Follow Your Curiosity

CPT #90: Chaos and Control

In Western culture, we don't often think of creativity as something controlled, but the truth is, there's a place for chaos and control in our creative process. In this slightly-longer-than-usual pep talk, I give a couple examples of the push-pull of chaos and control, and how they can both be helpful—and detrimental—to our creative work, and why it's worth experimenting with a little more of one if you're used to working primarily with the other.

Want more tips? Check out this playlist with all my previous Creative Pep Talks!

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I'm currently in the home stretch of putting together my upcoming Make Bad Art group program, which will be starting in about a month. Make Bad Art is the anti-MBA, a safe place to come unlearn all those things you're taught you have to have as an "adult" (stress, perfection, conformity) so you can reclaim the inner wild, curious, creative kid who's always been inside you±the one who knows how to play, invent, have fun, and live with abandon and joy. It's a playground for the liberation of your inner artist AND your authentic self, and the effects will go beyond the class container.

I'll be posting more very soon at my newsletter, The Spark, so subscribe to get the details as soon as they're available! We'd love to have you! 

Failure, Innovation, and Play with Paul Pape

Paul Pape is an artist, designer, and entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in the creative industry. He’s created thousands of personalized products for clients worldwide as well as companies such as Disney, Universal, and Nickelodeon. In recent years, he’s shifted to empowering creatives, companies and corporations, sharing his expertise and insights to help them embrace innovation, reverse the creativity crisis and make life and work FUN again. Paul talks with me about failure as something necessary to innovation—not something you did wrong; what we’ve learned from the pandemic, and what we’ve refused to learn; and the technological pandemic of boredom and doomscrolling, and what we can do to find inspiration outside of screens and devices (spoiler: it involves PLAY).

Read this week's post, "Letting Go and Finding Flow," here. 

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Introduction

01:18 Intro to Paul's creative and educational journey.

06:21 Disillusioned artist seeks better opportunities after MFA.

11:25 Thrive on process and problem-solving, not outcomes.

18:44 Creativity crisis: Innovation decline due to pressure.

23:16 Ownership fosters pride and individuality in work.

26:53 Uninterrupted work and flexible schedule were beneficial.

35:38 Short-term thinking limits long-term business growth.

38:48 Engage audience; leave wanting them to play.

44:03 Focus on interests, continually learn, and yield.

48:00 Prioritizing profits over addressing boredom and technology.

55:31 Encourage creative play with devices over mindlessness.

58:38 Hope: Augmented reality enhances life's immediate engagement.

Check out the full show notes (now including transcripts!!) AND SEE PAUL'S NERD WALL IN HIS PHOTO at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack.

Please leave a review for this episode—it’s really easy and will only take a minute, and it really helps me reach new listeners. Thanks!

If you enjoyed our conversation, I hope you’ll share it with a friend.

Want more? Here are handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in education and theatre.

CPT #89: Building Momentum

In August, I talked about reading War and Peace over the course of this year at a pace of roughly one chapter a day—the value of small steps in practice. Since then, I’ve noticed a little more about what happens to your project—and to you—when you take those consistent small steps, and I’m here to tell you about it in this short episode.

Could you leave a review? It's really easy, and it helps SO much. Thanks!

Want more tips? Check out this playlist with all my previous Creative Pep Talks!

Uniting Communities through Music with Lianna Magerr and Kimberly Doucette

When you hear the words “children’s chorus,” you probably think of a pretty straightforward group of kids making music. If you’re in Wilmington, Delaware, you have good reason to think of a whole lot more. Wilmington Children’s Chorus Executive Director Lianna Magerr and Artistic Director Kimberly Doucette join me to talk about how they’ve gone beyond the rehearsal room to create an organization that reaches more than 500 kids in the Wilmington area, many from low-income neighborhoods, with the goal of empowering young people to change their world through music.

Read this week's post, "How to Stop Being Your Own Creative Enemy," here: https://fyc.quest/enemy

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Lianna's and Kimberly's creative background.

10:18 Lianna wanted to teach; followed passion through choir.

14:37 WCC evolves to meet ever-changing community needs.

17:55 Pioneered safe in-person singing during COVID-19.

27:35 COVID disrupted children's conflict resolution skill development.

31:13 Neighborhood choir program for underserved communities launched successfully.

39:02 Inclusive environment helps kids try new activities.

43:20 Early childhood music boosts development but requires resources.

47:40 Community centers essential for low-income neighborhoods.

51:15 Families support children's chorus through donations, trust.

59:56 Identify community needs and provide unique contributions.

01:01:56 Collaborative spirit and community connections in Wilmington.

01:06:52 Wilmington Children's Chorus 20th anniversary post-COVID concert

 

Check out the full show notes (now including transcripts!!) at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack.

Please leave a review for this episode—it’s really easy and will only take a minute, and it really helps me reach new listeners. Thanks!

If you enjoyed our conversation, I hope you’ll share it with a friend.

Want more? Here are handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in music.

 

Replay: CPT #15: Rule Number 6

This week’s talk is a look back to an episode from 2021. It’s a more lighthearted look at things that get in our way, riffing off a great story from Zander and Zander's book The Art of Possibility. Maybe you, too, would benefit from remembering Rule Number Six?

I'd love to hear your feedback, questions, and experience with these ideas! Send me a note at fycuriosity.com, or contact me on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! I also post pretty regularly on TikTok.

Replay: Professional Fandom with Gary Russell

Gary Russell has done a bit of everything in media, from acting when he was young to writing fanzines to writing for Doctor Who Magazine to working for the BBC to co-founding Big Finish Productions, which produces a variety of audio dramas for various TV series including Doctor Who, The Prisoner, Dark Shadows, and more. Gary and I talk about his journey from one opportunity to the next as a “professional fan,” including how he’s made the decision both to take and to leave various positions, why he’s always run his life on instinct, and why he thinks it’s absolutely vital to be able to admit when you don’t know what you’re doing (even when it means baptism by fire), the value of freelancing—why he wouldn’t have it any other way—and a lot more. I really think you’ll get a lot out of my conversation with Gary Russell, even if you’ve never seen an episode of Doctor Who. 

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Early desire to be a stuntman leads to acting classes/jobs.
08:56 Other kids at school unimpressed by acting jobsl.
11:35 Switching out of acting.
20:34 People are conditioned not to admit ignorance.
26:28 Recognizing natural endings and embracing them rather than holding on too long.
29:40 Facing uncertainty.
33:30 Embrace new experiences, live a fulfilling life.
36:12 Doctor Who fanzines/freelancing lead to running Doctor Who Magazine.
46:23 Input from others shaped Gary’s core philosophy.
50:14 Warriors of the Deep: Script is good, but the execution is fatally flawed.
58:15 Ignore negativity, focus on what's important.
01:04:28 The birth of Big Finish Productions.
01:14:32 Moving to the BBC to work on Doctor Who.
01:23:37 Pension provides security, but Gary will never stop working.
01:27:24 Advice for anyone interested in freelancing.

Check out the full show notes at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack.

Please leave a review for this episode and in it, tell us about a time when you took a leap of faith. If you enjoyed our conversation, I hope you’ll share it with a friend.

Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my previous interviews with guests in Doctor Who.

Creative Pep Talk #88: Keep Going

Simple, but not always easy: the key to progress or success is just to keep going. I'll tell you why in this short episode.

Simon Haisell's year-long War and Peace read can be found here.

Could you leave a review? It's really easy, and it helps SO much. Thanks!

Want more tips? Check out this playlist with all my previous Creative Pep Talks!

Pulling the Rug Out with Michael Broussard

Actor, activist, musician, and artist Michael Broussard joined me back in 2021 to talk about his one-man show, Ask a Sex Abuse Survivor, and what he’s learned about destigmatizing trauma abuse through art. A few months ago, he mentioned to me that he’s been focusing on pulling the rug out from under himself artistically. He’s back today to talk about just what that means and how it’s actually been influencing his work all along, and his upcoming game show project. We talk about game shows over the years, improv skills—that ability to accept and adapt in the moment—as integral to art and to life, how we are each an experiential filter for creativity, the importance of creativity as self-care, and more. 

Get tickets for Michael's game show here. If you'd like to be a contestant, send 3 interesting things about yourself to michaelbroussardarts@gmail.com 

 

Read this week's post: Mucking about in the creek, here.

Listen to Michael's earlier episode here.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Introduction

01:11 Embracing surprises in performance adds excitement.

05:15 Creativity is influenced by internal and external factors.

10:32 Panelist embraces chaos, hosts semi-controlled game shows.

15:51 Influences shape individuality and creative process uniquely.

27:09 Repetition in performance can lead to boredom.

33:02 Understanding the challenge of listening and relating.

34:21 Benefits of good listening.

41:20 Improvisation and humor on the Match Game.

45:55 Zoom shows make audience feel ownership, enjoyment.

52:29 We're trained to be passive, but need agency.

57:40 Denying ourselves what we love limits life.

01:04:50 Art is subjective; worth exploring and learning.

01:07:29 Story inspired by Disney; teacher encouragement.

 

Check out the full show notes (now including transcripts!!) at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack.

Please leave a review for this episode—it’s really easy and will only take a minute, and it really helps me reach new listeners. Thanks!

If you enjoyed our conversation, I hope you’ll share it with a friend.

Want more? Here are handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in theatre.

 

CPT #87: Clear Out the Gunk

Sometimes your creativity can be like a clogged pipe. I'll give you one way to keep it flowing in this short episode.

Sign up for one of this month's Unconventional Inspiration Circles here, and invite a friend!

 

Could you leave a review? It's really easy, and it helps SO much. Thanks!

Want more tips? Check out this playlist with all my previous Creative Pep Talks!

A More Beautiful Question with Warren Berger

Journalist Warren Berger, who has written for publications such as the New York Times, Wired magazine, and Fast Company, has a question for you. In fact, he has a lot. He’s literally written the book on questions (three of them, to be exact), and recently updated his book, A MORE BEAUTIFUL QUESTION, for its tenth anniversary. Warren joins me to talk about why questions are important—even more important than answers. We get into why kids stop asking questions, just what a “beautiful” question is, how Google and AI have changed the way we question, why questions are better than advice, and more. And Warren has some suggestions for those who want to start asking better questions, too.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 Introduction

01:46 Writing: A childhood passion turned career path.

05:44 Practical, disciplined approach crucial for successful freelancing.

06:57 Deepening exploration of subjects beyond magazine articles.

13:05 Questioning basics often overlooked, yet fundamentally important.

15:53 Improving questioning skills can transform your life.

17:22 Asking questions builds rapport and connection.

21:02 Innovators' creativity driven by self-questioning and curiosity.

25:20 Kids fear peer pressure, appearing foolish, uncool.

29:58 Questions guide, empower and inspire personal insight.

34:00 Pandemic prompted questioning, AI raises similar queries.

35:48 Questioning is crucial in navigating AI and information overload.

39:09 Questioning and learning, information at our fingertips.

43:58 Beautiful questions have no definite answer; valuable.

45:31 Unanswered questions spark innovation and drive motivation.

51:29 Devaluing expertise and importance of questioning.

53:53 Importance of fairness in critical thinking process.

57:09 Explore and act on meaningful questions together.

58:58 Check out the book's fun website too.

 

Check out the full show notes (now including transcripts!!) at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack.

Please leave a review for this episode—it’s really easy and will only take a minute, and it really helps me reach new listeners. Thanks!

If you enjoyed our conversation, I hope you’ll share it with a friend.

Want more? Here are handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in writing.