what these three words mean for me and my future, take a few moments in your notes app or journal and write down some initial thoughts to these three questions:
- What is my vision?
- How does my passion help bring that vision to life?
- What actions am I taking to make sure that my vision and passion become a reality?
Reflection Questions, Part 3Now that I’ve shared a little about my own vision, passion, and action, I want you to return to your notes app or journal and go deeper with these questions:
- What really is my vision?
- What are my passion levels teaching me?
- What is the next action I need to take?
Show Links Airplane! (1980) * This Is Spinal Tap (1984) * Innovators of Vancouver * Episode photo from Envato Elements: No people in empty captain cabin with dashboard navigation*
I always enjoy meeting people who think deeply about the work they do, but also have a lot of fun doing it. Izzy Poirier is a designer, brand strategist, zine publisher, and community builder. From her earliest years, she’s been intrigued with the nature of people, their stories and identities, and making sure that they have a place to belong. In our conversation, we talk about the intersection of design, brand strategy, community building with the Ottawa Design Club, craft, and the art of zines. We also dive into Pivotal Moments, a zine featuring stories from creatives around the world, produced in collaboration with the Ottawa Design Club and New York Design Club. Izzy shares what went into producing the zine, curating the stories, the impact, and how a single font changed everything in the design phase of the project. If you’re looking for some inspiration as you consider new projects or pivots in your own future, then this is the episode for you.
Show Links Izzy Poirier * Ottawa Design Club * New York Design Club * Pivotal Moments* * Heather Crank (Crahmánti) * Bend Design * Cadillac LYRIQ * The Running Man (2025) * Non Foundry * Non Ophelie * TYPE01 * Brand – International Brand Design Magazine
Even if you’ve never had a hamster for a pet, you’ve witnessed the spectacle of them running in a hamster wheel. They step inside a giant wheel in the center of their captivity and run, and run, and run. It’s so adorable when they do it. But what if I could tell you we have human hamster wheels, in the center of our captivity, and we run, and run, and run? They aren’t literal wheels, but they serve the same purpose: keep us distracted from the reality that we aren’t where we want to be, not doing the work that matters to us, and somewhere along the way, we took a wrong turn. It’s never been easier to numb out and just keep running, but one day, the call will come from inside the house, it’s time to answer the call, step off the wheel, and jack in to life.
Six ways to ditch the hamster wheel:1. Incorporate experimentation and research and development into your creative process. 2. Look for ways to increase diversity in your work. 3. Before you offload tasks to someone else or another system, make sure that what you’re building isn’t just a larger hamster wheel in disguise. 4. Offload repetitive tasks to virtual assistants, employees, or AI and automation systems. 5. Batch recording is great until it’s not. 6. Don’t fool yourself, the hamster wheel is pernicious, don’t be afraid to step away.
Show Links The Running Man (2025) * Neuromancer by William Gibson * Starship Troopers (1997) * Showgirls (1995) * Episode photo from Envato Elements: A playful hamster runs energetically on its wheel inside a bright, colorful cage*
You might look at today’s title and think I’m trying to be humorous or sensational or clickbait-y, but I’m absolutely serious. It’s such an important question that it demands me to say it aloud right now: Is your business killing you? When you first start your business, you don’t think about the ways it overtakes your life, you let it gladly, because that’s the price you pay for building something that statistically could end in five years or less. But then, over time, you just keep letting it control your life. Social media and email dominate your existence on and off hours. Any hiccups in payments or acquiring new clients results in prayer, drinking, or worse, loans from online payment providers. Shutting it off means the potential for losing everything, or so you tell yourself. Before you know it, you’ve lost your vision and passion, but you keep powering on because at some point along the way, it’s what you do, and you’re also unemployable. If this is resonating with you, grab a cup of tea, take a seat, and let’s talk, because the truth is going to hurt.
Show Links Episode photo from Envato Elements: Various spices on stone table*
It’s that time of year again, when pumpkin spice invades your latte, kids dress up like their favorite heroes, villains, nightmares, and corporate superstars hoping for a bag full of candy, and gough, your favorite Australian filmmaker, shows up on Getting Work To Work to talk about his latest film, Trick Or Treat. Armed with the biggest budget in the history of BeernutsProductions.com, a stable of actors dishing out sketches and monologues, 27 costumes, and nature balls, gough’s latest film pulls no punches against Halloween. In our conversation, we talk about the struggles he faced making the film in both casting and costumes, how he works through challenging emotions, stupid advice actors have received from their teachers that they have brought to the set, and all the hilarity fit for print and podcast.
Show Links Beernuts Productions + Trick Or Treat + Mr Eligible + Mr. X. * Treehouse of Horror * 2M3C * ilia chidzey * Goat Track Theatre * Neighbours (TV Series 1985–2025) * Home and Away (TV Series 1988–) * Danielle Collins * Taia Favale * A Musical Life* hosted by Scott Whatman * The Recording Room * Uncanny X-Men * Howard Hughes * One Battle After Another (2025) * Roofman (2025) * Channing Tatum Punches Back While Eating Spicy Wings | Hot Ones * Licorice Pizza (2021) * Magnolia (1999) * Recency bias * George Carlin on YouTube * Kampala, Uganda
Weaving through the design, data, stories, and statuses on social media, I witnessed the human need to be seen; the longing to be discovered. I like this word, “longing.” I recently came across a book by Sue Monk Kidd called, Writing Creativity and Soul and she writes a lot about longing as a creative, a writer, woman, and a mother. What a word to sit and reflect upon: Longing. Merriam-Webster defines longing as “a strong desire especially for something unattainable.” In this episode, I explore the building blocks of the soul: deep questions that take time to answer.
Show Links Writing Creativity and Soul by Sue Monk Kidd * Austin Kleon * Episode photo from Envato Elements: Close-up view of the wooden craft products*
How far am I willing to go? How much work am I willing to do? Two powerful questions today’s guest asked herself at the start of her writing journey as she considered what it meant to be a writer. Barbara DeMarco-Barrett is a writer, podcaster, teacher, and publisher on the show to talk about writing, podcasting, and her latest book, Pool Fishing, a collection of stories connected by place and featuring characters who live on the fringes of society. In our conversation she shares insights into the act of writing and being a writer, the fluid nature of creativity, the challenges present in short stories, why writing dark fiction can help us make sense of the world, and rejection. We also talk about her podcast, Writers on Writing, which started as a radio show in 1998. 27 years later, it continues as a way for her to learn more about the writing process and share what she discovers with writers around the world.
Show Links Barbara DeMarco-Barrett * Writers on Writing * Pen on Fire * Pool Fishing by Barbara DeMarco-Barrett * IngramSpark * Podcast Movement * Refuse to Be Done: How to Write and Rewrite a Novel in Three Drafts by Matt Bell * Scott Turow * The secret structure of great talks by Nancy Duarte * The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield * “I apologize for such a long letter – I didn’t have time to write a short one.” – Quote from Mark Twain * Orange County Noir * Double Indemnity (1944) * Kelp Books * Richard Bausch * Kelley Baker * Margaret Atwood * The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience by Kelton Reid * Episode photo from Envato Elements: Stairs of an indoor pool with clear water*
I’ve heard this phrase way too often in the past 25 years: “If you’re ignoring [enter the trending or disrupting technology], then you’re already behind.” While the phrase may be technically true, it does require a major assumption: equality. It assumes that every person has equal access to the technology, responds with openness and trust instead of skepticism and caution, and can actually see value through the veil of hype, fear, and propaganda. Those are big assumptions, but even bigger are the promises and the corresponding bubbles. Don’t worry about what doesn’t seem to be right, just go all in, because you’ll be able to cash out. Or so the “logic” goes. Do you want to know what I’ve never heard in relation to this notion of being behind? That you’re right on time. So, that’s what I’m going to focus on today because not only is it an accurate statement, it is also life-giving and dream-fulfilling.
Show Links Diffusion of innovations * Episode photo from Envato Elements: Steampunk mechanism*
How do you push creative boundaries and embrace opportunities as they come? You solve problems and focus on the people around you. Today’s guest on Getting Work To Work, Josh Simons, is no stranger to the creative business world. According to his bio, “he ran a record label, publishing function, film production company and was the lead singer of Australian indie rock band Buchanan.” Now, Josh is the Chief Executive Officer of Vinyl Group, Australia’s only ASX-listed music company, and founder of Vampr. In our conversation, Josh shares lessons he learned in his journey from recording studios to boardrooms. He talks about his curiosity with people and what motivates them, bands as a lens for looking at the business world, the objective nature of success, the creativity present in writing songs and leading people, why the asshole creative shouldn’t be the model for success, and how to manage the emotions in your mind with sticky and transient solutions.
Show Links Josh Simons * Vinyl Group * Vinyl.com * Vampr * Bandcamp * Sam Fender * Harland Highway Podcast * Episode photo from Envato Elements: Spinning Record Player With Vintage Vinyl, Turntable Player And Vinyl Record*
“Can I pick your brain?” Of course, you absolutely can. But I’ve noticed a lot more professionals expressing disdain for people reaching out and wanting to ask a few questions. But before I dive into a rant based upon passing comments and not a lot of data, I’m going to speak about the type of creative industry I want to be part of, one that is built upon the sharing of knowledge, not just online but person to person. Why? Because that’s how we build community, a reputation, and dare I say it, a legacy. In this episode, I’m going to share eight ways we can build up others around us from newbies to the competition. Can you imagine a creative world where everyone wins? I can and this is how we do it.
8 Ways We Can Build Up Others Around Us From Newbies to the Competition:1. Interview and share openly. 2. Hold office hours. 3. Maintain an FAQ on your website. 4. Have a direct line of communication—dedicated email address, Discord server, Substack—for students and those starting out. 5. Be a beginner and learn to ask questions of others. 6. Open your space monthly or quarterly for a meeting of the minds. 7. Don’t limit to just those who are starting out, welcome your competition. 8. Be the community member you expect others to be.
Show Links Barbara DeMarco-Barrett * Creatives Ignite * Austin Kleon * Christopher Butler * Stefan Sagmeister – Answers * Mitch Goldstein * Episode photo from Envato Elements: Marinated cucumbers or pickles on wood*
Their mission may be simple—”We Tell Makers’ Stories”—but hidden in every photo, interaction, page, and podcast is an unquenchable fire to build a global community. Kate and Jack Lennie are the visionaries behind We Are Makers, an independent print publication and podcast featuring makers all over the world. In our conversation, we talk about the power of storytelling and what makes a compelling story. Kate and Jack also share why they choose to produce a magazine, the ever-evolving nature of their work, how they stay strong as a couple, the visceral nature of failure when working with your hands, overcoming obstacles, the power of having a mission, and what it was like to distribute the first We Are Makers grant.
Show Links We Are Makers * The We Are Makers Grant Fund * We Are Makers on Instagram * We Are Makers on YouTube * Craft Festival * Biff, Chip & Kipper * WE ARE MAKERS | WAM CAST #0004 – Banton Frameworks * We Are Makers Edition Six * WE ARE MAKERS | WAM CAST #0026 – HOOLIGAN GEORGIA and TRACY CULLEN POTTERY * Building a StoryBrand 2.0: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen by Donald Miller * Episode photo from Envato Elements: A romantic pottery session in a modern studio filled with creativity and connection*
How do you get better at your craft? Sounds like a potential start to a not so funny joke, but I’m serious: How do you get better at your craft? With skills that rely upon your hands and time—like woodworking or pottery or painting—you just have to do the work, go through the process, and see what comes out the other end. Is it good or is it crap? Probably. But in the digital world, it’s a little bit different (or so we tell ourselves), because we can create or buy or borrow systems that indicate when something is broken or going to lead to failure. They can also do a lot of the mundane work for us. As a programmer, you can generate an entire program in seconds of time, shifting your time burden from authorship to editor. But do you actually get better as a programmer? Maybe. Improvement comes in different ways, I guess. But the more I think about getting better at my craft, the less it has to do with what software I’m using or not using, and doing the actual work.
Show Links Psych (TV Series 2006–2014) * Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It by Cory Doctorow * Art Work: On the Creative Life by Sally Mann * Handmade: Creative Focus in the Age of Distraction by Gary Rogowski * The Real Work: On the Mystery of Mastery by Adam Gopnik * iA Writer * Episode photo from Envato Elements: Craftsman manufacturing a mirror in his workshop*
There is often a moment in every interview on Getting Work To Work that stops me in my tracks. In today’s interview with Kimberly Lau and Linda Young, they dropped the mic twice with these two mind-blowing moments: “We have enough clothing on the planet to clothe the next six generations” and “Since we opened nine months ago, we have saved 2,500 pounds in textile waste from the landfill.” In our conversation, they share the mission and purpose behind Project ReWear, a resale business that goes beyond reselling clothes by rebuilding a system through tracking and valuing donations, measuring real-time impact, and making secondhand second nature. They are finding a way to impact the planet positively for generations to come and here to show you how you can too.
Show Links Project ReWear * WALL•E (2008) * Idiocracy (2006) * Armchair Expert * smartless * Episode photo from Envato Elements: Second hand clothes are hanging in street market*
What did Arthur C. Clarke have to say in 1968 about communication in the distant future? Buried in the middle of a single page in 2001: A Space Odyssey, on a trip to the moon, is an interesting description of Clarke’s imagined future and our realized present. It’s always uncanny when science fiction gets something right, but that’s not why I’m bringing this up. Instead, I’m more curious with this question: What can we learn from it? Yes, our communication is in chaos. It’s like we’re all standing around in the same room shouting, saying everything, hearing nothing. So, how do we filter the noise from the signal? Well, let’s go on a literary journey to the moon, and see what we can learn from Clarke’s Newspad.
Three Things We Can Learn from Arthur C. Clarke’s Journey to the Moon:1. Create time buffers for your mind and information to update responsibly. 2. Create an environment of creativity that allows you to limit the amount of external chaos. 3. Imagine a Utopia that isn’t dull and start bringing that to life, instead of contributing to systematic chaos.
Show Links 2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke * 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) * The 7 best apps to help you focus and block distractions in 2025 * Episode photo from Envato Elements: space station interior. close up space shuttle details b*
As much as I love imagining dystopian and doomsday scenarios of AI overtaking humanity, talking with experts about positive implementation strategies is a better use of my time (and mental health). Building upon an education in Data Science and Analytics and AI ethics, Ben Tasker currently “leads a Data & AI Academy that upskills and reskills more than 36,000 employees in the public utility sector, preparing them to be AI-ready and future-ready.” In our conversation, he brings stories of real world applications of technology and AI. We also talk about how to actually upskill and reskill, why disruption isn’t new but the speed of change is, blended work environments and whether we’ll have AI bosses, AI as a system not a tool, practical ways to use AI, how to develop a learning plan and apply AI to it, and how AI can be used in small business.
ChatGPT Prompt for summary of the World Economic Forum’s The Future of Jobs Report 2025: “What are the most important takeaways from the World Economic Forum’s report: The Future of Jobs Report 2025?”
Show Links Ben Tasker * MICHELIN Restaurants Guide * MIT report: 95% of generative AI pilots at companies are failing by Sheryl Estrada * “The Freedom Route” with Georgie Darling (GWTW850) * World Economic Forum: The Future of Jobs Report 2025 * OpenAI Academy * ChatGPT * Airtable * Claude * Episode photo from Envato Elements: Molecular structure, abstract science background. 3d illustration*
Hey there, you’re listening to Getting Work To Work on this fine day in late September 2025. I’m your host, Chris Martin, and I’m glad you’re here. What’s going on? Oh, not much? Head in the sand or just ignoring willfully the dumpster fire that is consuming everything everywhere? I pay attention, then I do my best to get to work. I had a good start to my day. I dropped my wife off at school and then headed to my favorite local coffee shop, got some snacks, and read a chapter in Art Work: On the Creative Life by Sally Mann.
While it’s fun to people watch at the coffee shop, it’s even more fun to bust out a hardcover book in the midst of a sea of laptops and retirees. What kind of person does that? Isn’t it more appropriate to give the air of importance while typing away feverishly on your laptop? Nah, because I too had work to do. Yes, I consider reading work.
This book has been on my radar for a couple of weeks. In my recent conversation with Stacy Bass, she mentioned she was looking forward to diving into the book. Austin Kleon also interviewed Sally recently as part of his typewriter interview series. I ordered it from my favorite local independent bookstore, Copper Bell Bookshop, in Ridgefield, Washington. While it took a little longer to get than if I had ordered it from Amazon, they don’t need my money. Copper Bell does, so I ordered and waited. The anticipation of getting and reading the book continued to build—I love that feeling—and then when it was time to pick it up! Yes! New book time!
Editorial Note: Chris doesn’t need more books, but he definitely needs more books.
Art Work hits a home run in the freakin’ prologue, in the very first paragraph! Here’s a taste:
“This is a book about how to get shit done. Or, more particularly, how I got it done. Or didn’t. And I guess that’s a big part of an artist’s life—getting other shit done besides the shit you’re supposed to be doing—the art, that is.” – Sally Mann
I love this framing of the duality of our work: the art—the stuff we’re supposed to do—and everything else. It gets me thinking of the backwards nature of modern life, where the label of “what we’re supposed to do” is affixed to everything but our art. Things like admin, networking, content creation, marketing, management. All important things, but would they be necessary (or even possible) if we didn’t have the art and continually challenge ourselves to make the art better?
Now, before I lose you using labels like art and artist, I don’t consider myself an artist, and maybe you don’t either. My art is my work, specifically projects like this podcast. So, with that in mind, I use the label creative entrepreneur. It’s a decent catch-all label for having multiple creative pursuits and several revenue generating services. I run a business of one, but it’s still a business. I’m an entrepreneur because the risk is on me. Even as I write this, I could replace entrepreneur with artist and it would still fit. Artists are entrepreneurs, but not all entrepreneurs are artists, you get the point. One term is societally praised while the other is reviled. I’ll let you decide which is what, but my point is this: labels don’t matter. What matters is doing the freakin’ work of your craft. Or, inline with Sally’s thoughts, getting shit done.
As I’ve shared in previous episodes, I’ve been struggling with writing my monologues. Underneath it all, something has shifted. The work is still sitting down at the desk, writing down my thoughts, recording, editing, and publishing a new episode. But what was once a quick process, has slowed down. I’ve been more distracted, but there’s also a new depth and complexity presenting itself in my thoughts. Sometimes, I get lost in that change. I stare at the sky while the dog eats and shoots leaves. I wonder what I’m going to write. But I’m not doing the work.
So, I sit down and the puppy wants in my lap. He sits in my lap and wants down, only to scratch to be let back up. I’ve got work to do puppy. I can give up and go sit on the couch so he can have a lap to sleep in, or I can do something different. I can get creative. So, I get his car seat and put it on a chair next to me. I pick him up, plop him in. He eventually gets used to it, puts his face on the edge of his seat nearest my arm and starts snoring. Good boy. Now I can dig deep into what I’m trying to say.
Type, delete, shameful surf of social media, type, delete, snore, type, type, scratch, type, type… YES! This is the work. This has always been the work of creativity. You have to go to your workspace and work. Alone (or with furry companions). Over and over again. And you’ll get so sick of it, you’ll long for something different, something new. You might go to social media or a coffee shop in search of a new rush of dopamine, another high, but over time, you learn (or you don’t) that the work is also getting used to the monotony of creativity, the loneliness.
I’m not complaining though, this is the work I signed up for, it’s just taken awhile for me to realize what my work was, the dual nature of it. As I look at my weekly task list in front of me, I see the work for clients and I see the work for myself. Earlier in my career, I couldn’t see how both could exist simultaneously, so I tried to pick one or the other. The highs and lows of trying to be one thing and changing my mind as to what that one thing was…exhausting. That’s probably why I burnt out multiple times along the way.
But the truth is that I gotta do the work: the work of the creative entrepreneur and business owner, and the work of the artist. Paying attention to the flow of that work is equally important. Some days, I’m in artist mode, writing, interviewing, editing. Other days, I’m in client mode, editing and producing. They both offer sustenance to one another. It’s just being aware of which one I need to focused on.
Hence, the need to sit in my workspace and listen to myself. To listen to the snores and the heartbeats of my creativity. That is also the work. But if everything is work, you want to know what isn’t work? Productivity. Efficiency. Time management. There’s just the work. Somedays it flows like a river through the Grand Canyon. Other days, the river is dried up waiting for the future promise of a flash flood. So, plan your journey, and go for a walk. You might get far or nowhere at all, but you’re no longer where you once were, and that’s the important thing.
Show Links “Lightkeeper of Love & Loss” with Stacy Bass (GWTW852) * Sally Mann * Art Work: On the Creative Life by Sally Mann * Austin Kleon’s Typewriter interview with Sally Mann * Copper Bell Bookshop * Episode photo is Old rusty gear mechanism, closeup* from Envato Elements
What is the connection between photography and memory? What are the stories beyond the frame of our most cherished family photos? What will we wish we had known about our loved ones? Profound questions and thoughtful answers with today’s guest, Stacy Bass, photographer and author of Lightkeeper: A Memoir Through the Lens of Love and Loss. Fulfilling her curiosity for behind the scenes stories, Stacy tells her own tales of writing the book, why she became a photographer, what she discovered about her parents through photographs and memories, what it’s like to be the de facto family archivist, the marriage of photography and writing, and how to keep the light of our loved ones alive after they are gone.
Show Links Stacy Bass Photography * Lightkeeper Website * Lightkeeper: A Memoir Through the Lens of Love and Loss by Stacy Waldman Bass * How I Built This Podcast with Guy Raz * The Westport Library…BOOKED For The Evening * Thelma Schoonmaker * On Photography by Susan Sontag * Ghost Train by Marc Cohn * Art Work: On the Creative Life by Sally Mann * Typewriter Interview with Sally Mann * Episode photo is Stack old photos on grey background. Postcard rumpled and dirty vintage.* Downloaded from Envato Elements.
Who will you become in 12 months time? This question stood out in my recent conversation with Georgee Darling, because change takes time, even though I want it to happen immediately. Often this question leads us to action steps we can take daily to become who we want to be—and yes, I’ll share several of my own action steps in this episode—but sometimes it keeps us stuck in our imagination, living in the land of what could be. What this question is really getting at has as much to do with vision as it does action. Not just over the next 12 months, but today, tomorrow, and up until your final breath.
Show Links “The Freedom Route” with Georgie Darling (GWTW850) * The Burnout Society by Byung-Chul Han * Amie McNee * The Inspired Collective * Yo-Yo Man | Tommy Smothers | The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour * Beyond Your Imagination * Episode photo is table clock with sand closeup* downloaded from Envato Elements
If there’s a quote from today’s interview that sums it all up, it’s this: “What’s the point in building a business if you’re not gonna build one that you really love?” Georgie Darling is a freelance writer and coach who helps woman build businesses that lead to freedom. In our conversation, she shares her journey from the world of journalism and branded content to coaching and freelance travel writing. We talk about why you often have to leave behind what’s known to reveal the future, why people who travel to Bali become coaches, what it means to edit your life, burnout, quick wins versus long-term burns of meaning and purpose, unique ways Georgie uses ChatGPT, and the role community plays in finding freedom.
Show Links The Freedom Route * Working Hard with Grace Beverley * Episode photo is stadium, football, league, soccer ball, soccer* from Envato Elements
I’ve had a hard time coming up with new podcast episodes lately. It’s not that I lack things to talk about, my mind is just in a million different places. Fortunately, a minute on Threads provided me with enough kindling to get my creative blaze started. Have you ever read something so hilariously ludicrous that you just couldn’t stop laughing? According to an article in The Hollywood Reporter, a new tech company called Inception Point AI is going to create “a stable of AI talent to host podcasts, and eventually become broader influencers across social media, literature, and more.” The cost to do all this? $1 or less per episode. But that’s not what got me laughing. It was this quote from CEO Jeanine Wright: “I think that people who are still referring to all AI-generated content as AI slop are probably lazy luddites.” While that technically isn’t a joke—or anything to make people laugh at a comedy club—it does reveal three truths that we need to reckon with: 1) the cost of creativity; 2) who profits from it; and 3) the growing need for more critics.
Show Links 5,000 Podcasts. 3,000 Episodes a Week. $1 Cost Per Episode — Behind an AI Start Up’s Plan by Caitlin Huston, The Hollywood Reporter * An Audience of One by Kevin Kelly * Episode photo is Paints brushes jars on the table* downloaded from Envato Elements
Have you ever listened to a song that completely changed your life? What about hearing a sax solo so intense, you end up moving across the country and changing careers? This is but one example of the power of art and music shared by today’s guest, Alex Woodard, writer, musician, observer, and storyteller. In our conversation, he shares his origin story of becoming an observational artist in the worlds of music and words. He talks about why leaving social media behind wasn’t the death knell for his creative career, why he produces companion albums for his books, the role of nature in his life and work, and our work as a record of our lives. Throughout, he sprinkles powerful questions and observations that will get you thinking a little deeper about how you’re living your own life.
“Once I get it on the page, it’s not about me anymore.”
“We got one chance and one shot—as far as I know—and you really gotta think about how you wanna spent that.”
Show Links Alex Woodard * Love Is (Not A Feeling) by Alex Woodard * Ordinary Soil by Alex Woodard * Ordinary Soil (Audiobook) by Alex Woodard, Narrated by Scott Brick * Bison Bridge * Analog Sun by Alex Woodard * Analog Sun (Trailer) * Mile High by Alex Woodard * Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band – Trapped (London Calling: Live In Hyde Park, 2009) * The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger * Bruce Springsteen – No Surrender (from Born In The U.S.A. Live: London 2013) * Tropicsurf * Ray Bradbury * Wayne Dyer * Bob Dylan – Like a Rolling Stone (Official Audio) * Close up inside of abstract wave breaking in the sunset or sunrise background natural light* by nuchylee from Envato Elements
I’m trying to reimagine a new reality. Why? Because the one we’ve got right now has a few problems. But instead of a lengthy preamble, laying out the problems and having a healthy rant for fifteen minutes, I’m just going to dive into some solutions. But don’t worry, I’m still going to rant because this is infuriating, the problems are systematized, incentivized, and habituated, and the people who care are constantly gaslit to believe they don’t have the power to affect change. But power we have, especially when we band together. It’s also going to take a healthy amount of work, imagination, and resilience to overcome billions of dollars of investment in conformity that trains us daily to be distracted, compliant, quiet, and alone.
Solution #1: Live beyond the veil of technology.Solution #2: Discover new things beyond the algorithm.Solution #3: Build offline communities of learning, experimentation, and being.Solution #4: Imagine a world somewhere between utopia and dystopia and do something everyday to live up to that vision.Solution #5: Don’t wait for the politicians to do something you care about, find a way to make it happen.Solution #6: Be more hopeful and less realistic.Show Links G.Tribe Alpacas * Barn Dog Flower Farm * Chris Butler * The Burnout Society by Byung-Chul Han * MakeWith * “MakeWith” – Aria Joughin * Kadence Collective * Upcoming Events at Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries * Alchemy Partners * Close-up of a vibrant bouquet of flowers bathed in warm sunlight with a soft-focus background* by Image-Source – downloaded from Envato Elements
How do you know the person you just met is who they say they are? A family member just called asking uncharacteristically to be bailed out of jail, what do you do? What do you say to someone whose offer to help is too good to be true? These are the questions at the core of today’s conversation with Johnathan Walton, author of the must-read book, Anatomy of a Con Artist: The 14 Red Flags to Spot Scammers, Grifters, and Thieves. In this conversation, Johnathan shares how getting scammed out of $100,000 led him to his life’s work of exposing con artists and helping people who have been scammed to find justice and peace. We talk about his journey from television reporter and reality TV producer to podcast producer and con hunter, why people don’t educate themselves about con artists, how technology can be used against you and what to do about it, how he developed unshakable resilience, and what we can learn about creativity from studying the inexhaustible creative work of con artists. In a world of AI and frictionless technology that can be used to craft stories and keep track of endless details, Johnathan’s work will prepare you for your own life’s work: protecting yourself from the scammers, grifters, and thieves.
Show Links Johnathan Walton * Anatomy of a Con Artist: The 14 Red Flags to Spot Scammers, Grifters, and Thieves by Johnathan Walton * Cocaine Air * Queen of the Con * Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) * Johnathan’s reel on Instagram about recording the audiobook * Closeup evidence board with red thread connecting pictures* by seventyfourimages from Envato Elements
As I was lying in bed, my friend sent me a link to a conference and said, “Not seeing you on the speaker list.” I clicked to see if I recognized anyone and after scrolling through three days of talks and speakers, I recognized two names, no one else. Times—yes, they change—but so do we. It’s been at least eight years since I actively participated in that particular industry—web development for the curious—and honestly, I haven’t looked back, but for a handful of times. Why? Because early in my career, I was actively tracking all the changes to the industry, growing, learning, and chasing relevance. I bent to match the arc of change, and after 20 years or so, I didn’t recognize myself anymore. I had changed, but also recognized that I had more work to do, not in a particular industry, but within myself. So, I left behind web development and set out on a new journey of change, one that required me to wrestle, not with code but with my self.
Five ways you can approach change internally, in your own time, as the world turns and churns through ideas, outrage, utopia, and dystopia:1. Seek what lights you up and makes you feel alive. 2. Speaking of time, you can’t change immediately, so take a long-term view of change; allow the river of time to shape the sharp edges of your life into something smooth. 3. You’re allowed to change your mind, your direction, and your entire life’s narrative. 4. Find the people who will accept you, no matter what. 5. Change doesn’t have to make sense.
Show Links Quote by Howard Thurman * Vintage alarm clocks on a wooden shelf* by Nejron on Envato Elements
Have you ever met a Fear Technician? Well, in this episode of Getting Work To Work, you’re going to meet Guryan Tighe, a fear technician who works with people to unmask their fears. Her company was founded “on the belief that understanding and working with our fears, rather than trying to conquer them, yields more professional success and personal fulfillment.” In this conversation, Guryan and I have a deep conversation about fear and how it is our greatest teacher. She also talks about rational and irrational fears, the role of self-awareness in understanding how fear is holding us back or wanting us to move toward something new, why we should honor the cycle of our beingness, and engaging with our fears and empowering ourselves with curiosity, gratitude, and purpose. If you are looking for a different way to dance with your fear, then this conversation is for you.
Show Links Fourage * Unmasking Fear: How Fears Are Our Gateways to Freedom by Guryan Tighe * The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows by John Koenig * Episode photo: Modern Greenhouse No People Shot* by Media_photos on Envato Elements
As a podcaster, I get a lot of emails about podcasting from podcast producers, thought leaders, and consultants. The emails are usually not about MY show—although I do get those emails that cold pitch their services—but about the podcasting industrial complex in general. The latest is about Amazon restructuring and cutting staff from Wondery, a premium podcasting studio and network famous for (I’m honestly looking this up and picking titles at random) Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard, Dying for Sex, and New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce.
With 13 pages of podcasts on the Wondery network, the question you might be asking is, “How were they making money?” Answer: “Bittersweet Amazon money.” But amid the complexities of corporate restructuring and creative accounting, which we definitely don’t have time for in this podcast, the question that the emails from podcast producers, thought leaders, and consultants are asking instead is “What will become of podcasts now?”
Show Links Wondery * Amazon Breaks Up Wondery Podcast Studio, CEO Jen Sargent Departs by Caitlin Huston * YouTube Official Blog: Drop the mic: Celebrating 1 billion monthly podcast users on YouTube * Podcast on Wikipedia * David Choe * David Lynch Theater * This Record Label Is Trying To SILENCE Me* by Rick Beato * Hello Vancouver * Beernuts Productions * Photo by Shubham Dhage on Unsplash
I love it when people come on the show with deep curiosities about life and what it’s all about. Why? Because that depth of exploration shows up not just in the conversation, but also throughout their creative journey. And today’s episode with writer Tom Epperson is one of those moments. Tom shares countless tales from his life including his creative origin story when he learned he wanted to be a writer, deciding to leave Arkansas with a childhood friend for Hollywood determined to make it, resilience in the face of adversity, the importance of keeping good things alive in yourself when surrounded by evil, and how characters come alive in his mind. We also discuss his most recent book, Baby Hawk, a novel in verse.
Show Links Tom Epperson * Baby Hawk: A Novel in Verse by Tom Epperson * Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov * AC/DC – Who Made Who (Official HD Video) * A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway * Schwab’s Pharmacy * Billy Bob Thornton * The Gilded Age (TV Series 2022–) * A Conversation With Bing’s Chatbot Left Me Deeply Unsettled by Kevin Roose * WarGames (1983) * Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers* by Caroline Fraser * Thích Nhất Hạnh * Episode photo downloaded from Envato Elements: Brown or green by alesha_macarosha
Greetings fellow dinosaurs! Did you know that we are living in the prehistoric age of technology and artificial intelligence? That kids born today “will never be smarter than AI,” according to Sam Altman, CEO and cofounder of OpenAI? When I first saw this headline repeated ad nauseam on social media, I couldn’t stop rolling my eyes. Surely, we aren’t heading toward human depiction in Pixar’s brilliant film, WALL·E, right? In a recent article on Fortune, Altman’s comments as mentioned earlier were quoted, but I was more intrigued with this: “[Altman] also thinks his kids will be fully aware of that fact, and not mind it at all. ‘They will grow up vastly more capable than we grew up and able to do things that we just, we cannot imagine. And they’ll be really good at using AI,’ he added.” Who knows what the future holds, but I know that I’m more brontosaurus than tech bro, so I’m going to hang out by the pond, eat some leaves, and realize that there’s more to life today than AI.
Show Links OpenAI CEO says his kids will ‘never be smarter than AI’—and that his parenting style relies on ChatGPT by Ani Freedman * WALL·E (2008) * Mitch Goldstein’s cool handheld scanner and the resulting scans of wood scraps on Instagram * Photo above is Dinosaur fossil* by FamilyStock from Envato Elements
The best part of podcasting is meeting people who look at the world in ways that rewire your own vision. Today’s guest is Dr. Neri Karra Sillaman, author of Pioneers: 8 Principles of Business Longevity from Immigrant Entrepreneurs, speaker, entrepreneur, and former child refugee. Our conversation begins with a poem Neri wrote putting us right into a single moment of her life. From there, we talk about the beauty of ambition, how she learned to see opportunity in discarded materials, immigrant entrepreneurship and the lessons that immigrants can teach us, why legacy is more important than profit, and what she sees in the next generation that fills her with hope for the future.
“Resilience means you know that you can get back up…you have faith in yourself.” – Dr. Neri Karra Sillaman
Show Links Dr. Neri Karra Sillaman * Neri Karra * Moda Métiers * Pioneers: 8 Principles of Business Longevity from Immigrant Entrepreneurs by Dr. Neri Karra Sillaman * Eckhart Tolle * Isaac Larian * Hamdi Ulukaya * “The Summer Day” by Mary Oliver * Charles Frederick Worth (1825–1895) and the House of Worth * Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt * The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini * Exit West* by Mohsin Hamid * Hala Alyan * Photo by Jayanth Muppaneni on Unsplash
For those new to Getting Work To Work, today’s guest is gough, a legally blind filmmaker from Australia. He’s also a comedic genius, raconteur, shameless self-promoter, and holds the distinction of being on this show 23 times. His latest film—available now at BeernutsProductions.com—is a dark comedy called MR. X about a blind hitman who falls in love. In our conversation, we talk about serious and important topics, such as the challenges of writing blurbs without giving too much away, ways to shake up the creative process, geography lessons, and the best ways to prepare kangaroo and emu. Oh, and I should probably give you a content warning. If you are sensitive to profanity, bad jokes (mostly on my part), or two guys making themselves laugh across three oceans (again, not great with geography), then tread lightly with this episode. But if that’s not you, let’s go!
Previously on the show:* The Official Beernuts Productions Category!
Show Links Beernuts Productions + MR. X*. * George Carlin Makes His 105th and Final Appearance | Carson Tonight Show * Slip! Slop! Slap! – The Original Sid the Seagull Video * ilia chidzey * Jacinda Ardern * Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (TV Series 2015–2019) * I Give Good Parent (Explicit) – feat. Rachel Bloom and Amy Hill – “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” * The Naked Gun (2025) * The Naked Gun | Official Trailer (2025 Movie) – Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson * Stick (TV Series 2025–) * The Studio (TV Series 2025–) * Sarah Polley * The Late Show with Stephen Colbert * Quentin Tarantino * Vivica A. Fox * Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) * Kevin Bacon * Conan O’Brien Must Go Intro (Werner Herzog) * Conan Encounters Australian Wildlife | CONAN on TBS * Conan Plays Australian Rules Football With The Sydney Swans | CONAN on TBS * The Colbert Report – Suq Madiq
When you’re faced with challenges or struggles in your life and work, what do you do to get unstuck? Maybe you vent to a friend, go to therapy, or even hire a coach, but today’s guests—Tim Preston & Jonathan Thomas—have a tool that can help you to uncover your own solutions through a process they call CoreSelf Mapping. Through eight steps, the CoreSelf Map Process moves individuals and teams through three major questions: Where am I now? Where do I want to be? How do I get there? In this conversation, I talk with Tim and Jonathan about the origins of this work, their three operating principles—slow down, trust the map, and question respectfully—and the concept of the internal observer and how it shows up throughout the process. We also learn more about Tim and Jonathan’s new book, CoreSelf Positioning: Getting on the Same Page, Literally.
Show Links Simple. Not Easy + Try CoreSelf Positioning + CoreSelf Positioning: Getting on the Same Page, Literally by Tim Preston & Jonathan Thomas * Extraordinary Relationships: A New Way of Thinking About Human Interactions by Roberta M. Gilbert, M.D. * Move Fast & Fix Things: The Trusted Leader’s Guide to Solving Hard Problems by Frances Frei & Anne Morriss * The Infinite Game* by Simon Sinek * Midjourney prompt for episode art: internal guidance internal observer abstract conceptual monochromatic –ar 16:9
Earlier this week, I met up with someone who wanted to ask me questions about my podcasting journey. After sharing everything I could possibly think of, even the stuff that people don’t want to hear about, I looked at the clock and saw that we had been talking for almost two and a half hours. As we wrapped up our conversation, I wrote a quick note: “Give it all away—meeting people who want to learn from you.” Since then, I’ve been thinking a lot about this idea—no, this philosophy. As content creators, we have an unlimited wealth of knowledge buried in our minds. Not everything we know becomes a podcast episode, blog post, or social media thing though. Why? Because when we create, we are focused on an imagined audience. We chase trends, we want to be relevant. But this all changes when we are in conversation with actual people. We aren’t worried about being relevant, just helpful. In order to unearth everything we know, we must hold nothing back from the inquisitive mind. We must give it all away.
Five Doubt Killers When You Give It All Away:1. Just because you give it all away doesn’t mean you can’t profit from what you know. 2. Giving it all away doesn’t make competition, it creates community. 3. AI is going to disrupt everything and nothing with its approach to giving it all away. 4. Even if no one cares that you give it all away, you benefit from the act. 5. Giving it all away is a form of legacy planning for your inevitable death.
Show Links* Pip’s Original Doughnuts & Chai * drmattshiver on Threads: “ChatGPT can answer any question instantly (and probably better than you…) * How to Replace Toyota Prius C Engine Air Filter on YouTube * Midjourney prompt for episode art: weird random abstract surrealism –ar 16:9
If you were to learn how to paint where would you start? Maybe you’d go to YouTube and watch some introductory videos, buy some cheap art supplies, and spend an afternoon giving it a shot. The results? A contact high from the paint and a lingering belief that you’re just not talented enough. So, you quit. Fortunately, today’s guest has found a better way. Kevin Murphy is a renowned illustrator, portrait artist, and founder of Evolve Artist, an online painting program studied around the world. In our conversation, Kevin shares the philosophy that drives not only his school, but also his life. He shares his journey into art and art education, what he learned about building businesses through the dismantling of a business, how expectations can trip us up and distract us from our work, the power of first impressions, and why his ideas won’t die with him.
Show Links Evolve Artist * Bridges to Babylon by the Rolling Stones * The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea* by Bob Burg & John David Mann * Photo by Steve Johnson on Unsplash
When was the last time you sat around, maybe reading a book, definitely looking at the sky, but ultimately, doing nothing productive? Depending on who you are and what you do, that either sounds like heaven or hell. And if you’re tapped into all things tech, downright impossible. I mean, who are we if we aren’t online, am I right? But what if productivity is actually holding us back from discovering who we could actually be? In today’s monologue, I’m going to share a few recent experiences and epiphanies, surrounded by quotes from Adam Gopnik’s book, The Real Work: On the Mystery of Mastery.
Show Links The Real Work: On the Mystery of Mastery* by Adam Gopnik * Highway 14 closed in the Gorge as Burdoin fire grows to 10,000+ acres | The Seattle Times * Photo by Wolfgang Hasselmann on Unsplash
What fears are holding you back from the things that truly matter? Does your fear serve you? What could you learn from fear? What small action could you take to go from fearful to fearless? These four questions are a taste of my time with Dr. Benjamin Ritter, leadership and career coach, talent development executive, international speaker, and author of Becoming Fearless: 65 Strategies to Journey from Self-Doubt to Self-Mastery. In our conversation, we dive right into the deep end of the pool, talking about what it means to live selfishly toward our values and how that allows us to be more present with others. Dr. Ritter shares his journey from losing everything to discovering what matters most to him, the Three C’s of Self-Leadership, fear and fearlessness, and how we can re-examine our relationship with work.
Show Links Live for Yourself Consulting * Becoming Fearless: 65 Strategies to Journey from Self-Doubt to Self-Mastery by Dr. Benjamin Ritter * Next Level Pinball Museum * How to Do Great Work* by Paul Graham * #314 Paul Graham (How To Do Great Work) | Founders * Essay Breakdown: “How To Do Great Work” by Paul Graham | Outliers with Daniel Scrivner * Photo by Senad Palic on Unsplash
You ever have one of those moments when the passing of time just hits you right in the stomach? The other day, I was driving home from running an errand, pizza in the trunk, music blasting, a typical northwest summer day. Apart from my sore back, I felt pretty good. Not a care running through my mind as I noticed my surroundings. “Wow, trees really have grown a lot in the past 20 years.” I’ve driven the route before—it avoids the busier roads—but something felt different this time—I felt different. Especially when I started thinking about who I was 20 years ago.
Show Links* Midjourney prompt for episode art: recalibrate ambition abstract surrealism –ar 16:9
How do you keep your imagination and productivity going year after year, decade after decade? By challenging yourself, doing your work to the best of your ability, and taking nothing personally. Today’s guest is Jeffrey Konvitz and is no stranger to the world of imagination. He’s worked in film as an entertainment attorney, screenwriter, and producer. He’s also the author of The Sentinel, The Guardian, Monster: A Tale of Loch Ness, and his latest book, The Circus of Satan: Murder, Revenge, and the Rise of Organized Crime. In our conversation, he talks about his writing process, why it took over 24 years to write the book, the differences between novels and screenplays, and how he tackles heavy issues without making it a slog.
Show Links Jeffrey Konvitz + Barnes & Noble: The Circus of Satan: Murder, Revenge, and the Rise of Organized Crime + Amazon: The Circus of Satan: Murder, Revenge, and the Rise of Organized Crime * Gladiator (2000) * Inception (2010) * Heart of Darkness* by Joseph Conrad * Scientific American * Financial Times * Midjourney prompt for episode art: closeup of flames –ar 16:9
Refilling the creativity and curiosity tanks is easy when life is going as planned. When balance is maintained, money is in the bank, and work is more feast than famine. But what about the other times? When pain keeps you in bed instead of at the desk, depression fuels boredom (or is it the other way around), the lack of money saps all motivation and means to explore new crafts and potential paths, and loneliness lies and keeps you isolated from community. Terminal velocity, straight to hell. You need to find a way to not only slow down, but shift your direction. And that’s what today’s episode is all about.
7 ways to refill your creativity and curiosity tanks, even in the midst of pain, procrastination, or poverty:1. Minimize the distractions and doomscrolls. 2. Use your imagination for good rather than evil. 3. Chase the smallest spark. 4. Find free ways to learn and practice your craft. 5. Use the tools and equipment you have in new ways. 6. Return to what you’re avoiding. 7. Do what you know you love.
Show Links* Red Dawn (1984) * Midjourney prompt for episode art: creativity and curiosity tanks filling a giant warehouse of imagination and wonder abstract surrealism –ar 16:9
When you are running a business—no matter how small or large—it’s easy to forget why you are doing it. You look around at what everyone else is doing and question your own success. You read the latest business book about systems and processes of giant corporations and wonder why they didn’t work in your small business. So, what are we to do? Today’s guest has some fresh ideas for us to consider. Sri Kaza is a seasoned business leader and small business advocate with a background in corporate strategy and entrepreneurship. He fell in love with small business and the potential they have when focused on purpose, proximity, and positioning. In our conversation, we talk about his underdog principles, the differences between scale and personal economies, apprenticeship, and the evolution of the creative industry. He also shares about his upcoming book, Unconvention: A Small Business Strategy Guide.
Show Links Sri Kaza * Unconvention: A Small Business Strategy Guide by Sri Kaza * The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It* by Michael E. Gerber * Photo by Paulo Doi on Unsplash
I wasn’t sure what today’s episode was going to be about until I heard something in an episode of Somebody Feed Phil on Netflix. While visiting Sarma, a Middle Eastern restaurant in Somerville, Massachusetts, Phil and his guest mentioned that the chef travels all over the world, eats delicious food, and brings those flavors back to the menu. That got me thinking: What would be the equivalent of doing this for podcasters, filmmakers, writers, and other types of artists? Sure, we have the Internet at our fingertips and can go anywhere with a tap and swipe, but what are we missing when we only do that? When we don’t get away from our workspaces, offices, and task lists? When our analog senses dull from constant connection to a digital realm? We are missing a lot and in today’s episode, I’m going to share a few ways to step away and influence your imagination.
Five places to go to influence your imagination:1. The library 2. An art museum 3. Bookstores 4. BBQ competitions 5. Farmers markets
Show Links Somebody Feed Phil (2018–) * Boston – Phil Rosenthal World * Portland Art Museum * Becoming Fearless: 65 Strategies to Journey from Self-Doubt to Self-Mastery* by Dr. Benjamin Ritter * Photo by MeSSrro on Unsplash
How curious are you about asking and reflecting upon the deep questions of life? You know, massive questions like, “How do you think about a life worth living?” or “What kind of people are we becoming as individuals and as a community by employing any given technology?” Today’s guest on Getting Work To Work is no stranger to asking these questions of himself, his guests on his podcast, and the students in his classroom. Lee C. Camp is a theologian, professor and host of the acclaimed No Small Endeavor podcast. In our conversation, we dive into the origin of why he takes the big questions seriously. We touch on technology and science, discipline and willpower, being present in the moment, and healthy rhythms of life. Lee also shares how podcasting has shaped his work as an academic, how he creates space in conversations, and what he’s learned about life chasing cumulus clouds in the cockpit of a sailplane.
“We should ask ourselves the question: What kind of people are we becoming as individuals and as a community by employing any given technology?” – Lee C. Camp
Show Links No Small Endeavor * Lee C. Camp * Jacques Ellul * Program or Be Programmed: Eleven Commands for the AI Future by Douglas Rushkoff * The Price of the Pursuit of Pleasure: Anna Lembke – No Small Endeavor * Cal Newport * Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport * Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang * The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It by Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D. * Ryman Auditorium * Sheryl Crow: Becoming Who She Always Was – No Small Endeavor * Unabridged Interview: Martin Sheen – No Small Endeavor * Self-Compassion: Kristin Neff – No Small Endeavor * Strangers in the Land: Exclusion, Belonging, and the Epic Story of the Chinese in America* by Michael Luo * Photo by Michael & Diane Weidner on Unsplash
Every night before I go to bed, I grab my journal and spend a few minutes writing about the day. Some days there’s a lot to say, while others recount what I wasn’t able to get done. Lately, I’ve noticed a trend. I list four or more things I got done and then follow up with a dismissive statement, “I just wasn’t productive.” If you compare the ambition of my task list with what was actually accomplished, then yes, something is off. But it’s not a lack of productivity, it’s over-scheduling my day. Sure, I could dive into why I do this, but a more interesting question is this: How much of my day is filled with trash?
Show Links The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity* by Julia Cameron * Midjourney prompt for episode art: daily log of time and trash abstract surrealism monochromatic –ar 16:9 –v 7.0
How would you define your level of ambition? Are you pushing yourself to change the world or maybe you’re on the other side of failure wondering if you’ll ever be ambitious again? Today’s guest is on Getting Work To Work to talk about a new way to approach our goals, not just in work, but in life. It’s called Sustainable Ambition®. Kathy Oneto is a coach, author, and podcaster whose mission “is to help people craft a life with work for more joy, fulfillment, peace, and ease.” Definitely sounds like something most of us need. In this conversation we talk about several of the principles in her new book, Sustainable Ambition: How to Prioritize What Matters to Thrive in Life and Work: Growing into ourselves and our values, worthy work, life-work sustainability, burnout, and four anchors for redefining success.
“How do we redefine success and create opportunities for people where we all feel like we can contribute?” – Kathy Oneto
Show Links Sustainable Ambition® * Sustainable Ambition: How to Prioritize What Matters to Thrive in Life and Work by Kathy Oneto * The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom by Jonathan Haidt * Arthur Brooks * How the Ivy League Broke America by David Brooks * The Gift (Book 2 in The Council Trilogy)* by Evette Davis * Midjourney prompt for episode art: sustainability ambition moon shot evolving into something new abstract surrealism –ar 16:9 –v 7.0
Not much in the world of work shocks me anymore, but this headline on LinkedIn got me: “The rise of the ‘infinite workday.'” Naturally, I clicked the juicy headline. I had to find out which level of hell this monstrosity came from and what we can do about it. The “reactions” are to an article on Axios (two letters shy of Anxious) by Emily Beck titled Remote work has created an infinite workday. Covering a report from Microsoft, Beck describes a world of work without boundaries, the allure of flexibility, work spanning multiple time zones, pings, dings, distractions—and since it’s Microsoft—the savior of the day? AI. While I’m curious how I can avoid an infinite workday in my own business, I have to ask, what did we expect from a business world driven by profit alone?
Here are a few quotes from the article that stood out as important:* “The modern workday for many has no clear start or finish” – this was an actual quote from the Work Trend Index Special Report released by Microsoft. * “It’s difficult to stay focused during formal business hours.” * “A lot of work happens on the fly.” * “The inability to unplug is a surefire way to burn out a workforce.”
Show Links The rise of the ‘infinite workday’ * Welcome to the “Infinite Workday”* by Emily Beck * The Sukha Company * “The Uncommon Way” with Jenna Harrison (GWTW820) * Midjourney prompt for episode art: infinite workday surrounded by clocks in the style of salvador dali abstract surrealism technicolor –ar 16:9
The starving artist mentality is alive and well in 2025 as artists are told they’ll never make a living from their work. But today’s guest is living proof that’s a lie. Tim Packer is a former police officer turned celebrated Canadian artist and teacher, who walked away from the badge, cashed in his pension and went all-in on his creative dream. Tim is a natural storyteller and unfolds his entire creative journey for us in this episode. He shares the decisions that led him to becoming a police officer, the tragedy that turned his life toward art, the conversations he had with his wife at inflection points throughout his career, and many other lessons we can all learn from as we build our creative businesses.
Show Links Tim Packer Art Academy * Download 5 chapters of You Can Sell Your Art: A Step By Step Guide to Make a Livable Income From Your Art by Tim Packer * Tim Packer Fine Arts on YouTube * King Charles Painting Playlist by Tim Packer Fine Arts * Harley Brown * Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour * Inside the Actors Studio * Brooke Cormier * Mindset: The New Psychology of Success* by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D. * Gary Vaynerchuck
Have you ever gotten an email from a faceless global corporation and marveled at how it uses words to its advantage? I’m not talking about the legalese in Terms & Conditions or Privacy Policies—we’re all going to click Yes anyway—but the emails justifying prices increases. I can’t even imagine how much money is spent on lawyers and marketers drafting the obligatory price increase email, but that’s besides the point. Today, I’m going on a rant inspired by the faceless global corporations and the forced adoption of AI and other technologies that drive up the cost of doing business. But after the rant, I take an all-too-brief detour through some social criticism courtesy of Neil Postman, who also provided the amazing title for today’s episode in his book, Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology.
Show Links Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business by Neil Postman * Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology* by Neil Postman * Photo by nik radzi on Unsplash
As someone who sits at a desk for long periods of time every day, I was intrigued when today’s guest reached out with an offering of “3-Keys to Awaken Sensuality In The Midst Of The AI Era.” I was a little confused at first, thinking about sensuality in terms of sexuality, but then I got curious. Candia Raquel is a biologist, sensualist, and artist and she’s on the show to help us get connected with our bodies, while we get our work to work. She defines sensuality as simply being aware of the sensations of your body. Our conversation begins with a deep dive into pleasure and pain, and why one is more appropriate in society than the other. She talks about connecting with our bodies through breath and sighs, how to embody ourselves in a digital world that is increasingly 2-dimensional, and what she has learned from contemplating the trees. And yes, she provides the three keys to unlock sensuality.
Show Links* Candia Raquel * The Sensual Sessions * Midjourney prompt for episode art: biological world of trees roots and canopy abstract surrealism –ar 16:9
I never considered myself an obsessive person until recently, but in reflection, it’s always been part of my life. It’s like the cognitive bias called the frequency illusion—officially the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon—where you observe something, like a certain type of car, and then see it everywhere. Obsession is part of me, past and present. When I’m working on a project, whether a short film or changing the exhaust fan in my bathroom, it shows up early and often. I try to visualize how everything will play out. I research what I don’t know—poring over instruction manuals, books, and videos—then update my visualization. This behavior has served me well in the past, but lately I’ve noticed an increase in rumination and anxiety. What if there was something I could do to offload my obsession, so I can have some peace and learn to trust myself in the process?
A quote from After the Ecstasy, the Laundry: How the Heart Grows Wise on the Spiritual Path by Jack Kornfield: “The true task of spiritual life is not found in faraway places or unusual states of consciousness: It is here in the present. It asks of us a welcoming spirit to greet all that life presents to us with a wise, respectful, and kindly heart.”
Three ways to offload your obsession:1. Get it out of my head and into some sort of system. 2. Document the remaining tasks—as you currently understand them)—that need to be completed. 3. Take action.
Show Links After the Ecstasy, the Laundry: How the Heart Grows Wise on the Spiritual Path* by Jack Kornfield * What’s the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon? * Photo by Heber Davis on Unsplash
Whenever I talk to people that come at life and business in a unique way, I get excited. Today’s guest’s business is called The Uncommon Way and says everything about the type of conversation with are going to have today. Jenna Harrison helps highly-driven women create the business that will be their legacy. Sounds awesome, right? In our conversation, she shares what she learned about the need for meaning in her work when she dropped out of the rat race in her 20s and how that shaped the business and life she has built since then. We talk about the power of constraints, how we can train our minds, why we overwork when we know it doesn’t work, and her five-step process that high-level entrepreneurs can use to rewire their brains and nervous systems to break past revenue plateaus.
“It’s not about the hours that we make, it’s about the value we create.” – Jenna Harrison
Show Links* The Uncommon Way * The 3-Day Workweek: Rewire Your Brain & Business For Guilt-Free Work-Life Balance * Photo by Claudio Carrozzo on Unsplash
How do you know that when your moment shows up, you’ll be ready? Earlier this week, I met up with a friend for tea. I purposely waited to record my monologue because I knew something good would come from our conversation; it always does. My friend is widely creative and curious; he is into everything. He uses digital tools to create analog art. At one point, he talked about developing your craft and the importance of toiling in obscurity. You’ve been doing the work. Day after day. Year after year. No awards. Little recognition. Just the casual amassing of a body of work. That’s how you know you’ll be ready when your moment shows up.
9 Lessons I’ve Learned in Almost a Decade of Producing This Weekly Show:1. There will always be something to talk about and someone to interview. 2. My voice has changed through age and confidence. 3. The worst interviews were the ones I was most prepared for. 4. In nine years, I was only ghosted by one guest. 5. A like on social media does not translate to a listen of the episode. 6. Most podcasting advice doesn’t apply to someone this far into the journey. 7. The person responsible for the show—both in starting it and helping me maintain the momentum to keep going in the early years—is my good friend, Bruce Elgort. 8. As someone who struggles to make small talk, learning how to talk with strangers all over the world is the highlight of my career. 9. There is a saying gurus like to use to talk about podcasts and YouTube shows, “If you aren’t growing, then you’re dying.”
Show Links* Bruce Elgort * Bend Design * Midjourney prompt for episode art: toil in obscurity a warehouse full of pottery cinematic lighting –ar 16:9
As a creative person, how do you think about the future? Do you embrace technological advancements, such as AI assistance and enhancement, or do you shut yourself off from them because of fear or stubbornness? What does creativity look like in an AI-driven world? I love asking big questions of my guests. Today, I’m exploring the future with Albert Bramante. Albert is a talent agent and psychology professor who helps actors, students, and creators unleash their potential by integrating psychology, performance strategies, and AI. In our conversation, he shares an optimistic view of AI and technological advancement, fueled by his curiosity about the next big thing. We talk about mindset and productivity, understanding self-sabotage, how to get out of your comfort zone, the impact of giving up too easily, and when AI assistance becomes a creative crutch.
“There’s no such thing as failure, only feedback.” – Albert Bramante
Show Links* Dr. Albert Bramante on Instagram * Bramante Artists * OpenAI * Claude * Google Gemini * Midjourney * The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett * Mel Robbins * Tony Robbins * Midjourney prompt for episode art: facing the unknown future abstract representation –ar 16:9 –v 6.1
I spend a lot of time in my work week thinking and writing. Yesterday, as I was writing my Chris Martin Studios newsletter titled “Old Tech and Some Bullsh*t,” I pulled a book off the shelf and started reading the introduction. I was hoping for some inspiration, it was about craftsmanship after all, but I couldn’t find a way to connect it to my main idea. So, I left it on the workbench. Today, struggling with an idea for a monologue, I saw the book sitting there, I picked it up, wrote down some of the quotes about craftsmanship, and before I knew it, I had something to say about being a beginner and the wonder of craftsmanship.
Show Links Old Tech and Some Bullsht | Chris Martin Studios Newsletter * Working with Wood: The Basics of Craftsmanship by Peter Korn * Why We Make Things and Why It Matters: The Education of a Craftsman by Peter Korn * Korn – Blind (Official HD Video) * Photo by Elmer Cañas on Unsplash
How do people work? With that knowledge, how do we give them what they need? Today’s guest is no stranger to asking questions and learning to listen to what is and is not being said. With a background in journalism, film production, and entrepreneurship, Steven Puri is on a mission to help millions of people find their focus, achieve more, and have a healthy work life through The Sukha Company. In our conversation, Steven tells the tales of his time in Hollywood and what led him to the world of technology and app development. He shares lessons that we can all learn from including make it 1% better, it’s always about the other thing, tenacity over talent, and how organizing principles can guide your work to not only completion, but also provide deeper meaning. If you are looking for more from your life and work and not sure where to start, join Steven and I on this conversational journey.
“The most confident and successful people are the most open to being wrong.”Show Links The Sukha Company * Independence Day (1996) * Phil Tippett * Phil Tippett: Mad Dreams and Monsters (2019) * Jurassic Park (1993) * Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) * DreamWorks * Stacey Snider * The Net and The Butterfly: The Art and Practice of Breakthrough Thinking by Olivia Fox Cabane & Judah Pollack * The Wolverine (2013) * Demolition Man (1993) * Idiocracy (2006) * Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi * Cal Newport * Sinners (2025) * Grosse Pointe Blank (1997) * Time Bandits (1981) * Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) * Conversations with Wilder by Cameron Crowe * Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi * The Lessons of History* by Will Durant and Ariel Durant * Photo by Silas Baisch on Unsplash
As an adult, I’ve never been much of a sports fan. I’d occasionally watch whatever big game was happening, so I could talk to others about it, but my focus has always been work—what I’m working on, dreaming about, and obsessing over—and I think I’ve been missing out on a ton of life lessons. This year, I’ve really been getting into baseball, watching Cleveland Guardians games and talking with my dad and brother on group chat about them. With 162 games scheduled this season, my initial feeling watching people go to the games was, “How do they find time to go?” But quickly that shifted to, “How do I find time to watch?” It’s slowly taken over my afternoons and I’m not mad at it. I get to connect with family, yes, but I also experience important lessons that aren’t taught in any other arenas, the main one being how to lose.
Here are five things I’m learning from losing:1. There’s always something to celebrate even in the midst of a loss. 2. Change what you can control, ride out what you can’t. 3. Get out of your head and into the moment. 4. You can only blame the umpires so much before you start looking in the mirror. 5. Pay attention to how individual performance affects team dynamics and vice versa.
One final lesson – it’s a big one:You have a 160 games in a season, you lose, no big deal, show up tomorrow and see what you’ve got.
Show Links* Official Cleveland Guardians Website | MLB.com * Guardians Broadcasters | Cleveland Guardians * Midjourney prompt for episode art: swirling emotions in the air abstract in the style of dadaism technicolor –ar 16:9
Sometimes I get the impression from social media that running a business is easy, but nothing could be further from the truth: entrepreneurship is hard work. Today’s guest shines a light on the realities of business and how we can use tools, technologies, and success squads to stay focused on what matters to us in uncertain times. Laura Zavelson is a business strategist who has taken everything she’s learned in 25 years as a founder, entrepreneurship professor, and business consultant and created a framework that helps you intentionally design your business to go where you want to go. We dive into our conversation talking about our mutual membership in Generation X—the generation between boomers and millennials—and her love for how we organize information. Laura also shares deep insights about how technology can assist strategy, the two types of entrepreneurship, the importance of building a business on the foundation of money, meaning, and flexibility, and how you can change your business as you evolve and grow.
Show Links Laura Zavelson * Building a Second Brain: A Proven Method to Organize Your Digital Life and Unlock Your Creative Potential* by Tiago Forte * Goodnotes * Kindle Scribe * reMarkable * What are AI agents? | IBM * Midjourney prompt for episode art: connecting abstract topics in a mind map abstract –ar 16:9 –v 6.1
Earlier this week, I was writing a newsletter about how irrelevance comes for us all. I was looking at The Future of Jobs Report 2025 from the World Economic Forum, which reports in-depth not only about jobs, but also the core skills necessary for today’s working environment and into the future. In the middle of the list of core skills in 2025 was dependability and attention to detail and near the bottom was reading, writing and mathematics. While they may be core skills today, they are shifting in a negative direction over the next five years. This got me thinking about our expectations, not just as creative entrepreneurs, but workers, in general: We have no time to be wrong; failure isn’t an option. Humans are error-prone, AI will be quick and correct.
Show Links Irrelevance Comes For Us All* by Chris Martin * World Economic Forum – The Future of Jobs Report 2025 * Real Genius (1985) * Anthropic * Photo by Max Böhme on Unsplash
Today on the show for the 22nd time and to celebrate our 7th anniversary with copper and wool is the Australian filmmaker, gough. He is the purveyor of jokes and awkward pauses, appropriately inappropriate mockumentaries about any topic he chooses (nothing is sacred and no one is safe), and the comedic genius behind BeernutsProductions.com. Gough just released his latest film, A Day in the Life of a Personal Trainer, and he shares several behind-the-scenes stories about it. We dive into why he chose to remake the film with a new script and as much of the old cast as possible. Take notes, because he also shares how to make the chunkiest smoothy possible; you probably won’t want to drink it. Most importantly, he gives a lesson in how to behave when filming at actual businesses.
Previously on Getting Work To Work:* “Catching Up” with gough (GWTW155) * The Official Beernuts Productions Category
Show Links Beernuts Productions + A Day in the Life of a Personal Trainer + Episode 9 – The Jasmine Stinks Interview + Local Heroes + Jimmy Green and his Adventures in the Magic Forest + Reluctant Hero’s – Horse Race Commentators* * Liam Gallagher – Be Still (Official Audio) * Amy Shark – I Said Hi (Official Video) * Amy Shark * Andy Dick * Ilia Chidzey * The Muppet Show: Veterinarian’s Hospital – Behemoth * The Happytime Murders (2018) * Brian Henson * Psych (2006–2014) * Chortle * Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan * Sinners (2025) * The Studio (2025–) * Ron Howard * Mythic Quest (2020–2025) * Black Bag (2025) * The Amateur (2025) * The Bourne Identity (2002) * The Bourne Supremacy (2004) * The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
It’s been a month since my last monologue and I’ve got a lot on my mind. That’s why starting this week, I’m changing the release schedule of Getting Work To Work back to what it was before I burnt out and paused the show last year: monologues on Wednesdays and interviews on Fridays. This allows me to continue lining up interesting conversations with people all over the world, but also process what’s going on in my brain and heart. But first, a story.
Jack Kent calls himself a cartoonalist—part journalist and part cartoonist—and at the end of the day, he recaps what he went through in a journal. On December 15, 2023, he shared his journaling practice in a video on his YouTube channel called Start A Journal Now! Unlock your inner potential! I was inspired and challenged by Jack himself in the comments: “Time waits for no one. You should fall back into practice! The hardest part of a habit is just starting it. How many times has a chore that you keep putting off just nag and nag at you? And then when you start the chore, it’s actually not that hard. Start that journal habit and you’ll see it’s pretty easy to keep up!”
Since that day, before I go to bed, I write down what I did. It’s often short, a few sentences, but the habit is there. Fortunately, I’ve only missed one day, primarily because I had just started a new job and I was physically exhausted.
Flipping through the days, I can see what was on my mind, but mostly what I did. I see the recurring patterns of being tired and bored, but mostly what I see is just how delusional I am. Let me explain.
One of the prevailing narratives that guides my days is that I’m lazy and unproductive. I make a weekly to-do list on Sundays, fill each day as full as I can, but also allow unknown and urgent tasks to derail an already packed day. There are days when I’m just too tired (as I often write about at the end of the day) and instead watch a show or baseball in the morning or afternoon. But most days, I tell myself one story throughout the day and at night, the truth comes out: I do way more that I allow myself to see.
Show Links Start A Journal Now! Unlock your inner potential!* * Surviving the Game (1994) * Photo by Pelle Martin on Unsplash
I believe that conversations show up when you need them the most; I needed today’s episode. Over the years, I’ve talked a lot about creativity, the creative process, and business, but I haven’t spent enough time on the subject of life. That’s what today’s guest really explores in this episode. Pia Leichter is a creative partner, coach, author of Welcome to the Creative Club: Make Life Your Biggest Art Project, and founder of Kollektiv Studio. We talk about authentically showing up, creating a space for openness, and what the concept of flow looks like in our lives. You’ll even get a taste of Pia’s coaching style as we explore my creative block around the book I’m writing.
Show Links Kollektiv Studio * Welcome to the Creative Club: Make Life Your Biggest Art Project by Pia Mailhot-Leichter * Co-Active Coaching, Fourth Edition: The Proven Framework for Transformative Conversations at Work and in Life by Karen Kimsey-House, Henry Kimsey-House, Phillip Sandhal, Laura Whitworth * The man in the arena – Theodore Roosevelt * Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead* by Brené Brown * Photo by Andrew Valdivia on Unsplash
Is it possible to get smarter by thinking dumber? That’s the premise of Dumbify, a weekly newsletter by today’s guest, David Carson. David is an entrepreneur and marketing innovator who applies unconventional thinking to how businesses solve problems. In our conversation, he unpacks what dumb thinking is, the evolution of Dumbify—from collecting patterns and mental models to finding stories to bring those concepts to life—why clever is the enemy, and dumb stands out. If you’ve ever sat around wondering what potato chips can teach you about business, then this conversation is for you.
Show Links Dumbify * David Carson * Prezi * Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World* by Adam Grant * Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art * Calder Foundation – Hanging Mobiles * Liquid Death * Balenciaga Crocs * Dirt * After School by Casey Lewis * Midjourney prompt for episode art: reimagine the universe as the neuron pathway in the brain –ar 16:9 –v 7 –stylize 400
Today I’m talking with Vincent Wanga about the magic of human creative energy. Vincent is an executive creative leader, serial entrepreneur, and author of The Art of Direction: Personal Perspectives on the Path to Creative Leadership. Our conversation begins and ends with a focus on the future. What is our place as creatives in a technological world driven by artificial intelligence? What does leadership look like in an asynchronous, AI-driven creative world? The answers might surprise you, but they’ll definitely challenge you. Throughout this interview, Vincent shares stories and tools any creative can use to adapt to the ever-changing world we live in.
“Don’t be close-minded to opportunity.” – Vincent Wanga
Show Links Vincent Wanga * The Art of Direction: Personal Perspectives on the Path to Creative Leadership by Vincent Wanga * Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…And Others Don’t* by Jim Collins * Midjourney prompt for episode art: the future of leadership is artificial intelligence –ar 16:9 –v 7
I’m talking to my good friend Kelley Baker about the art of rewriting. Kelley is an accomplished filmmaker, sound designer, and author. We got together to record a couple film-based conversations for my other podcast, Beyond Your Imagination, and before we got down to business talking about Frank Zappa, Sparks, and Werner Herzog, I asked if we could talk about writing and rewriting. I brought the questions, Kelley brought the stories and wisdom.
Show Links Beyond Your Imagination * Kelley Baker – The Angry Filmmaker * Dennis Barton is a Bastard and Other Stories by Kelley Baker * Kelley Baker’s Substack * Twede’s Cafe * Brian David Johnson * Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus (2003) * Facing Your Fears by Chris Martin * Edgar Allan Poe * Ray Bradbury * Mark Twain * To Kill a Mockingbird* by Harper Lee * Photo by Csabi Elter on Unsplash
I want to talk about something that affects every single creative person alive today: why we need to embrace both big dreams and small realities.
Last night, I went to a local meetup for filmmakers. It was a good group, I met some nice people, but as I was reflecting on filmmaking in general, the questions began: Why do independent filmmakers who have little to no money make feature films? I mean Netflix spent an estimated 320 million on The Electric State by the Russo Brothers. What chance does a $15,000 film have against that juggernaut?
So many questions, right? How about some more?
- Why are authors writing novels or books in general when they could be connecting with audiences in new ways?
- Why toil away on a screenplay for 10 years, hoping that it will be optioned by a studio executive?
- Why make an album when a single is more impactful?
I believe that big dreams are essential to the work of a creator. If we never dream of moving a ship over a mountain like Werner Herzog in Fitzcarraldo, then how we will learn about our capabilities and the consequences of our dreams? But while dreams keep us in the land of hope and belief—”One day, this will happen”—we need small projects that can keep us nimble, learning and growing on a daily basis. We need both to realize our creative dreams.
Note: After releasing the episode, I found the newsletter I mentioned in the section about economics and monetizing serial podcasts: “The harsh economics for serialized podcasts” by Simon Owens.
Show Links* Fitzcarraldo (1982) * The Electric State (2025) * Photo by Pawel Czerwinski on Unsplash
I’m talking with one of my favorite people in the world about a bunch of interesting topics ranging from old tech, new promises, and platforms of argument and despair to the traits of makers, the search for clarity and ownership in a digital world, and perhaps the biggest question of all: What kind of world do we want to live in? Christopher Butler is the Chief Design Officer at Newfangled and Magnolia. He writes extensively on his website, which I’ve linked to in the show notes at gwtw.co/805, about his desire “to learn, make and improve things, write, discuss ideas, and just observe.” He is an encourager, a challenger, and one hell of a conversationalist.
Previously on Getting Work To Work:* Interview with Christopher Butler (GWTW82) * “Limitations, Forgiveness & Value” with Christopher Butler (GWTW169) * “Few Things Are That Shallow” with Christopher Butler (GWTW505) * “Take a Deep Breath, Humanity” with Christopher Butler (GWTW667)
Show Links Christopher Butler * The Luddites Were Right by Christopher Butler * Newfangled * Magnolia * Dunbar’s number by Robin Dunbar * SCREAM INTO THE VOID * Escape from L.A. (1996) * Luddite * Isaac Asimov * Ted Chiang * Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang * Arrival (2016) * Brian Eno * James Webb Space Telescope * The Custodians: Beyond Abduction by Dolores Cannon * Regression Therapy: Benefits, Techniques & How It Works * Ingrained: The Making of a Craftsman by Callum Robinson * Midjourney prompt for episode art: the digital world has turned the analog world into binary code digital distortion unreality technofuturism –ar 16:9*
When we start out doing something, we make mistakes until eventually something works. We build upon the things that work, actively avoiding what didn’t work. We build our skills until they become the foundations for our initial prototypes and plans for our creative work. These plans help us to chart a course away from failure and the beginner’s mind towards experience, excellence, and one day, mastery. Not a bad journey, if you ask me.
“As we gain knowledge about a domain, we become prisoners of our prototypes.” – Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World by Adam Grant
But what I love about Grant’s quote is that it isn’t about demonizing experience and knowledge, it’s what the prototype represents: the formula we follow every time we make something. Yes, our creativity can become formulaic, and that’s when we became the prisoner. Following the same routine every day, surrounded by the same people, with limited options and no freedom.
As I set out on my woodworking journey, I am far away from any prototypes because I haven’t made enough. But I do want to keep in mind the joy of pushing my limits and abilities. To be free to try new things. But I just don’t have enough knowledge and experience yet.
But with my other creative efforts, like podcasting, filmmaking, and writing, I need to realize that I’m following formulas and patterns and prototypes of what works. That in many ways, my prototypes keep me safe between the bars of my constructed creative reality.
And I need to smash those prototypes. Not because they aren’t working, they are, but there is something missing. The freedom to push my limits, to explore new ideas, and to reinvigorate a sense of play, exploration, and wonder.
Show Links Pop Octopus – Awesome Stuff for Weirdos * Twin Peaks * Traveling through time, but have I changed? – Getting Work To Work Newsletter * Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World* by Adam Grant
I always love when people who are doing something completely different reach out to be on the show. When I started looking into what today’s guest is producing, I knew I wanted to have him on the show. Devin Blair is the creative behind Chemical Rocketeers, “a storytelling podcast that blends themes of exploration, survival, and mystery.” In our conversation, we talk about how he got into podcasting, how his travels inform the show, the creative process, the importance of learning from others, and how curiosity presents itself differently in cultures around the world. He also asks me how I learn, which evolves into a discussion around our creative DNA.
Show Links Chemical Rocketeers 101 * To The Moon Creative * Life In The Wires by Frost * RoboCop (1987) * Terminator (1984) * RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop (2023) * Midjourney prompt for episode art: portrait of an unknown astronaut in front of a black hole sucking all life into it –ar 16:9
What comes to mind when you think about playing the lottery? All the traveling you’ll be able to afford? The golden beaches and beautiful bodies? The job you can finally quit? The house you can finally buy? The car? Finally! For creatives, the lottery might look differently. We can finally make that film that we’ve been writing for ten years. There will be enough money to justify learning how to podcast or leather craft or play the guitar. That book about penguins we can’t stop researching and obsessing over, it will finally get published. Finally! Whether you play the lottery or not, I believe everyone does, especially in the creative industries. I’m going to explore how the creative lottery presents itself, how our communication systems perpetuate it through influencers and gurus, and how we can begin to opt out of playing the game.
Show Links* The Technium: 1,000 True Fans by Kevin Kelly * Beernuts Productions * Summer School (1987) * Midjourney prompt for episode art: in a vast warehouse giant vacuum tubes lottery machine with balls tumbling in a giant vat cinematic lighting –ar 16:9
Have you ever thought about what your dog is thinking about at any given moment? Is it thinking about philosophy, the meaning of life, what that treat really signifies? Perhaps it’s something deeper and beyond our comprehension. Today’s guest on Getting Work To Work is the author of a new book, The Word of Dog: What Our Canine Companions Can Teach Us About Living a Good Life, that explores what we can learn about our own lives by examining the lives of our best friends. Mark Rowlands is a philosopher, professor, and chair of the Philosophy Department at the University of Miami. He’s also a prolific author, writing extensively about philosophy, animals, science fiction films, climate, memory, animal rights, and body language. In our conversation, we talk about his creative process and when the best ideas show up, the role memory plays in coming up with creative connections, and what he’s learned about life from dogs.
Show Links The Word of Dog: What Our Canine Companions Can Teach Us About Living a Good Life by Mark Rowlands * The Philosopher and the Wolf: Lessons from the Wild on Love, Death, and Happiness by Mark Rowlands * The Philosopher at the End of the Universe: Philosophy Explained Through Science Fiction Films by Mark Rowlands * Mark Rowlands * John Rawls * The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge by Rainer Maria Rilke * Marcel Proust * Ulric Neisser * Sisyphus * Thomas Nagel * Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi * Tantalus * Alan Turing * The Zero Theorem (2013) * The Phenomenology of Spirit by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel * The World as Will and Representation* by Arthur Schopenhauer * Midjourney prompt for episode art: the meaning of life abstract surrealism monochromatic –ar 16:9
Have you ever thought what you’re leaving behind for the next generation? Whenever the conversation of legacy comes up, there are often two tracks of conversation: 1) the physical objects we make or the stuff we accumulate, and 2) the impact we have on others (financially, relationally, or emotionally). But last week, during my interview with philosopher Mark Rowlands about his new book, The Word of Dog: What Our Canine Companions Can Teach Us About Living a Good Life, we got on the subject of digital immortality. I haven’t stopped thinking about it and thought, “What a great topic for episode 800 of Getting Work To Work.” Given the staggering amount of data we generate in a lifetime at what point could we be recreated and resurrected into digital form? We probably wouldn’t be conscious ourselves, but to those around us, would they even know? Would they even care? So many questions, so little time. Let’s get into it.
Show Links Barbie (2023) – Quotes * The Word of Dog: What Our Canine Companions Can Teach Us About Living a Good Life by Mark Rowlands * Breaking Down The Numbers: How Much Data Does The World Create Daily in 2024? * Hyperion Cantos* by Dan Simmons * Enshittification * Midjourney prompt for episode art: digital immortality cybergenetics robotics androids abstract surrealism –ar 16:9
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the term press release? Irrelevant? Old-fashioned? I know, boring, right? But nothing could be further from the truth. Today’s guest on the show is Mickie Kennedy, Founder and President of eReleases, the small business leader for press release distribution. He is an expert at helping small businesses increase their visibility and credibility. If you’re like me and know little to nothing about press releases, this episode will have you looking at them in a new way. In our conversation, we talk about the different types of press releases, the importance of providing data and context, how to approach writing press releases if you have a small audience or just starting out, and most importantly, how to keep your business fresh by constantly adapting and providing value.
“The finished product isn’t the press release, it’s the article that a journalist is going to write from that.” – Mickie KennedyShow Links eReleases * Free Master Class: How to Build a PR Campaign Designed to Get Massive Media Coverage * 80/20 Sales and Marketing: The Definitive Guide to Working Less and Making More* by Perry Marshall * Midjourney prompt for episode art: the words of a press release coming to life in the form of light texture colorful –ar 16:9
What makes for a great story…in business? Today’s guest answers that question with his lens focused on long-term relationships, a different way of looking at the hero’s journey, and a love for his craft. Christian Schu produces commercials and brand films for high-end companies all over the world. In our conversation, he talks about the cultural differences in storytelling, the importance of curiosity in relationship building, his creative journey, and his approach to working by himself versus working with large teams. Most importantly, his response to my question about imposter syndrome might just change how you think about your own work and relationship with your clients. It did for me.
Show Links* Christian Schu * Asteroid City (2023) * The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) * RIP David Lynch * Midjourney prompt for episode art: surreal tunnel neon light abstract city grid rainy atmosphere –ar 16:9
We’ve all heard the phrase, “Teamwork makes the dream work.” Maybe this one as well, “You can’t do everything yourself.” Over the past 18 years of business, whenever I was confronted with the idea of turning my business of one into a team-based endeavor, I wanted to prove that I could be the exception. I didn’t want to bring anyone else in for multiple reasons, but mainly because I didn’t know where to start. In today’s episode of Getting Work To Work, I’m going to talk about how freelancers and solopreneurs can start to build a team around their work, in their own way, supporting what matters most to them.
What are the team dynamics that allow individual performance to thrive?
Building teams isn’t just something you read about, it’s something that you need to do, actively and intentionally.
Five ways for solos to begin building their team:1. Find your reason for building a team. 2. Recognize that building a creative team is not about hierarchy or titles, it’s about growth, support, challenge, and connection. Not just for you as the leader, but also for the individuals you lead. 3. People matter more than tools. 4. In-person matters as much as online. 5. Establish a brain trust.
Show Links The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It by Michael E. Gerber * The Three Business Personalities: Entrepreneur, Manager, Technician * Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration* by Ed Catmull * Midjourney prompt for episode art: teamwork makes the dream work abstract surrealism cinematic –ar 16:9
Where is the foundation of your happiness? For me, happiness was solely found in my mind. But after being introduced to today’s guest, I learned that there is a strong connection between happiness and the body. Janice Kaplan is the author of What Your Body Knows About Happiness: How to Use Your Body to Change Your Mind, a new book diving into this topic with a wide range of stories, interviews, and studies. In this conversation, we explore a few of the mind-blowing studies and the myths dispelled along the way. We also talk about Janice’s approach to reinvention throughout her career, context-dependent memory and learning, the partnership between brain and body, how form creates function, and why creativity is enhanced by moving our bodies.
Show Links Janice Kaplan * What Your Body Knows About Happiness: How to Use Your Body to Change Your Mind by Janice Kaplan * The Gratitude Diaries: How a Year Looking on the Bright Side Can Transform Your Life by Janice Kaplan * Quote by John Mulaney: “I don’t know what my body is for other than taking my head from room to room.” * Strava * Meet Willow, our state-of-the-art quantum chip * Long Island by Colm Tóibín * Master of Change: How to Excel When Everything Is Changing, Including You* by Brad Stulberg * Midjourney prompt for episode art: the root of happiness, body in motion, abstract, surreal –ar 16:9
Today’s guest on Getting Work To Work is none other than the Australian sensation, gough. He’s the writer, director, and visionary behind BeernutsProductions.com and is here to talk about his latest audio project, The Body Corporate Meeting. He dives into how he mined real-life situations for comedy gold, why he approached the recording of the piece as an old-fashioned radio play, and the difference in writing and producing audio and film projects. We also look at his first film project, The Advertising Meeting, and talk about how his style has remained the same for ten years, but is also different. Most importantly, we crack jokes at my expense and marvel at my ability to drown in my own crapulence.
Show Links Beernuts Productions + The Body Corporate Meeting + The Advertising Meeting + Local Heroes + Jimmy Green and His Adventures in the Magic Forest* * The Gruen Transfer (2008–2011) * Robert’s Rules of Order * Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980) * U2 * The Long and Winding Road (Remastered 2009) * U2 – Elevation (Official Music Video) * Piece by Piece (2024) * Top 10 Monty Python Animated Moments
Here to celebrate his 20th appearance on Getting Work To Work and his latest film, Local Heroes, is the self-described king of the jungle, gough. As a writer, producer, director, and actor for BeernutsProductions.com, gough always finds a way to not only make me laugh, but also inspire me to create meaningful work. In our conversation, we begin with a lightning round of questions about Australia’s wildlife. We also talk about his uncanny ability to recall details throughout his life, bad advice his guidance counselor gave him, important ways for actors to push the boundaries of their craft, and several behind the scenes stories of Local Heroes and the Beernuts Productions podcast.
Show Links Beernuts Productions on Getting Work To Work * BeernutsProductions.com * Local Heroes * The Advertising Meeting * The Beernuts Productions Podcast * Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary * Snakes Downunder Reptile Park & Zoo * Calypso Star Charters * Spokane, Washington * Melbourne, Australia * Surfer Mick Fanning attacked by shark * Rain Man (1988) * See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989) – Gene Wilder Is Deaf & Richard Pryor Is Blind * See No Evil Hear No Evil (1989) Kiosk Scene – Note: This is the scene I referred to in my conversation with gough. The first link is the introduction to both characters in the film and is also hilarious. * Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) * Dr. Phil (2002–2023) * Last Week Tonight with John Oliver* * Thelma (2024)
As long as I can remember, I’ve been intrigued with exploration. Growing up in the middle of nowhere, exploring the woods around the house was just the beginning. The starry nights captured my imagination, the road atlas showed how to get around the surrounding areas, and the globe revealed everything else. But exploration comes in multiple flavors because I should also mention the digital discoveries made in the 1990s through the personal computing, World Wide Web, and smart phone revolutions. As I get older, discovery looks a lot different. Sure, I want to see the world and experience as much as I can, but there are also discoveries to be made deep within myself. Not to mention the way work comes to life when you turn down the distractions and tune in to the resonate tones of mastery. In today’s episode of Getting Work To Work, I want to dive into the topic of exploration in our craft, and how being in the right place at the right time, can change everything.
- Prepare Your Workspace for the Discoveries You Want to Make
- Do the Work in Your Workspace
- Reflect on How the Work Unfolded
- Examine Your Work for Something New
Show Links* Remains of Sandy Irvine believed found on Everest after 100 years * Jimmy Chin Teaches Adventure Photography * Midjourney prompt for episode art: historical men and women astronaut explorers searching an unknown map –ar 16:9
What do you do when your creativity is broken? On top of that, what do you do when you rely upon your creativity to make a living? Earlier this year, my creativity not only cracked, but shattered into a million pieces. I paused all my side projects, calling it creative hibernation. I kept producing work for my recurring clients to the best of my ability, but also got a job to help pay bills. As I talked with people about what I was going through, the messages I received went something like this: “Me too, I’m glad I’m not the only one.” In this episode of Getting Work To Work, I’m going to explore how my broken creativity manifests itself, and the tiny action steps I’m taking to put it all back together again.
Five ways to start healing your broken creativity:1. Pause all non-essential projects and allow yourself to rest and refuel. 2. Listen for the return of your creative vision. 3. Take small action steps. 4. Connect with other people. 5. Try on old behaviors and see how they fit with new ideas.
Show Links Master of Change: How to Excel When Everything is Changing—Including You* by Brad Stulberg * Nils van der Poel * Kintsugi * Midjourney prompt for episode art: broken creativity kintsugi repairing cracks –ar 16:9
What are the big questions that drive your mission and life’s work? Are you someone who focuses on finding solutions to the massive problems in the world or someone who wants to be the very best at your craft? In today’s episode of Getting Work To Work, I explore not only the big, philosophical questions that drive social entrepreneurship, but also the everyday stories and steps we can take to make a difference. Rebecca van Bergen is the Founder and Executive Director of Nest, “a nonprofit that understands the importance of handcraft and the meaning it can hold for every life it touches.” In our conversation, Rebecca shares her origin story of founding Nest and why she felt the need to support artisans and makers around the world. We touch on the role curiosity plays in social entrepreneurship, the fact that everyone is connected to craft, the relationship between automation and the need for uniqueness, imposter syndrome, and how Nest continually develops programs that are human-centered and focused on real change. Most importantly, she shares stories that illustrate just how impactful the work of Nest is around the world.
Show Links* Nest * Makers United * The Gee’s Bend Quilters on Etsy * Loom to Luxury * UNHCR * 99% Invisible * Midjourney prompt for episode art: global women makers creating works of art and craft in isolation, mastery, focus and intensity –ar 16:9
It’s been a month since the last episode of Getting Work To Work. Every time I sat down to write, nothing came, so I said, “Maybe next week?” Eventually, I gave myself some grace and trusted that when something needed to be said, it would show up. And it finally did, yesterday, on a forklift, in the early morning hours. After finishing my work, I scribbled down some notes, mainly tiny lessons I have learned about myself and others over the past few weeks. I’m going to share these with you, with the hopes that maybe these small lessons are actually bigger than they appear. But we’ll let purposeful action and the cascading nature of time be the judge.
Seven microcosmic lessons I have learned recently about life and work:1. Burnout recovery is slow work. 2. Learn anything from everyone. 3. Grief just plain sucks and sucker punches you when you least expect it. 4. A thank you goes a long way. 5. No matter what your job is or how society views it, you are worthy. 6. No job is beneath you. 7. It’s better for your mental health to roll with the day instead of fighting against it.
Show Links* Midjourney prompt for episode art: cosmic lessons echoing throughout the universe –ar 16:9
Today’s guest needs no introduction because he’s been on the show 19 times now, but I’m going to do one anyway. A legally blind filmmaker from Australia, gough is on Getting Work To Work to talk about his latest film, The Harsh Reality of Re-enactment Acting. We discuss his inspiration for the film, how he used editing techniques to land some jokes, and insights into the actors and the Beernuts Productions family. We also talk about the most recent episode of his podcast where he answers questions from social media including several from yours truly, why the best creative work takes longer than you think it will, fixing problems instead of shelving projects, and what goes into creating a budget for a film.
Show Links Beernuts Productions + The Harst Reality of Re-enactment Acting + The Beernuts Productions Podcast + A Guide to the Perfect Wedding + The Advertising Meeting* + Episode 92 of the Beernuts Productions Podcast on YouTube * Air Crash Investigation (2003–) * Oasis – Let There Be Love (Official Video) * Mary-Kate Olsen * Ashley Olsen * Sigmund Freud * Carl Jung * Wonka (2023) * Timothée Chalamet * The Fall Guy (2024) * Ryan Gosling * Emily Blunt * The Aristocrats (2005) * Subway * Pringles * The Office (2005–2013) * John Krasinski (I called him Jim Krasinski in the episode. I was wrong.) * Midjourney prompt for episode art: suit made entirely of a hawaiian shirt –ar 16:9
I believe that conversations find us when we need them most. Tony Luna is a creative consultant, educator, author, and producer who helps emerging and mid-career creatives to discover and reinvigorate the work that ignites the flame of their soul. In our conversation, we touch on Tony’s lifelong study and pursuit of creativity. He shares numerous stories that touch on the beauty of failure, the importance of cross-discipline collaboration, why mistakes are necessary, and how we can keep our creativity alive throughout our entire creative journey. Regardless of where you find yourself in your career, it is my hope that Tony’s wisdom will build a bridge between where you are today and where you want to go tomorrow.
Show Links Tony Luna Creative * Tony Luna Creative Blog * David Viscott * ArtCenter * Richard Feynman * Pleasure of Finding Things Out: The Best Short Works of Richard P. Feynman by Richard Feynman * Sir Ken Robinson * Jack of All Trades, Master of …* by Dr. Donna Oriowo * Falcon Force * Laura’s Magic Day * Maria Piscopo * Tad Crawford * Dan Wolfe * Midjourney prompt for episode art: journal of insignificant results abstract grids breaking the boundaries of what is possible –ar 16:9
What do you do for fun? How does that connect to your own curiosity and search for inspiration? Recently, a coworker asked me what I do for fun and I didn’t like any of my answers. I think I cracked a joke about working all the time, but also said I enjoyed watching movies, listening to music, and watching the Cleveland Guardians. Pretty lame, I know, but it’s also a critical indicator of just how empty my tanks are when it comes to creativity and curiosity. So, in preparation for this episode, I decided to turn on some good music, cue up the latest mini doc from one of my favorite creators, and browse my bookshelves for some quick hits of inspiration. Thankfully, it worked. I’m going to share a few things I explored, but also a few tips if you find yourself in the same position as myself.
Five Things to Do When Curiosity and Inspiration are Running Low:1. Don’t panic when you’re empty. 2. Stop comparing yourself to others and to who you’ve been. 3. Take time to play and immerse yourself in the search for inspiration. I’m not talking about procrastination or finding the muse, this is all about refilling and resetting your creative spirit. 4. Explore new ideas, especially when they don’t make sense. 5. Don’t worry when your inspiration doesn’t form a coherent path forward.
Show Links Transcendence (Deluxe Edition) by Devin Townsend Project * Metallica: The Black Album in Black & White by Ross Halfin * Lee Jeffries * Masters of Make-Up Effects: A Century of Practical Magic by Howard Berger & Marshall Julias * We Are Makers * The Weaver – Sam Goates – We Are Makers * The Mars Volta Drummer Hears RUSH For The First Time – Drumeo * Mike Portnoy Hears “Burn It To The Ground” For The First Time* – Drumeo * Midjourney prompt for episode art: swirling inspiration all around us like stars in the sky surreal abstract –ar 16:9
The question in the email was simple: “Are you interested in a podcast discussion on using rejection as a tool for success?” What a way to capture someone’s attention. Without a doubt, rejection is one of the biggest issues we face as creative entrepreneurs, and I was excited to talk with today’s guest about it and find ways to get better at accepting rejection in all its forms. Alice Draper is the founder of Hustling Writers, a “publicity business…on a mission to make publicity easy and accessible for underrepresented entrepreneurs.” In this conversation, we dive right into her current curiosity with the brain and neuroscience. From there, we get into all things rejection and how it serves us in every sphere of our lives. From setting rejection goals and building rejection resilience, a lot of the work is about depersonalizing the process and finding a community for support and encouragement.
Show Links Hustling Writers * Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear * The Diary of a CEO* by Steven Bartlett * Midjourney prompt for episode art: typing in a digital world –ar 16:9
What are you striving for in your life right now? Fortune and fame? Recognition from your peers, larger budgets, and dream clients? A story that you can turn into a 7-figure business? Peace, quiet, and a purposeful existence? The list of things we can strive for is endless. And yet, our energy and existence is not. We try to turn the dreams of our youth into the reality of our adulthood, hoping that nothing will change. But the older we get, the truth is that everything is constantly changing. Old stories that fueled our youthful striving no longer fit who we are today. Striving itself starts to look and feel differently as we discover a new path, a new story about who we are, what we are capable of, how and who we love, and why our relationship with striving reveals more about who we are becoming than we think.
Show Links* Midjourney prompt for episode art: searching striving exploring new ideas and identities in the style of dadaism –ar 16:9
If I were to type a prompt into AI to generate today’s episode for me, it would probably be this: “Insert amazing monologue here.” It’s generically specific. Yes, I want a monologue, but make it amazing. I’ll spend hours whittling down the responses, going back and forth with a computer. Until I find something passable, meets my deadline, and keeps me moving forward until real inspiration shows up. How often do we approach our creative journey with the same level of expectation and response. We pick a thing or a niche, attach a one or two word description of our expectations, and then go about our business. When things don’t work out, we change-up the words, and hope the results will change more in our favor. In today’s episode, I want to dive into what we want, because until we know what that is, what we do might not matter.
Show Links* Midjourney prompt for episode art: insert amazing monologue here cinematic lighting –ar 16:9
One of the things I often hear while interviewing people is, “Oh, I’m sorry, I went off on a tangent.” My common response is, “That’s okay, tangents are interesting.” Not only are tangents interesting, they are instructive and important. They teach us about how we learn, our curiosities, what motivates us to keep moving forward, and the very things that matter most to us. In this episode of Getting Work To Work, I’m going to explore a few tangents in my own life from the first car I ever bought, to my latest creative curiosities and experiments.
Show Links Leatherworking 101: A how-to guide to learning leather crafting * The Crucible: Your Guide To All Things Industrial Arts * Craft in America * The Automata Maker – Oliver Pett* by We Are Makers * Automaton * Lake Lady * Midjourney prompt for episode art: off on tangents, exploring new territory, creative explorers –ar 16:9
When I first saw Luke Preece’s work on Instagram for Metallica’s 30th anniversary of …And Justice For All, my mind was blown. Since then, I’ve followed his work seeing him continually produce stunning art for bands, video games, and movie studios. His bio says it best: “Luke Preece is a UK-based award winning Illustrator and Art Director. His work combines the visceral power of Heavy Metal iconography and the intricacy of 70s/80s science fiction, presented with a clear, compositionally-led design aesthetic.” In our conversation, we talk about his drive and need to create, how nostalgia fuels his work, and his creative journey from art college to working with iconic bands. We also talk about how imposter syndrome is a good thing, the reality that success takes time, how he works from rough thumbnail to finished product, and finding inspiration from his clients.
Show Links Luke Preece * Official …And Justice For All* artwork by Luke Preece * Pushead * Jim Phillips * Michael Whelan * Ross Halfin Photography * 2000 AD * Guns N’ Roses – You Could Be Mind (Live in New York, Ritz Theater – May 16, 1991) * Metallica: Enter Sandman (Official Music Video) * Metallica – For Whom the Bell Tolls (Live) [Cliff ‘Em All] * Rebellion * NECA * Hot Toys * Mondo * Sleep Token * Midjourney prompt for episode art: abstract skulls monochromatic color scheme –ar 16:9 –v 6.0
Ever since I started my creative journey, I feared being empty. Empty of ideas, thoughts, stories, projects, connections, business, ambition. What would become of me if no one wanted to work with me? Who would I be if I ran out of creative ideas? I associated emptiness with negative feelings: imposter syndrome, comparison, lack of self-worth, and low self-esteem. I didn’t want to invite those feelings into my life, so I built processes, systems, goals, fail-safe methods, and a good old-fashioned work ethic to fight the onslaught of emptiness. I wanted nothing to do with it. Every time I felt its pull, I pushed harder, until I couldn’t fight it any longer.
Show Links* Midjourney prompt for episode art: emptiness abstract surreal –ar 16:9
If you were to produce a film about your life, what would it say about the choices you made, the people you surrounded yourself with, and the impact you had on the world? Eriksen Dickens is today’s guest on the show, sharing his passion for storytelling and filmmaking in the form of legacy documentaries. Our conversation begins with his endless curiosity about big existential questions and how his schooling in philosophy and psychology translates to filmmaking. He talks about turning a childhood passion into a business, what it’s like collaborating with his brother, the seven storytelling pillars, keeping creative juices flowing on long-term projects, leadership, and balancing a long-term vision with the needs of today. Regardless of where you find yourself in the creative world, Eriksen brings a depth of introspection and drive that you can learn from and bring into your life and work.
Show Links Platinum Peek Productions * Dickens Brothers * Joel Coen * Ethan Coen * No Country for Old Men (2007) * Gary Hustwit * Watch Photographer (2024) on National Geographic * Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story (2022) * Kanopy * Civil War (2024) * Fallout (2024–) * The Power of the Actor: The Chubbuck Technique – The 12-Step Acting Technique That Will Take You from Script to a Living, Breathing, Dynamic Character* by Ivana Chubbuck * Midjourney prompt for episode art: documentary filmmaking, life, legacy, cinematic lighting –ar 16:9
Some monologues I have a pretty solid idea from start to finish, but others need time and reflection to make sure I’m not just ranting and railing against some invisible force. Today’s episode started with a few early morning rants that I captured in my notes app. As I went through the day, I realized I wanted to shape it into something else, but didn’t know what. So, I just wrote. I fought the urge to apologize for expressing my feelings, ate dinner, then deleted the apology. I’m not sorry, so why pretend? Because I got comfortable using code words to let people know what I was feeling without really saying what was going on. But, it’s time to let the code words go. I’ll still change the names to protect the guilty, but that’s just smart.
Show Links* Midjourney prompt for episode art: canary birds wearing bowler hats in the style of film noir –ar 16:9 –v 6.0
What’s the point of preserving old homes? Why do old homes matter? Two driving questions for today’s interview with Lee McColgan, woodworker, restorer of old homes, and author of A House Restored: The Tragedies and Triumphs of Saving a New England Colonial. Lee shares his philosophy, how he thinks about old things, and many stories about his journey from finance to woodworking and home restoration. We talk about his fascination with how things are made by hand, the breadcrumbs of our work present throughout our lives, the creative drive and purpose of his work, the impermanence of all things, the eccentric personalities of people he’s met over the years, why generalization is dangerous, and interesting things he’s found hidden in the walls.
Show Links Lee McColgan on Instagram (@helvehistorictrades) * A House Restored: The Tragedies and Triumphs of Saving a New England Colonial by Lee McColgan * The Last of the Mohicans (1992) * Stranger Things (2016–2025) * James Victore * Wall Street (1987) * The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis * Building the Timber Frame House: The Revival of a Forgotten Craft by Tedd Benson with James Gruber * Bensonwood * The Framed Houses of Massachusetts Bay, 1625–1725 by Abbott Lowell Cummings * The Old Way of Seeing (And How to Get It Back) by Jonathan Hale * The Age of Wood: Our Most Useful Material and the Construction of Civilization by Roland Ennos * Mark Kurlansky * Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind* by Yuval Noah Harari * Photo by Carlo Borella on Unsplash
The simplest quotes are often the deepest and inspire endless reflection. In my conversation last week with Gregg Brown—entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and author—he dropped a short sentence that stopped me in my tracks: “We have to be prepared to be unprepared.” My mind filled up with questions. How does one prepare to be unprepared? Why can’t we prepare for all possibilities before they happen? How does preparing for how we will respond to the unknown becoming known impact all areas of our lives and work? In this episode, I’m diving into this quote and my questions in greater detail and hopefully discover a healthier mindset when faced with change.
Show Links:* Gregg Brown – BeChangeReady.com * “Change is the Future” with Gregg Brown (GWTW776) * Midjourney prompt for episode art: unprepared for change and the future in the style of dadaism oversaturated colors –ar 16:9
How prepared are you for the future of your work? Maybe you are coasting on continual success, not worried about what’s on the horizon. Perhaps you find yourself in a season of loss, feeling threatened by the rise of AI tools and frustrated with disruptive change. Regardless of where you are at in your professional journey, today’s guest is on the show to teach us how to be change ready. Gregg Brown is an entrepreneur, speaker, and author of Spark Action: How to Lead Change That Matters. He helps “leaders and teams get ready for the future so they can tackle change head-on and get things done.” In our conversation, he shares what getting future-ready in a rapidly changing world means. We also discuss the need for critical thinking and decision-making in the age of AI, how to bring our personality and brand of magic to our work, why it’s crucial to shed our corporate skin, what change looks like in the middle of your career, and the importance of taking action and being explorers in everything we do.
Show Links Gregg Brown – BeChangeReady.com * Spark Action: How to Lead Change That Matters* by Gregg Brown * Midjourney prompt for episode art: being change ready, human resilience, futurism, neon cinematic lighting –ar 16:9 –v 6.0
What rules do you follow because you believe they will lead to success? What tools do you use to ensure you can be as relevant as possible? What if these rules and tools have the opposite effect on your life, and you can’t see it because you’re too close? What if social media is actually turning you into a new person you don’t want to be, doing what you don’t want to do? What if all your daily actions to stand out and get noticed shape you into a societal clone? How many more questions can I fit into this opening synopsis? One more? I love it when a book enters my world and shakes it up. Anti Rule: Navigating The Lies About Fiction Writing by Christian Francis is the small but mighty book that inspired today’s episode. So, put on your dunce cap and join me in detention. It’s time to chat about what we’re doing wrong.
Reflection Questions:1. What rules do you follow blindly despite knowing they aren’t working, hoping that if you just hold on a little bit longer, inertia will shift and success will be in your favor? 2. What tools do you use begrudgingly because you think they are what you have to use to be accepted? 3. How can you embrace the label of “fool” and become devoted to the work that matters to you, while stripping away all the baggage?
Show Links Anti Rule: Navigating The Lies About Fiction Writing* by Christian Francis * Echo On Publishing * Love and Monsters (2020) * Midjourney prompt for episode art: surrounded by clones
How do you pitch yourself and your business to podcasts you want to be a guest on, people you want to connect with, and companies you want to bring into your network? By taking the courageous step and shamelessly sending the email or making the call. Today’s guest did that after hearing an earlier episode of Getting Work To Work with Rachel Allen. Solveig Petch is a strategic brand consultant and creative director providing “remarkable branding for the quietly rebellious.” In our conversation, we talk about the importance of sending shameless pitches and the difference between courage and confidence. She shares what a brand is and how it’s different than branding, what it takes to build a stand-out brand, why we choose generic values instead of those that will help us stand apart, and why it’s okay to want to keep changing the world.
Show Links Petchy * Randi Buckley – Healthy Boundaries for Kind People® * What Works by Tara McMullin * Bolt from the Blue Copywriting * “Words Make Worlds” with Rachel Allen (GWTW765) * No Plan B: A Handbook for Incurable Entrepreneurs and Other Rebellious Souls* by Heather Thorkelson * Midjourney prompt for episode art: abstract surreal authentic human humanity –ar 16:9
Earlier this week, in my paid newsletter for Getting Work To Work, I was reflecting upon the question: How is your body of work holding you back from experimenting with risky creative ideas and exploring new directions? No matter how long you’ve worked on your craft, you inevitably amass a body of work. The apparent measure is quantity, but you can also look at quality with an eye toward growth and outcomes. But the more I think about my body of work, the more I wonder if it’s a hindrance rather than a help. What does it communicate to a potential employer or client? How can it hold you back by morphing from what you’ve done into a statement of being on-brand, not to mention consistency? Questions aside, I want to explore what to do if you feel stuck and need to take a creative chance beyond what you’ve done before.
Four ways to inject creative risk and experimentation into your creative journey:1. Reexamine your systems and processes. 2. Identify playing-it-safe behaviors and how you can counter them with small creative risks. 3. Imagine your creative future based upon what you are doing today. 4. Seek new partnerships and collaborators.
Show Links Getting Work To Work* on Substack * Midjourney prompt for episode art: creative risk and experimentation, body of work, portfolio, creativity in the style of dadaists –ar 16:9
I first met today’s guest near the beginning of my creative journey at the Northwest Film Center in Portland, Oregon, where I was taking a workshop on interviewing techniques. Almost 20 years later, he is on Getting Work To Work to share his latest project hitting theaters and the internet today. Brian Lindstrom is a documentarian and co-director of Lost Angel: The Genius of Judee Sill. In our conversation, Brian shares what captures his attention in filmmaking: the stories of struggles and victories and the beauty, strength, and resilience to overcome the odds. He talks about his first exposure to Judee’s music in the early days of YouTube, why she was more than the one-note tragic story her Wikipedia page describes, why some projects need to take longer than others, and the joys of collaboration he experienced on this film. Most importantly, Brian reminds us of the importance of independent filmmakers and how we can vote with our attention and wallets.
Show Links Lost Angel: The Genius of Judee Sill * Brian Lindstrom * Alien Boy: The Life and Death of James Chasse (2013) * Andy Brown * Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story (2022) * The Northwest Film Center is now PAM CUT * Judee Sill * Andy Partridge * Judee Sill – The Kiss – The Old Grey Whistle Test 1973 * Dreams Come True by Judee Sill * Beth Harrington * The Winding Stream (2014) * Mia Nolting * NiemannWorks Animation * Gary Meister * Bonnie Consolo * Kuleshov effect * Shadow Play (1986) * Kelley Baker * Beyond Your Imagination * Regional Arts and Culture Council * On the Bowery (1956)* * Cinema 21
Earlier today, I was writing about the National Geographic docuseries, Photographer, and my lifelong love of photography. This newsletter led me to explore my archives from two trips to Africa in 2008 and Haiti in 2012. Scrolling through thousands of photos, most not very good, I could see something in my work that only the passage of time allowed me to see: the desire to capture and be present with people. In 2008, I could feel the fear, but my creative brain was at work to document what I was experiencing. 2012 was a different story. I was documenting like before, but I was getting closer, physically and emotionally, as I engaged with people. I felt less fear and was more present. And then I came home. I had an adverse reaction to the anti-malarial medication I was taking, and I wanted to die. I didn’t, physically, but part of my creative spirit disappeared over time. And as I look at pictures of me from that time, I realize just how much I miss that young man and his dreams.
Five ways to pay attention to your forgotten dreams and actually start bringing them to life:1. Spend time in your creative archives. 2. Let imposter syndrome be a guide, not a deterrent. 3. Create a new vision for your future by combining your long forgotten dreams with who you have become. 4. Be kind to yourself for the decisions and mistakes you’ve made. 5. Become the mentor you never had for yourself and for others starting out in their career.
Show Links Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) * Photographer (2024)*
How are you doing? No, really, how are you? Scanning social media lately, I see similar messages: clients are disappearing, budgets are shrinking, ghosting has become normalized, big companies are reducing their workforce, and burnout is the new badge of honor for independent creators. It’s tough out there. And in today’s episode, I will dive right into this topic for those of us who have been business owners and independent creators for years and decades. It can be hard to know what to do. I am struggling to know myself, but hopefully, there will be something I share in this episode that helps you face the road ahead.
Seven ways to begin answering the question, What are you going to do?1. Stabilize yourself before attempting to address any business shortcomings. 2. Once you stabilize yourself, reconnect to your friends and colleagues, and reinforce the community around you. 3. If you aren’t sure what you’re going to do, it’s time to examine your work. The longer you’re in business, the more accustom you become to creating work that you think clients will want. 4. Take less action, spend more time resting. Refill your curiosity, dreams, and imagination tanks. Hope is built upon a dream, not crushing reality. 5. More will be revealed. 6. Now is not the time to return to where you’ve been. Instead, it’s about heading to where you want to be. 7. Say thank you to the voices who want to help and care, even when they don’t understand what you’re trying to do.
Show Links* How much YOU is in YOUR work? * Midjourney prompt for episode art: the long road ahead, storm chasers, cinematic lighting –ar 16:9
Everyone’s favorite blind Australian filmmaker is back on the podcast to promote his latest film, Idiom. Okay, everyone is a strong descriptor, how about: my favorite blind Australian filmmaker. I can’t help it, gough makes me chortle (his word, not mine). From the angle he would take on true crime podcasts and why crime shows are awful and depressing, to providing educational moments related to geography, grammar, and other assorted (and assertive) topics, gough brings the Beernuts Productions fun factory straight to your earholes with production tales and stories of creative exploration. We talk about how he approached this film differently than previous films, how he wrote with the lead actress in mind, things you can’t unsee or even unlearn, and must importantly, the hard truth that you can’t “unstupid” stupid people. As you’ll learn in this episode, gough is a healer, and a helper. So, sit back, and let him mildly entertain you for a good, solid 50 minutes.
Show Links Beernuts Productions category on Getting Work To Work * Beernuts Productions + Idiom + Reluctant Hero’s – Horse Race Commentators + The War on Drugs + The Education System + Episode 10 – The Neil Maxwell Smith Interview * The Beernuts Productions Podcast * If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer* by O.J. Simpson * “gough in the trunk” on Instagram * Argylle (2024) * Wonka (2023) * The Muppets (2011)
The last time I crossed creative paths with today’s guest was for my Innovators of Vancouver project over 11 years ago. Recently, as I’ve been getting into creative writing and poetry, his name naturally resurfaced, along with the open mic poetry events and workshops he facilitates throughout the area. Christopher Luna is a poet, collage artist, teacher, and maximalist who has been instrumental in fostering a creative community in Vancouver, Washington. In this conversation, Christopher shares the origins of the Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic events and how he believes poetry chose him. We discuss what he learned from the legends and gods of poetry—Allen Ginsberg, Walt Whitman, and Antler. Not to mention topics such as self-promotion, self-doubt and dissatisfaction, the subjective nature of art, writing versus arranging, curation, dream logic, and how art can help others. No matter what art medium you are currently obsessed with, enter this conversation with an open mind because Christopher has much to teach us all.
Show Links Christopher Luna * Printed Matter Vancouver * Christopher Luna on Innovators of Vancouver * Morgan Paige * Kickstarter: The Marvel Art of David Mack and Alex Maleev—2 Deluxe Books * David Mack on Facebook * Allen Ginsberg * Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at Naropa University * Ed Sanders * Denise Levertov * The Beat Poets * Annie Lighthart * Airlie Press * Allen Ginsberg Quote: “Well, while I’m here I’ll do the work…” * Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman * Collected Poems 1947-1980 by Allen Ginsberg * Projective Verse by Charles Olson * Mary Oliver * Allen Ginsberg wore khakis * Harry Everett Smith * Rex Foundation * The Harry Smith Print Shop at Naropa University * Anne Waldman * Diane di Prima * Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche * Jess Collins * Questlove * Summer of Soul * Ted Berrigan * Patti Smith * Beats and Other Rebel Angels: A Tribute to Allen Ginsberg * Amiri Baraka * Antler * Jack Collom * Tetragrammaton – Curated by Rick Rubin * Broken Record * The Creative Act: A Way of Being* by Rick Rubin * Photo by NASA on Unsplash
How do you clear your mind? A simple yet challenging question that I found myself pondering while playing guitar. There is so much going on in the world, so many tasks we need to accomplish, problems to solve, goals to crush, and subjects to learn. It seems like the more we fill our days with, the faster our brains fill, and the harder it becomes to focus, be creative, and produce innovative work. In this episode of Getting Work To Work, I’m exploring five ways I use to clear my mind. It’s not an exhaustive list, but it is a start to helping you and me find a way to carve out time and space for our brains to work and find peace of mind.
Five ways to clear your mind:1. Go for a drive in silence. 2. Play a musical instrument, pick up a pencil and draw, or get out the silly putty. 3. Go for a walk, preferably in nature. 4. Stop multitasking. 5. Do less, think more.
Show Links: Novelist as a Vocation by Haruki Murakami * The Land of Lost Things* by John Connolly * Archetype: Gojira X * Midjourney prompt for episode art: clear your mind, send the demons back to the shadows, burst of light, inspiration, cinematic lighting –ar 16:9 –v 6.0
I love talking with people who dream big and work together to overcome systemic challenges and affect change. Today, I have the benefit of talking with two amazing women who work with Oregon STEM, an organization that supports “the development of the next generation of innovators and leaders through statewide strategic leadership, collaboration, and alignment.” Deb Mumm-Hill is the Executive Director of Oregon STEM, and Kyle Ritchey-Noll is the President of Oregon STEM and the Education & Workforce Policy Director of Oregon Business Council. In this conversation, they bring stories and examples of how their work throughout Oregon impacts students. We talk about data-driven decision-making, overcoming massive challenges to create a resilient education system for the future, collaborating with industry partners to help students prepare for careers, cutting-edge technology that uses data and generative AI tools to align students’ aptitudes and interests with opportunities, and the power of career-connected learning. Special thanks to Leverenz & Associates for their hospitality and providing a lovely space to record this conversation.
Show Links Oregon STEM * Oregon Business Council * Career Connected Learning * YouScience® Brightpath * Lam Research * Hillsboro Youth Apprenticeship Program * Lost River Schools * Catalyze Challenge * Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver * Sold a Story: How Teaching Kids to Read Went So Wrong * Street Data: A Next-Generation Model for Equity, Pedagogy, and School Transformation* by Shane Safir & Jamila Dugan * Shifting Schools * Leverenz & Associates * Midjourney prompt for episode art: careers of the future, career-connected learning, semiconductors, quantum computing –ar 16:9
When you think about your words, what impact do they have on the world? Do they make money, capture attention, or disappear in a sea of sameness? Today’s guest believes that words make worlds, and in this conversation, she unpacks what that means as human beings in an increasingly technologically advanced society. Rachel Allen is the boss at Bolt from the Blue, a copywriting agency freeing businesses from the bonds of bad writing with the boldest claims: “We make words make money.” She shares her entrepreneurial journey and how words helped her create a business that works for her and not how other people think it should be. We talk about objective and subjective knowledge, what it means to write for an audience, why she doesn’t want to babysit technology, the aggressive nature of new digital tools, the boring middle, and why human is the only move left. I had a blast talking with Rachel, and I hope you enjoy the wisdom she shared throughout the episode.
Show Links Bolt from the Blue * On Coerced Mediocrity (Or: Why All Your Tech is Annoying You) * No, The Apocalypse Is Not Upon Us * Personal Knowledge: Towards a Post-Critical Philosophy by Michael Polanyi * Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language by Gretchen McCulloch * Omitted From My Obituary: The Stories We Neglect to Share * The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin * The Courage to Teach: Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher’s Life* by Parker J. Palmer * Midjourney prompt for episode art: worlds made out of words, surreal, rembrandt lighting –ar 16:9
What keeps you engaged in a good story? How do you know if you’re being entertained or manipulated? These questions drive today’s guest to help people tell better stories and increase our societal level of video literacy. Steve Stockman is a director, editor, teacher, and author of How to Shoot Video that Doesn’t Suck: Advice to Make Any Amateur Look Like a Pro. As an instructor, Steve’s book was my go-to textbook, and I still refer to it as I continue to grow my production skills. In our conversation, Steve shares his passion for storytelling and what makes a compelling story. He talks about the need for video literacy, how to understand video language, why it’s crucial to not over-rely on technology when learning to tell stories, how to respond to notes and critique, and what networking actually is. Steve’s wisdom and experience can help you tell better stories, whether you are an aspiring filmmaker or a creative professional.
Show Links Steve Stockman * How to Shoot Video That Doesn’t Suck: Advice to Make Any Amateur Look Like a Pro by Steve Stockman * Summer Stars – Camp for the Performing Arts * Dead Eyes* with Connor Ratliff * Midjourney prompt for episode art: storytelling, think in stories, cinematic lighting, acting –ar 16:9
Fun fact: Today’s guest was the very first person I interviewed over eight years ago when I started Getting Work To Work. Cliché statement aside, it’s incredible how things change over time. Thank the maker; I sound less frightened, more relaxed, and a better editor. But enough about me; this is about today’s guest, Benjamin Ironside Koppin. As Ben describes himself, he is a Swiss Army Knife filmmaker who directs and produces independent films and runs 1988 Films, a film distribution company with his wife. In this conversation, we talk about Pastor’s Kid, his latest film coming to theaters on March 15, 2024. Ben shares behind-the-scenes stories, the challenges of bringing an indie movie to theaters, and how hard it was to make an R-rated Christian film that didn’t fall into genre tropes. We also touch on what makes the best art, the artist’s power, how he handles good and bad reviews, and the age-old creative question, “Should I be a generalist or specialist?” No matter your beliefs, I hope this conversation with Ben will encourage you in your creative journey.
Show Links Pastor’s Kid * 1988 Films * Ironside Films * Interview with Ben Koppin (GWTW12) * “The Battle Against Time & Ego” with Benjamin Ironside Koppin (BYI07)* * Sundance 2024 Film Acquisitions * A24 Films * John Baldessari: I Will Not Make Any More Boring Art * Peter Berg * The Whale (2022) * Wonka (2023) * Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)
At the foundation of this episode are two important questions: 1) How do you take in information and learn rapidly, and 2) how do you improve and become better than you could ever imagine? Today’s guest, Gerald J. Leonard, answers these questions through stories of his journey to become a professional bass player, an author publishing several books, and a Project Portfolio Management guru. In this episode, he shares a technique known as photo reading, which is a process of quickly absorbing a book to increase retention and curiosity. We also talk about jazz as a model for business, authentically being yourself no matter the environment you’re in, why surrounding yourself with experts is critical to your professional growth, and how life is like a great song.
Show Links Gerald J. Leonard * Productivity Smarts with Gerald J. Leonard * Bestseller Blueprint * Quantum Leap Program * The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement* by Eliyahu M. Goldratt and Jeff Cox * Marcus Miller * Midjourney prompt for episode art: jazz, bass player, sonic subwoofer, finger picking, harmonics, in the style of cubism –ar 16:9
Throughout this podcast, I’ve shared a lot of lessons. From the knocks I’ve taken the hard (and stubborn) way to the wisdom gleaned from the many books I devour each year, I’m constantly searching for answers to my questions with the hope that others will benefit from what I am learning as well. Living a creative life is wondrous, wonderful, and a lot of work. It’s tough at times, while at other times, work flows effortlessly. Producing a podcast attempting to capture the emotional energy of creativity with all the peaks and valleys is a challenge, too. Honesty is great, but lump together too many downer episodes, and will people still stick around? There’s always the fear that the audience will leave no matter what happens. So, it’s probably best just to ride the waves and share what I’ve got. And that’s what I’m doing today: I’m taking my own advice, and you should probably take your own advice, too.
Three areas where I’m taking my own advice:1. As you increase your skills, make sure to take more creative risks. 2. Have money issues? Find a way to deal with them before they level you. 3. Don’t expect ten slides or a perfectly edited reel to have the same impact as following your gut to learn and try new things.
Show Links* YNAB * Midjourney prompt for episode art: taking the advice you give, abstract, surreal, clarity in the storm of confusion –ar 16:9
“What kind of life would make you profoundly happy?” is a massive question that today’s guest often asks his clients to help them discover their purpose. Albino Sanchez is a serial entrepreneur, executive coach, and author whose drive is to help others by unleashing their potential. In our conversation, he shares his entrepreneurial journey from working in his father’s convenience store in Mexico to running three businesses today. We talk about the importance of finding and achieving our purpose, what self-leadership is and the role successes and failures play in our development, why he chooses to have more than one business, what makes an aha moment, and how leaders can be more conscious of people. Albino also touches on how we can dream bigger than we are used to and how to act upon our dreams.
Show Links Albino Sanchez on LinkedIn * Cracking the Rich Code, Vol. 11 * First, Break All the Rule: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently* by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman * Midjourney prompt for episode art: neuroplasticity in the style of an electron microscope, cinematic lighting –ar 16:9
Do you know the power of your voice? Do you even know your own voice? I’m not talking about just the literal sound but also the content. The life you’ve lived, the experiences you’ve had, the things you care about deeply, and the people you love or hate. All of which inform the words you use, the tone, passion, excitement, or downright disdain. People tell us our voice is powerful and that we should use it to express ourselves for the causes and cares that move us. And for some, they are told to sit down and shut up. As creative entrepreneurs, our voice is all these things and much more. It is why people hire or fire us, the revelation of our curiosities and creative expressions, and how we venture into the unknown and reveal what is to be known. And yet, we often choose not to do any of this and slowly give our power away, wondering why we aren’t where we want to be at this phase of our lives.
Show Links Every Man for Himself and God Against All* by Werner Herzog * Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (TV Series 2022– ) * Midjourney prompt for episode art: shouting into the void –ar 16:9
How big are your thoughts and dreams? More than that, what actions are you taking to bring them to life? Today’s guest is all about the relationship between thoughts and action. Andrea Liebross is a coach, podcaster, and author of She Thinks Big: The Entrepreneurial Woman’s Guide to Moving Past the Messy Middle and into the Extraordinary. In our conversation, we explore how she uses the acronym TRUST to guide her clients, and even herself, from generating thought options to taking action. She also shares what led her to coaching and starting her business, several tools she uses to help people get unstuck, the difference between stuck and progress stress, and why sometimes labeling a goal as a priority can help it get accomplished.
Show Links Andrea Liebross * She Thinks Big: The Entrepreneurial Woman’s Guide to Moving Past the Messy Middle and into the Extraordinary by Andrea Liebross * The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level* by Gay Hendricks * Midjourney prompt for episode art: shoot for the stars and you might just land on the moon –ar 16:9
What do you do when you are struggling more than you want to admit to others? When you feel like you have nothing left to give, yet still need to put on a brave face and move forward throughout the world? Like many people within and around my circle, times are weird, tough, and tricky. The struggle seems to be both endless and deepening. Unfortunately, these feelings often lead to quick solutions—new business offerings, a course or mastermind or program with magic answers, and the power of positive thinking, otherwise known as mindset—but lack a lasting resonance in our lives. So, what are we to do instead? Especially in an environment where it doesn’t seem we are allowed to be human. I’ll be talking about all these big questions in today’s episode of Getting Work To Work.
Is it okay to not be okay and admit that?
What do you do when you feel like you can’t do what you do anymore?
What is the point of creativity and curiosity when there are so many serious issues going on in this world?
Why do my problems matter when there are wars and rumors of wars that I should be speaking out against on social media?
With all the serious problems going on in the world, is it okay to bring up your own problems or should I just keep shoving them down until there is a better time?
Show Links* The Whale (2022) * Midjourney prompt for episode art: massive waves rain stormy seas lightning fills the sky splashes streaking rain cinematic lighting –ar 16:9
You know you’re in for a powerful conversation when the person describes themself as “a Katamari ball of learning on a journey to build a creative life by creating cool things, building relationships, and helping people. Rob Garrott has been in the world of motion design and education for much of his career. After leaving a job as a Content Manager for LinkedIn Learning, he set out to learn character animation and how to infuse emotion into motion. Our conversation begins with us sharing who taught us how to swear before talking about blogging as a form of therapy, learning how to break free from systems, and returning to his creative self. We talk about identity and the stories we tell ourselves, the difference between learning on the job and studying a subject, being creative on purpose, and why he prefers not to return to a previous version of himself.
Show Links bendingpixels * Animation Mentor * The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation* by Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas * DreamWorks Animation * Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009) * Hotel Transylvania (2012) * Blue Eye Samurai (2023) * Midjourney prompt for episode art: katamari ball –ar 16:9
What are the popular sayings that knowingly—or unknowingly—guide your life? Maybe something like “stay in your lane” inspires you to become really good at following orders and not getting too curious. Or a popular phrase from The Mandalorian got you repeating “this is the way” so much that you constantly search for the right way to do something. Another saying that trips us all up—”you must know the rules to break the rules”—can keep us locked into the status quo if we don’t eventually break the rules. These are three of an unlimited amount of phrases, mantras if you will, that guide our daily actions. Examining the phrases lodged in our brains allows us to forge a new path to where we want to go. But how do we break free from the scripts, especially when doing something new goes against everything we know?
Show Links The Angry Filmmaker Survival Guide Part 2: Sound Conversations With (un)Sound People* by Kelley Baker * The Mandalorian (2019–) * Fringe (2008–2013) * Harry B. Miller III * Midjourney prompt for episode art: bushwhack through the jungle with a machete overgrown forest lost directionless cinematic lighting –ar 16:9
Not only is curiosity a driving force of this podcast, but in this episode, it infuses every morsel of experience and wisdom from today’s guest, Casey Silveria. From his early days growing up on a farm and working in corporate finance to his work today helping visionary farmers achieve their financial aims, finding the answers to the most profound questions drives Casey. In this conversation, we talk about the values he learned on the farm that he still uses today. We also touch on the importance of learning from other industries and bringing that knowledge and understanding back to our businesses, the obligation to never stop learning, the necessity of farming and agriculture, fostering trust with people through transparency and energy, and the power of gut instinct.
Show Links Farmers Capital Group * Farmers Capital Conversations with Casey Silveria * “This is the craziest thing I’ve every done…” – Thad Cockrell * Value-Based Fees: How to Charge What You’re Worth and Get What You Charge by Alan Weiss * The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses* by Eric Ries * Photo by Huzeyfe Turan on Unsplash
I don’t know about you, but I’m telling stories in my brain about myself again. Ten days into the new year, I feel like all my faults and imperfections are fully displayed. My mind is flooded with questions. What am I doing wrong? What changes do I need to make so that things will be different? Why couldn’t I learn the lesson the first or even the fifteenth time? But in the middle of my pity party, I remembered a book recommended by Elizabeth Blake-Thomas in an earlier interview on Getting Work To Work: Wabi Sabi: The Wisdom in Imperfection. Page after page, the message seeps in ever slowly: I can discover freedom in the acceptance of my imperfections.
5 Ways to Find Freedom in Imperfection:1. It’s hard to renew your mind and find peace if you’re constantly going, working, striving, and stressing. 2. Be gentle with your imperfections. 3. Surround yourself with beauty. 4. Embrace kintsugi in your life. 5. Zoom out and look at the longer timeline of your life.
Show Links “Living with Intention” with Elizabeth Blake-Thomas * Wabi Sabi: The Wisdom in Imperfection* by Nobuo Suzuki * Midjourney prompt for episode art: broken pieces kintsugi wabi sabi abstract surrealism –ar 16:9
How driven are you to create something that’s never been seen before? Mercedes Austin is endlessly curious about inventing a new pattern and fuels that search for uniqueness with humility, resilience, and dignity. She is a mosaic artist and founder of Mercury Mosaics, a company on a mission “to redefine your expectations of what tile is and how it can transform a space.” In this conversation, Mercedes shares where her love for tile and mosaics came from and how she turned a one-woman operation into a thriving business. We talk about entrepreneurial resourcefulness, communicating your vision to others while simultaneously learning to let them contribute, transparency in business, and how investing in personal creative time can help you solve business problems and be more innovative.
Show Links* Mercury Mosaics * Mercedes Austin Art * Mosaic Candy Shop * Smartless
While everyone is flexing on social media with their “New Year, New You” content, I started the year falling on my ass, literally. Sure, it hurts, but with pain comes introspection and insight, and the willingness to throw out the playbook, on day one. As a society, we are entering a challenging year. We are inundated with pain, fear, and rage across all walks of life on a daily basis. How are we to respond with our creativity and curiosity? How can art, beauty, and love stand a chance in an ocean of anger? The answers to these questions aren’t easy to find—and they definitely don’t fit into the perfect 10-slide Instagram carousel—but we can start to see a path toward possibilities as we look to transform pain into love, every chance we get.
Four ways to become a creative sin eater:1. Our work is more than just a means to an end. 2. Avoiding pain and love, emotions in general, creates the blandest work possible. 3. Transforming pain into love is going to take everything you’ve got. 4. A critical part of transformation is learning, which is two-fold: knowing how you learn best, and putting yourself in a position to be learning and applying that knowledge on a daily basis.
Show Links The Art of Asking: or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People Help* by Amanda Palmer * Midjourney prompt for episode art: transform pain into love, sin-eater, creativity, hope, love, in the style of futurism –ar 16:9
As business owners, there is a lot to learn daily, and one area that is often confusing is digital marketing. Fortunately, there are experts like today’s guest who communicate in ways that make the topic accessible. Andrew Maffettone is the Founder/CEO of BlueTuskr, a marketing agency for e-commerce sellers, and the host of The E-comm Show podcast. We pick up the conversation with his curiosity about the customer journey. We then discuss omnichannel marketing and the challenges of marketing a business online and offline. Andrew also shares the lessons learned running his agency, the early days of learning marketing promoting shows as a touring musician, and some positive ways marketers will use AI in the future. Finally, he gives some insight into what it takes to plan for marketing all year long.
Show Links* Andrew Maff * BlueTuskr * The E-comm Show podcast * Andrew Maffettone on Forbes Agency Council * Marketing School with Neil Patel & Eric Siu * Midjourney prompt for episode art: digital marketing insights awareness abstract surrealism cinematic lighting –ar 16:9
Welcome to the middle of the dead week! You hanging in there? Full of food and waiting to kick off 2024 with all the energy you can muster? Naturally, I’m thinking about next year while wrapping up this year, just like every other content producer still producing work this week. But I want to give, hopefully, a little bit of a different spin on the “how to level up your 2024” message. I want you to do the work that matters to you, but I also want you to stay true to your convictions, boundaries, and vision. In this episode, I will share ten ways to push yourself a little bit harder and forsake the rules other people have placed on you that keep you stuck in the wrong game.
10 Ways to Push Yourself in 2024 and Beyond:1. Work is weird, wonderful, and broken. The rules exist to keep you beholden to “the system” and to continue playing “the game” we are all playing. So, play by the rules you must, but write your own playbook. The best coaches in sports work within the system, yes, but find ways to do the unconventional. It doesn’t make sense, but they win. 2. Worry less about giving value all the time. We don’t need more free stuff, we need to be challenged on a deeper level. Don’t treat your work like a white elephant gift that goes to the landfill or goodwill. 3. Business can be the ultimate people pleasing venture, so discover your boundaries and try to not cross them 4. You are not a metronome or a machine, so pay attention to your mind, body, and spirit for clues to what you need throughout the year, not just in the holiday season. 5. Get social in ways that honor you and the people you care about. You don’t have to participate in broken systems and perpetuate stereotypes. 6. Don’t worry about the voices telling you you’re doing too much, they probably aren’t doing enough. Most people, family included will not understand what you are doing, so don’t let them psych you out as you do the hard work. 7. Stop trying to capture and keep attention. Give your attention to others when it benefits them most. 8. You don’t need to have an immediate reaction or statement to hot button issues. In fact, you can keep your opinions to yourself on absolutely everything. 9. Share your dream often and invite others to participate and play in your sandbox. 10. Build the community you want to be part of and want to see exist in this world. You do this by sharing your dream and inviting others, but also by participating in other people’s dreams.
Show Links* Midjourney prompt for episode art: fungi forest floor growth cinematic lighting –ar 16:9
Do you have a creative dream but aren’t sure it’s the right time or even how to do the work? Inspired by a talk in 2017 at Creative Mornings Portland, today’s guest started dreaming of a creative life built upon her interests, and four years later, she launched her YouTube channel, Kristina Land. Kristina Martin is a YouTube content creator, and in this conversation, she shares how getting sick during the pandemic led to watching a lot of YouTube and figuring out all she had to do to create her own show reviewing dolls and toys. We talk about seeing herself in new ways, embracing the technical aspects of production and editing, strategically planning reviews to coincide with film launches, and why she wouldn’t travel back in time to give herself advice. Oh, and just in case you were wondering, I’m Kristina’s husband; we are recording at our kitchen table, and Cosmo the Wonder Pug makes a lot of noise throughout the episode.
Show Links Kristina Land * Lucy Bellwood * Creative Mornings Portland * Pip’s Doughnuts & Chai * Travis Knight on Instagram * My World on YouTube * Beyond Your Imagination * Pod Meets World * The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna * Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston * Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifesto Prophecy by Angie Thomas * The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas * Front Desk* by Kelly Yang * Unlock Your Creative Journey * Midjourney prompt for episode art: open your mind new possibilities –ar 16:9
I’ve thought a lot about influences throughout my life. From the guitarists who shaped my playing to the early playground that was the World Wide Web, I have been shaped by independent thinkers who find their own way through the world. And yet, I wrestle with what I want to do, need to do, should do, could do, you get the idea. Fortunately, and sarcastically, social media finds a way to mainline information that influences me to find answers in a 60-second video. I shake my head and move along, but the questions remain: Who are your influences? How do they influence you? And are you letting the right ones in? It’s one thing to be influenced in what you do and how you do it, but what happens when you let the wrong people control who you are? That is the foundational question of this episode.
Seven traits of influencers I’m looking for as an adult:1. Lead with compassion 2. Celebrate who you are 3. Challenge you when you are ready 4. Critique poorly made decisions 5. Collaborate to make better decisions 6. Be present in every stage of change 7. Build a creative and curious world
Show Links* Fred Rogers interview with Charlie Rose 1994 * Start a Journal Now! Unlock your inner potential! * Midjourney prompt for episode art: influences, abstract surrealism, cinematic lighting –ar 16:9
My favorite conversations are often with people working in unrelated fields, looking at the world in profound ways, and exploring deep questions. Today’s guest is Carl Safina, a writer, professor, and founding president of the Safina Center. Endlessly curious about life, animals, and the relationships between living and non-living systems, Carl shares how he views the world and how we can see the hidden worlds beyond our everyday experiences. In this conversation, we talk about his writing process, how being a jazz drummer brings a sense of rhythm to his writing, the creative nature of science, and the importance of listening. Most importantly, he shares why telling stories—specifically of values, connection, and relationships—is fundamental to our survival and becoming aware of the infinite value of animals and the earth around us.
Show Links Carl Safina * The Safina Center * Alfie & Me: What Owls Know, What Humans Believe by Carl Safina * The Mind of a Bee* by Lars Chittka * Midjourney prompt for episode art: macro photography nature networks roots connections abstract cinematic lighting –ar 16:9 –stylize 1000
Last week, I talked about building and curating a library of ideas. Today, I want to talk about a part of ideation that can be frustrating: Letting ideas evolve from one form or medium to another. Earlier in my career, I demanded precision: every idea must become what it was meant to be. A logo, documentary, photo series, blog post, no room for evolution, why? Because my identity was firmly tied to what I did. I wanted to be known for the end product. So, I obsessed over the initial idea to ensure it would result in perfection, which created many problems along the creative journey. I wouldn’t start ideas, half-finished projects littered my thoughts and drives, and what I did finish wasn’t even close to my intentions. Turns out this is normal.
Four Questions to Help Your Ideas Evolve:1. What is the idea? 2. Be honest: What is the reality of you producing this idea as-is? 3. What is the simplest form of the idea? 4. What are all the ways you can reimagine this idea?
Show Links Notion * Andrea Liebross * Midjourney prompt for episode art: evolution ideas creativity mashup abstract –ar 16:9 –stylize 1000*
When I first saw the title, You Can Be The Best, I was simultaneously skeptical and curious. Somewhere along my journey, I stopped thinking that being the best was possible. Fortunately, there are thinkers, authors, and mentors like today’s guest, John Ply, who can help you see yourself in new ways and help you know that you can be your best. John is the author of You Can Be the Best: Life Lessons from the Butcher and the Businessman and in this conversation, he shares wisdom learned from his entrepreneurial and life journey and his father’s journey from Poland to America. We discuss the road map for being your best, why we settle for less, internal versus external goals, the difference between effort and results, and how he replenishes energy through mentorship. Sprinkled throughout are stories of resilience, passion, and golf.
Show Links You Can Be the Best: Life Lessons from the Butcher and the Businessman by John Ply * You Can Be The Best * Scribe Media * Lilia Vu * Five Clubs Podcast * Raymond Prior (Golf Beneath the Surface) with Gary Williams * Golf Beneath the Surface: The New Science of Golf Psychology* by Raymond Prior * Golf Beneath The Surface – Official Podcast * Midjourney prompt for episode art: dream bigger –ar 16:9
Yesterday, I was the subject of a Q&A at a local college, and somebody asked a form of this question: What happens when an idea doesn’t show up? I talked about journaling and checking in with myself to see what I’m thinking about and wrestling with, but I failed to share the creative power of curating a library. Yes, I love the public library. I go there when money is tight or if I want to read a book I’m unsure if I want to buy. But over the years, I’ve been collecting books, films, and art, curating my own personal library of ideas. Sometimes, all it takes is staring at the shelves, and an idea or a collection of ideas based on the item that captured my attention shows up. While it is possible to build a digital library, I’m focusing on a physical library, an actual place where you can find solace and escape from the urgent needs of the day.
Five ways to curate and build your library of ideas:1. Books 2. Films 3. Instruments 4. Art 5. Artifacts
Show Links The Angry Filmmaker Survival Guide Part One: Making The Extreme No-Budget Film (1st Edition) by Kelley Baker * Metallica: The Black Album in Black & White by Ross Halfin * Gilliamesque: A Pre-posthumous Memoir by Terry Gilliam * The Real Deal: Field Notes from the Life of a Working Photographer by Joe McNally * Joe McNally is the Real Deal on Cameras, Creativity, and the Evolving Photography Industry* by Aaron Hockley, Tech Photo Guy * Lee Jeffries * Freshwater Bay Creative * Pop Octopus – Awesome Stuff for Weirdos * Midjourney prompt for episode art: infinite library of ideas books films music cinematic lighting –ar 16:9
If you’ve enjoyed my conversations with gough of BeernutsProductions.com, you might recognize today’s guest as someone I often talk about because his acting and characters make me laugh. That’s right, people, it’s Al Gibson, actor, musician, and Australian purveyor of creative wisdom and insight. From his curiosity about how things work and taking things apart to copying people’s voices to make sense of the world, Al talks about his approach to acting and creativity. He also touches on the importance of having a diverse career path, learning to take compliments, overcoming adversity, and learning how to get out of his own way and out of his comfort zone.
Show Links* Al Gibson on Instagram * Beernuts Productions * The Castle (1997) * The Howard Stern Show – Billy West vs John Kricfalusi * Neighbours (1985–) * Young Rock (2021–2023) * Joe vs. Carole (2022) * Greg Fleet * Adelaide Fringe Festival * The Impulse Company * Dua Lipa * Lizzo * Silk Sonic * Dire Straits – Sultans of Swing * Eagles – Hotel California * Pink Floyd – Comfortably Numb * Jeff Beck * Jeff Beck – A Day In The Life * Midjourney prompt for episode art: living in the creative chaos –ar 16:9
The social media posts are telling about this time of year: content producers are planning and pausing. There’s nothing wrong with approaching creativity from a time-based perspective. We shove everything we touch into an economic calendar for better or worse. Seeing how hard big businesses are promoting their sales, all one can say is, “’tis the season.” But what I’m discovering is that creativity transcends the clock and calendar. Instead, it’s the deep and cyclical work of emptying yourself of everything you are and refilling your mind and spirit with who you will become. The endless cycle of creativity might reset every week, month, or year, but that is less important than the work you will do and what will fill you up.
Show Links* Midjourney prompt for episode art: infinite cycle of creativity –ar 16:9
How much time do you spend thinking about the biggest questions we face as a species? On top of that, how prepared are you for the massive disruption technology will bring to our lives and work in the coming years and decades? How are you learning to control your thinking and regulate your emotions? My guest is Ed Hess, professor and author of Own Your Work Journey! The Path to Meaningful Work and Happiness in the Age of Smart Technology and Radical Change, and he brings the tools and experience to help us find our way forward. Ed shares why we need to come together and make meaning for all. He also talks about the importance of mindful meditation, managing your thinking, controlling your emotions, and the role learning, relearning, and unlearning will play in our future. If you are frightened to head out into the unknown, unsure of what you will discover, find comfort in the stories of people like Ed, who built a life and body of work around the ability to say yes to opportunities, admit what they don’t know, and come back with the truth.
Show Links Ed Hess * Own Your Work Journey! * Own Your Work Journey! The Path to Meaningful Work and Happiness in the Age of Smart Technology and Radical Change by Edward D. Hess * Leading Through Disruption: A Changemaker’s Guide to Twenty-First Century Leadership* by Andrew Liveris * Midjourney prompt for episode art: the future of the human story –ar 16:9
It’s that time of year when content creators are taking a moment to pause, reflect, and plan for next year. It could be looking at the themes you want to cover for the coming year, new project ideas, or people you want to interview. You may want to address that one sticking point in your process to increase flow from start to finish. No matter what it is, I hope you enjoy the planning process and consider the addition of a few areas to reflect upon, such as enjoyment, depth, increased authenticity, and worrying less about what other people think of you. I feel that 2024 will be a noisy year from start to finish, with a lot of drama—real and manufactured—so the more you can be in touch with your voice at the beginning, the better off you’ll be as the year unfolds.
10 reflection questions for you to ponder as you plan for 2024 and beyond:1. What is your level of enjoyment in the production of your projects? 2. How easy is it to share your work with others? 3. What is the cost of your obsession with relevance? 4. What is the value of your work? 5. How is consistency holding you back from evolving your work to the next stage of its existence? 6. Is your content structure and format stale? 7. Are you sacrificing your vision for likes, follows, and making the audience happy? 8. Are you over-relying upon reviews and vanity metrics? 9. How are you dumbing down your audience? 10. How do you want your voice to show up in this project?
Show Links Rise of the Youpreneur: The Definitive Guide to Becoming the Go-To Leader in Your Industry and Building a Future-Proof Business* by Chris Ducker * Terrifier (2016) * Terrifier on Indiegogo * Terrifier 2 (2022) * Terrifier 2 on Indiegogo * Midjourney prompt for episode art: planning content projects –ar 16:9
How are you keeping fear out of your orbit? What do you want your legacy to be? Who must you connect with over a shared interest or project idea? How will you help bring the world back to love? Nothing but massive questions with today’s guest, Julia Verdin, a director, writer, producer, and self-proclaimed multi-hyphenate. In this conversation, she shares her passion for making social impact films and the complex issues, such as teen trafficking and opioid addiction, she is tackling with her work. From her endless curiosity for life and an insatiable desire to learn to how she keeps fear out and creative possibilities open, Julia is a wealth of creative wisdom and generously shares throughout the conversation. No matter what you create, I hope this episode inspires you to use your voice for good.
Show Links Rough Diamond Productions * ANGIE: LOST GIRLS * MAYA * No Address * Artists for Change * Success in Film: A Guide to Funding, Filming and Finishing Independent Films* by Julia Verdin and Matt Dean * The Film Classes * Once (2007) * Every Frame a Painting * Midjourney prompt for episode art: the gift of sharing knowledge –ar 16:9
There is an infinite number of messages surrounding us. If we are willing to tune in and listen, we can learn a lot about our values, what companies are forcing us to accept, and where we’ve lost our way. Recently, through a combination of blog posts, books, and interviews on this podcast, I’ve been challenged to think about how the evolution of digital tools can impact our work and the mindset we bring to life. For over 20 years, I’ve seen tremendous growth in the affordability and power of technology. Still, I’ve also made concessions about what I’m willing to pay for versus building myself; for that, there is a price. When we forget the journey of where we’ve been and what we can do and choose to accept the status quo—”this is how things have always been done”—we move away from growth and cozy up to mediocrity.
Show Links On Coerced Mediocrity (Or: Why All Your Tech is Annoying You) by Bolt from the Blue Copywriting * Tiktok’s enshittification* by Cory Doctorow * You Can Be The Best * Midjourney prompt for episode art: on the journey from mediocrity to greatness –ar 16:9
Nothing better captures one’s attention in a sea of email subjects than the phrase “Butterfly Doula.” Elizabeth Blake-Thomas is not only nurturing a safe environment for butterflies to undergo the metamorphosis process, but she also applies that work to herself and others through her books and other creative endeavors. In this conversation, Elizabeth deeply shares her life experiences about curiosity, decision-making, perfectionism, and the stories of inspiration and delight that capture her heart. If you are someone who struggles with taking yourself too seriously, raising my hand here, her practice of laughing at yourself will help you. She also gives insight into brain breathing, an exercise that enables the “total reset of your brain” as part of her work called Medicine with Words which helps you live a life with intention and purpose.
Show Links Medicine with Words * Elizabeth Blake-Thomas on Amazon * The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho * Wabi Sabi: The Wisdom in Imperfection by Nobuo Suzuki * On Being Human: A Memoir of Waking Up, Living Real, and Listening Hard by Jennifer Pastiloff * Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life* by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles * Midjourney prompt for episode art: butterflies in the sky –ar 16:9
How in the world do you make money to fund your future? I think about this question a lot because I have no idea how anyone is making enough money in the digital economy on their work alone when platforms pay pennies per thousand for people watching, liking, sharing, commenting, you know the drill. I get even more confused when I think about newer free platforms; how are they making money? When people get used to free, why would they pay? With subscription services increasing monthly fees, how much of that will reach creators? Is crowdsourcing a viable path to funding your future? Do I build my own platform from the ground up? My head is swimming with all these questions and the absence of answers. So, let’s dive into the deep end of funding your future beyond pennies on the dollar.
8 ways to start funding your creative future:1. Don’t treat your creative work like a loss leader. 2. Don’t give everything away for free. 3. Have a content paywall mentality. 4. Get creative with an online store. 5. Ask for the sale. 6. Experiment with tools you’re already using that provide premium paid content. 7. Study the outliers and be courageous to do things beyond industry norms. 8. Be the network, the studio, and the producer. Note: I said use tools that eliminate barriers and erode your profits, but meant to say use tools that eliminate barriers and don’t erode your profits…
Show Links* Midjourney prompt for episode art: funding your future money attention abstract surreal cinematic lighting –ar 16:9
Have you ever wondered how an uptight hippy makes films? No? Well, now you’ll know because gough from BeernutsProductions.com is here to talk about his latest masterpieces: a short movie mocking horse racing commentators and a five-part behind-the-scenes documentary series about making the film. Gough is a legally blind independent filmmaker from Australia and holds the honor of being on Getting Work To Work more than any other guest. In this conversation, he shares why you should befriend cab drivers, the importance of walks for boosting your mental health and creativity, the challenges he faced coming up with horse names, and the two rules that make his website, BeernutsProductions.com, so easy to use.
Show Links Beernuts Productions * Reluctant Hero’s – Horse Race Commentators* * The Beernuts Productions Podcast * Beernuts Production on YouTube * Art by Ilia Chidzey * Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend * The Whitlams * Chortle – Oxford English Dictionary * Ebullient – Dictionary.com * Al Gibson * Dumb Money (2023) * BlackBerry (2023) * Freelance (2023) on Rotten Tomatoes (The 0% film I couldn’t remember during the interview) * Peacemaker (2022–) * Flora and Son (2023)
Building upon last week’s episode, where I talked about figures of speech that guide our work, whether we know it or not, I want to talk about a popular one in creativity: “You can’t create great work in a vacuum.” While I understand what the phrase is saying, and there are some excellent blog posts advocating for non-vacuum ideation, I think it lacks a key component of creativity: doing the actual work. I’m just getting back from attending an annual conference, and I’m struggling to get my groove going. There are a lot of distractions and items on the to-do list. What’s missing is my ability to tune everything out, get into a vacuum-esque state of focus, and crank out the work. It seems like when I get close to it, something pulls me out, and that sucks. Hah, vacuum puns are the best. In today’s episode of Getting Work To Work, I’m diving into the what, how, and why you need to create a vacuum-like environment for deep creative work.
Seven ways to create a vacuum-esque environment so you can get your work to work:1. Find a space where you can control every potential demand on your attention. 2. Identify any source of noises and notifications, know how to turn them on and off, and actually do it when you need to focus. 3. Let people around you know when you are engaging the forcefield of focus. This can be with a simple statement, a fun sound effect, a prop, or something only you can imagine. 4. Set a time limit, so that you and others know when you will be out of the vacuum. It’s not going to be your whole day, so knowing this ahead of time helps you to control your emotions when things don’t go the way you want them to, Chris. 5. Write down what you learned and accomplished while the forcefield of focus was activated. By logging this information, you can then share with others to encourage them to do the same. 6. When collaborating, encourage your team members to determine what the creative vacuum looks like for teams and for individual work. 7. Much like a vacuum cleaner needs to be emptied after prolonged usage, so does your creative space and your mind. By leaving and going for a walk, lunch, coffee, or going home, you allow the energy, emotion, trash, and stale ideas dissipate before you start fresh tomorrow.
Show Links GWTW Workshops * Beyond Your Imagination * Beyond Your imagination on Spotify * Marble Mountain Films * Breakthrough Ideas Are Not Created In a Vacuum* by Bill Stainton * Midjourney prompt for episode art: creative work happening inside of a vacuum cleaner
When you think about your business, how can you open your mind and drop into the moment to explore new possibilities? One way today’s guest does that is through analogous thinking, for example, having difficult conversations while talking about movies and TV shows. Mary Williams is the founder of Sensible Woo and the School of Moxie podcast. She is a librarian, systems coach, and podcaster who loves to help people think differently. In this conversation, we talk about her love for talk shows, podcasts, movies, and TV and how that love connects to her work. We also dive into the topics of reframing courage, the struggle we face as a society when it comes to attentional demands and classifying information, how to have better business conversations that aren’t boring, and how she has connected a metaphysical approach through tarot readings to business systems and processing intuitive feelings.
Show Links Sensible Woo * School of Moxie Podcast * The Last of Us (2023–) * Rider Waite Tarot Deck * Akashic Records * Caroline Myss * Somatic Therapy * Ted Lasso (2020-2023) * On Our Best Behavior: The Seven Deadly Sins and the Price Women Pay to Be Good by Elise Loehnen * The Midnight Library by Matt Haig * Mister Magic* by Kiersten White * Yellowjackets (2021–)
I’ve been thinking about the stories, figures of speech, and memes that guide our days and keep us firmly entrenched in identities and labels. Whether I knew it or not, a guiding tale for much of my life was that I was a serial quitter. Whenever I did something new, I unknowingly set a timer for four months, and when it went off, I was usually onto the next thing already. Maybe you see yourself through a lens of accomplishments or failures. Or you define your life by figures of speech that people repeat ad nauseam, like “stay in your lane” or “if you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” None of these things are bad, but they can keep us stuck, so I want to ask: When was the last time you reexamined your potential and made changes accordingly?
Show Links* Midjourney prompt for episode art: reexamine your potential –ar 16:9
How can you think differently every day? How can you create environments of peace? How do you define peace? These are just a few deep questions that can jumpstart conversations courtesy of today’s guest, Diana Cutaia, who sees the world through a lens of curiosity and change. Diana founded Coaching Peace in 2012 to create positive and safe cultures that empower its members to lead with empathy and understanding. In this conversation, we discuss curiosity’s role in changing systems, connecting to other people’s joy, and how the lessons of a life in sports translate into the business world. Diana shares stories from her time playing and coaching sports, how to adjust to adversity, why we need to listen to our bodies, and the balance between drive and peace. If you are driven to succeed at all costs and want to find a new, healthier way, then Diana has some insights for you.
Show Links Coaching Peace * Coaching Peace on Instagram * Diana Cutaia on LinkedIn * Nancy Duarte: The secret structure of great talks * Making Peace Last: A Toolbox for Sustainable Peacebuilding* by Robert Ricigliano * Midjourney prompt for episode art: joyful shapes abstract colors –ar 7:4
‘Tis the season for another monologue about doubt. When I searched the podcast archives for doubt, last November came up, and it was examining the positive nature of doubt. I’m not sure what it is about the end of the year. Maybe it’s a change of seasons (a great song by Dream Theater) or the compound effects of exhaustion. But honestly, it’s probably part of the creative process, especially when pushing into new mediums. I just don’t feel it until the end of the year when life slows down. What if doubt has nothing to do with what you are doing but an indication of what you need? More grace and less tough love. Compassion, rest, and freedom to explore your curiosities.
Six ways doubt shows up in the creative dance:1. When pursuing something new. Solution: Search for the creative process that makes sense to you. 2. When showing up in a new way on social media. Solution: Find the rhythm and show up as your imperfect self. 3. When you’re tired and need to take a break. Solution: You don’t need tough love or to power through; get off the dance floor and give yourself grace, compassion, rest, and freedom. 4. When you’re comparing projects in progress with finished work. Solution: Don’t psyche yourself out, get the work done. 5. When you’re trying to do too much in one day. Solution: Give yourself more time to be curious and explore new ideas. 6. When you forget that there is demand for your work. Solution: Write down who is asking for your work on a sticky note and place it where you’ll see it.
Show Links Spread Your Ideas Like a Horny Rabbit! Creative Systems of Content Production for People with Too Many Ideas!* * When Doubt Takes Over (GWTW634) * Dream Theater – A Change of Seasons * Creatives Ignite
How would your life be different if you gave yourself permission to be great? Today’s guest not only asks that question but also explores the narratives, stories, and memes around us that impact our lives. K-Rahn Vallatine is an author, curriculum developer, and executive director of Live Above The Hype. In this conversation, we explore greatness and self-sabotage in the pursuit of our vision. We also talk about shattering narratives with forward movement, surrounding yourself with people who support your creative process, reaching people for who they are and not saving or fixing them, and his process of writing books. Finally, if you produce a lot of ideas and projects, K-Rahn shares a way to think about seasons of creation.
Show Links Inner Sun Consulting * Live Above The Hype * Aligning Yourself with the Success You Desire by K-Rahn Vallatine * Beyond the Crack Generation: Surviving A Trauma Organized Culture* by K-Rahn Vallatine * Midjourney prompt for episode art: permission to be great personal growth self-awareness society at peace –ar 16:9
Over the weekend, I did something I usually don’t or even set out to do: I helped a friend film a wedding. Since it was a behind-the-scenes, documentary-style project, I said yes because I love to be a casual observer and documenter of life. We captured all the usual events surrounding a wedding, but it was during the reception that today’s monologue found its roots. The reception was on the Portland Spirit, a popular ship for sightseeing and events along the Willamette River. As I captured footage of people enjoying the party with appropriate levels of emotion, I heard a commotion on the other side of the ship. I walked toward the noise, missing whatever happened, but the people at the table attempted to recreate their excitement for my benefit. I would return to this group throughout the evening because they were fun. When I mentioned it, the response was simple: “It’s because this is the singles table.” They were the outcasts of the wedding; they knew it and were having a blast anyway.
Seven ways to let go of what other people want for you and to step into your power as a creative outcast:1. Do the work that makes sense to you. 2. Find how you do something before you watch a tutorial. 3. Break the rules, ignore the best practices, and silence the self-proclaimed gurus. 4. Embrace complexity instead of simplicity. 5. Build a community of support with fellow creative outcasts. 6. Do the opposite of what everyone else is doing on social media. 7. Spend time with boring people.
Show Links* Midjourney prompt for episode art: creative outcasts –ar 16:9 –stylize 1000 –v 5.2
When my wife and I got a pug last year, the algorithm inundated us with pug accounts, including Grumble Farm out of Canada. We loved seeing the pugs but also enjoyed learning more about the unbelievable beauty of British Columbia and getting to know Brandy and Jesse. Today’s guest is Brandy Chalmers, one of the two humans behind Grumble Farm. She’s here to talk about her journey as a content creator and how she shows up as her authentic self. In this conversation, we talk about her curiosity around a million things, the dehumanizing and fragmentizing nature of niching, the struggle with how much to share, the art of asking for what you want and need, and the mindset shift that occurred when she moved from the city to the country. Throughout, Brandy shares stories that illustrate a total commitment to living life.
Show Links Grumble Farm * Brandy & Jessie – Grumble Farm on Patreon * Gritty & Gracious * “Beyond the Box of What You Do” with Jesse Schpakowski (GWTW700) * “Keep Marching Forward” with Miriam Schulman (GWTW659) * Amanda Palmer * The Art of Asking TED Talk by Amanda Palmer * The Art of Asking: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People Help by Amanda Palmer * In A Deep Dark Wood* by Tina Pritchard * Midjourney prompt for episode art: still waters storm on the horizon
When I interview people who have written a book, the typical response to my closing question—”What book, podcast, or resource is currently blowing your mind?”—is a form of: “I’m not reading or listening to anything right now. I don’t want to be influenced by someone else’s work.” I’ve always been intrigued by the notion that you could produce original work without external influence. Unless you live in the middle of nowhere without access to modern technology, the opportunity for influence is all around us in two ways: style and substance. Style is surface-level, the way things look; substance is much deeper. It’s the creator’s message, philosophy, beliefs, and intention. Instead of fearing influence, how can we provide attribution to style and substance and continue creating the work that matters to us?
As we explore these questions around influence, of style and substance, here are four ways to harness their power for your creativity:1. Influence is often subconscious; label it when you notice it. 2. Build a practice of attribution. 3. Branch out and explore multiple mediums and formats. 4. Allow your creativity to evolve over time.
Show Links Getting Work To Work on Substack * Chris Martin Writes on Substack * Deadbolt Design * Consider This: Moments in My Writing Life after Which Everything Was Different* by Chuck Palahniuk * Lee Jeffries * Grumble Farm * Steven Wilson * Austin Kleon * The School of Moxie Podcast * Midjourney prompt for episode art: influenced by other people style substance evolution surreal –v 5.2 –stylize 150
It’s been a few years since I’ve thought about teams, but today’s guest opened the floodgates while simultaneously dismantling biases and explaining past negative experiences. Paul Crosby is one of the founders and the CEO of The Uncommon League, a training company that teaches people in unexpected ways to think, work, and learn differently. He’s also an author who has written several books on topics ranging from business analysis to positive conflict. In this conversation, Paul shares his curiosity about teams and how they work through friction, conflict, and collaboration. He also talks about The Uncommon League, how the name came about, and why they don’t settle for boring. We also touch on the importance of failure in growing in your life and work, how doubt is a natural component of the human experience, and the process he uses to write his books.
Show Links The Uncommon League * Edison by Edmund Morris * Fail Fast – Fail Safe: Harness the power of failure to fearlessly innovate and achieve amazing results by Paul Crosby and Bob Prentiss * Kolb’s Learning Styles And Experiential Learning Cycle * The Badass Business Analyst. Little Slices of Big Truths by Bob Prentiss * Positive Conflict: Transform Discord into Collaboration and Innovation by Paul Crosby * Books by Le Cordon Bleu on Amazon * Hidden Brain * The Things We Make: The Unknown History of Invention from Cathedrals to Soda Cans* by Bill Hammack * Midjourney prompt for episode art: tango with a bear –ar 16:9
There’s something special about people who make decisions that go against the grain of societal expectations. Whether we make those decisions out of necessity, frustration, depression, or some other motivation is less important than the willingness to embark on a new journey. Today’s episode is inspired by a quote from an excellent book by Patrick Bringley, All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me. In the book, Bringley documents the loss of his brother to cancer, how he quit a dream job, and became a guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for ten years. It’s worth your time to help you examine your life, look beyond what is obvious, and find what is hidden.
Five steps to see beyond what is obvious:1. Pause “big deal” thinking. 2. Step away from your routine. 3. Clear your mind. 4. Delay judgment. 5. Eliminate instant expectations.
Show Links All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me* by Patrick Bringley * Midjourney prompt for episode art: hidden truth in kaleidoscope –v 5.2 –stylize 1000 –ar 16:9
I believe that people come across your path when you need to learn from them. Today’s guest brings her tools and life story to Getting Work To Work to help those stuck and looking to create extraordinary lives. Maria Kellis is a leadership coach and teacher who is endlessly curious about the possibilities available to each of us. In this conversation, she dives into the four steps of what she calls “The Empower Game”: 1) Intention, 2) Clearing, 3) Gratitude, and 4) Trust in order to receive. Maria also shares her lessons in the power of gratitude while recovering from a broken back, body, and spirit. Not to mention how she discovered patience through discipline, her approach to routines that aren’t boring, systems of creativity and the power of teams, and scarcity versus abundance. Open your mind to the extraordinary life you want to create and listen in as Maria shares a lifetime of wisdom.
Show Links Maria Kellis * Maria Kellis on Instagram * Becoming Supernatural: How Common People are Doing the Uncommon* by Dr. Joe Dispenza * Midjourney prompt for episode art: abstract paint splatter colorful –stylize 250 –v 5.2 –ar 16:9
I had plans for a different monologue today, but my 3 AM creative brain had an idea it couldn’t drop. I woke up from a dream feeling ready to mourn the losses of the past three years. It’s not easy to admit, but I’ve been not so secretly punishing myself for how I responded to the pandemic. It was ugly, fraught with fear, trying to make sense of the internal and manage the external. I took care of those around me, but I stumbled deeper into debt, wrestled with depression, ate food to numb the pain, and gained weight. I knew what I was doing, and while my reactions were nothing short of vicious, I couldn’t stop. Fortunately, I heard a different story playing in my mind as I stared at the ceiling, wondering why I couldn’t fall back asleep.
Three ways to pay attention to your 3am creative brain:1. When you wake up in the middle of the night, pay attention to the thoughts and ideas that bubble up. 2. The early morning hours are when my mind is open, know the times when your mind is most creative and searching. 3. Create an environment of silence, solitude, and space to explore your mind.
Show Links* Chris Martin Writes on Substack * Midjourney prompt for episode art: creative brain abstract cinematic lighting –v 5.2 –stylize 500 –ar 16:9
Do you know your life’s destiny? Are you actively doing the things you were born to do or wishing you could one day? Today’s guest took his obsession with film and his need to diversify his services and fell into the rabbit hole of something unexpected. Steve Berry is the artist and photographer behind Robot Wig, what he calls “the Miniverse,” a place for miniature pop culture creations. In this conversation, we obviously talk about movies and his journey to the Miniverse. But we also explore how he sees art in everyday objects, how he taught himself lighting by making mistakes instead of watching tutorials, creative patience (or lack thereof), and the challenges of turning his passion into a viable business. If you are a creative entrepreneur looking for a new way to see your business, this is the conversation for you.
Show Links* Robot Wig * LAIKA Studios * Wallace & Gromit * Jim Henson’s Creature Shop * Stan Winston * Derek Vanlint * Robot Wig on Instagram: Monkey in a Party Hat! * Photo by Jannik Selz on Unsplash
I just got back from my first real vacation in six years. While there were plenty of late-night existential wrestling matches—”I don’t know who I am on vacation anymore”—my mind was churring and whirring away underneath the surface. As I listened to the conversations around me, watched the truth emerge through body language, and paid attention to my feelings, I heard it clearly: “Go! Get it!” If you have a vision for your life and are afraid to take the first step of leaving the infinite labyrinth of modern society’s expectations of you, then the message for you is this: It’s not easy; it’s going to be the most challenging work you’ll ever do, but go! Bring your vision to life. It’s worth it for you and the others you’ll bring along on your journey.
7 ways to go and get it:1. Use your vision as a guide for action and progress. 2. Trust yourself to know the difference between expectations from others and what you want your life and work to be. 3. Do what makes sense to you. 4. Don’t conform your dreams to the realities of others. 5. Transform the discomfort of others into fuel for your journey. 6. Seek internal acceptance over external validation. 7. Share wildly.
Show Links* Midjourney prompt for episode art: escaping the infinite labyrinth of stairs in the the style of escher cinematic lighting dizzy –v 5.2 –stylize 500 –ar 16:9
I love how spaces can influence our creativity. Pioneer Courthouse Square in Portland, Oregon, has impacted many people, especially past guests of Getting Work To Work. Jack Kent once saw a man and a llama walking through the square at night and would turn that moment into a book cover for Sketchy People. Bill Will, a conceptual sculptor and installation artist, created a public art installation during the pandemic to promote safe gatherings in a public space. Today, my guests are here to talk about PDX LIVE, a series of concerts in the heart of the city, and how creativity can be a reinvestment in the city and help revitalize downtown. Lindsay Gay is the director of operations at Pioneer Courthouse Square. Trevor Solomon is the lead talent buyer at TrueWest. Together, we are ready to discuss creativity, collaboration, the challenges of managing events for an entire city block, and the joys of people-watching.
Show Links The Square * TrueWest * Western Cum* by Cory Hanson * Wand * Zach Bryan * The Flaming Lips * Explosions in the Sky * Interview with Jack Kent (GWTW102) * “Polka Dot Downtown” with Bill Will & Theresa Vetsch-Sandoval (GWTW521) * Photo by Sean Benesh on Unsplash
Monologue ideas seem to enter my mind in the early hours. I picked up my phone, looked at my email (I know, not the best habit), and saw an email from Fruitful Life by Ashwin Chacko, “Grace Over Grind.” After reading the post, I started thinking about my backward relationship with productivity: I grind it out and reserve grace for others. But this week, I noticed something shifting inside. It wasn’t that I didn’t care about hitting deadlines and managing expectations, but I needed to let life enter into my daily plans. The more I let go of what I planned, the more I actually got done. What if everything I know about productivity is wrong and needs to evolve into something new? Chances are, we all might need to rethink productivity.
Ten ways I’m evolving my relationship with productivity:1. Be kind to yourself 2. Do the bare minimum 3. Follow your energy 4. Avoid the thing 5. You’re not a metronome 6. See what sticks 7. Play in the in-betweens and transitions 8. Wander wherever your mind goes 9. Savor the moment 10. Go for impact
Show Links Grace Over Grind* by Ashwin Chacko * Midjourney prompt for episode art: productivity evolution new ideas surreal cinematic lighting –v 5.2 –ar 16:9 –stylize 1000
As a creative, what are you stockpiling? For today’s guest, he is not only collecting historical tidbits and fodder but also curiosity, hope, and optimism. Jarret Keene is a professor and author of Hammer of the Dogs, a new novel about a dystopian future set in a post-apocalyptic Las Vegas. In this conversation, Jarret shares an unbelievable wealth of wisdom about creativity and why we should be tour guides of our curiosities. He talks about the bright darkness of 1980s pop culture in which he found inspiration and the power of emotion and vulnerability to transform the creative process. He also touches on why you should steal time to write or create, the impact of writing alongside his students, how positive writing can change the world, and why we should be more silly and less serious in a world hell-bent on making us passive consumers of corporate propaganda.
Show Links Hammer of the Dogs by Jarret Keene * The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore * Hammer of the Gods: The Led Zeppelin Saga by Stephen Davis * James Hetfield apparently apologized to Kip Winger for Nothing Else Matters diss * Big Country * In A Big Country * Werner Herzog – A Guide for the Perplexed by Paul Cronin * Werner Herzog on WTF with Marc Maron * Upstream: Selected Essays* by Mary Oliver * Getting Work To Work Substack * Midjourney prompt for episode art: wasteland las vegas desolate post-apocalyptic cinematic lighting –v 5.2 –stylize 1000
Over the weekend, I was helping an awesome client work on her new podcast about our hometown, and I heard my new favorite phrase: "relentless mediocrity." At one point, my client interviewed me, and I shared why I gladly wear the badge of "Relentlessly Mediocre." It's not that I don't aspire to be great at what I do; it's just that I don't want to be great every single day in every moment of my life. It's not attainable, healthy, or human. But that is not the message you and I receive from society. Society tells us that to be relevant and worthy, we must aspire to greatness at all times. There is no room for mistakes, a strategic plan for the future must redeem all failure, and if you are mediocre, you might as well quit. So, let's dive into why I think relentless mediocrity is healthy for our creativity and society.
What are the hints and clues of who we become sprinkled throughout our lives? From his early years of wanting to know how things worked and taking apart his toys to learning about business as a young child watching his father's entrepreneurial experiences, today's guest found inspiration in many places for his entrepreneurial journey. Farzad Rashidi is the lead innovator at Respona, "the link-building outreach platform that helps businesses increase their organic traffic." In this conversation, Farzad shares several examples of how Respona works to create backlinks, establish credibility, and, most importantly, build relationships. He also talks about humility as a leader, the difference between being an employee and leading a company, how an internal tool became a product for others, and optimism's role in his exploration of future possibilities.
It's the middle of the night, and I can't sleep again. As I play a silly game on my phone to quiet my mind, I hear a question, "Are you willing to break the mold of your life?" We live so many moments of our lives according to the scripts inherited from others: genetics, families, friends, lovers, celebrities, pastors, gurus, media moguls, authors, artists, musicians, time, habits, the list is endless. Why trust ourselves to carve our own statues when we are given a generic mold based upon imitations of others? A mold we can use over and over again until it becomes our death mask? What will it take to break the mold of our lives? First, be willing to explore whether your life is working for you. From there, desire something else you can see in your dreams. You'll then want to bring it to life through action and funding your future while paying for the past. Finally, you can invite others to participate in your new life.
Have you ever gone to a meetup not knowing what to expect or who you will meet? You sit down and awkwardly chit-chat with people around you before it finally happens: you meet the one person who makes the event worth attending. Two months ago, that happened to me. I went to a podcast meetup and sat next to today's guest. James Jensen-Grace is the founder and CEO of Branding4Pride, an LGBTQ+ digital media marketing and branding consultancy firm. In this conversation, James shares his experience and wisdom as a transgender man and serial entrepreneur, not just around branding, marketing, and impact, but with life. We discuss his approach to building connections with people and how it relates to his desire to learn, evolve, and continually impact others. James also shares many stories, from growing up on a ranch, running a wedding DJ business, and building resilience to knowing when to quit, how to fail forward, and his three-step approach to spreading love and joy.
I've been thinking a lot about procrastination and why I do it. Ironically, I started writing this episode on Monday, and now it's Wednesday. I am still writing, waiting, not sure for what. I listed the usual culprits and excuses: boredom, imposter syndrome, conflict avoidance, worrying about what people will say, the lack of response. But one surprise caught me off guard, and that's what I'll be talking about today. If you are struggling with procrastination, more specifically, putting the work you want to be known for in the future to the side—while you do everything and anything else—then this episode is for you.
How does racism hide in our daily lives? How does history impact us today? What are jobs going to look like in an AI future? What is the society we want to live in? These are a few of the massive questions Dr. Rob Eschmann explores in today's conversation. Rob is a scholar, educator, filmmaker, and author of When the Hood Comes Off: Racism and Resistance in the Digital Age. He is endlessly curious about ways to end oppression and better understand the mechanism of racism. Throughout this conversation, he shares his hope for the future, what drove him to research structural racism, education as a path for social change, what jobs AI might render obsolete, and how he uses art, film, and storytelling in the struggle against racism.
I've had the concept of limitations on my mind recently. As a creator working in several mediums, I'm firmly aware of my limitations. I try to work within my limitations and sometimes use strict parameters to influence my creativity. But as I work with other creators to produce and edit their work, I see another side of limitations. What can be freeing and flowing for one quickly freezes another into the most beautiful statue. Perfectionism, procrastination, imposter syndrome, comparison, all the sins afflicting the modern creative ravage the mind, spurring the question: "What is the right thing to do?" I will explore this idea of limitations and see if I can't melt away some of the ice that holds us back.
To give you an insight into what the next 30 minutes of your life will be like, today's guest has this remarkable phrase on his website: "If You Are What You Eat, Then Feed Me Greatness™." Darryl Bumpass, Sr. is an author, speaker, and life coach exploring greatness, creating a life that reflects the best version of ourselves, bringing out our purpose from within, and turning dreams into reality. Darryl shares his wisdom gained from experience, insights, reading, and listening throughout this conversation. He also talks about self-care, self-investment, tips for recovering from burnout, and his own diet of greatness. I hope you'll grab a notebook and get ready to take some notes because Darryl brings the passion and inspiration that you need.
Have you ever had one of those moments where you say something profound and immediately follow it up with, "I should probably unpack what that means." Recently, I mentioned something along the lines of working according to the principles of Getting Work To Work. It sounded like an excellent thing to say, but I didn't know what those principles were until I wrote them down. Throughout the podcast, I talk about the need for core values to guide us toward work that matters. How are principles different? If values are the direction we are facing, principles are the actions that propel us forward. I hope this episode inspires you to develop your list of principles to see what motivates your life and work.
I was shocked to read the statistic shared by today's guest that "34% of the US population suffers from a chronic illness." How does that impact the world of work? Julie Hamilton is a workplace consultant, chronic illness specialist, and author of Chronic Illness at Work: How Managers Can Support Employees with Chronic Illness. In this conversation, she shares her journey as an HR professional managing her chronic illness and why employees are reluctant to disclose their illnesses. We also talk about finding purpose later in life, productivity versus socialization, why open communication and trust are essential tools in building empathy, humor's role in her life, and how her chronic illness helped her be a better leader. Most importantly, Julie explains why taking care of yourself and giving yourself grace are two of the most important things you can do daily.
No matter how long I pursue my creative ventures, I never stop learning how my brain works, what I still need to understand, and the surprises that show up when I least expect them. July has been full of meetings, video shoots, audio recordings, and ideation. There was so much going on that a critical component of my work took a backseat to the momentum: creativity in solitude. While filling my days away from the computer and around people can be exciting, I need time alone to dream, think, write, and produce. It's a delicate dance as the introvert within wants to stand in the corner bobbing his head, and the extrovert wants to swing dance with the world. Fortunately, I feel the pressure, opportunity, and desire to figure this out. And, of course, share what I'm learning with you.
How do you want to live? What is your morning practice? Your evening practice? Your work practice? These questions are but a few expressed in my conversation with Patrick McAndrew, the Founder and CEO of HARA. As he writes on his website, "Patrick focuses on developing the whole person, knowing that high performance is determined by how you live - not just how you work." In our time together, we explore how where we live influences our creativity, the system of the Internet, living with intention versus being manipulated, self-awareness and self-regulation, and our need for one another. At the core of the conversation are two ideas: 1) focus is not a single skill but an outcome of how you live, and 2) human potential is the ability to explore the range and depth of human experience.
Last night, I was lying in bed dreaming about the future: "What would it look like if I made my entire living from Getting Work To Work?" Yes, I was awake, not asleep. But as I thought more this morning, I realized I'm not the only one considering how to do this. With Hollywood on strike and corporate executive pay in the news, it's an excellent time to remind people what they can do with their dollars in the world of independent artists. I wrote a blog post in 2018 with clear steps to support creative professionals. Five years later, it still rings true. But it's not enough for people to support artists; the artists need to be ready for the support. And that's what today's monologue is all about. In the words of Jack Kent, "Be ready for the yes."
Why do you do what you do? How do your values influence your value and worth? How can you improve your ability to communicate your needs, wants, and desires? I explore these questions and more in today's episode of Getting Work To Work. Suman Cherry is the founder and CEO of Cherry Talent Group and describes herself as a "hiring match maker." In this conversation, she shares wisdom learned from doing the deep work of recruitment for 20 years. She talks about the role values play in determining worth and value, why communication and feedback are essential, how people can improve their visibility with recruiters, and the role mistakes play in building a more impactful, purposeful business. We also discuss what AI will bring to recruitment and what it can never replace: the ability to learn about a person in conversation. Finally, if you wonder how self-growth influences your work, Suman explains what she is learning on her healing journey.
One of the challenges of making a documentary is that so many heartfelt stories are shared but never used in the finished film. A clip or two might appear in the behind-the-scenes footage, but mostly the interviews wither away through time, memory, and the ones and zeroes of the backup drive. One way I've thought to remedy my guilt is to release the entire interview in podcast form. But it just didn't work. I interview differently for a documentary than I do for a podcast. Fortunately, last week I got an idea: What if I share stories from the cutting room floor? I could feature extended sections of interviews, stories, and anecdotes from past episodes of Getting Work To Work: The Series and other short films, not to mention clips from abandoned projects. The first entry comes from my short film about cartoonalist Jack Kent. He shares what it means to be a fearless creator through his main projects, Sketchy People and Gulls, and the best advice he ever received for creating art.
When you look at your skills and experience, do you ever think about how to use them to do something entirely outside the box? To transcend expectations, think bigger, and bring dreams to life? Jesse Schpakowski is a photographer, videographer, and life-long learner exploring these questions. In this conversation, Jesse shares his learning journey from being a kid with a video camera filming his friends to an adult photographing everything from real estate and tourism to nature, bears, and the ferocious pug. He talks about how he learned to be alone in nature, to read the body language of animals, to overcome fear through experience, and how it all connects to entrepreneurship. He also gives insight into what is possible as he collaborates with his partner in her business.
The creative and curious world of work constantly inspires me. The people, the processes, and the products are all infinitely interesting. But if I had to choose what really piques my curiosity: the workspaces people make so they can do their best work. Whether it's a coffee shop, a spare room where we live, or a giant warehouse, every one of us has a place that we have created to do our work. What does your workspace say about you? Does it inspire you to create or shut you down while you search for what you need? Are you messy or minimal? There is no wrong answer, which is what is so satisfying when visiting other people's studios, offices, maker spaces, or shops. When you cross the threshold into a new place, you witness a uniqueness that can't be taught or bought. How much does the environment influence the outcome of what we create? It's hard to say, but it's more than we realize and something we shouldn't take lightly.
Have you ever had a project you wanted to bring to life but struggled to make it happen? Today's guest shares his struggles from taking a dream project and making it a reality. In this conversation, Kyle Shold unpacks how he overcame multiple barriers—hating the sound of his voice, showing up confident on camera, learning the tools and art of editing—to start his new Youtube channel, View Thunder. He produces curated movie reviews that celebrate the art, design, and cinematic storytelling present in movies he absolutely loves. He shares how burnout in his illustration work led him to find a new outlet for his creativity, working through mistakes and learning curves, and most importantly, knowing when it was time to publish.
A common question people ask me when they hear I've been podcasting for seven years and almost 700 episodes: "How do you still have anything to say?" That is an excellent question that I wrestled with early on in the show's life. And if I'm honest, one I've been wrestling with in the past few months. The reason is simple: I'm doing the reps but not putting in the steps. Much like our physical bodies, our creativity flourishes when we do simple things daily. But when you add light strength training as well? Creativity soars! Not only do we have something to say, but we have the power and skill to turn a whisper into a roar. Whether you are on day one of your creative life, in the middle of your career, or nearing retirement, how will you incorporate creative steps and reps into your daily life?
I have an important question: How are you making room for laughter in your creative process? Yes, work is serious, but it's also fun, silly, and straight-up goofy nonsense, at least according to today's guest. Sean Schumacher is an Assistant Professor of Design at Portland State University, a podcaster, and an all-around nice person who is building community and making design more accessible. In this conversation, we talk about their love for comedy, the journey from artist to designer to design educator, why we shouldn't fear mistakes, and how to know a project is done and ready to ship. On top of all that, we make room for deep thoughts and belly laughs. Whether you are a design student, creative professional, hardened cynic, or design communicator, Sean's approach to life and work will hopefully help you open up to delight and wonder.
Fresh from his game-changing journey of epic proportions as Mr Eligible searching for his soul mate, global sensation gough of BeernutsProductions.com is back on Getting Work To Work to talk all about his latest film, Mr Eligible. In this conversation, he naturally shares all the behind the scenes stories from the set, not to mention what made this film his most ambitious production yet. He shares about the challenges in casting a diverse group of women, what it takes to film a 41-minute film in one day, how many hours of reality TV he watched in preparation for this production, and of course, what makes Al Gibson special. Most importantly, he answers the most shocking question ever asked in the history of the world, "Who would lie on reality TV?" The answer will shock you.
What are the curiosities and interests you are hiding from the world? What would happen if you brought them to life in your work? For today's guest, his love for monsters, comic books, pop culture, and pro wrestling found its way into his work after a chance encounter with a Frankenstein Pop! Funko. Now, Boris is everywhere, and it's awesome. Kyle Van Cleave of Deadbolt Design is a designer and illustrator who brings an attitude of fun and uniqueness to everything he does. In this conversation, Kyle and I bond over Guillermo del Toro and monster movies. He also shares his thoughts on why the Frankenstein story is the perfect analogy for understanding the relationship to our creative work, his love for storytelling, the challenges of rebranding his studio, and what it's like running a business with his wife, Ashley. Most importantly, we talk about what it means to support your local monster makers.
I've learned a thing or two producing this show and others over the years. But one issue that trips us up at one point or another: the pressure to consistently make the best episode possible. Yes, it's a form of perfectionism, but it's also the fear that if an episode has flaws, people won't listen, and eventually, they'll leave. Some episodes flow freely from idea to finished product, while others are a struggle. There's a lot of advice on what to do in these moments: Amateurs wait for inspiration, professionals get to work. Thanks, Mr. Close. But I have a saying that I love to say when a client is struggling: "Not every episode needs to be a banger, sometimes you need a good ole fashioned ballad." That's some advice I needed to hear today because I felt the pressure of writing the perfect monologue.
Today's guest is curious about everything and often asks, "Why is that, that way?" Throughout his career as a scientist and chemist, Christopher Reddy has found a way to channel his curiosity into action as he studies marine pollution. In this conversation, Chris explains how science actually works over long stretches of time and the role uncertainty plays in the work. We talk about how Star Trek and Carl Sagan's work inspired his scientific career, effective tools for science communication, the importance of building local relationships, and the profound events that change our lives. Throughout the conversation, we discuss Chris's book, Science Communication in a Crisis: An Insider's Guide. Not only is it effective at explaining the why and how of science communication, I believe it is an excellent resource for any creative professional who wants to learn better ways to communicate what they do.
I love art and creativity. There's something magical about taking an idea buried deep in your mind and transforming it into a creative artifact—a movie, song, website, logo, or photo. You get the idea. On top of that, I love technology. Isn't it amazing how much access we have to mind-blowing tools that make our jobs easier? I'm far from an early adopter of new tech toys, but I love how I can broaden my creative vision a little further into the future every year. But I haven't always been this way. I used to be a creative gatekeeper. I wanted to define rules that allowed me to label what was and wasn't creative. More specifically, as a self-declared gatekeeper, I controlled who was and was not creative. While I have allowed my opinions to morph and evolve over the years, I'm seeing more and more people digging in their heels, declaring what is and is not creative: "This is art, but this is crap." I understand the sentiment, but could there be a better way to advance our creative vision without gatekeeping creativity?
Neal Morse is a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and creative cross-pollinator who not only makes epic progressive rock concept albums about the lives of Martin Luther, the Apostle Paul, and Jesus but also brings his creativity to multiple projects including NMB, Transatlantic, Flying Colors, and D'Virgilio, Morse, and Jennings. In this conversation, Neal and I explore song lyrics he's written over the years centered around creativity, spirituality, business, and the future. He also shares how he creates with a focus on limitless possibilities and abundant creativity, the challenges of writing for different projects, how faith plays a crucial role in his creative process, and his approach to business over the years. Most importantly, we talk about the spiritual power of music and how it can connect with us at a soul level.
It’s a big week here at Getting Work To Work. The 7th anniversary of the podcast is this Friday featuring an interview with one of my heroes. I’m releasing the second episode of the documentary series about a farmer. And, as always, I’m thinking about what’s next. There’s always something to plan, produce, schedule, and promote. Perhaps that’s why I was lying awake last night, avoiding the next wave of production, by obsessing over things already finished. I was replaying moments from the interview earlier in the day. Hoping people will like the video. Wondering what this monologue will be about. My mind was racing. Sound familiar to you? I don’t think I’m alone because a thought occurred to me this morning, echoing my conversation with Mike Brennan: Why am I not taking time to celebrate? Why is celebrating anything so hard, especially when you know that the clock never stops?
Five Things Worthy of Celebration:1. Celebrate the unplanned. 2. Celebrate the moment. 3. Celebrate the wins and losses. 4. Celebrate with the rhythms of the year. 5. Celebrate with a vacation.
Show Links* “Go Create Something” with Mike Brennan (GWTW688)
What are you searching for with your creativity? Perhaps you want to find a way to make a living. Or maybe you want to engage in the most profound pursuits of humanity. Today on Getting Work To Work, Mike Brennan and I dive into the deep end of the pool and examine creativity from the perspectives of meaning, happiness, and play. Mike is an illustrator, public speaker, and podcaster passionate about helping creatives build daily creative habits. In this conversation, we discuss what holds us back from doing our work, the business side of creativity, and how to work through the moments we are stuck.
Show Links Mike Brennan * Daily Creative Habit * Creative Chats with Mike Brennan * Rainn Wilson and the Geography of Bliss * Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution* by Rainn Wilson * Museum of Ice Cream
A day doesn’t go by where I’m not considering the future of work. How will ideation and creation work? Will it be writing prompts, letting a computer spit out a rough draft, and then editing the results? What about distribution and economics? How will people find our work, and what will they be willing to pay for it? These are all great questions to think about and consider in the fast-paced world of the 21st century. But an unexamined question entered my mind: What role does history play in our work moving forward? Will we allow it to shape our experience or shun it to our detriment?
Five ways to tap into history as you blaze a trail into the future:1. Find ways to bring moments of pure passion and curiosity back to your workflow. 2. Search for the untapped moments in your industry’s history to learn how to do more with less. 3. Mine the cultural past for new ideas. 4. Study the evolution of your favorite artists. 5. Document your historical journey for the future.
Show Links* Bryce (software) * Phil Tippett: Mad Dreams and Monsters (2019)
When you think about your creative expression, do you dream of ideas or the end product? I’ve always marveled at film directors who claim to see the finished product in their minds or even songwriters who hear the song playing in their imagination. For many, that is what successful creativity looks like, tapping into something already there and bringing it into existence. For others, like me, I might get tiny glimpses of an idea, but I generally have to start smashing ideas together to find out what they’ll be. I’ve had the opportunity to be on a couple of podcasts recently, talking about my creative origin stories. And as I reflected on those experiences, I realized that I approach creativity the way I do today because of how I taught myself to play the guitar.
Show Links* Second Player Speaks – Ep. 141: Special Guest Chris Martin * Creative Chats with Mike Brennan * Photo by William Bout on Unsplash
When thinking about protecting yourself from other people’s words, the first thing that might enter your mind is criticism or feedback. Criticism is being externally thrust upon you by critics—either professional or merely haters—and feedback is being requested from others and received by you. At least, that’s how I differentiate between the two. It can be challenging to open yourself up to criticism and feedback, it is a necessary skill, but that’s not what I mean by protection from the words of others. I mean those moments when people treat you as a commodity, a demographic, or a willing audience member to spread their ideas. In these moments, words can do the most damage when an element of control is in play, so I will share a few ways to protect yourself and your creative spirit.
Scenario 1: When casual conversation is dominated by a person—usually an extrovert—to showcase that person’s unique business value proposition and how they can make your project better, thus sowing doubt in your mind about what you’ve already been doing successfully for years. Protection Questions:* What part of my creative process needs to be reexamined in light of this person’s words? Would my current audience benefit from this change?
Scenario 2: When keynote speakers assume everyone in the audience is on the same level of expertise and say, “You’re doing it wrong, you have to be doing it differently.” Protection Question:* How do I measure success and growth?
Scenario 3: When a person of significance presents from a position of competition, cynicism, and disdain for the audience. Protection Question:* What do I want to feel on the other side of this exchange? How am I going to take this negative fuel and turn it into something positive?
Scenario 4: When we accept the practice of using qualifiers to label our experience. Protection Question:* What qualifier am I tempted to use and why?
Scenario 5: Clickbait captures the eyes, but never the soul. Protection Question:* What words are drawing me deeper in reflection?
Scenario 6: Protection Questions from my own words in this episode. Protection Questions:* What questions came to mind for you as you listened to this episode? What words were positive for you? Which words were negative triggers? How will you use this information? What do you want to remember? What do you want to forget?
Show Links* PodConf * “For the Love of the Craft” with Pat Cheung (GWTW665) * Why Work? (GWTW684) * Photo by Andreas Fickl on Unsplash
This past Saturday, I attended a podcast conference in Portland, Oregon. It was a chance to step away from the computer and be around people, talking about podcasts. It was exciting and exhausting, with a ton of takeaways. Inevitably, every conversation led to the same question: “What’s your podcast about?” A simple question with many answers, but I still struggled to answer succinctly. I wanted a one-sentence explainer, but there are so many stories explaining what Getting Work To Work is all about. I shared the origin story with one person and another, the show’s evolution. At the same time, another conversation centered around a single word to describe the episodes where I don’t have guests. After the conference, I kept thinking about these conversations and thought, “Why work?” So, that’s what I’m going to talk about today.
Eight areas of work I’m endlessly curious about and searching for in this show:1. Excellence 2. Growth 3. Change 4. Mastery 5. Legacy 6. Learning 7. Innovation 8. Process
Show Links PodConf * “For the Love of the Craft” with Pat Cheung (GWTW665) * Gnar Country: Growing Old, Staying Rad* by Steven Kotler * Creatives Ignite * Photo by Earl Wilcox on Unsplash
Imagine it’s 2019, and your mentor tells you that artificial intelligence will disrupt your business and you need to diversify. What do you do? Today’s guest on Getting Work To Work answered that question by pivoting from being a content provider to building a marketplace for agencies to get the services they need. Matt Gerchow is a serial entrepreneur, having built multiple businesses, including SteadyContent and the most recent, AgencyHub. In this conversation, Matt shares his thoughts about the future of content and society in general. We begin with his curiosities about optimal routines and travel, his entrepreneurial journey, and finish with what brings him hope.
Show Links Matt Gerchow * AgencyHub * SteadyContent * Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence by Sarah Young * The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right by Atul Gawande * Kindle Scribe * SCORE * The Age of Spiritual Machines: When Computers Exceed Human Intelligence* by Ray Kurzweil * Photo by Maximalfocus on Unsplash
My mind is wrestling with how to stay creative and productive as I grow older. Naturally, I think about technology and ensuring I use the latest and greatest cameras and equipment. But as I look at my actual process versus what is idealistic and even fantastical, I realize I’m a few years behind. That’s because there are more important values and ideals in my life and, ultimately, my business. Before you indict me as an anti-technological heretic, I will make my case for what could possibly be more important than the latest and great technology.
Seven things better than technology:1. The curiosity to explore. 2. The ability to converse with anyone. 3. Muscle memory for when you forget how to do something. 4. The willingness to take a chance. 5. DIY (do it yourself) and UWYG (use what you got). 6. Resilience to see projects through to the end. 7. An open mind to new possibilities and technologies.
Show Links Gnar Country: Growing Old, Staying Rad* by Steven Kotler * Gnar Country * Photo by Joris Berthelot on Unsplash
What force drives your creative spirit? Is it fear or love? Can you imagine how different your life and creativity would become if you loved yourself? Today on Getting Work To Work, I dive deep into these questions with mentor and artist Peleg Top. The conversation begins with focusing on rest and how Peleg is emptying his curiosity tank to prepare for what’s next. From there, we talk about identity, the nurturing and evolving nature of our creative free spirit, the difference between fear- and love-driven energy, and the power of self-acknowledgment. If you’re seeking something deeper and more fulfilling for your life and work, I hope you’ll consider this conversation the first step on what Peleg describes on his site as “your journey of self-unfolding.”
Show Links Peleg Top * Creative High Growth* Introductory Session with Peleg Top * The Supremes – You Can’t Hurry Love * Photo by Silas Baisch on Unsplash
Have you ever had one of those conversations that reveal how stuck you are and show you what you need to move forward? The question was simple: “What are you going to do about AI?” My response was swift, “I don’t know. I’m just not curious about it.” This is where friends in life are helpful to call you on your stuff, “Aren’t you the curiosity guy? Now’s not the time to bury your head in the sand.” Truth comes in many forms. Sometimes we hear it at the moment, but more often, we find the truth in replaying the memory. At least, that’s how it works for me. The reality is that the answer to this question of AI is a lot more complicated and complex. In today’s episode of Getting Work To Work, I’m diving into the many answers to this simple question.
Seven ways to begin answering the question, “What are you going to do about AI?”:1. Don’t succumb to the hype, fear, and panic. That will only create negative feelings that remove the one thing you can control: your agency. Curiosity is not possible when you are amped up and afraid. 2. If you can’t control your emotions regarding AI, temporarily turn off any triggering sources while you explore your responses and feelings. This is probably one of the hardest things to do on this list. I couldn’t control my emotions, so I had to start turning off the noise. 3. There is a massive difference between adoption and exploration. You don’t have to adopt these tools in your workflow today, so slow down, explore, find what works and doesn’t work. Again, you don’t have to adopt anything yet. Make an account. Try it out. Treat it like a tool to do new and interesting work instead of a harbinger of destruction. 4. An important consideration is that identity is at the core of how we respond. What we do is often central to who we are. If we feel our livelihoods are threatened, then we are going to respond accordingly. This isn’t just with AI, this is everything from massive cultural problems and gargantuan societal issues. When we can remember who we are is more than just what we do, we can slow down our fear. We are entering a period of time where the deconstruction and reconstruction of our personal and professional lives is happening faster than ever before. The mid-life crisis is more than that today. We are reinventing yearly, quarterly, sometimes monthly. So, ground your identity in the timeless foundations of life, so that you can weather any storm. 5. Get out of your head and volunteer somewhere. Over the weekend, I went to the Oregon City Farmers Market to film some video for the second episode of Getting Work To Work: The Series! In the booth next to the booth I was filming in, I noticed that the banner said, “Proudly made in Washington.” I struck up a conversation, learned about the farmer, she connected me with another farmer. And before I knew it, I had met several people, heard their stories, had fun conversations, and wasn’t thinking about myself. I need to be around people. It helps with curiosity and to remind myself there’s more to life and business than just this one issue. 6. Get outside, away from tech, and have a long conversation with a friend. What’s the longest conversation you’ve had recently with a friend? Three-plus hours on a beautiful Northwest day. We were able to talk a lot about what we were wrestling with, a lot of what I’ve shared in this episode. But environment can change everything, even if the topic is the same. I was able to think about AI without being triggered by it. At one point a giant barge went by on the river. I started laughing, and said to my friend, “How can you not smile when a barge has a giant smiley face on it?” It’s hard to be triggered when a barge goes by on the river with a giant smiley face. Change your environment, change your response. 7. Develop a hope-centric view of the world. In The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times by Jane Goodall and Douglas Abrams with Gail Hudson, a definition of hope is pursued in the conversation between Goodall and Abrams: “‘Hope,’ Jane said, ‘is what enables us to keep going in the face of adversity. It is what we desire to happen, but we must be prepared to work hard to make it so.’ Jane grinned. ‘Like hoping this will be a good book. But it won’t be if we don’t bloody work at it.'” She continues refining this idea further: “‘Actually, it’s a survival trait,” she finally concluded. “That’s what it is. [Hope] is a human survival trait and without it we perish.”
How ChatGPT responded to: “What are seven ways to answer the question ‘what are you going to do about artificial intelligence?’ in the style of the Getting Work To Work podcast.”Note: This is the initial prompt without asking any additional questions to shape the content. It is a direct copy-paste from OpenAI’s chat window.
- Connect with experts: One way to get started is to connect with experts who are already working in the field of AI. Attend conferences, seminars, and meetups to learn more about the latest developments and connect with thought leaders.
- Learn about the ethical implications: AI has the potential to transform our world in countless ways, but it’s important to consider the ethical implications of these changes. Take the time to learn about issues like bias, privacy, and accountability in AI, and think about how you can contribute to the conversation.
- Experiment and innovate: AI is a rapidly evolving field, and there are countless opportunities to experiment and innovate. If you’re a developer, consider building a new AI application or tool. If you’re a designer, think about how AI could be used to enhance user experiences. The possibilities are endless!
- Advocate for transparency: As AI becomes more prevalent in our lives, it’s important to advocate for transparency in the way it’s used. Encourage organizations to be upfront about how they’re using AI, and push for greater visibility into algorithms and decision-making processes.
- Collaborate with others: AI is a complex and interdisciplinary field, and it’s unlikely that any one person can solve all of its challenges alone. Look for opportunities to collaborate with others who have different skills and perspectives, and work together to drive progress.
- Learn from failure: AI is a field where failure is common, and it’s important to embrace the learning opportunities that come with setbacks. When things don’t go as planned, take the time to reflect on what went wrong and how you can improve.
- Keep an open mind: Finally, it’s important to keep an open mind about the potential of AI. While there are certainly risks and challenges associated with the technology, there are also countless opportunities for positive impact. By approaching AI with an open mind and a willingness to learn, you can help shape its future in a positive way.
Show Links Luddite on Wikipedia * “Entering a New World of Art” with Heather Crank (GWTW663) * Technology adoption life cycle on Wikipedia * The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times* by Jane Goodall and Douglas Abrams with Gail Hudson * GPT-4 at OpenAI * Photo by Lukasz Szmigiel on Unsplash
How do you define success for your life and work? What does truth wealth mean to you? Rocco Carriero is today’s guest on Getting Work To Work and he answers these questions based upon his experience as a wealth management advisor and author. Central to our conversation is his book, Three Cords Approach: To Life and Wealth Management for Business Owners, and the core strands: your business, important relationships, and your own well-being. Rocco shares his journey of learning to listen and help people, what he learned from his father who was a tailor, how to build trust, and why pre-scheduling is crucial for making sure the three cords work together. If you are a business owner and struggling with balance, then this episode is for you.
Show Links Rocco Carriero * Three Cords Approach: To Life and Wealth Management for Business Owners by Rocco A. Carriero * Double Double: How to Double Your Revenue and Profit in 3 Years or Less* by Cameron Herold * Photo by Razvan Chisu on Unsplash
Over the past ten years, I’ve read and heard a lot about the value of knowing your strengths. From understanding how they show up in your life and work to ensuring that you are operating from a position of power if you want to be at your best, it’s better to build upon a foundation of strength, not weakness. But recently, I read a quote from Bono’s book, Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story that got me thinking differently about strengths. Could it be possible that what was once a strength would become a weakness? What if, at some point in our lives, weaknesses become strengths? That is the premise that I’ll be exploring in today’s episode of Getting Work To Work.
From Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story by Bono:“Carl Jung observed that the very things that made you successful in the first half of your life not only no longer work for you in the second half; they positively work against you. The Franciscan friar Richard Rohr put it to me like this: ‘It’s our strengths rather than our weaknesses that often hold us back'” (p. 542).
Five ways to prepare for the moment when strengths shift:1. Take an assessment. 2. Journal and explore who you are in conversation with others. 3. Surround yourself with people who will be honest with you. 4. Know when it’s time to let your strength go. 5. Don’t feel guilty if your weaknesses become more interesting than your strengths.
Show Links The 34 CliftonStrengths Themes Explain Your Talent DNA * Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story* by Bono * Photo by yns plt on Unsplash
What keeps you from showing up on social media? The amount of work it takes? The fear of people not liking you? Kris Bryant is a social media and brand strategist who shares her passion for being yourself and connecting with your audience. In this conversation, Kris shares her entrepreneurial journey and how she learned to show up for herself online. We also talk about marketing lessons and tools, tailoring your message for a specific audience while being yourself, the value of audience research, and how people go from followers to buyers. Kris also gives a few tips on reaping the positive rewards of social media while keeping your distance, especially useful for people like myself who struggle with the negative aspects of social media.
Show Links Crush It With Kris * Crush It With Kris on Instagram * Crush It With Kris on YouTube * Repurpose.io * PLANOLY * BuzzSumo * AnswerThePublic * Meta Business Suite * Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen by Donald Miller * We Should All Be Millionaires: A Woman’s Guide to Earning More, Building Wealth, and Gaining Economic Power* by Rachel Rodgers * Photo by Szabo Viktor on Unsplash
My favorite types of questions are what I call launching questions. They are not only open-ended, as the best questions tend to be, but also so ripe with potential, meaning, and direction that I could generate an entire hour of conversation from a single question. Before recording an upcoming interview with Peleg Top, a mentor, and an artist, he asked me about one of my favorite launching questions: What’s filling your curiosity tank? He wanted to know more about the foundation of the question and what I was hoping to learn from it. As I examined my intentions, I was able to recognize my assumptions and understand more about what I want to ignite in others. Not to mention, Peleg’s answer in the interview found its way into today’s monologue.
Show Links* Peleg Top * Photo by Sid Leigh on Unsplash
I’ve talked a lot about my journey on the podcast, especially where I find myself today: in the middle. I’m not anywhere near the beginning, nowhere near the end. Some days I can see to the very end. On other days, I can’t see anything at all. In these dark days, creativity provides an escape, a respite from the vicious storyteller in my mind as long as I let creativity do its job. It’s easy to get stuck, make excuses, and lie down to let the day pass to the next. Hoping things will change without action, petitioning the silence within for a change. But the best course of action is to move, even the slightest bit, to gain a new perspective and find a different story to tell.
Seven guideposts from Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story by Bono that I’ll be using for my own journey:1. Uniqueness is a given, even if what you do is the same. 2. Sometimes you have to tear down success in order to build what’s next. 3. Arrogance and courage go hand in hand in the creative process. 4. Don’t assume you’ll keep making the same mistakes. 5. Make your own rules. 6. Then break them. 7. Get out of the office when creativity has you stuck.
Show Links Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story* by Bono * Photo by Hunter So on Unsplash
As children, no one teaches us to dream. We see the stars and put on our helmets, for we are already flying amongst the galaxy. We hear the songs and sing along, for the melodies and words are already in our imagination. We see the animals and run alongside them, for we are one. No one needs to tell us why or how; we just do. Then we become self-aware. The dreams will make us outcasts, so we conform. Thus, beginning the journey of our lives from knowing who we are to becoming who we are. Fortunately, there are people along the way to teach us to dream. If we only pay attention.
Six stages of dreaming from our earliest days to our final moments:1. To do 2. To be 3. To buy 4. To become 5. To belong 6. To do
Show Links* Photo by Jr Korpa on Unsplash
In the last monologue, I shared how much I need to unplug. This morning, Austin Kleon wrote about a “Slow Learning” project conducted by two European organizations. Curiosity piqued, I downloaded the collaborative book that includes a Bill of Rights, reflections from 19 authors and artists about what slow learning means to them, and experiments for incorporating slow learning into your life. In today’s episode of Getting Work To Work, I’m exploring this idea of slow learning by sharing a few quotes from the project and how I’m incorporating slower learning in my life and work.
Five questions to ask yourself as you seek slower learning in your life and work:1. What forces are causing me to speed up in my learning journey? 2. How do I feel when I am learning fast and when lessons are slower than I desire? 3. How does my speed of learning and understanding contribute to feeling like an imposter? 4. Would I be willing to change my work 50 years later? 5. How do the people around me influence the speed at which I learn?
How I’m incorporating slower learning in my work:1. Spend more time in reflection. 2. Remove artificial deadlines. 3. Make more time for practice. 4. Acknowledge where I may be biased, so I can truly listen to what others are saying, question, explore, and unlearn. 5. Allow the connection between slow learning and the life I desire to be developed and maintained over time.
Show Links Slow learning by Austin Kleon * ITCILO Slow Learning Project * Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming, with Dave Letterman* * Photo by David Troeger on Unsplash
“Have you been spending too much time on social media?” I hated that I was asked that question for two reasons. First, the answer was yes, so I didn’t want to admit it. And second, I wasn’t ready to make different decisions on the other side of that question. But the question was actually more profound and complex than just social media. It was everything: news, social media, email. It seemed that no matter what I did, I was triggering my cynicism and hopelessness. The robots were coming for my creativity. I was both good enough and not good enough. Pity, despair, it was all there. And I hated every minute of it. It’s time for me to unplug, and in this episode of Getting Work To Work, I’m sharing five ways to escape from the “always on” culture.
Five ways to unplug from the “always on” culture and plug into healthier life choices:1. Ask myself, “What would gough do?” 2. Pick up a book when tempted to check email or jump on social media. 3. Connect with friends in real life. 4. Get outside. 5. Make both your life and work so compelling that you don’t need to be on social media to numb out on half-lived dreams.
Show Links Beernuts Productions * Metallica: The Black Album in Black & White by Ross Halfin * The Creative Act: A Way of Being* by Rick Rubin with Neil Strauss * Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about retirement? For me, it’s whether I can retire or not. I’m not sure why I’ve been thinking about it more, but the proverbial clock sure is ticking loudly. But after a call last week with Tom Morin, I’m starting to think about retirement differently. Why? Because I can and I must. There’s more to it than money, and if I start planning now, I’ll be ready for the shift of priorities that will be sure to come in my 50s, 60s, and 70s. Wherever you are in your creative journey, I hope this episode inspires you to blaze a new trail for the future of your life and work.
Nine additional factors to consider with the future of your work:1. Goals 2. Purpose 3. Technology 4. Curiosity 5. Creativity 6. Collaboration 7. Mediums 8. Stories 9. Health
Show Links Your Best Work: Create the Working Life That’s Right for You* by Tom Morin * “Your Best Work” with Tom Morin (GWTW419) * Disrupt Retirement * Photo by Tiffany Nutt on Unsplash
If there is one word that seems to trigger me daily, it’s relevance. Not only must I be relevant as a creator, but my work must also be. I didn’t really know why until I wrote this episode. But if you want a quick hint, I think it’s because, as a technologically-driven culture, we treat relevance like a constant variable that never changes when, in fact, it never stops changing. This confusion causes us to reset and reinvent ourselves every single day, sometimes multiple times a day. Instead of stopping and reevaluating our behavior, we say, “That’s just the way things are if you want to stay top of mind.” No wonder we get exhausted. If only we could do something differently.
Five ways to bring resonance to who you are as a creator and the work you do:1. Learn to listen within yourself and the environment around you. 2. Develop your creative process based upon what matters to you and the life you want to live. 3. Remember that relevance is temporary and mastery is long-lasting. 4. You are going to be uncomfortable more than you want to be as you listen to new sounds and feel a broader range of emotions. 5. You don’t need social media, it needs you.
Show Links* Photo by Matt Collamer on Unsplash
I love doing great work, but more than that, I love having a creative process that grows as I do. But lately, I’ve been doing some soul-searching and reflecting on the other side of burnout. What was the cause? Was it the constant need for perceived perfection? Was it the never-ending comparison to other professionals? I think it was the lack of experimentation. In this episode of Getting Work To Work, I’m exploring three areas of creativity: the lab, process, and recipe. And why returning to the lab is just as important as having an excellent product.
The Lab* How often do you ask what if questions and then try to answer them with action? * What is your laboratory? Is it your garage, a spare bedroom, the kitchen? Designate a space that you can enter for 15 minutes or hours at a time.
The Process* How would you describe your creative process? * How does your creative process allow you to bust through internal and external barriers? * What do you love most about your creative process? * What do you wish you could change?
The Recipe* What are the creative artifacts you make for other people?
The Return to Experimentation* When you think about returning to experimentation, does it strike fear in your perfection-seeking creative heart, or are you ready for a new chapter in your journey?
Show Links Dessert Can Save the World: Stories, Secrets, and Recipes for a Stubbornly Joyful Existence* by Christina Tosi * Photo by Chris Ralston on Unsplash
How would you describe your creative vision when you look at your body of work? Is it present throughout, or can you see something missing? Earlier in my career, my creative vision was strong. I chased after my ideas. I created the work I wanted to see in the world. Eventually, I got tired and didn’t allow myself to rest. I chased distractions down rabbit trails, started over too many times, and allowed lies and stories to hold me back. I still got my work out into the world, but my vision was a fraction of what it once was. In today’s episode of Getting Work To Work, I’m talking about creative vision and how I am building it back up for a better future.
What creative vision will I be fighting for in my 80s?
How you lose the fight for your creative vision:1. Taking on too many projects that lack balance 2. Surrounding yourself with the wrong people 3. Being an order-taker instead of a vision-caster 4. Confusing slow and fast creative projects
Show Links* Time Bandits (1981) * Lost in La Mancha (2002) * The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (2018) * He Dreams of Giants (2019) * Ashwin Chacko * Photo by NASA on Unsplash
How would you describe your intention when you think about the most significant issues we are facing as a society? Do you give yourself the space and silence to be curious, or are you rushing to an answer so that you can be first and right? In today’s conversation with Christopher Butler, we explore not only the topics of artificial intelligence, ethics, and technology but how we can better set the stage for our lives in a world constantly plugged into the Internet. I found this conversation with Chris insightful in numerous ways, from having a deeper understanding of breathing and silence to the role curiosity can play as I think about my position in the bigger picture.
Previously on Getting Work To Work:* Interview with Christopher Butler (GWTW82) * “Limitations, Forgiveness & Value” with Christopher Butler (GWTW169) * “Few Things Are That Shallow” with Christopher Butler (GWTW505)
Show Links Christopher Butler * Golden: The Power of Silence in a World of Noise by Justin Zorn & Leigh Marz * Kid A by Radiohead on Spotify * The Puzzle by Devin Townsend on Spotify * Paracelsus * From Of the Nature of Things and Paracelsus His Aurora * Chokepoint Capitalism: How Big Tech and Big Content Captured Creative Labor Markets and How We’ll Win Them Back* by Rebecca Giblin and Cory Doctorow * The Turing Test * ChatGPT * Midjourney * Pluralistic: Tiktok’s enshittification * Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood
Some of my favorite people to talk with on Getting Work To Work have transformed an obsession with a subject or idea into a creative project. Today’s guest, Mike Schiff, took his fascination with filmmaking, horror, and heavy metal and created a documentary film, The History of Metal and Horror. In this conversation, he tells stories of getting hooked on horror listening to film scores and soundtracks, watching Universal monster movies, and learning how to create practical effects. From there, Mike shares how he got into filmmaking, when the idea for a documentary on metal and horror came to him, how he kept the project alive year after year, and the art of interviewing celebrities.
Show Links The History of Metal and Horror* * Flyland Designs * Dick Smith * Tom Savini * Doug Bradley * Michael Berryman * Photo by Tobias Rademacher on Unsplash
When you are curious, how do you chase new ideas? In today’s conversation, Pat Cheung shares how he uses the concept of side quests to bring cohesiveness to his pursuits as a tinkerer, designer, startup founder, author, and podcaster. It’s important to note that Pat really loves podcasts. Not only is his own podcast about podcasts—Podcast Growth Hacks—but his company, PodInbox, serves the needs of podcasters. In our conversation, we dive into many topics in and around the world of podcasts, including why he started listening to them, what led him to create his own, the psychology of fans supporting creative projects, and PodConf, the upcoming podcasting conference in Portland, OR.
Show Links Pat Cheung * Podcast Growth Hacks * PodInbox * PodConf on April 29, 2023 * This Week in Tech * My First Million * Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike* by Phil Knight * Photo by Tara Scahill on Unsplash
I often get asked how I keep coming up with ideas for Getting Work To Work. I usually talk about the continual search as I read books, watch films, and listen to music. But what I don’t talk about enough are the occasional moments when nothing is there. Today is one of those moments; every idea that pops up gets vetoed by some vicious part of my brain. But the one idea that got through was what I needed: “Remember that one episode you wrote last year and never recorded?” Originally written in August of 2022 and inspired by a show on Disney+ about Industrial Light & Magic, today’s episode is what I needed to hear.
- Live to create
- Live to disrupt
- Live to know what’s next
- Live to serve
Show Links* Light & Magic (2022) * Photo by Linus Mimietz on Unsplash
How do you respond to new technology? Are you open, curious, and neutral, or hesitant, fearful, and convinced that life as we know it is over? Heather Crank is a motion designer and visual artist exploring the world of AI-generated art with daily morning meditations created in Midjourney. In our conversation, she shares her positive take on the potential for AI tools in creative work and the broader world. Heather also explores a few areas of concern, from ethics and copyrights to the responsibility to ensure AI truly reflects all of humanity. We also touch on how she overcame imposter syndrome, her love for Joseph Campbell and the Hero’s Journey, and the importance of being gentle with yourself.
Show Links Crahmánti * Heather Crank on Instagram * “Champion for a Creative World” with Heather Crank (GWTW365) * Midjourney * ChatGPT * Pug Memes on Instagram * Cosmo the Wonder Pug on Instagram * Tanya Marcuse * Mary Lynn Buchanan * Walking through art galleries around the world* * Phillip Clayton * Zoe Scaman on Twitter * Bodacious.be * Jessica Walsh on TikTok * Stefan Bucher on TikTok * William Kentridge * Crafting Pinocchio by Guillermo del Toro * Wartime Coffee
If there’s one thing I wish I had known earlier in my career, it’s that the best way to transform ideas into finished projects is to attach them to the right people and never stop pitching ideas. Even if they aren’t ready, especially if they aren’t. There is a lot of fear about sending off half-baked or raw ideas, but something magical happens as you type up the idea and hit send. Even if the project has zero chance of happening, you’ve gotten over the first step of creation: wondering who the audience is and whether they’ll “get it.” In today’s episode of Getting Work To Work, I’m unpacking the art of the pitch, or at least how I do it.
Six tips about the pitch that will increase the chances of your ideas seeing the light of day:1. You don’t need to know every detail about your idea in order to pitch it to the person you want to work with. 2. Know who you are pitching to and why them. 3. If you haven’t done something like the idea, find the right person to pitch it to. Some people will see the merit of an idea and trust you. Others will want proof that you can not only do something like it, but will see it through. 4. Don’t expect free work. Ask for budgets, communicate financial timelines, and follow through with payments. You can get creative with how you pay, but make sure you share that with your collaborators. 5. Don’t fret if the pitch goes nowhere. Everyone works at a different tempo. Be patient and allow the idea to take root in your mind. As this happens, you might see a new person to attach the idea to or discover additional ideas to share with the original person. 6. It doesn’t matter if the answer is yes or no, the work is learning to ask and removing the preciousness of what was once yours.
Show Links* Photo by FLY:D on Unsplash
When you think about change, what comes to your mind first? Fear and frustration or hope and positive action? Today’s guest on Getting Work To Work works in the world of change, practical ways to go from being stuck to making the necessary changes in your life and work. Cyriel Kortleven, also known as the Simplifier, is a global speaker on The Change Mindset. In our conversation, he shares his passion for changing people’s hearts and minds and how change works in organizations. He introduces the three pillars of The Change Mindset—Yes And Act—and idea killers, which keep us from making change happen. One thing you’ll notice about Cyriel is the way he infuses creativity into everything he does. It’s certainly infectious.
Show Links Cyriel Kortleven * Idea Killers * Nearling * Boost Your Change Mindset * The Change Mindset Bookazine * No to Yes Change Mindset Video * “Failure Rules” with Andrew Thorp King (GWTW649) * Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear * Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard by Chip Heath & Dan Heath * Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip Heath & Dan Heath * Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything* by BJ Fogg, PhD * Photo by Daniele Levis Pelusi on Unsplash
When you think about your creative career, what memories fill you with joy and pride when you recall them? Building upon the concept of joy trails from Christina Tosi’s excellent book about dessert, I’m reflecting upon a few moments in my career that fill me with joy. I believe it’s important to remember, but we must also share memories and reflections with others. Not to be boastful or arrogant but to be a witness to hope, joy, and possibilities. After all, there is enough depressing news out there, so why not celebrate the good times with friends?
Seven creative joy trails that I want to share:1. 2008: Traveling to The Gambia, Africa to film a short documentary (Constructing the Future) for two weeks. 2. 2010: Launching my first video series, Innovators of Vancouver. 3. 2012: The first college course I ever taught about Flash and ActionScript. 4. 2014: Receiving the Exceptional Faculty Award from Clark College. 5. 2016: The start of Getting Work To Work. 6. 2023: Expanding Getting Work To Work to include a documentary series and newsletter. 7. 2023: Finding peace in my creative path.
Show Links Chris Martin Studios * Innovators of Vancouver * Constructing the Future * Milk Bar * Dessert Can Save the World: Stories, Secrets, and Recipes for a Stubbornly Joyful Existence* by Christina Tosi * Photo by Slashio Photography on Unsplash
Are you a creative entrepreneur struggling to find your way forward and ready to give up? Do you dream of becoming an artist, but you’re afraid of what people will say? If so, this conversation is for you. Miriam Schulman is an artist, teacher, podcaster, business coach, and author of Artpreneur: The Step-By-Step Guide to Making a Sustainable Living From Your Creativity. In our conversation, we explore many of the principles in her book, from choosing to believe you are an artist to selling happy endings. She also shares the five Ps of running a successful creative business, leading from your values, embracing your inner weirdo, why polarization is essential, and how myths and beliefs of creativity can guide us throughout our lives.
Show Links The Inspiration Place * Artpreneur: The Step-By-Step Guide to Making a Sustainable Living From Your Creativity by Miriam Schulman * Download the first chapter of Artpreneur * Julia Cameron * Marie Forleo * Ryan Deiss * Status and Culture: How Our Desire for Social Rank Creates Taste, Identity, Art, Fashion, and Constant Change* by W. David Marx * Photo by Anna Kolosyuk on Unsplash
What do you love more than anything in the world? Do you share that love with everyone you know or worry that you’ll be judged and not taken seriously? If you’ve been at your craft for longer than a day, you’ve bumped up against the wall of expectations. You want your audience, family, and even the world to perceive you in the best light possible, so you censor yourself. Then one day, you wake up hating that there is so much inside that you want to say but don’t know how to, so you stay stuck in the debilitating loop of people-pleasing. In today’s episode of Getting Work To Work, I want to encourage you to love what you love, share it with the world, and never stop being the delightful weirdo you are.
Five things I’m loving right now (that I don’t talk enough about):1. Metal and horror! 2. James Patterson thriller novels! 3. Documentary films! 4. Cartoons and animated films! 5. Learning to relax!
Show Links* Kiggins Theatre * Dr. Pimple Popper * James Victore * Miriam Schulman * The History of Metal and Horror * Kanopy * Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio * James Patterson * Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound * Photo by Pylz Works on Unsplash
Today, I’ve got creative R&D on my mind. At first, I thought I’d be clever and change the R&D from “Research & Development” to “Routine & Discipline.” I was going to talk about the importance of a daily routine and why discipline is both needed for maintaining performance and a byproduct of what you do. But as I gathered my thoughts, I realized research and development are equally important in our creative lives. In today’s episode of Getting Work To Work, I’m talking about why we need to broaden our boundaries of research, slow down and spend more time experimenting and exploring sub-sections of our crafts, and align those efforts with our established creative processes.
Three areas of R&D that will bring new life to your ideas and creative projects:1. Broaden your boundaries of research. 2. Slow down and spend more time experimenting and exploring sub-sections of your craft. 3. Align your R&D efforts with your established creative processes.
Show Links* Photo by Janko Ferlič on Unsplash
We are storytellers—every one of us. From the day we enter the world to the day we die, we live in a world shaped infinitely by stories within and around us. We learn at a young age about good versus evil, heroes and monsters, beauty and beasts. When we are young, we are curious about everything and want to tell the world the stories that shape us. We go on quests, gain inspiration and experience, and realize there is so much we don’t know or understand. Our stories evolve. We repeatedly try until we become tired of fighting, of telling a story that no longer serves ourselves and others. So we cede the power to be storytellers to machines and industries and become collectors of stories. But that doesn’t need to be the end of the story.
Six ways to embrace the title of storyteller:1. Recognize that you tell stories to yourself and others daily. 2. Seek to become a better storyteller through conversation and listening. 3. Search for stories beyond your understanding and beliefs. 4. Slow down and dig deeper by questioning what is on the surface. 5. Don’t look for characters to populate your story, build relationships to better understand the world. 6. Find stories by exploring the real world.
Show Links* Vengeance (2022) * Photo by Pickled Stardust on Unsplash
How much pain and suffering would we avoid in our work and creative lives if we intentionally skipped to the end? If we took our present striving and extrapolated it into some point in the future and examined how we felt, how we lived, and what we became? We aren’t pre-cogs in a science fiction film trying to prevent the future, but we are trying to find ways to be more proactive in creating a life worth living. That is why we should probably skip to the end more frequently, especially as we get older and see the end more clearly.
“Skip to the End” Creative Exercise:1. Pick a time period in the future: one year, five years, 20 years. 2. What does a typical day look like in this imagined future? 3. What work are you doing in this imagined future? 4. How does your work fit into your life? 5. Don’t worry about things like money, accolades, awards; instead, focus on the feelings. How do you feel in this imagined life? 6. Now bring those feelings back into the present day. Analyze them. If they are truly what you desire, then find a way to bring them into your day, today, tomorrow, next week. You can control your feelings more than anything else in this world. So why not start today.
Show Links Getting Work To Work: The Series!* * Photo by Mick Haupt on Unsplash
There often comes a moment in our careers when we need to wrestle with some tough questions. You know the type: existential, philosophical, realistic. Cue your eye-rolling, hit stop, these questions are downright frustrating. Not just because we do not like asking them, or even answering them, but because they lead us to a new future that requires decisive action, change, and breaking down the walls of our comfort zone. As I was writing in my morning pages, I kept writing down question after question, wanting to find the tough questions I have been avoiding. I’m going to share what I came up with and encourage you to use them to find your own tough questions too.
Eight tough questions to ask yourself and find a way forward to build your future:1. What haven’t I said in the life of this project? 2. What matters most to you? 3. What are you doing to get what you want, to be who you are, to let go of the distractions and live your purpose? (Inspired by Bob Goff) 4. Am I paying attention? 5. Why is it so easy to let myself down in service of others? 6. Is it inauthentic when you let your dreams die while building the dreams of others? 7. What is my limit before I must decide between ignoring and pursuing my calling? 8. What are the tough questions you are avoiding?
Show Links Morning Pages by Julia Cameron * Undistracted: Capture Your Purpose. Rediscover Your Joy. by Bob Goff * The Shawshank Redemption (1994) * Getting Work To Work: The Series! * Interview with Jack Kent (GWTW102) * “Squawk & Roll” with Jack Kent (GWTW173)* * Photo by Click PhotographyStudio on Unsplash
I love those moments when you give up on something, and in explaining why you gave up, you come up with the spark of an idea, allowing the creative process to begin. I had given up on a second monologue this week. I wanted to focus on preparing for the first film shoot of Getting Work To Work: The Series! and writing a newsletter about creative relationships. I started writing the first sentence explaining why there was only one monologue when the idea struck: How do you re-animate dead dreams? I am a collector of dead dreams and don’t think I’m alone. Some have been gone a long time, and I don’t see them returning from the dead (rockstar, anyone?). But what about the dreams that merely need a bolt of lightning to live again?
Three Shocks for Re-Animating Your Dead Dreams:Re-Animator Shock No. 1: Imagine the dream coming to life, not the failed attempts that sent it to its grave.
Re-Animator Shock No. 2: Throw away the list of dead dreams; let your heart, mind, and spirit surface what is calling from beyond the grave.
Re-Animator Shock No. 3: Your legacy only lives on in the minds of others, not in the safety and comfort of yours, so get busy bringing these dreams to life.
Show Links* Photo by Dan Meyers on Unsplash
It’s the middle of the night, and you’re lying in bed when suddenly, bam! There it is, fresh in your find, in its finished form. There’s nothing more exciting than the promise of a new creative idea. You imagine the response. People love it. Likes, subscribes, shares. Then something happens—at least for me—fear shows up. Sure, fear is in costume, but it’s there, whispering lies and half-truths, saying anything to stop this creative project from seeing the light of day. In today’s episode of Getting Work To Work, I’m sharing five lies fear has told me and the truths to counter them.
Five lies fear is telling me and the truths to counter them:Lie #1: “No one cares about this project.”
COUNTER: Before an audience can find my work, it is enough that I care about this project. It is not selfish to care about your project. Sometimes that’s all that keeps a project alive. The goal is to surround yourself with people who will say “let’s do it” as opposed to “you should do it” or even “should you do it?”
Lie #2: “Stay in your lane.”
COUNTER: If you identify “stay in your lane” as a lie, then the counter is simple: “there is no lane.” And that scares fear more than anything else. Fear is about control and there is nothing more controlling than classification, structure, and definition. Allowing yourself to discover the creative possibilities without knowing what they are is freeing. Structure will come. A new lane might be found. But not at the beginning of a project.
Lie #3: “There are bigger problems in this world to focus on than this.”
COUNTER: It’s okay to pick the things you care about and forget the rest. It’s not that I don’t care about the systems profiting from creative labor, I just feel like I lack any means of change. It is through my work and telling the stories I care about, that change can come.
Lie #4: “This has been done before.”
Even the lie lacks originality and yet it stops most of us in our tracks. Perhaps that is why AI is so attractive to creatives, because the computer finds what hasn’t been done before, and we don’t have to reconcile our feelings as it relates to originality.
COUNTER: There is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes). Novelty is rare. What is new to me is enough. Originality is can be found through the creative process.
Lie #5: “There’s no room for imperfection.”
COUNTER: Perfection is unattainable and a distraction in every stage of the creative process. Move the weight from the outcome of the process to the process itself. Let the iterative process grow and evolve. It’s not about perfection but evolution. Comparison is a distraction.
Show Links Chokepoint Capitalism: How Big Tech and Big Content Captured Creative Labor Markets and How We’ll Win Them Back* by Rebecca Giblin and Cory Doctorow * Photo by FLY:D on Unsplash
I have no idea how creativity works, but I’m glad it does. This morning, I got triggered by the onslaught of daily challenges on Instagram. The grumpy contrarian in me was ready to do a complete takedown rant on how challenges are a waste of time: “Creativity is not just exercise! It’s nutrition! It’s fitness! It’s everything!” Drink your coffee and calm down. But as I explored these thoughts further, I started thinking about the different parts of my creative self and how they work together and against each other to get my work to work. Deep within the interaction of these different parts of ourselves lies the paradox at the core of creativity, the magic, the fun. Let’s enter it, shall we?
The Parts of My Paradoxical Self1. Grumpy Contrarian 2. Curious Explorer 3. Hopeful Encourager 4. Daydream Believer 5. Iterative Ideator
GRUMPY CONTRARIAN: This is the part of me that reacts and responds to inputs that annoy or frustrate me. It could be a tweet, book, film, song, but generally, it’s a sentence or even a meme. It’s short, and usually leads to some form of rant. The grumpy contrarian has been more dominant recently, as I have not been as focused on producing my own creative works. Interestingly enough, grumpy contrarian is a primary motivator for my own work, not my clients. There is a sense of hopelessness in the root of my emotional state when grumpy contrarian is out to play.
CURIOUS EXPLORER: This part of me loves to explore and wander all the nouns. I’ll wander the entire bookstore or library, waiting for the call of a new book. It’s new ideas, pursuits, projects. It is everything, and again, it is self-focused. But this one does tend to show up in my business more than grumpy contrarian. When curiosity drives the car, I’m more interactive, inquisitive, searching for the story. There is a sense of play and hopefulness in the root of my emotional state.
HOPEFUL ENCOURAGER: First, let me say, I lack self-compassion and firmly judge myself viciously. It’s something I’m working on daily. When it comes to everyone else though, I’m a hopeful encourager. I believe that we all have the capacity to fulfill our creative dreams. We have at our disposal everything we need, from equipment and collaborators to networks and platforms. Everything is possible, it’s just finding the way forward, which is also possible. At the root of my outward emotional state, it’s pretty obvious what it is: HOPE, possibilities, momentum, encouragement. Inwardly however, I do feel a sense of sorrow, “why can’t you believe this for yourself?”
DAYDREAM BELIEVER: I love to daydream and begin to explore new ideas in my mind. As I walk the dog in backyard waiting for him to do his business, I take a single idea and explore it. There is an excitement that builds in that moment, but it is usually transitory and temporary. Sometimes it’s enough to encourage actual work to commence, but other times, it’s just a moment, lost in the sea of many others. Emotionally, there is an excitement present, but generally, it’s more exploring the potential of an idea.
ITERATIVE IDEATOR: I love this part of my creative self and it is most evident in this show. The iterative ideator is about discovering a creative process that takes inputs and transforms them into outputs. Over and over again. There is so many learning opportunities that occur in the production of this weekly show. More than if I was doing something else. All emotions are present in this self. They could be boredom, excitement, dread. It all depends.
As you describe the different parts of yourself, take them time to also define what they mean and the emotions involved. It was surprisingly insightful for me.
Show Links* Sound of Metal (2019) * Photo by Marcos Paulo Prado on Unsplash
How many of you hit the reset button of your life on January 1st, 2023? This year is probably the first time I decided against resolutions and wishing for a different life. Not because I’m giving up or social media said I needed to, but because I have work to do—on myself, for my clients, and to bring the creative vision deep within me to life. I have always loved hitting the reset button, it is how I learned to play the guitar, after all, but this year is different. Instead of resetting to serve some idealized version of myself, I’m rummaging around on the floor amongst the broken pieces of life to see what’s there. In today’s episode of Getting Work To Work, I’m going to share five interesting pieces of the puzzle that each form their own intriguing vision of the future.
Five interesting pieces of a puzzle that each form their own intriguing vision of the future:1. Social media is not a true representation of reality. 2. The platform will always consume the craft. 3. AI is just another tool. 4. Less communication, more expression. 5. Embrace reverse scale; serve the person in front of you.
Show Links ‘Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds’. The story of Oppenheimer’s infamous quote by James Temperton * Meaningful Work: A Quest to Do Great Business, Find Your Calling, and Feed Your Soul by Shawn Askinosie with Lawren Askinosie * Walk Through Walls: A Memoir* by Marina Abramovic * MoMA – Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present * Photo by DeepMind on Unsplash
How would you define your relationship with failure? Regardless of your answer, you’re going to learn a thing or two from today’s guest about failure and how to look at it in a new light so you can go from failure sucks to failure rules! Andrew Thorp King is an executive fintech banker, spy novelist, speaker, punk rocker, podcaster, ex-bodybuilder, cigar lover, serial entrepreneur, serial failure, and author of FAILURE RULES! The 5 Rules of Failure for Entrepreneurs, Creatives, and Authentics. In this conversation, he shares many stories that form the foundation of his five rules of failure. He also touches on a wide range of topics covering the world of punk rock, spirituality, building a portfolio of pursuits, and wielding chaos as an idea engine.
Show Links Andrew Thorp King * Andrew’s Soundtrack * SOUL ON FIRE Supply Co. * FAILURE RULES! The 5 Rules of Failure for Entrepreneurs, Creatives, and Authentics by Andrew Thorp King * Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama: A Memoir by Bob Odenkirk * James Altucher * Steven Pressfield * Slow Horses (2022–) * Bloodclot – Souls * The Psychology of Money: Timeless lessons on wealth, greed, and happiness by Morgan Housel * Discipline Is Destiny: The Power of Self-Control* by Ryan Holiday * Photo by Jakob Søby on Unsplash
It’s the end of the year, and as we head into a new year with unforeseen possibilities, it’s time to examine our creative processes. How do we produce our work? Is it serving us? Chances are there are portions of our approach, being, vision, and expression that can be challenged, shaped, and refined. The best way to do that is through the lens of memoirs by two drastically different yet similar artists. Combining lessons from the worlds of drama, improv, sketch comedy, and performance art, today’s episode of Getting Work to Work features seven creative lessons to practice in the new year.
Seven creative lessons to practice in the new year:1. Practice the core of Abramović’s work: “…endurance, concentration, perception, self-control, willpower, and confrontation with mental and physical limits.” She lists several exercises to do this, but one in particular made me think: “SLOW-MOTION EXERCISE. For the entire day, do everything very slowly: walking, drinking water, showering. Peeing in slow motion is very difficult, but try.” What exercises can you do daily that will help you connect with this core of her work? 2. Another exercise from Abramović: Sit at a table every day and write down ideas for several hours. Keep the ones you like and throw the ideas you hate into a trashcan below the desk. The spin on this exercise is that each day, Abramović would keep the trashed ideas and in three months, those would be the ideas worth exploring. She realized that fear was causing ideas to be trashed. 3. Avoid “corporate blandification.” I absolutely love this phrase from Odenkirk because it explains so much about the state of our world with saying very little. How can you avoid corporate blandification? Take a risk, try something different, use a different color palette, get uncomfortable. 4. Another gem from Odenkirk: “make it work.” A writing process that “transformed many a half-assed notion into hard laughs.” 5. Always have another project ready to go. 6. Odenkirk: In the face of rejection, never stop making things. 7. Abramović: Don’t let fear stop you from taking a chance on a creative idea.
Show Links Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama: A Memoir by Bob Odenkirk * Walk Through Walls: A Memoir* by Marina Abramović * Photo by Pavel Neznanov on Unsplash
As creative entrepreneurs, starting new businesses and projects are integral to your work. But how do you develop something new when your past business ventures have failed? Alicja Colon is a serial creative entrepreneur stepping into her fifth business, and she is back on the show to share how she is approaching it differently this time. From understanding her strengths to being more analytical and intentional in journaling what she is doing, Alicja shares several tasks we could all improve within our own businesses. We also talk about her podcast, The Fifth Try, the need to balance short-term needs and long-term growth, how she is moving from a scarcity to an abundance mindset, and her rubric for what she says yes to do.
Previously on Getting Work To Work* Interview with Alicja Colon (GWTW58) * “Exploring the Great Unknown” with Alicja Colon (GWTW525)
Show Links Alicja Colon * The Fifth Try Podcast * Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler * What is Your Gem Personality? The Answer Can Make You a Better Writer! by Christina Gillick * The 6 Types of Working Genius * Focus Lab * The Obstacle is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph by Ryan Holiday * How to Win Friends & Influence People* by Dale Carnegie * Photo by Hamed Daram on Unsplash
If you were to write your story, where would you start? As an avid reader of biographies and memoirs, there is nothing more frustrating than starting a book about a remarkable life at the boring beginning. There may be moments at the beginning of our lives that are memorable, but what if our stories didn’t start until much later? With a cultural fascination bordering on obsession with the youth, it can be hard to stomach that some people don’t really start living their story until the twilight of their lives. Whether you are in your twenties, eighties, or beyond, your story can start today.
Show Links* Photo by Khamkéo Vilaysing on Unsplash
How do you respond when a publisher or audience rejects your creative project? How do you build your creative resilience, especially when your work is personal? These questions provide the foundation for my conversation with author Kate Nason. Her memoir, Everything is Perfect, is now available in print, and she shares the creative journey from 49 rejections to self-publishing. We also discuss the differences between audio and printed books, the role of grieving in our creative processes, and why we are more than just rational minds. Regardless of your medium, Kate’s wisdom can help you work through the struggles that every artist faces in their creative journey.
Show Links Kate Nason * Everything is Perfect: A Memoir by Kate Nason * “Looking for Wonder” with Kate Nason (GWTW585) * A Ghost in the Throat* by Doireann Ní Ghríofa
Over the past several monologues of Getting Work To Work, I’ve been sharing chapters from my forthcoming book. After each episode, I had a similar reaction: I need to get this book in front of people to get notes to improve it. But I kept dragging my feet. Why? Why is it easier to get feedback on a professional project than on a personal one? Do I lack the ability to separate myself from my work? Do I trust people to give me feedback that will allow the book to be the best it can be? In today’s monologue, I’m tackling these questions and sharing five tips for letting people into your personal project without losing your mind.
Show Links* Kate Nason * Photo by Jayy Torres on Unsplash
There is no silver bullet solution for every problem your business faces, from lead generation to revenue growth, just the fundamentals, and hard work. This statement is the foundation of my conversation with Steve Kahan, author of the new book, High-Velocity Digital Marketing: Silicon Valley Secrets to Create Breakthrough Revenue in Record Time. Throughout our conversation, he shares how talking with customers leads to creating content they need across the entire spectrum of the buyer’s journey. He also talks about what he learned about digital marketing in his 1.4 billion dollar exit and what people often get wrong. Most importantly, he makes marketing accessible and understandable, one story, one tip at a time.
Show Links Steve Kahan * High-Velocity Digital Marketing: Silicon Valley Secrets to Create Breakthrough Revenue in Record Time by Steven Mark Kahan * “Be a Startup Superstar” with Steve Kahan (GWTW368) * James Patterson by James Patterson: The Stories of My Life* by James Patterson * Photo by Mathew Schwartz on Unsplash
Before I started on the journey that is writing a book, I came up with the idea of The Curiosity Toolkit. Originally, it was going to be an online course. As the desire came and went to produce online courses as part of my business plan—I love teaching, but not in that medium—I archived the toolkit. As the structure and content of my book began to take shape, I realized the toolkit would fit nicely into the overall story structure. The Curiosity Toolkit is broken down into 14 chapters and uses our body, mind, and spirit as implements for our curiosity. I’ll read two chapters from this section in today’s episode: the introduction and soul.
Show Links Chris Martin * Dream Theater * Metropolis Part 2: Scenes from a Memory by Dream Theater * Live at the Marquee by Dream Theater * Neal Morse * The Similitude of a Dream by The Neal Morse Band * The Great Adventure by The Neal Morse Band * The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan * Dangerous Journey: The Story of Pilgrim’s Progress* by Oliver Hunkin
If there’s one thing I love about today’s guest, it’s that she knows who she is and makes zero apologies for filling the room with her awesomeness. Phyllis Williams-Strawder is the Ghetto Country Brandmother® and is a Certified Brand Strategist, business coach, and writer. In this conversation, she shares her love for business and helping people to become who they want to be. She talks about branding—what it is and is not, respecting your business, and not being embarrassed with who you are. Throughout the conversation, she shares stories and lessons learned along her journey from BBQ to branding.
Show Links Brandma’s House * Brandma’s Book Drop * Business Of One With Chris Martin in Brandma’s House* * Bend Design * Photo by Ishan @seefromthesky on Unsplash
How do you write about community when you feel like you’re living in hiding? When you don’t want to commit to another group of people because past wounds are still oozing and ugly? You accept where you are at and let the words flow. Could healing come from this moment? In today’s episode of Getting Work To Work, I’ll share a chapter about avoiding community from my forthcoming book, A Curious Journey: Learning to Co-exist in Solitude, Relationships, and Community. I’ve had my fair share of struggles with different communities over the past twenty years, but I’m not ready to be a hermit just yet.
Show Links You don’t have to be local* by Derek Sivers * BeernutsProductions.com * Metallica * Photo by Ante Hamersmit on Unsplash
What do you do when you are endlessly curious about how people get the most out of their lives and maximize their professional efficacy? You find a way to deliver context-dependent content—what you need when you need it. Mark Herschberg is an author and creator of the Brain Bump app and is back on Getting Work To Work to share about the changing world of content. Yes, an endless supply of information is available to us 24x7, but what is shifting is how we consume and retain information. In this conversation, Mark shares the stories behind Brain Bump, how it works, and the iterative process he went through making the app. He also mixes in various shareable moments on topics such as our careers and niches, laziness as a design principle, brand awareness, and the creative process.
Last week on Getting Work To Work, I shared about the book I've been writing and read from a chapter about silence. I received a positive response, which encouraged me to continue sharing. So this week, I'm moving to the next section of the book, which is about close relationships. The chapter I'll be sharing is about human evolution, the changes we go through, and our expectations of others to never change. But before I do that, I want to let anyone listening know this: your art, your words, and your lives are important, so never stop sharing them with your loved ones.
What would you discover about yourself if you reexamined a significant portion of your career? Today's guest on Getting Work To Work recently collected and edited 25 years of essays into a collection called Who Hears Here?: On Black Music, Pasts and Present. Guthrie P. Ramsey, Jr. has many talents and interests: a musiqologist, professor, writer, pianist, composer, producer, podcaster, and filmmaker. In our conversation, he shares lessons learned from examining his past and how he continually weaves between interests and ideas. Guthrie talks a lot about collaboration and being open to others, the cycle of dream-plan-execute in creating new things, and how he is in constant dialogue between what he's collected and what he's experiencing now.
On November 1st, 2021, I embarked on the journey of writing my first book. My process was simple: I wrote every day by hand in a notebook. Little by little, I captured my thoughts until I completed the first draft over a month later, on December 5th, 2021. I then started transcribing the words into Scrivener, and over the next month, the book started taking shape. Another month went by—a little bit of editing happened—but I slowed down. Then eventually, I stopped. Why was I so willing to write ferociously in the beginning? Why was I not afraid of the blank page but frightened of finishing? I got in my head. I let fear stop my progress. And I became yet another person to start a book and never finish it until a friend challenged me.
How do you embrace change, not only for yourself but also for your team and your clients? Today's guest not only thrives with change but believes it is essential for the long-term success of life and business. Patti Julber is the owner of Complements Home Interiors in Bend, OR, not to mention a designer, contractor, coach, and board member of BendFilm. In this conversation, we talk a lot about change, learning new things, and the role of failure in business. She also shares what she learns from others as a coach and the value of nurturing a creative community. If you are struggling with change, I think you'll find a way forward in this conversation with Patti.
You ever have one of those moments when you knew you made the right decision, but then the outcome didn't reveal itself when you wanted it to? Did I make the right decision? Is the presence of doubt a sign that I should make changes to my plan? Should I have stayed? When doubt takes over, managing all the questions in your mind and conversations with trusted advisors can be exhausting. Today on Getting Work To Work, I'm getting curious about doubt and its relationship to impatience, fear, and the creative process. We all feel it, sometimes change our minds because of it, and mostly view doubt as a negative experience. But what if doubt is actually a positive indicator of something else? That you are right where you need to be on your creative journey.
What amends do you need to make for your past creative sins? How can you forgive yourself for the past creative mistakes you've made? Two deep questions from my conversation with Gary Rogowski—furniture maker, podcaster, author, and teacher. In this conversation, Gary shares stories that inspire his latest podcast project, Creativity: Hustlers, Fakers, and Thieves. Additionally, we discuss the creative process from different angles: forgiveness and humility. It was an enriching conversation to have and to return to in the editing process. I hope you'll learn much from it as you continue your creative journey.
Not too many people can draw out my silly side like gough of BeernutsProductions.com can. Back for his 15th appearance on the show to promote his 27th film, gough shares several behind-the-scenes stories about his latest film Couples Therapy. From buying provocative costumes and respecting actors to on-set hilarity and shenanigans, gough, as always, brings his wisdom as an independent filmmaker to the show. He even takes a few moments to be serious as he talks about maintaining confidence as an artist, taking risks, handling criticism, and how to live a creative life.
I always love conversations where I can throw away my list of questions and listen deeply. Lydia Lee is a Work Reinvention Strategist who is curious about how work can work for you. In this conversation, she shares her journey from breakdown to breakthrough and how she created a life that she is proud of and impactful for others. She talks about the role of disruption in her schedule, why moving to another country forced her out of her comfort zone, why you need the right people in your life to tell your dreams to, and why you don't need to make massive moves but can make change a project. Grab your notebook because Lydia brings all her wisdom to Getting Work To Work.
Today on the podcast, I want to talk about something important to every business: metrics. Specifically, the metrics, numbers, data, whatever you call it, that you chart to give you a glimpse of your business reality. When you work for a giant corporation, there is a wealth of data and statistics at your disposal. When you are a business of one, you still have a lot of metrics available to you, but which ones really matter? It can be hard to say—and depending on who you listen to—you might just pick the wrong one. In today's episode of Getting Work To Work, I'm exploring a new way to approach metrics as I rebuild my business.
What do you see when you stop and examine your life and career? Do you recognize a need to shift and actually change? Or do you stay for a myriad of reasons? Jennie Blumenthal is the author, speaker, and executive coach of Corporate Rehab and helps people detox from hustle culture to find purposeful work. In this conversation, Jennie shares her story of leaving a 20-year career in corporate America during The Great Resignation. She talks about her REHAB framework, what keeps people from moving forward and changing, how to pay attention to significant wake-up calls, and leading at a higher level without losing yourself. Whether you work at a corporate job or for yourself, there is a lot to learn in this conversation about bringing purposeful work into focus.
Building upon the success of two books of interviews and a podcast, J. Blake Fichera is bringing his passion for horror film music to a new medium: a feature-length documentary called Scored To Death: The Dark Art of Scary Movie Music. In this conversation, Blake shares how the project is a natural progression of experiences and relationships. With the first five interviews recorded, he is now putting together a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for the film and a brand new cover album of horror themes. In addition to learning more about this project, Blake talks about a variety of things pertinent to all creative professionals working on projects: intentional decision-making, influences, the importance of relationships, and the value of asking.
Tom Hubler is a family business consultant who helps family businesses discover generational success by creating a shared family vision, building emotional equity, and developing a plan for the business and the family. In this conversation, Tom shares his wisdom regarding the emotional side of business. He also explains the four plans family businesses need, the last challenge of entrepreneurship, and why having a new dream is essential. Whether you have a family business or not, Tom has a lot to offer you as you contribute daily to the common good.
There always seems to be another excuse for "why not." Why I can't learn a new skill, explore a new technique, or start a new project? In the land of 1,000 excuses, the excuses keep me safe and secure from harm and change. But what happens when you leave the land of 1,000 excuses? That's what briefly happened when I worked a retail job for five months. Not only was I learning new things, but I was actually surprised by what I was able to do. I rewrote old stories about my capabilities day by day. In today's reflection, I'll share how I left the land of 1,000 excuses and how it is not a one-time deal but a daily practice.
How would you describe your relationship with health and fitness? Perhaps you're like me and you make extreme changes when your health gets worse than you want it to be. Or maybe you're like today's guest and you have a firm personal fitness identity built upon foundational lifestyle habits. Luke DePron is an online weight loss coach for busy entrepreneurs and the founder of the Live Great Lifestyle. In this conversation, he shares his passion for health first and fitness second. He tackles a wide range of topics from sleeps impact on productivity to mistakes entrepreneurs make with their health. Luke is a firm advocate for making decisions that will impact your life. I hope you'll find something in this conversation that will improve your own relationship with your health.
For the next month on Getting Work To Work, I will share several impactful experiences from working in a retail environment. Spending eight hours a day walking on concrete floors, helping customers, and making sure shelves are full, one tends to witness a multitude of experiences, both positive and negative. In today's monologue, I'm unpacking one of my most valuable learning opportunities: shutting out the world and getting to work. I wouldn't say I lacked focus before, but I was easily distracted by text messages, email, and social media, not to mention internal worries and concerns. I got a lot done by learning how to shut out the world and focus on the tasks at hand. Now, how to bring that back to my daily work where the temptations are all around?
Skye Rapson is an academic and ADHD coach who works with many employees and managers with ADHD. Her neurodiverse-run ADHD support service, Unconventional Organisation, combines researched articles and coaching to help people reduce overwhelm in their daily work lives. In this conversation, Skye shares how her ADHD diagnosis at the start of her doctoral program took her on a journey from academic tutor to entrepreneur. She talks about the different ways neurodiversity shows up in the workplace and how understanding ourselves and those around us is crucial. She also explains how the get-in-focus routine helps those with ADHD to get started on their work. Whether you have ADHD or not, there is a lot to learn about yourself and others in this conversation.
It's always a treat for me to spend an hour with gough from Beernuts Productions. In today's interview, he shares all that went into his latest film, The Kidnapping, including the inspiration for the film, where he bought some of the film's props, how he approached the script, and the importance of rehearsals. He gives many valuable tips for creatives on developing a repeatable process and asks one of the best creative questions: "Where can I take this next?" We also talk about his podcast and how he develops connections with fascinating people from all walks of life.
A funny thing happens when I talk to people: I hear amazing stories. I'm not sure where this ability comes from, but I can trace it back to a young age when I would listen to my parents and sisters talk about what they were going through. This ability to listen is excellent, but I've also learned to listen within for the question I really want to ask. And that's when the stories start pouring out. In this episode of Getting Work To Work, I'll share a few ways to listen and five questions I love to ask that draw out stories from anyone. By the end of this episode, you will have the tools necessary to hear unbelievable stories of love, loss, success, and failure. You'll never know how it will impact your creative future.
It's been an interesting time of decline and I'm honestly enjoying it. I'm not talking about society, culture, or my business, but my artistic ambitions and connection with others. It all started when I read this phrase in a book by Eric Barker: "the right amount of weirdness." I'm a weird person, I'll admit it, but I've learned to hide it, so I could be accepted by as many people as possible. I've even shoved my weirdness aside when it demanded to be shared with others. What did I get for my conformity? Burnout and boredom with my creative pursuits. Fortunately, the way forward is clear to me: embrace the void so in obscurity my weirdness can thrive once again.
The first time I heard it, I took great offense. But I started to hear it more and more. From an older generation who remembers life as it once was and no longer is, of a singular expert worker who knew the answer to every question and the solution to any problem—even if no one said it aloud. "I guess this is what we get nowadays" is not an ideal way to start any engagement, but the perfect statement to reflect upon in today's episode of Getting Work To Work. Yes, technology and convenience have changed the world of work, but they have also changed our expectations as customers. How are we to respond as workers?
Living a creative life isn't always glamorous and Instagrammable. Sure, there are perks: a level of autonomy and creative freedom that doesn't exist in other organizations. But what do you do when you are chasing a vision that you wholeheartedly believe in and have moments where you can no longer see your way forward (or even backward)? When the path is missing, do you keep flailing around looking for salvation or stop and wait for a change in perspective? So many questions as I stop and recognize that my own path has disappeared for the moment. I know where I want to go, but I think I need to continue groping around in the dark for a bit longer.
Why do you buy new gear? Is it to achieve your creative vision? To compete against other creatives in the marketplace? To be cool? To realize unknown ideas? There are a million reasons to buy new gear and many valid counterpoints for using what you have. Regardless of where you sit on the continuum between new equipment and using what you've got, injecting the occasional purchase of something new into your rig can be inspiring and spark new ideas. But how do you do that if you are short on cash or don't know what would be the best use of your funds? I'm going to share a few ideas on today's episode of Getting Work To Work.
Are you a team player or a lone wolf? For most of my career, I have worn the badge of the lone wolf. I wanted to show my strength and capability without needing anyone else. I would take offense when wise elders told me I needed to build a team around me: "I'll show you!" Because of this mentality, I would take jobs I knew I could do alone. And even in moments working for larger companies, I was still a loner. I didn't fully engage in the team around me, and eventually, I returned to what worked in the past. But what if the work that I needed to do was let go of old stories and accept what my future self is becoming?
How often do you fear what other people will think and say to you and about you? For as long as I can remember, I've always been afraid of the anonymous collective of imaginary haters waiting to pounce on me the second I put something out into the world. Because of that, I don't like to ask others for feedback, and I often keep my voice silent on issues and topics important to me. Fortunately, I'm slowly learning how to respond to the actual voices of others — in front and around me. The more I do that, the stronger my connection to my creative soul, and my fear of "the others" loosens its grip on me.
How often do you get ads for proven systems that help you create more content faster? For me, it seems almost daily. A year ago, I would have loved a plan to help me do even more than I was attempting to do. But today, not so much. I want to do less, at a slower rate, so I can do the work that truly matters. In today's episode of Getting Work To Work, I'm going to explore seven bundles of questions that will help you examine a downshift from fast to slow. It's not going to be easy, but much like driving the speed limit, you usually get to the same place at the same time as those weaving in and out of traffic.
As I've been sharing recently on Getting Work To Work, I've been putting myself in situations that reveal how much I don't know. I have to learn as fast and as safely as possible. Most importantly, I have to recover from mistakes quickly. Some days it just feels like my best isn't good enough. Sometimes people get upset, which in turn makes me feel awful. And that perhaps presents the most valuable skill anyone can learn: how to bounce back quickly after a setback, conflict, or mistake. If you are a chronic people-pleaser like myself and want to find a way to be okay with giving your best, even when it isn't enough, this episode is for you.
How do you learn new things? Are you like me and read books and other sources of information until you feel confident enough to try? Perhaps you're like others and love watching videos or listening to podcasts to get the same hit of information acquisition, but in a quicker way. As life-long learners, it seems like there is a never-ending source of learning opportunities until one day you wake up and ask yourself a powerful question: how do you learn new things? I grapple with this question and more in today's episode of Getting Work To Work.
As I look back over the past twenty-plus years of working, I can see a clear pattern of behavior that I'm not proud of: an attitude of irreplaceability. I said yes to every task and increased my level of responsibility, not as a way of helping out and making an impact, but to prove that I belonged. To show that my work was great, even if it wasn't that good. And to hold others for psychological ransom about how hard it would be to replace me. What a horrible attitude! Fortunately, as I get older, I not only learn how replaceable I am but how the attitude of impact can actually get me what I always wanted.
What problems are you interested in solving? How would you tackle them in unique ways? Claire Schmidt, CEO and Founder of AllVoices, combined a passion for finding the root causes of massive problems with her interest in using technology to develop solutions. In this conversation, Claire talks about how she took her experiences in large companies, start-ups, and non-profits to learn about the issues that affect workers and create a company that provides communication tools for employees and leadership. She shares the importance of asking questions, networking, and building healthy cultures from the bottom-up. Whether you work for yourself or at a large company, there is a lot you can learn from Claire.
I was feeling it, massive burnout. Creativity seemed to take every ounce of my energy. My curiosity was absent. I was finishing significant projects, but other things were falling through the cracks. Bills were piling up, and I just couldn't breathe. I couldn't wrap my mind around the work I needed to do to move forward. I was tired of delaying the big decisions I needed to make to begin the healing process. I've been in this place before, and I didn't want to make the same mistakes I did in the past. I wasn't looking for salvation this time, just change. I didn't want to close my business; I just needed some relief. So I did something completely different. And found a new road to creative recovery.
Have you ever felt the desire to write a book, started writing, only to give up for some reason? Chances are, you are like most people. Fortunately, there is a way to get a book out of your head and into the world. Chandler Bolt of Self-Publishing School is today's guest on Getting Work To Work and he is here to share a few of the methods he uses to write books and create business revenue with them. In this conversation, he introduces the MORE Writing Method, why writing is a short-term sacrifice to develop a long-term asset, and why you don't need to worry about imposter syndrome. He also explains how he prioritizes his work to get a lot done.
As creatives, there is always something new to learn, and occasionally learning opportunities can be found in unexpected places. Michael e. Stern is a commercial photographer, educator, and fine art photographer who is here to share a recent experience engaging with an email scammer. There is so much to learn about clear communication, negotiation strategy, and paying attention to the fine details from this exchange between Michael and the scammer. We also talk about his transition from commercial photography to fine art photography, including websites, identity, and mindset.
Today's guest on Getting Work To Work is Tim Tortora, an ex-movie-producer and outsource CFO for producers in Hollywood who has poured his wisdom of a 30-year career into a book, How To Make It In Hollywood: What Writers, Directors, Actors, Producers, and Crew Need To Do To Break In. In this conversation, Tim explains what goes into the production process and how it's like catching lightning in a bottle. He also shares how to make a career in Hollywood, avoiding "The Hollywood Con Men," and how technology is changing the industry. Whether you want to land your dream job in Hollywood or run a thriving creative business closer to home, you need to hear what Tim says.
Do you have a life-first business, or do you let your business rule your life? Ashley Gartland is a business coach obsessed with time freedom and space for the things that matter most—for herself and her clients. In this conversation, we explore her subtractive, life-first approach to business, how to do less but better, and the role of experimentation in making changes. We dive deep into permission, beliefs, assumptions, and the stories we tell ourselves. If you are a business owner struggling with burnout or needing to find a better way to run your business, Ashley's wisdom can help you find a path forward toward success and enough.
Back on the show to talk about his latest production with BeernutsProductions.com is a long-time friend of the show, gough, from Australia. In this conversation, gough shares stories about all the vignettes, insights, and stereotypes that went into making The Education System. In typical gough fashion, he provides numerous lessons in marketing, brand naming conventions, and handling criticism. Not to mention how to pay better attention during interviews. For filmmakers, he also illuminates deeper insights into his writing style and how he manages his film productions.
I love routines. I used to get up early, read for several hours, write and gather my thoughts for years. Then two weeks ago, my established and well-worn routine crumbled to pieces as my wife and I welcomed a new member into our family: Cosmo, The Wonder Pug. He doesn’t care about my need to read and write. He wants to eat, poop, play, and sleep. Quickly we learned that puppies need structure. As we planned his days, I realized just how much my routine required a reset. It had become a disgusting pile of day-old poutine leftovers.
Last week, several friends got together to talk about success and career development. I was invited to participate but couldn't attend due to an appointment, but I've been thinking about the question, "What is success to me?" since then. I didn't feel I had much to offer at the moment. Perhaps it's because I don't have traditional notions of success anymore. Maybe it's just that I don't feel successful or even deserve success. But I think it's more that I have outdated definitions of success. In today's monologue episode of Getting Work To Work, I'm going to share a few thoughts, stories, and ideas about what success is to me today versus 25 years ago when I was starting my career.
What does leadership mean to you? Today's guest on Getting Work To Work answers that question by focusing our attention on the intensely personal journey of leadership instead of gimmicks, tricks, and mimicking our heroes. Edward Tyson is the CEO of PerSynergy Consulting and author of From Expert to Executive: Mastering the SOPs of Leading. In this conversation, Ed shares the story behind the LeadershipSOPs: the "Standard Operating Procedures for Structuring, Operating, and Perfecting your Communities of Effort." He also talks about his love of patterns and people puzzles, where insights for leadership come from, and what it means to run people-centered businesses.
Not a day goes by lately where I'm not thinking about reinventing myself and the work I do. I find myself working more with my hands, which lead me to reach out to Gary Rogowski and invite him back on the show for another conversation about craft, failure, practice, process, and constant improvement. Gary is a furniture maker, writer, and teacher. In this conversation, he shares how he reinvented his work over the past year, along with his curiosity for geometry, storytelling, and bird watching. He also has a lot to say about problem-solving, the secret to focusing, finding success with the small things, and how teaching truly impacts a craftsperson.
What comes to mind when you hear the word happiness? Would you be surprised to learn that there are 31 types of happiness? Pamela Gail Johnson is today's guest on Getting Work To Work and shares her passion for all things happiness. From her early days of wondering where all the happy people were and forming the Society of Happy People to the four principles she writes about in Practical Happiness, Pamela's work will hopefully broaden your understanding of what being happy means to you. She also describes what happiness zappers are, the impact of happiness in the workplace, and the three happiness holidays recognized worldwide.
It's been a week full of reminders of past loves. At times, I was reliving distant memories from the pre-pandemic days, and other times, seeing the echoes of dreams lost in the passage of time. From travel, chasing down photo opportunities in the desert of Arizona, and meeting my brother, to listening to everyday people telling stories about their lives and impacting the community through their service, I felt the rekindling fire of what I once loved to do. And it felt refreshing as I continue my creative journey into the future. What are the forgotten and forsaken loves you've left behind in your creative journey?
Have you ever asked yourself, "How do I use my time more effectively?" What about, "How can I be more efficient?" Paul Minors is a productivity consultant who helps his customers answers these questions and better understand the tools and systems that ultimately deliver more value to customers. In this conversation, he shares his tools of choice—Asana, Pipedrive, and Zapier—and much of his philosophy around automation and productivity. He also illuminates some fundamental concepts, including the source of truth, making time to work on your business, being his own client, and time blocking.
I've been thinking about two practices lately: making and discovering. At first, I thought they were two different ideas, but I've come to understand that they rely upon one another. The chance of being discovered increases as you create, and the more you make—especially something worth finding—the more likely it will be found. So many people I know want the right strategy before putting in the work, but I argue that the best approach is to work. In today's episode of Getting Work To Work, I will explore what it takes to make something worth finding and why discovery is the hidden skill of the 21st-century.
What are the questions and stories that fuel your curiosity and life's work? Dr. Tara T. Green is "a Black feminist community-engaged scholar, mentor, and university professor." Her latest books—Love, Activism, and the Respectable Life of Alice Dunbar-Nelson and See Me Naked: Black Women Defining Pleasure in the Interwar Era—provide the foundation of our conversation about storytelling and the impact of stories on the past, present, and future. From silence in storytelling to the role of memory in activism, Tara shares what she has learned in her career. She also talks about the importance of preserving and archiving stories.
Hello, my name is Chris Martin, and I have a confession to make: I am a hoarder. But not in the way you might be thinking. I am an aspirational hoarder. I collect all of the labels of who I want to be and what I want to do. From the earliest dreams to the weird, early-morning fantasies of living off the land, I don't want to eliminate anything that could define who I am. So, I call myself a multi-hyphenate and feel better about the fact that I can't let go of the past or accept that some dreams have run their course. Fortunately, I don't think I'm the only one.
"What's the point?" A great question from today's guest on Getting Work To Work, Jinny Uppal. Jinny is the author of In/Action: Rethinking the Path to Results, a growth executive, team builder, and thought(ful) leader. In this conversation, she shares how thoughtful pauses and strategic inaction help progress. Jinny also talks about the fine line between motivation and burnout, the importance of trusting the process, how goal setting fits into the mindset of inaction, why boredom is a good thing, and how learning to be okay with silence is a must to connect with the dynamism of life. Most importantly, she lets us know what horseback riding has to do with being more present in life and work.
I can't stop thinking about a concept I read in Dark Horse: Achieving Success Through the Pursuit of Fulfillment by Todd Rose and Ogi Ogas. It's called the gradient ascent. Instead of looking at the destination and plowing straight ahead, no matter what, you proceed until you need to recalibrate your direction. And change accordingly. I'm not sure why this has freed my thinking this week, but something feels different. And that change is showing up in expected places, from my mind and body to my bookshelves and living space.
How do you shape the world the way you want to see it? Cbabi Bayoc is a visual artist and illustrator whose mission is "painting the world that he wants to see his and your children thrive in." In this conversation, Cbabi shares his drive to dig deeper in his art and be an artist who has something to say. Whether he is working on a canvas or a mural, he uses surprise, randomness, and perspective shifts to see new possibilities for his work. He talks about his process, philosophy of practice, how he feeds creativity, and the story behind his name.
As I reflect on life, business, and everything in-between, I recognize I've let too much head trash accumulate to the point of overflow. I've been raising the flag of surrender, talking with friends and professionals, and bringing in the bulldozers to make piles, sort and organize, off-load, and burn. Metaphorically, of course. Living a creative life, running a business, being a good person, all of these pursuits take a toll on each of us; that's why we need to learn to let go of the stories that are no longer serving us. In this episode, I'll share a few that I'm learning to let go of, hoping you can identify a few for you.
What does it take to get to simple in a world of complexity? What problems are you solving permanently? How can you better serve your customers? These three questions form the foundation of my conversation with John Wilker, the man behind the simplest biz. For 24 years, John has found a way to solve problems for his business and his customers' businesses and teach others how to do what he does. Whether you are looking for another revenue stream, time freedom, or a side business, John's wisdom will hopefully spark your curiosity and help you discover new opportunities.
One of my favorite questions to ask people and reflect upon myself is: What advice would you give your younger self? While it's a question that reveals a future direction by examining past decisions, it sometimes isn't enough to get you out of a rut. As I was thinking about the question today, I felt a variation bubble up from the recesses of my mind: What advice is your younger self giving you today? Like most of us, I often lose my way, and it is the wisdom of past experiences that are the best teachers, so it's time for me to pay attention.
From philosophy professor to ghostwriter and entrepreneur, today's guest on Getting Work To Work has fascinating insights into the world of ideas, words, and collaboration. Emily Crookston, AKA The Pocket Ph.D., loves working with rebels, renegades, and mavericks who not only innovate and disrupt the status quo but want to pass their knowledge and wisdom along. In this conversation, Emily talks about how she has learned to collaborate, the art of giving and receiving feedback, the most crucial question she asks a prospective client, and the role empathy plays in her creative process.
As this month's theme of practice comes to an end, I want to reflect on the following question: Why do you practice? Perhaps you're like me and were indoctrinated as a young child with the phrase, "practice makes perfect." It's a simple statement with profound consequences over a person's lifetime. To be perfect, or said another way, the best, you must devote yourself to daily practice. You must sacrifice everything you have. But what if there is more to practice than perfection? I think there is, and chances are, you believe that too.
In the good times and the bad times, where do you look for wonder? Kate Nason is a writer, artist, and storyteller who has lived an unbelievable life. Our conversation begins with what she is learning while writing her second book: discovering past family secrets as she pieces together the story by working with a genealogist. From there, we go on a journey of art history, collage, and memoir, learning to balance the past, present, and future and finding meaning in what befalls us. She shares her writing process—working with scenes and making collages to get unstuck—and learning how to trust herself.
When I was thinking about the theme of practice, the first thing I wrote down was the connection and confusion between it and performance. With social media and digital technology keeping us connected to everyone and everything 24 hours a day, seven days a week, it's no wonder we have turned every possible moment into a stage. But non-stop performance is exhausting and unsustainable. What could we become if we took even an hour of our day and stopped performing and started practicing? What if we took a break from brand management and tried something new? What if we stopped playing the hits on repeat and created something new, something daring and bold?
What happens when you can no longer do what you have trained to do? Do you give up, or do you find a way forward? Today's guest is David Lindsay, a personal trainer and professional speaker who brings an athlete's mindset to the corporate world. In this conversation, he shares what it takes to live a phenomenal life. We talk about building trust with people who have faith in you, dealing with what life gives you, getting comfortable with the uncomfortable, and how to train your mind like the muscle it is. Most importantly, he reveals rest's impact on our bodies and minds.
Continuing the monthly theme of practicing your creativity, today I'm exploring how practice defines an entire creative process while simultaneously shaping each step uniquely. I'll share a few examples and set you up with all you need to define your process and specify what you should practice next. Whether you're new to creativity or an established professional, nothing will shake up your work quite like practice.
Why not poetry? According to today's guest, the power of a poem is in its brevity, the ability to focus and precisely say what needs to be said. In her words, Ashanti Anderson is a poet, playwright, screenwriter, and occasional essayist. Starting with a reading from her debut short poetry collection, Black Under, Ashanti brings us onto common ground. From there, we talk about her quest for creative self-discovery, how she found poetry, and the visual nature of crafting poems. I hope this conversation opens you to new avenues of creative exploration and limitless possibilities.
This month on Getting Work To Work, I'm focusing each monologue on one theme: practice. I've been thinking a lot about practice each day as I play my guitar. Even though I've been playing for 27 years, my fingers have minds of their own. Practicing scales and exercises make sense with the guitar, but what does practice look like in other parts of my creative life? What does it look like in your creative pursuits? In this episode, I will set the stage for practice and do a deep dive into what it is, why it's essential, and why it isn't as popular as it should be.
There are three questions at the core of this episode with Capacity Architect Scott Ritzheimer: 1) What type of leader are you? 2) How are you bringing people together? 3) What stage is your business at in the lifecycle of an organization? In this conversation, Scott shares the four types of leaders in every organization, what predictable success is and where it fits into a company's lifecycle, how companies lose their way, and why systematizing decision-making is the secret to scaling a business. Grab something to take notes with because there is a lot to learn in this episode.
As we wrap up 2021, fully immersed in the fog known as the week between Christmas and New Year's, I was thinking about words of wisdom to share with you. Nearing 600 episodes of Getting Work To Work, what's left to say? How can I inspire aspiring content creators? How can I encourage the hardened cynics who have been at this game longer than I have? In the spirit of episode one of this show: screw it...still do it!
It's that time of year where the topics on many people's minds are burnout and self-care. Today's guest is Dr. Sharon Grossman, a burnout and success coach who helps people create the lives they want. In this conversation, she shares how the P.E.P. Model—programming, environment, and personality—helps people find clarity as they ask themselves the question, "Who are you going to be next?" Sharon also answers a crucial question, "Is burnout inevitable or can it be avoided?" Whether you are deep in burnout or can feel it setting in, I hope you'll be able to decode your burnout so that you can find hope.
Today, I'm celebrating my 43rd trip around the sun, so I thought I'd take a moment to share a few things I've learned in my time here on planet Earth. Seven important lessons, to be exact. No matter how young or old you are, I hope that something I say helps you take a step or two toward the creative projects and ideas of your dreams. As one of the beautiful lyrics from the musical RENT proclaims, "No day but today." Let's get into it!
What is the connection between your current hydration level and how you feel? What role does sleep play in a healthy life? How can you prepare your body for a long-lasting creative career? The answers to these questions are all related and just might surprise you as they did me. Desiree Lotz is a detox specialist and nutritionist whose primary purpose is to help people get their bodies sorted out to get their attention off their issues and live their lives. In this conversation, she shares her passion and knowledge for nutrients, minerals, and health in order to fully live our lives because life is fun.
Have you ever wondered how gough of Beernuts Productions would plan and execute the perfect wedding? His latest film, A Guide to a Perfect Wedding, explores all of the ridiculous scenarios and behaviors involved, from clothes and venues to ceremonies and receptions. In this conversation, gough shares how he planned and shot the film like an actual wedding. He tells me about his favorite jokes and moments in the movie, why podcast hosts should research their guests, and how critiquing his past work helps him grow as a filmmaker.
What would you do if you knew you were burnt out and needed to reconnect to your values and rediscover the artistic vision for your life? Joanna Paola Honeyman took a year-long sabbatical from running her design agency to pursue classical painting and art. As she immersed herself in classes and honest feedback, her paintings took on new shapes and forms, leading her into a future of new possibilities. In this conversation, she shares her curiosity for the creative process, why vulnerability sucks but is essential, being open to failure, and the importance of mentors. We also talk about the ups and downs of marriage when both partners are highly creative.
Lately, I have been immersed in the creative process: exploring my own and talking to other creators about theirs. And in doing so, I've realized that I am way too comfortable and need to blow it all up. Sure, it's scary to consider the business ramifications of doing that, but what are my clients actually buying? Stale solutions with an efficient system or courageous content that willingly touches the edge of the unknown? It's in the rubble of the creative process that you can reconnect with intuition, vision, speed, and the visceral nature of creativity.
If there is a tool that I've been skeptical of because of its popularity, it's the Enneagram. Fortunately, Erin Baute is a Certified Enneagram Teacher and Trainer ready to dispel my skepticism and broaden my thinking and understanding of what the Enneagram is and is not. Erin shares her curiosity for people, infinite possibility, and a limitless approach to life in this conversation. She unpacks the Enneagram, the difference between a tool and using the tool, and how ultimately it honors who you are.
Last week, I shared five people I am thankful for, but as I listed person after person, I realized I would need additional episodes to share all the people I'm grateful for and how they've impacted my life. So, today I'm sharing five more people and how you can be inspired by their work as well. If you haven't taken the time to list out the people you are thankful for, do it. Then take a moment to let them know just how they've made your life better. December is also an excellent month to reach out to your favorite artists and content creators to show them your appreciation.
What will the discovery of new ideas and experiences look like in the future? Will you run into the unknown to find them or perhaps wait for others to shape the novel into stable and predictable interactions? These are a few questions inspired by today's conversation with Richie Lokay, the VP of Product Design and Services at Wunderkind. He brings his energy and intellectual curiosity to his team to solve visual problems and experiences at a growing scale. In this conversation, we explore the stages of invention, design rigor, the value of deadlines, perfection, and why swinging for the fences is an essential skill.
I was feeling a little discouraged yesterday. Unsure of what my monologue would be about, I was ready to pull the plug on monologues through the end of the year. But inspiration struck as I watched my wife get an idea for her YouTube channel, film, edit, and then release a video by the end of the day. I saw her drive, passion, and care for her growing audience. I remembered the early days of this podcast. It's not to say that I don't have those same feelings five years later, but producing content week after week can be exhausting. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I'm going to share five people I'm thankful for and the impact they have had on this show and my life.
What are you passionate about? A simple question that requires time and intention to discover the answer. Lauren Krasnodembski wasn't sure what she was passionate about until she began to find the breadcrumbs that led her to a life of impact. Lauren is a transformational life coach, creator of Mind Muscle Motivator, and the author of Reclaim Your Power: A Guide to Allow Your Passions and Purpose to Discover You. In this conversation, she shares her journey of reclaiming her power and how you can too. She talks about the importance of understanding your strengths, learning where you may be limiting yourself, and taking messy action.
I love the creative process, especially when it's fresh and new. The beautiful and frustrating moments of understanding a craft as you develop a repeatable system that transforms raw thoughts and ideas into some finished form. But over time, as you become more skillful in your work, your process becomes internalized and habitual. Before you know it, you're on autopilot. This episode is for those running their creative lives on autopilot and who need more. It's not a question of whether you're stuck in your creative ways. You know you are; you can feel it. It's simply a matter of how aware you are of the depth and necessity for expanding your creative vision and process.
Where do you even start an introduction when talking with Jay Jay French, the founder, guitarist, and manager of Twisted Sister? Along with Steve Farber, his writing partner of my #1 Business Book of 2021, Twisted Business: Lessons from My Life in Rock 'n' Roll, Jay Jay and Steve bring their business insight and wisdom to Getting Work To Work. From the never-ending drive to reinvent and the power of collaboration to finding a new audience every day and embracing the boredom of excellence to get better constantly, there are many human and business lessons to learn from the stories and moments in this conversation.
If there is a question that today's guest inspires me to think about in my daily life, it's this: "Why should people care?" Matt Wastradowski is a travel writer who uses his curiosity and insatiable drive to discover Oregon's majestic places, people, and experiences. In this conversation, he talks about his latest travel guide, Moon Columbia River Gorge & Mount Hood: Waterfalls & Wildflowers, Craft Beer & Wine, Hiking & Camping, and shares a few of his favorite moments in the research and writing phases of the project. There is something for everyone in this guide, from a neon sign museum and wine tasting to picnics on the Columbia River and apple orchards in Hood River and everything in between.
If you were to write a book about your life, what would be the captivating moments that would reveal themselves? Christos Kalogirou mined his memories to share stories of his youth in his book, Wild Dogs: An Adventure in Adolescence. From attending a prestigious private school and being expelled to eventually returning, graduating, and even receiving an Alumni of the Year award, he has lived a life of urban legend, entrepreneur, and prankster. In this conversation, he talks about the power of perspective, what he learned about business, his process for writing his book, why you should value your time, and what he learned living on the path of the hard way.
For the past two years, I have kept a reading list of all the books I've finished. My goal in 2020 was to finish 120 books, which meant I should read about ten books a month. I hit 121 books on December 31, 2020. This year, I'm on track to finish closer to 130. Before you think this episode is a flex about how many books I read—which it totally is—it's really about goal setting. Specifically, what happens when you stop obsessing over goals and let things happen naturally.
As a self-professed word-slinger for capitalism, Sara Rosinsky brings words and stories to life through her company, Shiny Red Copy. She is also the author of Unflubbify Your Writing: Bite-Sized Lessons to Improve Your Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar. In this delightful conversation, she shares her love for words and the stories behind every single word. We talk about the origin story of her business, the power of mentorship, the ethereal nature of copy, and the beauty of limitations—not to mention her curiosity for typefaces and etymology. Sara has a lot to teach you throughout this conversation if you want to have more fun with your writing.
If there's one line of dialogue that I will never forget, it's from the movie Empire Records: "I don't feel that I need to explain my art to you, Warren." Fortunately for us, gough is here to explain his art to us, the latest film from Beernuts Productions, Biography Of A Star — Christian Victoria. In our conversation, we talked about all things art, including criticism, snobbery, and reverence. We also dive into his collaboration with an artist to create Christian Victoria's body of work, the challenges of casting his films, and his hot tip for using social media.
Have you ever wondered what it takes to navigate and sustain a 42-year independent creative career? Michael e. Stern is here to share a story about desire, goal-setting, perseverance, and resilience as he moves from being behind the camera to leading a team. In this conversation, he talks about who taught him what a producer does, his approach to communication and leadership, how he trusts his instincts and team, and how he meets people. I always learn from Michael, and this conversation is rich with wisdom and insight.
Earlier today, I had a conversation with a good friend—Hey Kim!—and felt encouraged and empowered to keep producing this show and all the other work I find myself obsessively pursuing. As the creative entrepreneurs listening can attest to, it can be challenging to find the motivation to do the next episode, task, or project, especially when it comes to passion projects. Doubt can creep in: Is anyone paying attention? Does anyone care? In this episode, I wanted to do something a bit different and provide a dose of encouragement for anyone who needs to hear it.
How are you making someone's life better with your business, no matter how tiny? This is but one question that reveals what today's guest is all about. Together with his wife, Karene, Chris Lambert-Gorwyn brings their philosophy of heart-centred business to other business leaders through coaching and mentorship, not to mention other business ventures and a bestselling book that encapsulates their actionable insights and tools. In this conversation, Chris and I talk about what it means to be heart-centred, the paradox of power and play, aligning goals with values and rewards, how to create your own economy, and the importance of finding a different way to do business. If you are an entrepreneur looking for new ways to approach your business, this interview is for you.
I begin today's episode with a rhetorical question: Is it time to take a break? If you're listening to a podcast called Getting Work To Work, you probably could use an extended break. You're hard-working, pushing yourself to learn and grow, and creating the future. But when faced with the decision to take time off—or even go to bed—you instead dig in and do more work, all to the detriment of your future self. In this episode, I'm going to explore the fears and anticipations of taking an extended break from your work.
The opening paragraph of Debbie Clapper's artist statement perfectly sums up our time together: "My work's main intention is to take the viewer beyond the surface level, delving deep into the piece, allowing exploration and self-reflection." Debbie loves abstract art because it can be anything and nothing. In this conversation, we explore her endless curiosity for grace, how she overcomes the critical voices that show up in the middle of the night, and how she took what she learned from her graphic design business to transform her art through collaborative relationships with others.
I've been thinking a lot about success: what it is, where it's present, and how to measure it. Looking back over the show's history, I haven't spent a lot of time reflecting on success in the popular sense of the word. I don't subscribe to or share the methodologies and frameworks that promise followers, likes, influence, and 7-figure paychecks. But as I take the time to understand what success is for me, I see it showing up time and again: purpose and meaning. If you struggle to find and measure success for your life and work, this episode is for you.
You know that dream for your life that you lie in bed every night hoping it comes true? Not only is it possible for you, but you don't need all the details figured out before starting. And today's guest will tell you why. Brittany Wagner is a motivational speaker best known for her role in the Netflix documentary series Last Chance U and author of Next Chance You. In this conversation, Brittany shares powerful insights into shifting your mindset from "last chance" to "next chance," overcoming bitterness and perfectionism with decisive action, and looking for ways to grow by devoting time and effort to improving one area at a time.
What happens when your lifelong dream finally occurs after 20 years of perseverance? For data nerd Justin Stanley, he finds his way on the Jeopardy! stage only to face the 3rd-winningest champion in the game's history. In today's conversation, Justin shares his journey from qualifying to competing and recounts his favorite and embarrassing moments. As a fan of the show, it was an absolute blast to hear all the behind-the-scenes goodness, not to mention celebrating the culmination of a friend's lifelong dream.
What lights you up? For today's guest, his obsession with learning new things is how he answers that question. Jeff Straw is a man of many talents: photography, branding, music, and teaching. In this conversation, he shares not only his musical journey from sax to guitar, with a healthy mix of DJ'ing, but also how he built his photography business by carving a lane and finding his style, one project at a time. He talks about the importance of sharing and teaching through his vlog, helping unlock others so they can get creative, and how he wields his power of improvisation.
My impromptu support of independent authors continues this week with Aaron Hockley, who just released his brand-new book, The Computer Ate My Photos: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Photography. Aaron is a photographer, speaker, and author fascinated with the intersection of photography and technology. In this conversation, he shares the two-year journey of writing the book, how artificial intelligence technology has evolved, and how AI will impact the world of photography in the future. From his vantage point, the future is hopeful, one that I hope sparks your curiosity to learn more.
Have you ever thought about what your core values sound like and how they fit into the sound universe? Today's guests on Getting Work To Work have by taking their drive, passion, and hunger for music and sound and translating it into audio branding. Gabo Agüero, Dalmiro Lacaze, and Mauro González are the creative forces behind Drop Music Branding out of Argentina. In this conversation, they share their entrepreneurial journey to make a living through music and sonic branding. They touch on topics that impact us all, including the importance of partnerships, how there are no excuses to create, ways to keep the game fresh, and a new way to look at staying in your lane.
Kelley Baker, affectionately known as the Angry Filmmaker, is one of my favorite people. Not only is he a filmmaker, sound designer, and editor, but he is also an author, having penned several collections of short stories and non-fiction books. In this conversation, Kelley and I travel the shores of comfortable and uncomfortable topics: from the joys of eavesdropping and the curse of remembering too much to influences and the origin of ideas. We talk about his latest book of short stories, Dennis Barton is a Bastard and Other Stories, telling the truth in art, and how to continue growing and evolving as an artist. Most importantly, Kelley preaches the gospel of independents and how every one of us can support independent artists with our time, money, and attention.
How are you using experiments to grow through barriers such as perfectionism, inertia, and the status quo? That is a question I explore with today's guest, Kay Coughlin, an entrepreneur, podcaster, and life coach for caregivers. She also happens to be my business coach, and I'm her podcast producer. In this conversation, we explore experiments and the primary role of noticing emotions, thoughts, beliefs, and data without judgment in the experimentation process. She shares about how to overcome confirmation bias, the value of failure, being okay with discomfort, building successful collaborative partnerships, and all things boundaries.
What dreams are you devoting the remaining time of your life on planet Earth to bring into being? What is your vision for your work and community? How will you know what the right thing to pursue is? Nothing but big questions as I explore dreams and visions. You can probably tell a lot about my state of mind by the books I'm reading. Lately, the theme is all about big dreams of a better future. As I apply what I'm reading to my life and work, I start to see a transformation take place. My intuition is daily sharpened, my discernment is taking shape, and I'm devoting my days to something bigger than myself.
Where does your curiosity lead you? For today's guest, Paul Nylander, his curious nature has taken him from the world of high-energy physics to book design as he searches to understand how everything works. Paul is a book designer, engaging storyteller, and owner of Illustrada, a studio that collaborates with small presses and independent authors to get their ideas into the world. In our conversation, he shares his curious journey from physics to design. He also explores where his love for books comes from, the art and science of change, the nature of generalists and specialists, and the role of questions and trust in his design process.
It's been almost three years since I started talking about Curiosity Builders. In my mind, I knew what I wanted to do: teach and share about the virtues of curiosity. I wrote courses, filmed videos, and started sharing with others. Then something happened. I got stuck in my head. Overthinking ensued and fear took over. And the vision, passion, and action drifted away into the recesses of my brain. But over the past year, the idea for Curiosity Builders shifted as I changed through various experiences. In today's episode of Getting Work To Work, I'm going to share about what it has become and how you can be part of it.
What is the DNA of who you are and what you do? For today's guest, the answer is in the notes and chords that make up the foundation of his music. Randy George is a bass player and multi-instrumentalist, most known for his work with Neal Morse. In this conversation, he shares the importance of trial and error, and the role influences play in discovering new sounds. He talks about the value of listening and hearing where the music wants to go, being flexible in the collaborative process, and how risk, doubt, and learning from failure are critical no matter where you are in your career. We also dive into his fascination with film and TV production.
In the middle of a busy week, my body decided I needed to rest. I don't like to stop, I want to stay active and productive, but I couldn't argue with the cold that kindly greeted me early Thursday morning. For four days, I slept, read books, and watched movies. I couldn't believe all the fascinating things I started thinking about: the role of influences in creativity, why being a giver matters, love, boldness, risk, relentless optimism, The Beach Boys, and of course, Ted Lasso. May you find encouragement and inspiration in today's monologue.
How will you respond to the next crisis you will face? Dr. Rob Fazio is a Leadership Psychologist and Crisis Consultant who shares several ways to respond to the current crisis we are facing and the one just around the corner with growth leadership. In this conversation, Rob talks about his curiosity around how people change their minds, applying sport psychology in the world of business, and understanding what drives our motivations. He also gives several ways to work through burnout beyond self-care, why we need simple strategies for success, and how conversations are the most critical tool in business.
I'm a chronic overthinker. I like to tell myself that it's a new feature of my life thanks to the uncertainty of the times. But if I'm honest with myself and everyone listening right now, I've been this way for as long as I can remember. When I overthink, my ability to take action on tasks and projects dwindles until I worry about everything. Decision-making becomes daunting and fraught with over-analysis. Perfectionism and fear hide around every corner until I lose momentum. Then, a miracle occurs! I get a beautiful fresh idea, and suddenly I'm back in business. The old melt away in favor of the new, that is, until I begin overthinking, yet again.
What is making your heart smile? What desires are you listening to deep within yourself? How are you aligning who you need to become with what you want to bring to life? These are three questions inspired by today's conversation with Michelle Boulé, a professional dancer and life coach. In our time together, Michelle shares her journey of growth and helping others see the possibilities within and around themselves. She talks about how injury allowed her to find new directions for her life, the role of alignment and energy in growth, and why she loves to explore the edge of creativity. If you are struggling to discover a way forward or lacking the belief that you too can grow, I hope you find encouragement and empowerment to change in Michelle's words.
How much of your life do you spend trying to redeem every ounce of value in everything you consume? When you think of growth, what is the first thought that enters your mind? The answer to both of these questions is related. Growth is the result of not wasting any time and making sure that everything is valuable. While this sounds great and all, not everything is meant to be helpful today. Some things are not for immediate use. And that's what this episode is all about. As I unblock myself from a cycle of overthinking, I let the culmination of a 20-year story resolve in my mind. The tension melts away, and I recognize an underlying thought: If I only ever live for the moment in the shallow end of life, there will be nothing to reflect upon tomorrow as I wade into deeper waters.
What instantly enters your mind when you hear the phrase "slacking off"? How about "slacking off for fun and profit"? If you're anything like myself and many others, guilt, shame, laziness are right there, not to mention bonbons. Michael Arnold, the author of Slacking Off: A Successful Way to Work From Home, is today's guest on Getting Work To Work and he wants you to know that slacking off is a good thing for us. Not only does it boost our creativity, but it also increases our productivity. In this conversation, we talk about his entrepreneurial journey and relationship with working and slacking off, the importance of learning from failures, not just successes, why self-love matters, and the best gift he gives his readers: more time.
Did you know that your story matters and is worthy of sharing with others? If the first thing that enters your mind is doubt, represented by the insecure thought, "Even my story, Chris? You don't know!" The answer is yes, even your story. We live in a world that elevates a relatively small number of people when there is an abundance of beauty found in other's stories around the world. If there is a core value that fuels this show and a fundamental belief that gives my life meaning, it's the truth that every story matters. In this episode of Getting Work To Work, I explore seven reasons people think their stories don't matter and how to see the truth.
How do you show up in your work? Do you create work that is true to who you are and what matters to you? These are two questions I've been reflecting on since talking with Ashwin Chacko, a seriously playful illustrator and storyteller based in Dublin, Ireland. Our conversation begins with Ashwin's curiosity about the social interactions that drive culture and the role artists play in our world. He then shares stories of his early years as a child of missionaries, learning critical adaptability skills and gaining new friends wherever he goes. We talk a lot about making sense of chaos, overcoming fear by telling it no, finding his purpose and calling, and why it's essential to separate yourself from your work. He also teaches us the 4Ds of unlocking any creative blocks you might be facing.
I've always been fascinated by work, leadership, and entrepreneurship. In many ways, I've become obsessed with my work, always working, even when resting. But lately, my eyes have been opening to the reality and necessity of self-care so I can live a more functional, beautiful, and glorious life. Your work ultimately won't work if your body, mind, and spirit don't work. And I learned this lesson most recently from a series of books. I know not surprising, but the book that had the most significant impact on my well-being might surprise you.
What good can you do in the world? A powerful question guiding the life and work of today’s guests, De & John Ingles, the husband-wife team behind Smiley Graphix Studio and Wild Routed. Our conversation begins with the early days of playing outside and spending all day in adventure. From there, we join their entrepreneurial journey starting Smiley Graphix in 1997, losing a job of 31 years in 2019, going on a five-week road trip, and then creating a retail side project. Story after story, they talk about the memories and the people who have made a difference in their lives. By being open to what life has for them and sharing it with others, De & John have created a life worth living. Enjoy the conversation.
Show Links * Smiley Graphix Studio * Wild Routed * The Walldogs * Francie Hinrichsen * Daddy Day Care (2003) * Peoria River Front Association * Greater Peoria Economic Development Council * Urban Artifacts * Bushbaby * Crafted DIY Studio & Bar * Creatives Ignite * Photo by Casey Horner on Unsplash * Support Getting Work To Work on ChrisMartinStudios.shop! * Sign up for my weekly newsletter: The Curiosity Lab
If there is a common thread of questioning that weaves all creative professionals and entrepreneurs together, it’s pricing our work and offerings. At various stages of your entrepreneurial journey, you’ve probably asked all of these questions: How much should I charge? How should I price my work? How often should I change my prices? Essentially, what we really want to know is what is the right way to do it, so that we make money, avoid the plight of feast or famine, and be able to keep doing what we want to be doing. But did you ever stop to think about what actually goes into an hour of your time? I was surprised when I revealed a hidden habit of how I decided to charge for my hour.
Here’s how I’m rethinking what goes into an hour of my time: 1. Lay the foundation 1. Experimentation 2. Discovery 3. Research 4. Ideas 2. Build the bones 1. Documentation 2. Reflection 3. Creation 3. Paint the walls 1. Experience 2. Refinement 3. Polish 4. Share & Support 1. Connect 2. Listen 3. Respond
Show Links * Neal Morse * Photo by Agê Barros on Unsplash * Support Getting Work To Work on ChrisMartinStudios.shop! * Sign up for my weekly newsletter: The Curiosity Lab
My curiosity for today’s guest began when I saw his simple M-shaped lightning bolt logo. From there, I read his story, engaged with his work, and quickly knew that I needed to talk with him. Dylan Menges of Menges Design is all about idea-driven, handcrafted design. With a passion and extensive experience in lettering, Dylan brings to his client work a desire for boldness and the courage to be seen and heard. Our conversation begins at the deep end of life, discussing eternity and the long-term impact of our work. But we don’t stop there, as we talk a lot about setting and managing expectations, the need for experimentation and taking risks, and moving forward into the unknown future.
Show Links * Menges Design * Menges Design (Instagram) * Heaven by Randy Alcorn * Young Frankenstein (1974) * Thad DeVassie (Ratchet) * Stefan Sagmeister * Stefan Sagmeister – Why Beauty Matters Pt. 1 * MAGIC * The Fort * Ghost River Furniture * Lolly Lolly Ceramics * Nick Fancher * The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas Carr * Neal Morse * Frampton Comes Alive by Peter Frampton * Out of the Blue by Electric Light Orchestra * Shore by Fleet Foxes * Travels by Pat Metheny Group * Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport * A World Without Email: Reimagining Work in an Age of Communication Overload by Cal Newport * Uptime * Photo by Ryan Phillips on Unsplash * Support Getting Work To Work on ChrisMartinStudios.shop! * Sign up for my weekly newsletter: The Curiosity Lab
When it comes to your business, do you have tunnel vision? Tunnel vision keeps you focused on the work directly in front of you, passively waiting for people to choose you. It tells you to share content consistently with the hope that what you have to say will resonate with someone, anyone. Most importantly, it keeps you trapped alone in the dark, surrounded by imaginary monsters. Inspired by something I read recently in Solo: How to Work Alone (and Not Lose Your Mind) by Rebecca Seal, I’m going to talk about business tunnel vision and share seven ways to escape it.
Show Links * Solo: How to Work Alone (and Not Lose Your Mind) by Rebecca Seal * The Stand by Stephen King * Photo by Margaux Bellott on Unsplash * Support Getting Work To Work on ChrisMartinStudios.shop! * Sign up for my weekly newsletter: The Curiosity Lab
You never know how much you have grown until you are in a situation where you see clearly who you once were and who you have become. For years, I wanted people to tell me who I should be. Then somewhere along my journey, I shifted to doing anything I could do to get what I needed. But to my recent surprise, I discovered that I have been focusing on what I actually want, and in the process, found clarity, peace, and an opportunity to help more people. Where are you on your creative journey? Are you living in the land of shoulds, needs, or wants?
Show Links * Photo by Juli Kosolapova on Unsplash * Support Getting Work To Work on ChrisMartinStudios.shop! * Sign up for my weekly newsletter: The Curiosity Lab
Comparison, jealousy, envy, impostor syndrome, fear of missing out, feeling like I don’t measure up—nothing triggers these feelings more than learning. From online courses to in-person experiences, along with multiple mediums of engagement, there are unlimited opportunities to learn daily. It always seems like everyone else is learning all the things, and I’m learning hardly anything. But I realized that the more important reality is not how much you are learning but how you best learn and tailor your experiences accordingly. In simpler terms: quality, not quantity.
Show Links * 4 Different Learning Styles You Should Know: The VARK Model * Different Learning Styles * Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash * Support Getting Work To Work on ChrisMartinStudios.shop! * Sign up for my weekly newsletter: The Curiosity Lab
I love those moments when you hear something so straightforward that it reveals something hidden in your brain. I recently shared feedback with a friend, and her response was swift: “Yep, I know that about myself, it’s a crutch.” I couldn’t get that phrase out of my head. I know what crutches are used for when we hurt our bodies, but what are they used for when it comes to our creativity? Are they good, bad, or even odd? These are the questions that I’m exploring, yes, in today’s monologue, but honestly, in my life. Because once you start revealing crutches in your life and work, you won’t stop seeing them. Then it becomes a question of, “What do you do with them?”
How we move forward without our crutches: 1. Allow the mirrors of self-reflection and the words of your trusted circle of friends to reveal crutches. 2. Be honest with yourself: Is this crutch allowing me to heal or to hide? 3. Retrain how to operate without the crutch. 4. Expand your vision for the future.
Show Links * Neal Morse – Live in Culjk – That Crutch * Jason Segel, Walter – Man Or Muppet (from “The Muppets”) * Support Getting Work To Work on ChrisMartinStudios.shop! * Sign up for my weekly newsletter: The Curiosity Lab
One of the constant forces of living a creative life is balancing the tension between creation and curation. Often, people explain those two acts of creativity as separate tasks: creators create and curators curate. Occasionally, they overlap, but they are usually separated. I don’t deny these two worlds. I think as creators we are in a constant state of both functions. We consume and curate the inspirational work that fuels our work. We create in the hopes that others will curate what we have done. But what happens as we amass a body of work throughout our lifetimes? How do we unearth the gold from the past so that people can benefit from it today? The answer is through the power of curation.
Five ways creators can bring the power of curation into their practice as they amass a healthy body of work: 1. Develop a taste for your own work. 2. Catalog your work. 3. Revisit past work as the curator. 4. Share new insights with your audience. 5. Refine your taste.
Show Links * For Devin Townsend’s vast discography, search Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, or Amazon Music for: “Devin Townsend,” “Devin Townsend Band,” “Devin Townsend Project,” or “Strapping Young Lad.” * “Start Finishing” with Charlie Gilkey (GWTW332) * Photo by Devin Avery on Unsplash * Support Getting Work To Work on ChrisMartinStudios.shop! * Sign up for my weekly newsletter: The Curiosity Lab
What do you do when you feel lost on your creative journey? You do what today’s guest does: continue exploring the great unknown. Alicja Colon is a paper illustrator, tactile artist, and entrepreneur. She is the first person who comes to mind when I think of an artist constantly reinventing who they are and sharing the struggles and successes along the way. In this conversation, Alicja uses her brave voice of transparency and authenticity to talk about the sustainability of art and business. She talks candidly about burnout and how the freelance life affects not just herself but those around her. We then soar into the silver clouds of exploration, talking about visual analogies, curiosity, passion, and the power of personal declarations.
Show Links * Alicja Colon * Unstationary – Teachable Moment Craft Kits * Madebyalicia on Etsy * Alicja Colon Livestreams on Behance * Alicja’s tweet about her new job * Interview with Alicja Colon (GWTW58) * Creative Works Conference * Ben Stafford * Tommy Perez * A Kids Book About * The Rules of Royalty: Understanding Your Purpose, Privilege, and Position as a Member of God’s Royal Family by Audrey Aaron * Support Getting Work To Work on ChrisMartinStudios.shop! * Sign up for my weekly newsletter: The Curiosity Lab
The past few weeks, I’ve been feeling stuck, left out, on the bench, not playing the game at my usual level of proficiency. The feelings were so intense, complex, and thick that I didn’t know where to start unpacking them. As I shared them with my business coach, she said a phrase that reverberated deep within me: “This sounds a lot like professional jealousy. I can so relate to this.” In this episode, I will tell a few stories of how professional jealousy has shaped my career. I’m going to talk about comparing yourself to others and how comparison is the root of professional jealousy. I’ll also share five ways to recognize and work through any jealousy you might be experiencing.
Working through professional jealousy: 1. Identify and acknowledge it in your life and work 2. Remove its hold over you by recognizing the decisions you’ve made because of it 3. Don’t beat yourself up 4. Shift the energy from what someone else is doing to what you are doing 5. Recognize that someone might possibly be professionally jealous of you
Show Links * Support Getting Work To Work on ChrisMartinStudios.shop! * Sign up for my weekly newsletter: The Curiosity Lab
Who are the people in your life who have made a noticeable impact on you? Near the top of my list is today’s guest on Getting Work To Work, Diane Gibbs, a designer, graphic design educator, Host of The Design Recharge Show, and visionary behind Creatives Ignite, an online summer camp for creative entrepreneurs. If that’s not enough, she is also a dealer of hope. Her mission is to connect creatives, so no one ever feels alone. In this conversation, she shares her entrepreneurial journey from selling bookmarks at a young age to starting an online summer camp in 2020. We talk a lot about serving others, giving feedback as a way to show you care, the impact of accountability, and the value of being accessible. Oh, and she provides all the details about Creatives Ignite.
Show Links * Recharging You * The Design Recharge Show * Creatives Ignite (affiliate link) * Long Way Round * American Choppers * Creative South * Accidental Creative * ESPN Films | 30 for 30 * Nature Boy | 30 for 30 Trailer | ESPN (WHOOOOOO!) * Bend Design Conference * The Design Recharge Show: Nathalie Kalbach // Following Your Gut * Creative JumpStart 2021 * RetroSupply Co * helleau® * From Poop To Gold: The Marketing Magic of Harmon Brothers by Chris Jones * Bob Goff * Dream Big: Know What You Want, Why You Want It, and What You’re Going to Do About It by Bob Goff * Erwin McManus * Mosaic (church) * The Last Arrow: Save Nothing for the Next Life by Erwin Raphael McManus * Support Getting Work To Work on ChrisMartinStudios.shop! * Sign up for my weekly newsletter: The Curiosity Lab
I was surprised when a theme popped up over the past few days. It’s centered around this question: What do you want your creative life to look like on your next milestone birthday? For me, that’s 50. It boggles my mind that I am closer to 50 than 30, let alone 20, but that’s just life. On the difficulty scale of questions to ask, this one is off the charts. I live life drifting between the present and some moment in the past. While I want to blame this behavior on the Internet, algorithms, and a culture that worships the youth and everything new, I don’t want to deal with reality. But I have to, just like we all do. And it starts with preparing for my creative future.
What do you want your creative life to look like today?
What do you want your creative life to look like on your next milestone birthday?
Show Links * Photo by Solen Feyissa on Unsplash * Support Getting Work To Work on ChrisMartinStudios.shop! * Sign up for my weekly newsletter: The Curiosity Lab
How do you use a public art installation during a pandemic to promote safe gatherings in a public space? To answer that question are two people behind Polka Dot Downtown, a performance art installation in and around Portland, Oregon, including Pioneer Courthouse Square. Bill Will is a conceptual sculptor and installation artist. Theresa Vetsch-Sandoval is the Director of Marketing for Pioneer Courthouse Square, Portland’s Living Room. In this conversation, they share how this unique project came to life, what it takes to design art for massive spaces, and the impact Polka Dot Downtown has had on the community. Sprinkled throughout, Bill and Theresa talk a lot about public art and how artists can develop their reputations and share their creativity with others.
Show Links * Bill Will * Pioneer Courthouse Square * Edward & Nancy Kienholz * Regional Arts & Culture Council * Oregon Arts Commission * How to be both by Ali Smith * Horizon by Barry Lopez * The Genius of Birds: The Intelligent Life of Birds by Jennifer Ackerman * SmartLess * Support Getting Work To Work on ChrisMartinStudios.shop! * Sign up for my weekly newsletter: The Curiosity Lab
Lately, I’ve been asking myself and others this question, “When is an idea ready?” I’m curious about what it takes for others to act because ready is a commitment. It’s a decision to go from an abstract thought that plays out only in your head to something becoming realized through planning, acting, creating, editing, refining, publishing, shipping, and sharing. For myself, I’m not entirely sure when an idea is ready to go. I think it’s a mix of “can’t stop thinking about it” and “if I don’t do something now, I won’t do anything at all.” In other words, I amplify an internal sense of creative tension that I must resolve. For others, it’s a deadline, a belief, a desire, an obligation, even a calling.
Six answers to the question, “When is an idea ready?” 1. The Green Light 2. Resolving Creative Tension 3. Perfect Research 4. Guaranteed Success 5. Choosing the Next Idea in the Whirlwind 6. Commitment
Show Links * Photo by Faris Mohammed on Unsplash * Support Getting Work To Work on ChrisMartinStudios.shop! * Sign up for my weekly newsletter: The Curiosity Lab
What were you born to do? A powerful question that can be overwhelming to consider, let alone answer. Dr. Rebekah Louisa Smith, the founder of The Film Festival Doctor, is here to discuss her soul purpose: to help filmmakers get their films seen in the right festivals and win awards. In this conversation, we also talk about her book, Born To Do It: Becoming the Leader of a Business Niche Using Powerful Spiritual Techniques and several concepts from the book, including branding and energy, positioning, identifying business opportunities, and networking. Throughout the conversation, Rebekah reflects the importance of being open to the unexpected and to others.
Show Links * The Film Festival Doctor * Rebekah Louisa Smith * Born To Do It: Becoming the Leader of a Business Niche Using Powerful Spiritual Techniques by Dr. Rebekah Louisa Smith * “The Life-Changing Impact of Film Festivals” with Dr. Rebekah Louisa Smith (BYI11) * Abertoir – The International Horror Festival of Wales * Marie Diamond * Raindance * Be Unlimited with Ellen Watts * I Am My Brand: How to Build Your Brand Without Apology by Kubi Springer * Kubi Springer * Photo by Kind and Curious on Unsplash * Support Getting Work To Work on ChrisMartinStudios.shop! * Sign up for my weekly newsletter: The Curiosity Lab
I’m fifteen years into my business journey, and there is so much I still do not know. It seems like every day there is something new to learn. Not only about my business and the people I serve, but about myself. How I am wired; the future I want to create. The past I can’t seem to shake. In today’s episode of Getting Work To Work, I’m going to dive into a few lessons that I’m learning about business. It’s all about solidifying and creating a future that not only works for me but inspires other business owners to dig deep and go further than they thought possible. Business isn’t easy, so why make it harder on yourself than it already is?
Lessons I’m Learning: * Reframe business advice so it fuels you. * Beyond promotional support. * Vision is the real work. * Chase the hidden business model. * Listen to your gut. * Business is tough, so don’t make it harder on yourself than it already is.
Show Links * Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash * Support Getting Work To Work on ChrisMartinStudios.shop! * Sign up for my weekly newsletter: The Curiosity Lab
There is something special about moments in life where the worlds of fiction and reality align. Earlier this year, a good friend and supporter of Getting Work To Work reached out with a book recommendation, The Sweeney Sisters by Lian Dolan. Not only was the book enjoyable for my friend, but as she read it, she thought I’d find it interesting as well. It’s a book about families and the impact of secrets, and as you’ll learn in this conversation, something I’ve been working through the past year. Through the power of Lian’s words, I made a shift in my mind and began the healing process.
Not only is Lian a writer and speaker, but along with her four sisters, she co-hosts a top-rated podcast for women called Satellite Sisters. In this conversation, we begin with her early days of coming to the dinner table with a story to tell her nine family members and end by discussing the healing nature of fiction and how writing mirrors her reality. Throughout, Lian shares stories and wisdom for any creative to apply to their life, work, and craft.
Show Links * Lian Dolan * The Sweeney Sisters by Lian Dolan * Satellite Sisters * The Kindest Lie by Nancy Johnson * Satellite Sisters | Novelist Nancy Johnson on The Kindest Lie, Liz’s 2021 theme, Tony Bennett + Alzheimers, The Fussy Virgin * Patrick Radden Keefe * Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe * Wind of Change * Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe * Photo by Anna Goncharova on Unsplash * Support Getting Work To Work on ChrisMartinStudios.shop! * Sign up for my weekly newsletter: The Curiosity Lab
What does it mean to trust yourself? Inspired by a quote from Seth Godin’s book, The Practice: Shipping Creative Work, I’m exploring what it means to trust yourself and how trust connects to your passion. For most of my business, I found it easier to trust someone else’s interpretation of me rather than trust my thoughts, desires, and feelings. But as I consider what it means to trust myself and do the work connected to that trust, I see an interesting new path forward. To outsiders, it looks a lot like where I’ve been before. But to me, it feels so much different.
Trusting yourself (internal): 1. To listen. 2. To question. 3. To challenge. 4. To resolve. 5. To change.
The work we trust ourselves to do (external): 1. To remember all that we’ve done, learned, and become, not to be stuck in the past, but to fuel our momentum moving forward. 2. To move closer to our true self and creative identity. 3. To say yes when we want to say yes, no when we want to say no. 4. To push through the plateau and trust yourself to work through challenges and hardships. 5. To change your relationship to risk.
Show Links * The Practice: Shipping Creative Work by Seth Godin * Photo by Neroli Wesley on Unsplash * Support Getting Work To Work on ChrisMartinStudios.shop! * Sign up for my weekly newsletter: The Curiosity Lab
Do you know what your strengths are? More importantly, do you know why that even matters? Today, I’m talking with Micah Lorenc, a Gallup-Certified CliftonStrengths Coach, about all-things strengths. From his curiosity about people and a fascination with understanding what makes us unique, Micah shares his journey to understand not just what we do but who we are. Throughout this conversation, we explore our strengths and connect them to our work. Micah talks about the common misconceptions between strengths and weaknesses as well as fixed and growth mindset. In addition, he also shares how both teams and relationships would benefit from understanding the dynamics between one another’s strengths.
Show Links * Micah Lorenc * Gallup CliftonStrengths * Ancient Cultures Didn’t See Blue * Formula 1: Drive to Survive * The Next Big Idea * Rejection Proof: How I Beat Fear and Became Invincible Through 100 Days of Rejection by Jia Jiang * Photo by Victor Freitas on Unsplash * Support Getting Work To Work on ChrisMartinStudios.shop! * Sign up for my weekly newsletter: The Curiosity Lab
