Dan Rubin on The Creative Process

If you consider yourself to be a creative type, you probably find that it’s easy to have great ideas for things you’d love to try or projects you want to do in the future, but you struggle to actually make things happen. Even if you organize yourself and your time pretty well, the fact is everyday life has a way of creeping in from all sides and crowding out a good chunk of our plans.

That’s why Tiago Forte has developed the idea of a second brain, a revolutionary idea that makes it possible to really unleash creative potential in a transformative way. Your second brain is a place outside of your head to store and organize your ideas and plans so you can effectively implement them at a later date. And when we understand the creative process and its natural cycles, we can utilize it in a way that causes us to be more effective with what we’re trying to accomplish.

Tiago uses the acronym CODE (capture, organize, distill, express) to describe the creative process, which he says comes in two phases. Phase one (capture, organize) is the divergent phase and must happen first. This is when we gather all our information and consider all possibilities. We expand and gather. Phase two (distill, express) is convergent, and can only be done when phase one is complete. This is when the whole cloud of ideas and information is organized and given a shape and a plan. 

We also discuss the difference between the infinite and finite areas of life, namely, areas vs projects. How can we tell when something has an end, and when it is ongoing? The key to success is realizing that a full life should have both.

After you’ve listened to this conversation, I encourage you to read Tiago’s book, Building a Second Brain. You will be inspired to capture all the input that life throws your way and turn into something that works for you and your business.

HIGHLIGHTS

[4:51] We tend to think of people as either artistic or analytical, right-brained or left-brained. But realistically, life requires us to be both.

[6:36] Tiago describes how he found his creative medium, which is to find practical solutions to the challenges of life.

[11:10] A second brain is a place to store ideas that you want to revisit and/or implement in the future.

[17:04] Tiago’s acronym for the creative process: CODE: Capture, Organize, Distill and Express.

[26:55] The first half of CODE is divergence, expanding possibilities and increasing scope. The second half, Distill and Express are convergent.

[28:53] PARA: Projects, Areas, Resources and Archives. How do we organize all the notes and information we’ve collected so we can find them again? 

[30:43] Projects end, Areas don’t. Areas are aspects of life that are ongoing. There are different rules for both. 

[36:47] Why it should matter to people to build a second brain.

Mako’s paintings have been described as a rebellion against the speed of the internet and an antidote to time. In fact, the New York Times refers to his work as a form of “Slow Art”. Rather than using conventional paint, Mako uses various pulverized minerals, applied layer by layer to create huge finished works that can only truly be seen and appreciated when the viewer is able to slow down and observe the painting for longer periods of time. It can take over 10 minutes to begin to see the multi-dimensional qualities of one of Mako’s works. He takes inspiration from both traditional Japanese and contemporary American art.

Although Mako’s art is intrinsically full of beauty and joy, it explores the themes of trauma, brokenness and healing. He and Ty both have the experience of having lived in New York City during 9/11 and its aftermath, and also of building a ground zero teahouse that served as an exhibit gallery for local artist to share their expressions of grief and loss as the city healed from tragedy. 

But how do we translate this into dollars? Where does capitalism fit in when we’re talking about art, meaning, personal expression and communication? This is where the conversation gets interesting! I’m so glad to be able to have Mako and Ty together in the same conversion, because they represent two different manifestations of this idea. Since Ty is in the business of helping people monetize their creativity, and as a creative person himself, he has lots of insight into this area. In fact, while Ty and his father seem to be opposites in many ways, it’s interesting to see how they actually think alike when we’re talking about values and what’s important in life.

I hope this episode inspires you to take another look at what it means to be creative, and maybe to even get a fresh perspective on the world with all its different angles and dimensions.

Links

You can explore the work of Makoto Fujimura here.

Learn more about Ty and his work here and here.

Timeline

[2:31] Mako introduces us to the concept of pulverized minerals in his form of slow art.

[3:49] The mulit-dimensional aspect of Mako’s paintings is best seen in person when you can view them from all angles and take time with them.

[6:25] Mako’s paintings are an homage to American expressionism as well as ancient Japanese artistic traditions. 

[11:06] Mako describes the experience of straddling two different cultures simultaneously, and how living in New York City affected him and his work.

[14:36] Ty shares his experience of growing up in the city and now raising children there. He and Mako talk about their 9/11 teahouse collaborative art project.

[21:04] Mako’s work explores themes of trauma, brokenness, and life and death.

[23:35] Art as therapy and communication

[30:00] There is no need to push yourself to create during trauma. Sometimes it’s okay to do nothing. But you can wait and hope for transcendence and rebirth.

[33:50] Creativity is not trivial just because it doesn’t always translate into business. Your creativity is something that people need.

[40:23] How does creativity fit into the model of capitalism? Mako talks about the ‘gift economy’.

[44:03] Creating a transaction around a work of art shows the value of that work. Decentralizing art only hurts the middle man, not the artist or the consumer.

[47:00] Ty explains why he created Cantilever, and how it functions as an operating system for running a creative business.

[52:20] Technology as an artistic medium

[56:33] Ty and Mako discuss what they have learned from each other, and how the so-called ‘unproductive’ moments in life are what contribute to creativity.

[1:03:45] The assumption of scarcity vs. the assumption of abundance.

Gerald Leonard has had a diverse career filled with creative pursuits and technical education. The magic happened when Gerald was able to draw a throughline from the success of small jazz ensembles to the success of tech teams and businesses. It all came down to knowing how and when to lead.

When you’ve played for years or spent that time developing your IT skills, you become an expert. While those skills are absolutely necessary for success in your chosen field, you also need an understanding of how your role must adapt. On a team, each person is an expert in their niche, but it’s only by coming together and supporting each other that the team can achieve its goals.

Putting together the various pieces of the success puzzle and creating powerful teams combines creativity, neuroscience, culture, and, of course, a little jazzy improvisation. Finding your way there can help you truly live your life “in the zone.”

If you’d like to learn more about these concepts, Gerald Leonards’ books Workplace Jazz and Culture is the Base cover these topics in more detail. 

Timeline:

[4:08] Gerald details the eclectic road of specialties he’s walked and explored throughout his life.

[6:58] Choosing between pursuing a life on the road and being with his kids allowed him to slow down. But it was all meant to be and came back around later on.

[7:50] Balancing local concerts and starting a career in IT as a consultant showcased his natural talent for project organization and a mastery for adaptation.

[10:50] IT teams were changing and getting smaller. Gerald saw the similarities between playing with a small ensemble and working with concentrated tech teams.

[13:00] Culture and talent, incorporating not only the players on the stage but the audience, are the keys to succeeding at initiative changes.

[15:15] Gerald discusses the framework for his book, Culture is the Base.

[18:12] Leadership and collaboration are all about trust- trusting yourself, the process, and each other. Building that trust and establishing common ground is essential to creating strong teams.

[24:24] Being in the zone and learning to be in that flow state with a group of others. It’s about synchronizing with your team and melding those brainwaves.

[26:53] Gerald elaborates on whole brain integration and how it relates to coming together and finding that synchronistic groove. Outside of music, where it can naturally occur, there is a way to practice whole brain integration.

[30:05] How Gerald’s faith interacts with his daily routine and path toward success.

[33:20] Gerald talks about finding your purpose and direction. Consider what you want your mark to be and how you want your life celebrated in your old age.

Today’s conversation with Tim Arnold explores the gray areas that organization leaders encounter when faced with questions that don’t have black and white answers. We seem to be conditioned from an early age to see life in terms of either/or, right and wrong, good and evil, especially when it comes to problem solving. And there’s nothing wrong with this. In fact, it’s an incredibly useful tool for leaders to have. But what about the gray areas? What if polarizing the issue only makes it worse? How do we navigate questions of fairness, values, and creating win-win outcomes?

Dane and Tim discuss how to balance some of these values that often feel paradoxical. Should we lean towards greater responsibility, or more freedom? The answer can be both. Tim shares his own experience with learning to balance the need for stability within a company with his own inner drive to be constantly changing things. With a both/and mindset, he is able to successfully maintain both these seemingly conflicting values.

Tim has over two decades experience running a for profit business and a homeless shelter, and he has learned a lot about how to manage the complexity of tensions that arise within organizations. Currently he works as a speaker and author, helping others learn the tools for leadership success.  His latest book is Lead With AND: The Secret to Resilience and Results in a Polarized World. 

You can learn more about Tim by visiting Lead With AND

[2:17] Tim tells us his background and what led him to write his book. 

[5:42] How it can be a benefit to shift from either/or to both/and thinking when it comes to solving complex problems.

[8:34] Tim gives a real-world example of an organization finding the balance between freedom and responsibility in order to successfully live out its values.

[12:53] Does this kind of thinking come more naturally to certain personality types or people of a certain age or maturity level?

[15:51] Young children see in terms of black and white, good and bad. The ability to navigate the gray areas is something we learn to grow into. 

[17:45] Most leader personality types tend to do the either/or thing by nature, so they need to learn both/and thinking as a second language.

[20:24] Tim introduces his assessment tool that helps people successfully identify tensions and gives insight as to how to manage them, available at leadwithand.com

[21:59] Ignoring both/and thinking is like insisting to only inhale without ever exhaling. You’ll suffocate.

Amit Gupta is an entrepreneur, writer, and serial optimist. He’s also a personal friend of Dane’s, and in this episode, Dane and Amit discuss the past, the present, and - with Amit’s own brand of optimistic clarity - the future. 

Amit is, in his own words a “relatively successful entrepreneur”, though we would argue his success is more than relative. Among other various startups, he is the founder of Photojojo, an online photography store which he sold in 2014 after recovering from an aggressive form of leukemia. From there, he began exploring his creative side as a science fiction author, which is what inspired him to develop his most recent project with fellow writer and business partner, James.

Sudowrite is an AI writing tool that Amit and James invented to help writers get real-time feedback and suggestions. His hope is that not only will their program help people overcome writers’ block, it can also help solve some of the issues of isolation that writers experience. 

You can learn more about Amit and Sudowrite here:

sudowrite.com

amitgupta.com

jamesyu.org

[2:57]Amit tells a bit about his history as a tech entrepreneur, from playing around with HTML in college to his first startup and working as an intern with Seth Godin.

[5:08]Amit tells a story about a traumatic event that happened to him with some friends on the train tracks, which Dane says shows not only Amit’s resilience, but also that he hasn’t led a charmed life of the entrepreneur destined for success..

[8:07]In 2011, Amit was unexpectedly diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia, throwing him into a whirlwind of treatment and recovery, and subsequently began a national campaign for stem cell donation awareness.

[12:44]“Suffering is never an inevitability, it’s a universal human experience. But those who suffer and respond to suffering, in a way that somehow transcends the suffering is the kind of person that I want to learn from.”

[14:02] After his recovery, Amit changed the course he had been on and began to write science fiction, to pursue a passion for imagining a world made possible by technology.

[15:39] “The fiction that we're deluged with is so often dystopian. And it really concerns me that if we are just seeing the imaginations of our most creative people being devoted to how terrible the future could be, we're not going to be able to dream other ways that could be wonderful.”

[20:13] Amit shares some of the ways that getting sick changed his perspective and choices in life, and how he struggles to remember what the things are that really matter.

[22:21] The book Replay by Ken Grimwood is a reminder of the universal possibilities that exist for each of us in this life.

[24:10] Amit introduces us to his newest creation, Sudowrite, an AI-based creative writing tool.

[29:00] Dane admits to gushing when it comes to how cool Sudowrite is, and how much it could change the landscape for writers and open up new possibilities.

[32:14] Amet shares his thoughts on where he thinks the future is going.

Jaz Ampaw-Farr is no stranger to feeling like an outsider. In this podcast, Jaz shares her personal story from her earliest days as a girl who seemingly had no name, to where she is now as a wife and mother, successful businesswoman, and survivor. 

Jaz’s keystone message is that you need to believe that you belong. It’s a feeling that we can cultivate, what she calls a habit. This habit/feeling has little to do with data or evidence, although those can sometimes intersect with our thoughts and feelings about ourselves. It’s about relying on your internal story, what you know to be true about yourself. 

Jaz’s story of finding and sharing her name is a powerful example to listeners of finding your own truth to stand on, and owning it, transcending identity or external labels. Ultimately, Jaz Ampaw-Farr helps us challenge the idea that says, “People like me don’t do things like that.” 

TIMELINE

[2:04] Jaz shares one of her “Impostor Syndrome” stories. 

[6:22] There are two buckets: evidence and data in one, and thoughts and feelings in the other. 

[7:08] It becomes a habit to think you don’t belong, and from there the thought can become a feeling.

[9:39] Dane shares the story of Dan Allender to illustrate how it’s possible to shift perspective from being a victim to owning your story

[12:21] Jaz recounts an awkward moment that resulted in her being put on the spot to tell the story of the origin of her name. 

[26:23] Jaz continues telling the story of her name, and how she met her husband, Al.

[32:27] Jaz’s story comes full-circle back to the first incident mentioned, while weaving in the meaning of “jazz” as being the music produced by the suffering and hope of enslaved people.

[36:24] Jaz recaps her message, “Your one job is to stand on the truth about yourself when it comes to who you are and where you belong. People want to pull you one way or another, but it’s your story. Your one job is to believe that you belong.”

Focusmate is all about distraction-free productivity. As a creative entrepreneur, you often get pulled away from your work because of the other things you need to do to keep your business running. 

Taylor founded the company on the principle that working with others and being “held accountable” for your productivity leads to improved work. And it took off. As the company’s popularity rose, Taylor found himself in the same position as his clients. 

Today, we talk about the rise of Focusmate and what it really takes to prioritize properly. 

Check out more at https://www.focusmate.com/ and create a free account to get a taste of enhanced productivity thanks to a “live” co-worker. You can also find him on LinkedIn on Twitter.

TIMELINE:

[1:20] The history of caring about humans and creating better lives for everyone- of “getting out of our own way.”

[6:25] Something to offer in a world with need. Productivity is more than just tools and techniques. It’s filling in the gaps with a human connection and understanding our differences.

[10:15] We want to look at the tools and duplicate them, but life is messier than that.

[11:45] Working in a corporate environment showed Taylor that lacking support meant a lack of performance. It informed his ideals of coming together to be better humans.

[14:47] Focusmate came from perseverance and luck. It connects the focus comradery that the service offers.

[19:27] While the press and interest have certainly gone up, Taylor thinks of it as a welcoming party for those discovering the benefits of Focusmate. Creating a great remote experience is crucial now more than ever.

[22:40] COVID has opened up a window to vulnerability, and it’s stripped away a lot of norms and status quos.

[25:05] Mental health and remote work have an interesting relationship. The challenge of learning these new life skills, especially through a pandemic, is something that we’re all dealing with.

[28:16] Understanding where you work best is crucial. How do you respond to working remotely? It can be a huge struggle for some, and it’s important to know what works for you and ask for it.

[31:20] Now is when employers must make a paradigm shift. We need to shake things up. We’ve never had more permission to do so than now

Cloverleaf uses popular assessments to create a slow drip of insights that can significantly change how you approach your career. No one thinks and communicates the same way. By understanding your audience and team members on a deeper level, you can be a better manager, enterprise leader, and coach.

Kirsten talks about how recognizing different people’s strengths can build a foundation of understanding. By leaning into your strengths and confronting your weaknesses at work, you can create lasting benefits that stretch beyond your office and help you be a better you. 

As a leader, it’s about building the patterns and rhythms to help your team do what they excel at and be unleashed to do their best work.

Check out more at https://cloverleaf.me/ and create a free account to see more about partnering with those around you.

TIMELINE:

[2:14] What do you want from life and business? Finding what you’re good at, what you’re wired for, can help you succeed and work collaboratively with those around you. 

[5:55] Digital coaching nudges can help practically by creating a team dashboard that customizes insights based on who you’re working with and their unique traits.

[9:41] A new workplace superpower that transforms life outside the office. You can change your team for the better without pursuing outside resources or changing the members by understanding your strengths and weaknesses.

[12:41] You can bang yourself against the wall of productivity based on other people’s expectations. Still, you won’t perform or be your best until you stop fighting how you’re wired and learn how to work with it, not against it.

[14:05] When pursuing an entrepreneurial career, fill your team with people who can balance your weaknesses with their strengths. 

[17:30] Teams with psychological safety, where mistakes are something to grow from, are the most successful. It’s the growth mindset.

[19:40] Daily, recognize how you might assume something about others’ thinking.

[21:06] Balancing instruction versus providing wiggle room is crucial to Kirsten’s success as a manager and leader. Taking breaks to journal allows her to take a moment where the pressure is off, and ideas can freely flow.

[26:27] Assuming the person in front of you means the best, wants to learn, and can bring something to the table is putting the best foot forward. Every person has value.

[28:49] The Ocean Accelerator taught Kirsten and her partner to raise institutional capital with intelligent, experienced investors who can improve her company in ways that aren’t just about the money.

[32:24] Her current influential voices include her co-founder, and they’ve worked together to improve where they let go of the reigns a bit and let their people shine.

[36:06] Culture is about more than lunches. It’s the relationships and being proud of the work.

Jerzy lives by his own philosophy, and that is “Hard choices, easy life. Easy choices, hard life.” It’s a simple, easily applicable mantra to for all of us to live by. As somewhat of a Renaissance Man in his post Olympic life, Jerzy dabbles in a lot of different areas to truly embrace his philosophy on life.

His passion is infectious and you can’t help but be inspired by his message, his story and his constant pursuit of becoming better. His interests and knowledge range from elite fitness coaching, to writing poetry and Greek philosophy.

Jerzy joins the podcast to reflect on how constantly challenging ourselves to find success by making hard choices, leads to a better, easier life.

Timeline

13:15 What really shapes us? Challenges and “hard choices”.

20:15 What is the timeline for excellence? What commitment do we need to make to achieve excellence? There’s no instant fix.

28:00 The importance of aspirational figures to help guide us through the hard choices. Who do we look for when we want to grow?

34:00 Here we discuss how you can show what you are, not just say it. 

35:00 What is measurable goal setting? Make challenges, but challenges that are doable!

43:45 What is being “life flexible” and why it is important? How does an athletic quality apply to life too?

Corbett Barr’s career spanned from helping Fortune 500 companies to becoming an entrepreneur in Silicon Valley to life-changing events in Mexico that changed his life. For Barr, pursuing a new career in the internet world is about audience-first, genuine connection, and creation.

From blogging, Barr found a way to represent himself online, without social media and bosses dictating how and where he should promote his work. So much of the world has changed since the invention of the web. With assets mostly digital, reinventing yourself and creating the right type of audience and brand is easier and quicker than ever. Authentic presentation and a carefully crafted web presence can show an audience who you are and why to offer their support.

Check out more at https://corbettbarr.com or https://fizzle.co/. 

TIMELINE:

[06:10] Barr discusses life vs. career & how you can create a job that works around your life

[09:45] Overcoming the challenges of audience-first entrepreneurship. Communication is key. You’ll know you have a market for your product and can change things before release. Gives you momentum.

[16:08] Finding your voice through media.

[19:38] Barr introduces Fizzle, a training library for entrepreneurs.

[22:00] The reset in 2021- Barr talks about digital baggage and relearning the world of the internet in the modern day by creating some distance from social media.

[26:33] How independent creation and action can work differently and own the relationship with your customer rather than big organizations relying on ads.