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
Tag: creative
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. 
How A Lost Wallet Led To A Hit Song
The story behind the hit song “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” is better than the song itself. That’s not intended to be a hot take, but it is intended to remind us to look for silver linings, because when the world starts throwing funny twists and turns under our feet, following the path of our own … Continue reading How A Lost Wallet Led To A Hit Song
Marie Forleo Didn’t Have “Puppy Webcam” In Her Vision Statement (And Her Career Still Took Off)
Marie Forleo was having a hard time getting traction writing her blog posts in the early 2000s. Not only was it hard to just sit and write, but she’d made it harder by getting a puppy - and who has the time for all of this stuff anyway? She turned on a webcam to give … Continue reading Marie Forleo Didn’t Have “Puppy Webcam” In Her Vision Statement (And Her Career Still Took Off)
Corporate Mindset: Don’t Get Fired – Freelancer Mindset: Go Get Hired
Colin Chung says leaving his corporate job is what taught him resiliency. When you get hired by a company to do a job for an indefinite amount of time, they hold the ability to determine how your tomorrow’s go. You might get promoted. You might get fired. You might lose your red stapler. When you … Continue reading Corporate Mindset: Don’t Get Fired – Freelancer Mindset: Go Get Hired