How have I not sung the praises of this song here before? Max Romeo was a Jamaican reggae star and bonafide island crooner. Lee “Scratch” Perry was personally delivering dub (and the insane tech behind it, which he was creating by hand) to the universe. This song is one of my favoritest things either of … Continue reading Sunday Music: Disco Devil
Tag: creative
Sunday Music: How Did You Know (Sylvan Esso)
Sylvan Esso is back with their moody, sometimes minimalist - other times maximalist, magic. The quiet simmer of “How Did You Know” that turns into a boil by a minute or so in - it’s so, so cool. Throw some headphones on and press play. And check the whole record out too, this is innovative … Continue reading Sunday Music: How Did You Know (Sylvan Esso)
The 4 People Every Creator Must Be
Austin Kleon shared a clip from a Susan Sontag journal about how “The Writer Must Be 4 People.” These don’t just apply to writers, they apply to all creators (and forward-looking business people, and humble leaders, and great coaches, and etc.). The writer must be four people: 1) The nut, the obsédé 2) The moron … Continue reading The 4 People Every Creator Must Be
Sunday Music: Dear Abby
Two “Dear Abby” songs for hard times. First, John Prine’s. No matter what your worries are, “You have no complaint / you are what you are and you ain’t what you ain’t / so listen up, buster, and listen up good / stop wishing for bad luck and knocking on wood.” Choice. In a nutshell. … Continue reading Sunday Music: Dear Abby
Podcast Of The Week: Seth Godin And Debbie Millman
Anytime Seth Godin and Debbie Millman get together it’s worth listening. They’re gods of marketing, design, and what I think we can agree to call, “vulnerable leadership.” If you don’t know them, you’re in for a treat. If you do, you already know what it means to be a fly on the wall when they … Continue reading Podcast Of The Week: Seth Godin And Debbie Millman
Sarah Cooper On Her Superpower Of Being Funny
Sarah Cooper is hysterical. She did the corporate thing before taking a shot at becoming a comedian, struggling, doubling down on the corporate job, and then eventually tripling down and breaking out as an artist. If you’re a creative with a side hustle, or a creative with a creative streak in your main hustle, Cooper’s … Continue reading Sarah Cooper On Her Superpower Of Being Funny
Search Is Good. But Being Found Is Where It’s At. Here’s How:
Search is a great surface-level activity. In less than 10 seconds, especially if your Google-fu is strong, you can find just about anyone or anything. Cool. Cool? Cool. Sure. But being found is a next-level activity. And a problem (that’s masquerading as an opportunity). Once you search something with a question (“oh my god is … Continue reading Search Is Good. But Being Found Is Where It’s At. Here’s How:
Judd Apatow’s Secret To Creative Output Is…
Judd Apatow’s secret to creative output: “Down-Up Theory.” Get it DOWN. Fix it UP. That’s it. Two steps but they contain creative multitudes. h/t Apatow’s 3rd appearance on the Working It Out with Mike Birbiglia podcast
Connecting Creatively With What’s Outside Our Comfort Zone
(self-talk moment) Get outside your comfort zone. You are here. The growth is over there. Outside. So, grow towards it little amoeba. The superpower of creativity is being able to describe the outside. When we can explain the opportunity of growth to our clients and ourselves, we create value. We just need to find the … Continue reading Connecting Creatively With What’s Outside Our Comfort Zone
There Are Stones In Your Passway. Get Past Them. 
My guitar teacher when I was 13 or so had a poster of Robert Johnson on the wall of the glorified music store closet he taught lessons out of. There you’d be, trying your damndest to stumble through Stairway, and Robert Johnson was just posted up, staring you down. At the time, the image burned … Continue reading There Are Stones In Your Passway. Get Past Them.