en http://www.themindfulcreator.com http://static.feedpress.it/logo/mindfulcreator.jpg http://www.themindfulcreator.com A podcast exploring self awareness and mindset development for creative entrepreneurs. Thu, 27 Aug 2015 13:31:09 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.5.3 For creative entrepreneurs, there will always be more finish lines to cross, more outcomes to achieve, and more rough edges to polish. Successfully navigating this wild age of opportunity is not always about what we do or how we do it, but whether we can show up to our work with confidence and stay present on the journey (both of which are critical to business and personal growth).<br /> <br /> With a healthy mix of up-and-comers and grizzled vets at my side – The Mindful Creator will explore what it takes to cultivate meaningful work without losing ourselves along the way. Brett Henley: Writer + Storyteller + Content Strategist Brett Henley: Writer + Storyteller + Content Strategist vernacular.ninja@gmail.com vernacular.ninja@gmail.com (Brett Henley: Writer + Storyteller + Content Strategist) Copyright © 2015 Brett Henley Self Awareness + Mindset Development for Creative Entrepreneurs TV-MA Franklin, TN http://www.themindfulcreator.com/final-episode/ Thu, 27 Aug 2015 13:31:09 +0000 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/?p=5879 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/final-episode/#comments http://www.themindfulcreator.com/final-episode/feed/ 2 <p>Episode 36 marks an end of things - an ending I didn't expect or see coming. Yes, this is the last episode of The Mindful Creator.</p> <p>After a lot of searching and reflection, I've decided to shut down the show and move on to other things.</p> <p>So I sat down to record my thoughts on the ending of the show, why I decided to let go, and a deeper dive into this strange correlation humans have between our accomplishments and sense of self worth.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/final-episode/">MC36: Success + Self Worth (The Final Episode)</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> Episode 36 marks an end of things - an ending I didn't expect or see coming. Yes, this is the last episode of The Mindful Creator. - After a lot of searching and reflection, I've decided to shut down the show and move on to other things. -  
Episode 36 marks an end of things – an ending I didn’t expect or see coming. Yes, this is the last episode of The Mindful Creator.
After a lot of searching and reflection, I’ve decided to shut down the show and move on to other things.
So I sat down to record my thoughts on the ending of the show, why I decided to let go, and a deeper dive into this strange correlation humans have between our accomplishments and sense of self worth.
The latter topic is especially important to me, as I’ve struggled mightily on my creative journey at times with separating my vision for success from my own identity.
With the steady climb of depression in the entrepreneur and creative communities – I thought it was important to spend some time digging deeper into this weird cultural obsession we have with basing our self worth on the weight of our contributions and accomplishments.
Before I part and leave you to listen to this episode, I wanted to say thank you to everyone who has supported me since I launched the podcast a little over a year ago. It has been a wild and wondrous ride, and I am grateful to each and every listener and guest who has graced me with their attention, good conversation, and precious time.
Oh, and be sure to stick around until the end of the episode to listen to the full version of the show’s intro song – The Operator by Adam Butler. I wanted to leave with a little homage to what is a really fantastic piece of art that I am thankful to have been given the permission to use.
May you find strength in self awareness and the present moment on your creative journey.
– Brett
 

 
]]> Brett Henley yes 52:59 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/jared-janes/ Thu, 13 Aug 2015 20:24:52 +0000 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/?p=5860 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/jared-janes/#respond http://www.themindfulcreator.com/jared-janes/feed/ 0 <p>Jared Janes is a Social Entrepreneur and founder & CEO of Altruist.</p> <p>In Episode 35 of The Mindful Creator, Jared and I chat about cultivating purpose in not only creativity and career, but in just about anything that you do in life.</p> <p>In our discussion, Jared and I dig deeper into the process of cultivating purpose vs. seeking it, the expectations we harbor on what it takes to find meaning in our work and life, and the challenge of cultivating purpose in a creative pursuit when you have a full-time gig.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/jared-janes/">Season 2 – MC35: Cultivating Purpose with Jared Janes</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> Jared Janes is a Social Entrepreneur and founder & CEO of Altruist. - In Episode 35 of The Mindful Creator, Jared and I chat about cultivating purpose in not only creativity and career, but in just about anything that you do in life. - In Episode 35 of The Mindful Creator, I chat with Jared Janes – a Social Entrepreneur and founder & CEO of Altruist – about cultivating purpose in not only creativity and career, but in just about anything that you do in life.
In our discussion, Jared and I dig deeper into the process of cultivating purpose vs. seeking it, the expectations we harbor on what it takes to find meaning in our work and life, and the challenge of cultivating purpose in a creative pursuit when you have a full-time gig.



Link Love
The Real Secret: Creating the life you want – Jared Janes on Medium

Jared on Twitter
In This Episode

* Jared shares the story behind his career in design and marketing and what led him to build Altruist.
* Jared talks about the process of building Altruist.
* Jared talks about the challenge of balancing a FT gig as a Marketing Manager with a FT side hustle, and how he’s navigated purpose and personal fulfillment while balancing everything else in his life.
* Simple methods and processes that can help anyone struggling to cultivate purpose in a more traditional work environment (most especially when the work you’re doing isn’t always necessarily bringing you a ton of joy).
* Why the “us vs. them” mentality that is typical in a strictly transactional business environments is a terrible long-term biz model (or relationship model for that matter).
* Why our perspective of purpose tends to be a littled skewed on extremes of a very black and white spectrum – e.g. either you’re working for the man or working for yourself.
* Why purpose doesn’t have to be measured in leaps and bounds vs. small steps.
* The constant tension between striving for goals and the ability to enjoy what we already have.
* The false narrative of satisfaction from simply gaining what you want.
* Jared: “If we could just throw out that idea that we’re just going to arrive someday, it’s a lot easier to be satisfied with what we have and be satisfied with the journey.”
* The difficulty into trying to bring intention and presence into harmony.
* Jared and Brett talk about the daily processes that help them navigate showing up to their work (with Jared talking specifically about how he navigates two very different focuses).
* Why it’s important to learn through the dips and peaks in energy where you should focus more willpower.
* Cultivation vs. expecting purpose to be hiding under a rock and being open to your creative/entrepreneurial adventure’s nonlinear nature.
* Jared talks about his decision not to pursue funding.
* Why motivation is not all about the science and structure of showing up.
* Jared talks about becoming self aware of which aspects of his FT job have been most valuable in helping him with the process of building Altruist.
* On perspective and outcomes and why cultivating purpose requires a shift in how you view all aspects of your life.
* The opportunity on the other side of resilience and patience.
* Jared on the idea that a purposeful, fulfilling life doesn’t just show up.
* Alignment vs. goals and how that impacts the process of seeking purpose in your work.
* Jared: “The key is to always be pushing myself slightly beyond m...]]> Brett Henley: Content Strategist + Writer 55:23 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/jon-wilkening/ Wed, 29 Jul 2015 17:07:09 +0000 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/?p=5841 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/jon-wilkening/#respond http://www.themindfulcreator.com/jon-wilkening/feed/ 0 <p>Jon Wilkening is a fellow Misfit and an artist and photographer who I connected with a few years back via Twitter after my wife and I began experimenting with a small publishing venture.</p> <p>In Episode 34 of The Mindful Creator, Jon and I discuss the struggle to define success as an artist, and how we can redefine a new normal to achieve the much-needed perspective on what success means to each of us individually.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/jon-wilkening/">Season 2 – MC34: The New Normal with Jon Wilkening</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> Jon Wilkening is a fellow Misfit and an artist and photographer who I connected with a few years back via Twitter after my wife and I began experimenting with a small publishing venture. - In Episode 34 of The Mindful Creator, Jon Wilkening is a fellow Misfit, artist and photographer who I connected with a few years back via Twitter after my wife and I began experimenting with our first collaborative creative project. In Episode 34 of The Mindful Creator, Jon and I discuss redefining a new normal to achieve much-needed perspective on what success means to each of us individually. Link Love My New Normal Or How My Son is Teaching Me to Stop Trying to Be Successful &amp;#8211; Jon Wilkening The Fruits of Our Labors &amp;#8211; Steven Pressfield 7 Things You May Not Know About the Sistine Chapel &amp;#8211; History.com Why Interviewing “Famous” People Is a Lousy Growth Strategy for Your Podcast &amp;#8211; Srinivas Rao MC12: Rocking the Small Corners with Maisie Smith (mentioned in context of service and success without the big platform) The Crossroads of Should and Must &amp;#8211; Elle Luna Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar &amp;#8211; Cheryl Strayed Now and Then: A Memoir of Vocation &amp;#8211; Frederick Buechner The Art is Enough with Charlotte Eriksson In this Episode * Jon talks about his background in banking and finance and his struggles with both career and personal health that put him on the path to reinvention. * How photography and art helped pull Jon out of the downward spiral he was in prior to leaving his career behind, and the role creativity has played in helping him gain perspective on suffering. * The point where the bottleneck gets tight enough and change is inevitable. * The power of looking at the pebble sitting right in front of our foot instead the top of the mountain we&amp;#8217;re trying to climb. * Jon: &amp;#8220;There is a beauty and power in momentum.&amp;#8221; * Jon talks about some of the steps he took to embrace creativity and art after leaving his old career behind (and the subsequent struggles to make it financially viable). * Why there is no &amp;#8220;right way&amp;#8221; to your creative path. * Brett: &amp;#8220;There&amp;#8217;s a right way if you&amp;#8217;re trying to sell a book, but there&amp;#8217;s not a right way if it&amp;#8217;s your own life and trying to establish a foundation for change.&amp;#8221; * The modern, linear definition of success and why that doesn&amp;#8217;t always compute in this wide open, democratized age of creativity. * The classic artist models of patronage and why our view of success is historically flawed. * Why we leave a lot of the stories out of the equation based on our limiting perspective on success. * Jon: &amp;#8220;This journey is hard enough trying to create the work that matters when you&amp;#8217;re not encumbered by feeling like a failure [&amp;#8230;] trying to get a proper framework becomes vital to make it through t... Brett Henley: Writer + Storyteller + Content Strategist 57:35 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/ja-nae-duane/ Fri, 17 Jul 2015 18:40:27 +0000 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/?p=5824 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/ja-nae-duane/#respond http://www.themindfulcreator.com/ja-nae-duane/feed/ 0 <p>Ja-Nae Duane is a professor, advisor, speaker, strategist, social scientist, artist, creative economist, professional opera singer and author - including the forthcoming book, The Startup Equation: A Visual Guidebook to Building Your Startup.</p> <p>In episode 33 of The Mindful Creator, Ja-Nae and I discuss the connection between creativity and personal happiness, specifically what the pursuit of a higher calling to create something larger than just ourselves can teach us about what it takes to be truly happy.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/ja-nae-duane/">Season 2 – MC33: Footwork + Faith with Ja-Nae Duane</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> Ja-Nae Duane is a professor, advisor, speaker, strategist, social scientist, artist, creative economist, professional opera singer and author - including the forthcoming book, The Startup Equation: A Visual Guidebook to Building Your Startup. -
Ja-Nae Duane is a good friend and a dynamic creative with many talents and pursuits. She is a professor, advisor, speaker, strategist, social scientist, artist, creative economist, professional opera singer and author – including the forthcoming book, The Startup Equation: A Visual Guidebook to Building Your Startup.
In episode 33 of The Mindful Creator, Ja-Nae and I discuss the connection between creativity and personal happiness, specifically what the pursuit of a higher calling to create something larger than just ourselves can teach us about what it takes to be truly happy.

Link Love
Ja-Nae’s amazon author page

Brain Pickings on Viktor Frankl

Our Revolution (soon to be Revolution Institute)

Guerilla Marketing – Jay Conrad Levinson

On Writing – Stephen King
In this Episode

* Ja-Nae shares her story, including the journey through a challenging childhood where parental substance abuse forced her to grow up rapidly and care for four younger siblings, her discovery of opera, and her experiences in college.
* Ja-Nae talks about the 2008 recession’s impact on her career as an opera singer and how that led her to pursuing other opportunities as an entrepreneur.
* Ja-Nae’s early experience as a social media city leader, and how that influenced her perspective on networking and led to the launch of her first company.
* Ja-Nae talks about opera as an art form and how that creative process leaked into other areas of her life (which led us to a deeper discussion on connection between creative and everyday life).
* Brett talks about the podcast and how all of the conversations around self awareness, creativity, and connection have impacted his perspective on the process of understanding the relationship between work and life.
* Pursuing art as a means to escape vs. pursuing art as means to survive.
* Stephen King, from his memoir: “Life isn’t a support system for art. It’s the other way around.”
* The role of alignment in shaping how we view ourselves, the outside world, and what we create as a result.
* Our fear of true vulnerability and how that holds us back from really connecting with our work and with others.
* Ja-Nae: “My first business was me.”
* The critical “missing piece” of shaping and curating what purpose and meaning looks like for each of us.
* Brett’s struggles with the tension between being creative and profitably creative.
* Brett: “All the experiences that we have are critical components of discovering purpose.”
* Brett and Ja-Nae talk about Viktor Frankl and his research on what the experience of suffering can teach us about meaning and purpose.
* Why the pursuit is the most fleeting and difficult aspect of chasing purpose to get a grasp on, and why it’s also the most fundamentally connected to finding fulfillment in our work.
* Ja-Nae: “It’s very hard to live life with meaning when I feel that life is a journey to explore what that meaning is.]]> Brett Henley: Writer + Storyteller + Content Strategist 56:34 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/jonathan-mead/ Thu, 02 Jul 2015 16:19:16 +0000 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/?p=5813 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/jonathan-mead/#comments http://www.themindfulcreator.com/jonathan-mead/feed/ 2 <p>Jonathan Mead - the Founder of Move Heroically - is on a badass, soulful, and aligned mission to help people reconnect with their bodies and reclaim their primal strength through natural movement practices.</p> <p>In episode 32 of The Mindful Creator, Jonathan and I discuss the movement mindset and how feeling confident in our bodies can actually empower us to show up to our work, as well as different philosophies on balancing intention, joy, and play to help us fully show up to our true purposes in the world.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/jonathan-mead/">Season 2 – MC32: Move Heroically with Jonathan Mead</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> Jonathan Mead - the Founder of Move Heroically - is on a badass, soulful, and aligned mission to help people reconnect with their bodies and reclaim their primal strength through natural movement practices. - In episode 32 of The Mindful Creator,
In Episode 32 of The Mindful Creator, I chat with my good friend Jonathan Mead, who is on a badass, soulful, and aligned mission to help people reconnect with their bodies and reclaim their primal strength through natural movement practices.
In today’s episode, Jonathan and I discuss the movement mindset and how feeling confident in our bodies can actually empower us to show up to our work.



Link Love
Pomodoro Technique

Geek Desk

Christopher Sommers of Gymnastic Bodies

Justin Patrick Pierce of Metaphysical Fitness

Peace is Every Step – Thich Nhat Hanh

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance – Robert Pirsig
In this Episode

* Jonathan shares his journey from the corporate world to starting his first personal development company – Paid to Exist  – and its subsequent evolution, and how the process of helping people uncover and take action on their passions landed him at Move Heroically.
* Jonathan talks about the surprising reactions after leveraging out of his successful business of 7+ years into what he thought would be an entirely blank slate.
* Jonathan talks about the process of realizing that his previous work wasn’t totally “lighting him up,” and how the process of becoming more embodied and driven from a heart-centered place helped him take the first step into his new focus.
* Why alignment has been Brett’s “word of the day” for the last two years, and how alignment between personal passion and the work that we do is often a missing piece of long-term growth.
* Jonathan talks about his experiences studying different spiritual paths and movement practices – including Jeet Kune Do, Gymnastics, Taoist Meditation, Tantra and Bodyweight Training, and Parkour – and how that has impacted his entrepreneurial journey.
* Jonathan: “How you move is how you show up.” -> “If your body is stagnant, then your mind is probably going to be stagnant as well.”
* Jonathan talks about using the Pomodoro Technique (link above) to blend focused, short bursts of work with movement breaks in between.
* Brett talks about his process of taking frequent breaks between shorter sprints of work (similar to Jonathan’s approach) and using single tasking to stay focused.
* How Jonathan uses variations in his posture during his work day – including using a standing desk and a low-coffee table – to keep his body from becoming too stagnant.
* Jonathan talks about a few of the core, sacred movement rituals that he does every day.
* The importance of remembering “why” as a grounding mechanism for Jonathan’s movement practice, and how that can translate to other aspects of our life.
* Why creating strong and connected rituals can help us show up in our day with confidence and remain anchored to the present moment/our why.
* Jonathan’s mantra: “Show up whether you feel like it or not.”
* Why our deeper motivation and connection to our purpose is easily overlooked as a critical component of how we show up in the world.
]]> Brett Henley: Writer + Storyteller + Content Strategist 57:00 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/chris-brogan/ Wed, 17 Jun 2015 11:00:45 +0000 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/?p=5779 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/chris-brogan/#respond http://www.themindfulcreator.com/chris-brogan/feed/ 0 <p>Chris Brogan is the CEO of Owner Media Group, a sought-after professional speaker, and the best-selling author of eight books. </p> <p>In Episode 31 of The Mindful Creator, Chris and I discuss the role of content as something purely tactical vs. a bridge to building stronger connections to our customers.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/chris-brogan/">Season 2 – MC31: Content is Connection with Chris Brogan</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> Chris Brogan is the CEO of Owner Media Group, a sought-after professional speaker, and the best-selling author of eight books. - In Episode 31 of The Mindful Creator, Chris and I discuss the role of content as something purely tactical vs. In Episode 31 of The Mindful Creator, I chat with Chris Brogan – CEO of Owner Media Group, a sought after professional speaker, and the New York Times bestselling author of eight books.
In our conversation, Chris and I explore the purpose of content creation as merely a tactical bulls eye vs. a bridge to the people we serve and the relationships we foster as a result.

Link Love
The Owner’s Mind Podcast

Chris’ Amazon Author Page

Online Course Maker

Chris Garrett on New Media

In Between Frames – Seth Godin
In this Episode

* Chris and I talk about the blog post – Content will never be king – that inspired this topic and Chris’ thought process behind the post.
* Chris: “What I was feeling, and what I continue to feel, is that we really focus on the wrong things.”
* Using content to build relationships vs. strictly as a sales tool.
* Why brands and businesses that know their customers best should be leading the conversation on content.
* Brett and Chris discuss the aspects of the content marketing industry that just don’t add up – from cookie cutter best practices to a fear-driven mindset that has us stuck in “how-to” hell.
* Chris: “I really think content marketers ruin a large chunk of the Internet.”
* The juxtaposition of reach and resonance and where marketing actually exists when it comes to interaction between business and customer.
* Chris: “The best content marketing earns you the right to sell and serve.” (boom goes the wookiee).
* Why “content is the campfire” (from Chris’ post). It’s what connects us and bridges the gap to relationships based on value.
* Brett: “A big part of it for me is letting people know that we’re listening.”
* Preaching authenticity vs. really owning it (and why it’s a difficult concept to share and teach).
* Working from courage and love instead of working from fear.
* The challenge of teaching businesses to stop obsessing with the blinking red dot of what’s hot, what’s next, etc.
* Creating content based on a strong, identified need vs. perceived demand.
* Chris talks about the dangers of focusing too much on the “tools” of content marketing.
* Chris: “We always have to kind of check ourselves given that we’re an industry prone to looking at our own belly button.”
* The responsibility factor for marketers and strategists when it comes to the content conversation.
* Focusing on outcomes instead of the process: Chris answers the final question of what he thinks it takes for creative entrepreneurs to stop focusing so much on the future and learn to be okay with where we are at on the journey (with some fantastic insights on service, value, and revenue).
* Chris: “All I’m trying to figure out is how I help them thrive.”

P.S. Be sure to keep listening after Chris and I part ways, I recorded a bit extra on some of the talking points that we didn’t have time to discuss).
 
Thanks for listening!
If you can please take a moment to subscribe and leave an honest rating and review of the show on iTunes,]]> Brett Henley: Writer + Storyteller + Content Strategist 30:15 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/mindful-abstract/ Wed, 03 Jun 2015 19:01:13 +0000 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/?p=5764 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/mindful-abstract/#respond http://www.themindfulcreator.com/mindful-abstract/feed/ 0 <p>In June's Mindful 15, I discuss how to successfully navigate this new age of abstract where a lot of people are creating and marketing byproducts (courses, info products, etc.) of their experiences and expertise. </p> <p>And while this is a great opportunity for creators, it's also a challenge to create a byproduct that is distinct since the market is pretty saturated.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/mindful-abstract/">Season 2 – MC30: Mindful 15 – The Age of Abstract</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> In June's Mindful 15, I discuss how to successfully navigate this new age of abstract where a lot of people are creating and marketing byproducts (courses, info products, etc.) of their experiences and expertise. - Welcome to the Mindful 15 series: A shorter (15 minutes or so) format where I fly solo and sharing personal insights on self awareness and mindset development from my own journey as a creative entrepreneur.
In June’s Mindful 15, I discuss how to successfully navigate this new age of abstract where a lot of people are creating and marketing byproducts (courses, info products, etc.) of their experiences and expertise.
And while this is a great opportunity for creators, it’s also a challenge to create a byproduct that is distinct since the market is pretty saturated.

Link Love
Teachery – Jason Zook and Gerlando Piro

The Creative Class: Become a Better Freelancer – Paul Jarvis

MC29: Dominate Your Day with Jeff Sanders

When Advice is Dangerous
In this Episode

* How do you create something in this age of abstract that is compelling and useful, but also aligned with your brand, goals and the purpose that drives both.
* How to create a byproduct based on actual experience vs. perceived demand (i.e. creating based on what you think will be successful vs. identifying what you believe will be valuable for a specific audience based on your own experience).
* The platform and personal branding craze and why internet influence is the new drug of choice.
* The danger of a creative goal becoming more about earning validation and influence, and how this focus can create disconnect between the perceived need of your audience and the actual need.
* Why it’s important to start with clearly identifying the audience and defined need before you create a byproduct (or product of any kind).
* The importance of “starting inward” to reflect on what you struggle most with in your own business and creative process (the old adage of “you are your best customer”).
* The value of regularly auditing your content to see what’s resonating (where to start) and researching intent (google searches, related searches, relevant sites/blogs in your niche).
* The power of creating products and services in a business based on what you’ve actually experienced and experimented with as an entrepreneur.
* How to start the process of creating based on experience: Look at the intersection of a strong, identified need, your expertise, and the value you provide (i.e. what you actually create).
* Why authenticity is a significant aspect of creating strong relationships with our communities, and why true authenticity comes from show – not tell.
* How this impacts my process for sourcing ideas and topics for the podcast.
* Some great examples of this model mentioned: Jeff Sanders of the 5am Miracle Podcast, Matt Frazier of No Meat Athlete, Leo Babauta of Zen Habits, James Clear, Paul Jarvis, and Jason Zook.
* Final thoughts: Why our success has far less to do with talent or skill as it does applying that to how we serve others in a very relevant, very specific way. That is how you successfully navigate this age of abstract – with authenticity and value at the helm.

Thanks for listening!
If you can please take a moment to subscribe and leave an honest rating and review of the show on iTunes,]]> Brett Henley: Writer + Storyteller + Content Strategist 17:56 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/jeff-sanders/ Wed, 20 May 2015 23:00:09 +0000 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/?p=5749 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/jeff-sanders/#comments http://www.themindfulcreator.com/jeff-sanders/feed/ 3 <p>Jeff Sanders is the host of the 5am Miracle Podcast, a 10-time marathon runner, passionate raw vegan, author of 4 e-books and the upcoming traditionally published book titled "The 5am Miracle," which will hit shelves in early 2016.</p> <p>In episode 29 of The Mindful Creator, Jeff and I discuss methods, processes and tips, as well as mindset shifts, to empower you to dominate your day from start to finish.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/jeff-sanders/">Season 2 – MC29: Dominate Your Day with Jeff Sanders</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> Jeff Sanders is the host of the 5am Miracle Podcast, a 10-time marathon runner, passionate raw vegan, author of 4 e-books and the upcoming traditionally published book titled "The 5am Miracle," which will hit shelves in early 2016. - In Episode 29 of The Mindful Creator, I chat with Jeff Sanders – Host of the 5am Miracle Podcast, a 10-time marathon runner, passionate raw vegan, author of 4 e-books and the upcoming traditionally published book titled “The 5am Miracle,” which will hit shelves in early 2016.
In our conversation, Jeff and I discuss methods, processes and tips, as well as mindset shifts, to empower you to dominate your day from start to finish.

Link Love
On Turning Pro (meta and anchor habits) – Matt Frazier, No Meat Athlete

The 5 AM Hybrid: A Modified Miracle for Irregular Schedules

The 5am Miracle Podcast

Season 1 – MC15: The Art is Enough with Charlotte Eriksson
In this Episode

* Jeff’s talks about how he fell in love with personal development after his first boss asked him to read a few books to help with his role; how he became an entrepreneur; how the identified need of a set structure to help him reach his early blogging goals led to the birth of the 5am Mircale Podcast.
* Learning from the less obvious experiences in our daily lives and how that applies to entrepreneurship.
* The importance of “Learning by doing.”
* Brett: “The best way to figure out what works for you is to try things.”
* Jeff talks about his mission to help ambitious working professionals discover and become the highest and best versions of themselves, and how that is intrinsically tied to his personal journey.
* The power of creating products and services in a business based on what you’ve actually experienced and experimented with.
* Authenticity and how it strengthens the bond between creator and customer.
* The power of establishing an “anchor” ritual/routine/habit for your day, like waking early consistently, for example, and how Brett first stumbled on this concept after a conversation with Matt Frazier of No Meat Athlete.
* The benefits of starting your day with a positive ritual, and how that can help you manage your energy and carry a healthy mindset throughout.
* Jeff shares his thoughts on a “work-first mentality.”
* Jeff talks about his process of setting the intention for healthy habits and his process for actually building them.
* Why you can’t control what happens in the guts of your day, but you can control how you show up.
* Jeff talks about where he’s allowed more space and agility with his daily routines.
* Using routines and rituals as guideposts instead of rigid rules to help you stay on the path (i.e. there is no perfect process).
* The benefit of having more intentional “bookends” to your day in the form of morning and evening rituals.
* Why it’s okay (and likely necessary) to be more flexible with your structure when you’re early in the entrepreneurial journey and have a lot on your plate to figure out.
* Why there is no “one model” for structuring a successful day.
* The mindset shifts that have helped Jeff and Brett make mornings work for them vs. feeling like they’re not at the wheel.
* Jeff on having a purpose to anchor your mindset before you make changes: “You have to really believe that mornings are worth it. You have to have a reason to wake up early.”
* Why we underestimate the power of purpose when it comes to creating positive habits.
]]> Brett Henley: Writer + Storyteller + Content Strategist clean 1:00:32 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/mindful-perfection/ Wed, 13 May 2015 09:00:37 +0000 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/?p=5737 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/mindful-perfection/#respond http://www.themindfulcreator.com/mindful-perfection/feed/ 0 <p>Welcome to the Mindful 15: A shorter episode (15 minutes or so) where I step out of the usual format and fly solo, sharing personal insights on self awareness and mindset development from my own journey as a creative entrepreneur.</p> <p>In Episode 28 and May's Mindful 15, I dive into the dangers of perfectionism and how it impacts the creative process.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/mindful-perfection/">Season 2 – MC28: Mindful 15 – Perfection is the Perfect Enemy</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> Welcome to the Mindful 15: A shorter episode (15 minutes or so) where I step out of the usual format and fly solo, sharing personal insights on self awareness and mindset development from my own journey as a creative entrepreneur. - Welcome to the Mindful 15: A shorter episode (15 minutes or so) where I step out of the usual format and fly solo, sharing personal insights on self awareness and mindset development from my own journey as a creative entrepreneur.
In Episode 28 and May’s Mindful 15, I dive into the dangers of perfectionism and how it impacts the creative process.



Link Love
MC26 – Bridging the Creative Gap with Melissa Dinwiddie

MC12 – Rocking the Small Corners with Maisie Smith
In this Episode

* The very real dangers of perfectionism that manifest in the form of the expectation monster.
* The gap between what we want to accomplish and what we can actually do with our existing resources, expertise, etc.
* The expectation of how the creative process actually works when the gloves are off and it’s live fire.
* Why there is no such thing as control in creating.
* How I’ve struggled with perfectionism because of a lack of trust and leaning on my own intuition.
* The importance of desire and purpose when it comes to overcoming the paralysis of perfection.
* How the “value exchange” can set us free.
* Getting real about service and how it can empower us to move passed our obstacles.
* Learning by doing and the action-first mindset.
* The advantage of setting parameters vs. rigid structure.
* Why “good enough” comes from our awareness of our existing expertise, gifts, etc.

 
Thanks for listening!
If you can please take a moment to subscribe and leave an honest rating and review of the show on iTunes, it will help improve our ranking and discoverability so that we can reach more people.
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]]> Brett Henley: Writer + Storyteller + Content Strategist 18:55 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/jason-reese/ Wed, 06 May 2015 02:49:55 +0000 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/?p=5713 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/jason-reese/#respond http://www.themindfulcreator.com/jason-reese/feed/ 0 <p>Jason Reese is a podcaster, blogger and voracious content creator/consumer. His podcast, Up in this Brain, is a really interesting personal journal of Jason's experiences and encounters. Or as he calls it, "part personal journal, part mixtape."</p> <p>In Episode 27, Jason and I discuss how the process of creating content and telling our stories online is rarely linear at all, and that sometimes we just need to slow down, embrace the chaos outside of our control, and recognize that the truly profound moments are hiding among the mundane.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/jason-reese/">Season 2 – MC27: Off the Cuff with Jason Reese</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> Jason Reese is a podcaster, blogger and voracious content creator/consumer. His podcast, Up in this Brain, is a really interesting personal journal of Jason's experiences and encounters. Or as he calls it, "part personal journal, part mixtape." -  
In Episode 27, I chat with Jason Reese – podcaster, blogger and voracious content creator/consumer. His podcast, Up in this Brain, is a really interesting personal journal of Jason’s experiences and encounters. Or as he calls it, “part personal journal, part mixtape.”
In our conversation, Jason and I discuss how the process of creating content and telling our stories online is rarely linear at all, and that sometimes we just need to slow down, embrace the chaos outside of our control, and recognize that the truly profound moments are hiding among the mundane.
(Note – My hope is that all of the creative entrepreneurs and goal-oriented creators out there listening to this episode will gain a bit of new perspective on what the unplanned can do for our creative process  – if we allow it space to grow and become a part of how we create).



Link Love
I Used to Be Brilliant – A podcast about unrealized early expectations, acceptance, and reinvention.

dicksnjanes podcast

Podcast Emporium – Anthony Marco

BossJock Studio

Craft Content Nashville 2015

Podcasts I listen to – Jason’s podcast directory page

The Art of Work – Jeff Goins

The Artist’s Way – Julia Cameron

The Fault in Our Stars – John Green
In this Episode

* Jason shares his journey as a blogger and podcaster and talks about his introduction to the podcasting community and how that helped him start his first podcast.
* Jason talks about the connection he has with his content and the creative process.
* Jason on his relatively spontaneous creative process: “Some people take smoke breaks. I take record breaks.”
* Jason breaks down his content creation and editing process for the podcast.
* What we can learn about letting go of outcomes from spontaneous creation.
* Jason: “I’m right there, I just do it.”
* The challenge of marrying a growth mindset with an action-oriented mindset when it comes to content creation.
* How Jason uses potential impact and value to motivate his content creation.
* Jason shares his very deliberate reasoning for focusing his creating on self reflection and why he has no immediate business connection or plan for monetization.
* The misconception of the “entrepreneur mold” and why many of us still work full and part-time gigs in addition to our hustles.
* Jason talks about what inspires the spontaneity of his podcast (hint – it rhymes with authenticity).
* Brett: “We live in an era where authenticity has become very strategic.”
* The danger of getting out of alignment with your work when you go too deep into “fake it ’til you make it.”
* Brett: “There is something to be said about being yourself so that when people are connecting with you, they are connecting with you, and not the abstract, cardboard cutout version of you.]]> Brett Henley: Writer + Storyteller + Content Strategist 1:07:01 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/melissa-dinwiddie/ Wed, 22 Apr 2015 08:30:11 +0000 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/?p=5696 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/melissa-dinwiddie/#comments http://www.themindfulcreator.com/melissa-dinwiddie/feed/ 3 <p>Melissa Dinwiddie is an Artist, Writer & Creativity Instigator on a mission to empower people to feed their creative hungers.</p> <p>In Episode 26 of The Mindful Creator, I chat with Melissa about the creative gap between our current realities and the outcomes we hope to achieve. In our conversation, Melissa and I break down the process of understanding this creative gap, some of the factors that trap us inside of it, and a few methods for effectively bridging the gap.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/melissa-dinwiddie/">Season 2 – MC26: Bridge the Creative Gap with Melissa Dinwiddie</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> Melissa Dinwiddie is an Artist, Writer & Creativity Instigator on a mission to empower people to feed their creative hungers. - In Episode 26 of The Mindful Creator, I chat with Melissa about the creative gap between our current realities and the outc... Welcome to the first official episode of Season 2 of The Mindful Creator: All of our guests and the topics we discuss this season will focus on what it takes to develop the right mindset for showing up to our creative work with confidence &amp;#8211; or in some cases, in whatever way we can. In Episode 26 of The Mindful Creator, I chat with Melissa Dinwiddie &amp;#8211;  an Artist, Writer &amp;amp; Creativity Instigator &amp;#8211; about the creative gap between our current realities and the outcomes we hope to achieve. In our conversation, Melissa and I break down the process of understanding this creative gap, some of the factors that trap us inside of it, and a few methods for effectively bridging the gap. Link Love The Imperfectionist Manifesto &amp;#8211; Melissa Dinwiddie Keys to Creative Flow &amp;#8211; Melissa Dinwiddie The Art of Work &amp;#8211; Jeff Goins Man&amp;#8217;s Search for Meaning &amp;#8211; Viktor Frankl In this Episode * The quote from Melissa&amp;#8217;s blog post that inspired this topic: &amp;#8220;The fact is, there’s always a gap between what you want to produce – the Platonic Ideal that you have for your creative work – and what you’re able to create in reality.&amp;#8221; * Melissa shares her story of her early creative adventures as a child, the evolution of creativity in her growth process and her passion for dance through high school and her brief stint at Juilliard, and how she discovered and embrace her true creative nature as someone with multiple passions. * Why creativity doesn&amp;#8217;t find us (we&amp;#8217;re born with it) or really ever leave us, but can get rusty from disuse. * Melissa talks about her experiences with calligraphy, writing, and paper cutting, and how those influenced her journey of creative discovery. * Melissa talks about losing touch with the impulse to create in the chase to build a sustainable business. * Melissa talks about her rock bottom facing the sudden end of a long-term relationship and the harsh reality of not knowing where the next paycheck would come from. * Melissa talks about starting her blog &amp;#8211; Living a Creative Life &amp;#8211; five years ago with the intention of using it to chart her journey toward the creative life she wanted (and how the unfolding of this process surprised her). * How the metaphor of &amp;#8220;playing in the creative sandbox&amp;#8221; helped Melissa reconnect with her deeper creative self. * The misconception of &amp;#8220;the muse placing our calling on a silver platter,&amp;#8221; and why it distracts us from tackling the more challenging process of cultivating our calling and navigating the creativity/commerce conundrum. * Why we need the struggle to gain the self awareness needed to recognize our true passion. * Melissa: &amp;#8220;Your bliss is going to evolve.&amp;#8221; * Why there is no &amp;#8220;one way&amp;#8221; to living a big, bold creative life. * Why the two ends of the spectrum (work for someone vs. work for ourselves) are not the only means to fufilling your creative passions, Brett Henley: Writer + Storyteller + Content Strategist 1:10:53 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/season-1-wrap/ Mon, 16 Feb 2015 22:55:37 +0000 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/?p=5563 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/season-1-wrap/#respond http://www.themindfulcreator.com/season-1-wrap/feed/ 0 <p>In episode 25 of The Mindful Creator, I've recorded a quick message detailing why I’ve decided to put the show hiatus for a few months, why I’m splitting the show into seasons (and the benefits of the approach) and what to expect as I plan the next steps. </p> <p>I’ve also cherry picked 10 of my favorite, more poignant moments from the first 24 episodes of the show and included those in the show notes.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/season-1-wrap/">Season 1 – MC25: Season Wrap + Highlights</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> In episode 25 of The Mindful Creator, I've recorded a quick message detailing why I’ve decided to put the show hiatus for a few months, why I’m splitting the show into seasons (and the benefits of the approach) and what to expect as I plan the next ste... Note: The Mindful Creator has been on a short break while I plan and get the ducks in a row for the upcoming Season 2.  I&amp;#8217;ve hit a few tech snags, but the show will return on April 22 with new episodes! After recently deciding to take a short creative hiatus to focus more on my family + get realigned &amp;#8211; the need to hit pause on the show raised an interesting question. Why not intentionally split the show up into seasons to create space for people to catch up on the first 24 episodes, but to also allow me time to better plan ahead for what&amp;#8217;s to come? I think there are a lot of reasons to be excited about this approach, namely the flexibility it provides as well as opportunities to play with the show format, add season themes, plan more contests, and really bring more value for listeners (you) to the table. In this episode, I&amp;#8217;ve recorded a quick message to all of the show&amp;#8217;s supporters out there with a few details on what to expect. I also cherry picked 10 of my favorite, more poignant moments from the first 24 episodes of the show and included those below in the show notes. It was tough to narrow down to just 10, but I didn&amp;#8217;t want to drown you in too much awesome. 10 highlights from Season 1 of The Mindful Creator * From Episode 22 with Cory Copeland of Bedlam Magazine &amp;#8211; When I asked Cory the infamous final question of what it takes to be okay with where we are at on the creative journey, he answered very succinctly: “I think it takes getting knocked on our ass a few times, honestly.” * From Episode 20 with Jim Woods &amp;#8211; Author, coach, instigator &amp;#8211; Jim remarks on how different every person&amp;#8217;s struggles (and successes) will be: “You can’t copy and paste creativity.” * From Episode 19 with Andy Hayes of Plum Deluxe &amp;#8211; Andy nails an important distinction between most of the bad &amp;#8220;lifestyle improvement&amp;#8221; advice out there and the genuine:  “Let’s promote conversations that empower people to try these things and figure them out as opposed to dictating.” * From Episode 17 with Tom Morkes of Insurgent Publishing &amp;#8211; Among the plethora of good advice on shipping and managing creative projects, Tom shares his day-to-day process of showing up and how he uses “ship dates” to help him stay on course (while staying agile). * In Episode 16 with Colin Wright of Exile Lifestyle and Asymmetrical Press &amp;#8211; Colin and I get into a deeper discussion on absolute truth vs. perspectives or considerations, and he brings up an important distinction: “Absolute truth is a fantastic way to sell books.” * In Episode 15 with Charlotte Eriksson, a.k.a The Glass Child &amp;#8211; In one of my favorite episodes from the whole show so far, Charlotte, a very talented independent musician from Sweden, lays it out straight and true: “That finish line should be the last day of your life if you’re wanting to create something of real impact.” * In Episode 13 with Mike Rohde, Sketchnoter, Designer and Illustrator &amp;#8211;  Mike had several poignant pieces of advice, but perhaps my favorite was listening to him talk about how he came to terms with the limitations and distractions life hands you: “The only way I could do it under the circumstances was just to be satisfied with what I could do within that day and not worry about the future because I can’t do anything about tomorrow – and yesterday’s gone.” * Brett Henley: Writer + Storyteller + Content Strategist 8:52 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/ross-barber/ Tue, 03 Feb 2015 13:04:16 +0000 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/?p=5554 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/ross-barber/#comments http://www.themindfulcreator.com/ross-barber/feed/ 2 <p>Ross Barber is the owner of Electric Kiwi, a design and marketing company the music industry, as well as the cohost of Bridge the Atlantic - a video podcast featuring insightful and humorous explorations of the creative industries from the inside out.</p> <p>In episode 24 of The Mindful Creator, I chat with Ross Barber - an artist, designer, musician and music enthusiast - about the often romanticized notion of DIY and creative independence, and why it’s critical for creative entrepreneurs to find and collaborate with like-minded people that can help us learn and grow.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/ross-barber/">Season 1 – MC24: Collaboration vs. Competition with Ross Barber</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> Ross Barber is the owner of Electric Kiwi, a design and marketing company the music industry, as well as the cohost of Bridge the Atlantic - a video podcast featuring insightful and humorous explorations of the creative industries from the inside out. In episode 24 of The Mindful Creator, I chat with Ross Barber &amp;#8211; an artist, designer, musician and music enthusiast &amp;#8211; about the often romanticized notion of DIY and creative independence, and why it’s critical for creative entrepreneurs to find and collaborate with like-minded people that can help us learn and grow. Ross is the owner of Electric Kiwi, a design and marketing company for the music industry, as well as the cohost of Bridge the Atlantic &amp;#8211; a video podcast featuring insightful and humorous explorations of the creative industries from the inside out. In this episode, Ross and I dissect the role of collaboration in the creative process and how this marriage to the idea of “going it alone” isn’t really what independent creation is about. Link Love DIY / Do it yourself  Charlotte Eriksson (The Glass Child) Marcio Novelli (Bridge the Atlantic&amp;#8217;s cohost). In Music, Should DIY Really Mean Do It Yourself? &amp;#8211; Ross Barber Building Music Communities: Collaboration vs Competition &amp;#8211; Ross Barber &amp;nbsp; In this Episode * Ross shares his story of the early days as a singer/songwriter, how that evolved into Electric Kiwi, and the early process of building launching Bridge the Atlantic. * Ross talks about the collaboration process in the podcast and how they’ve met the challenge of living in different timezones. * The value of unique perspectives and overlapping values and experience in collaborating on a creative process. * Demystifying “do it yourself” and “independent creating.” * Why we’ve taken this literal definition of “do it yourself” and used it as a flag in the ground for independent creators to stake their territorial claim. * The distinction of being independent in the beginning so that you learn how to manage a creative business, BUT balancing this with a mind for bringing in support as needed. * The challenge of identifying the right time to collaborate. * The value of collaborating on a project basis and why this approach allows for flexibility and lean creating. * Examining the nature of competition. * Ross’s tweet re: the power of collaboration: “In the music business, there is more strength in collaboration than competition. Stop competing and focus on creating!” * The tendency for bands to posture and trade jabs in order to position themselves at the head of the pack vs. finding ways to work together. * Ross: “If more people were collaborating and helping each other out, there’s just so much more to be gained.” * The rampant mindset across multiple industries that perpetuates the myth of competition. * Why it’s far more productive and growth-minded to see competitors as potential partners and allies to potentially co-create with &amp;#8211; or at the very least &amp;#8211; learn from. * Brett: “Instead of counterproductively pissing in circles, why don’t we see competition for what is really is? Opportunity.&amp;#8221; * Why a competitive mindset is a huge distraction (and not a healthy creative mindset). See also “the danger of entrenching in a solely independent mindset.” * Encouraging and supporting within your industry and how this impacts both the creative p... Brett Henley: Writer + Storyteller + Content Strategist 1:03:02 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/mindful-presence/ Wed, 21 Jan 2015 09:57:22 +0000 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/?p=5542 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/mindful-presence/#respond http://www.themindfulcreator.com/mindful-presence/feed/ 0 <p>In January’s Mindful 15, I dive deeper into the tension between right now and the future now, the struggle to focus on process instead of outcomes, and what it takes to step out of this tension and embrace the present moment.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/mindful-presence/">Season 1 – MC23: Now is All There is</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> In January’s Mindful 15, I dive deeper into the tension between right now and the future now, the struggle to focus on process instead of outcomes, and what it takes to step out of this tension and embrace the present moment. Welcome to the Mindful 15: A short monthly episode (15 minutes or less) where I step out of the usual format and fly solo, sharing personal insights on self awareness and mindset development from my own journey as a creative entrepreneur.
In January’s Mindful 15, I dive deeper into the tension between right now and the future now, the struggle to focus on process instead of outcomes, and what it takes to step out of this tension and embrace the present moment.

Link Love
Now is all there is.
In this Episode

* Shout out to Jenny and Music City Tea (not a sponsor, just a tea shop I love).
* The tension between our existing reality and the reality we desire at the end of that proverbial rainbow of success.
* An homage to presence and why it’s important for creative entrepreneurs to take a step back and gain a little perspective on a very important choice we all have to make at various stages of our journey: Focus and accept what is, or strive to build with our minds firmly trapped in the future.
* Why you don’t have to give up vision or goals to be present, and why an intense focus on the moment to moment actions is needed to have a shot at reaching the long term.
* The grueling nature of doing work that you can’t always see the fruit of.
* The struggle to rectify vision and the day to day grind. All the time.
* A couple of mindset shifts and approaches to help embrace the current now.
* The power of a simple daily practice of acceptance (reminding and reframing)
* Why it’s pointless to focus on outcomes that only exist in our heads.
* Reframing a daunting or challenging aspect of the work and finding the light in it (e.g. reframing lack of revenue in creative work to opportunity cost)
* Why most of our problems only exist in our minds, and how a physical shift in posture can help break the cycle of unconscious thinking.
* The power of remembering that right here is all there really is. Everything else is pure fiction.
* Why presence is tricky to understand/intellectualize.
* The importance of building your creative practice on the foundation of presence.
* A statement to help remind you of this: “I choose to step out of this creative tension by placing my attention on the moment, and only this moment.”

 
Thanks for listening!
If you can please take a moment to subscribe and leave an honest rating and review of the show on iTunes, it will help improve our ranking and discoverability so that we can reach more people.
Subscribe on iTunes
 
To subscribe/leave a review: Click the “View in iTunes” button and follow the prompts once the iTunes app opens.  
]]> Brett Henley: Writer 12:49 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/cory-copeland/ Wed, 14 Jan 2015 10:00:58 +0000 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/?p=5534 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/cory-copeland/#respond http://www.themindfulcreator.com/cory-copeland/feed/ 0 <p>Cory Copeland is a writer and the Founder & Editor-in-Chief of Bedlam Magazine.</p> <p>In Episode 22 of The Mindful Creator, Cory and I chat about how the process of crafting and sharing stories connect us on a much deeper, human level, the power of story as a means of understanding, the tradition of storytelling and community, and how that dynamic has evolved with technology.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/cory-copeland/">Season 1 – MC22: Connected through Story with Cory Copeland</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> Cory Copeland is a writer and the Founder & Editor-in-Chief of Bedlam Magazine. - In Episode 22 of The Mindful Creator, Cory and I chat about how the process of crafting and sharing stories connect us on a much deeper, human level, In Episode 22 of The Mindful Creator, I talk with Cory Copeland &amp;#8211; Writer and Founder &amp;amp; Editor-in-Chief of Bedlam Magazine &amp;#8211; about how the process of crafting and sharing stories connect us on a much deeper, human level. In this episode, Cory and I discuss the power of story as a means of understanding, the tradition of storytelling and community, and how that dynamic has evolved with technology. Link Love Cassi Clerget, Creative (Bedlam&amp;#8217;s Editorial Director + Cory&amp;#8217;s fave online writer) A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: How I Learned to Live a Better Story  &amp;#8211; Donald Miller In this Episode * Cory shares his story as a “later bloomer” in the online blogging/writing space, how he learned from his early mistakes, the early beginnings of Bedlam Magazine and how that community has evolved in the short time since launching in March 2014. * Cory talks about the dynamic of building the community at Bedlam and whether it was more intentional vs. organic. * Cory on the community ethos that hearkens back to his early writing days: “If I can be as honest and vulnerable as possible, people are going to learn more and they’ll be able to avoid the same heartache and pain and trouble that I’ve been through.” * Cory talks about how his team at Bedlam has tackled the tension and space between faith and culture. * Cory: “We’re wise enough to be asking questions of everyone, not just people we agree with.” * Brett and Cory talk about storytelling as a process of understanding and a tool to help us filter out the noise and begin to see things as they are. * Cory discusses how they’ve remained self aware and true to their core values as the community has grown and the voices more varied as a result. * Cory and Brett talk about the power of stories to force us inward and connect us to our deeper humanity, and the responsibility and accountability that comes with sharing. * Brett: “So few of us understand the true power of what we say.” * Why the ease of creating and sharing via technology prevents us from really considering the real impact of what we’re putting out there. * The duality of humankind as a narrative and all of the billions of voices that help shape it, and how this connects all of us to a larger story. * Cory on the realization of this responsibility: “When you see that each each click, each view, each comment is a person behind that you’re affecting …” * What is the responsibility and accountability for the consumer of content? * Cory: “It’s our responsibility as consumers to not just accept.” * Cory on where his self awareness as a creator comes from: “For me, it comes from not wanting to be an idiot.” * Cultivating self awareness through intentional practice and how that can help you stay fully aware of how your stories might impact readers. * Listening to criticism and how that can help you grow as a person and as a creator. * How Cory defines genuine community. * Cory: “If we are being intentional and deliberate about what we do, then it has to come from a real and honest place.” * Why honesty and authenticity that isn’t a “best practice” is refreshing in this day and age where everyone is an expert (or trying to be). * Why Cory hates the term “brand” when it comes to an individual person. * Why Brett doesn’t really identify with the abstract nature of building influence online, marketing, etc. * Brett: “To me, marketing is really just connection.” Brett Henley: Writer 1:05:16 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/nelson-de-witt/ Wed, 07 Jan 2015 10:00:31 +0000 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/?p=5480 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/nelson-de-witt/#comments http://www.themindfulcreator.com/nelson-de-witt/feed/ 1 <p>Nelson De Witt is a talented filmmaker, photographer, writer and Misfit who is currently working on a documentary film about his life as one of El Salvador's Disappeared children. </p> <p>This film is a deeply personal story about a search for identity across a landscape of open wounds a generation after one of the bloodiest armed conflicts of the Cold War.</p> <p>In episode 21 of The Mindful Creator, Nelson and I discuss the nature of working on deeply personal passion projects, and how you maintain awareness, composure and stay the course when the going gets tough.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/nelson-de-witt/">Season 1 – MC21: Up Close & Personal with Nelson De Witt</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> Nelson De Witt is a talented filmmaker, photographer, writer and Misfit who is currently working on a documentary film about his life as one of El Salvador's Disappeared children. - This film is a deeply personal story about a search for identity acr... In episode 21 of The Mindful Creator, I sit down to talk with my good friend Nelson de Witt &amp;#8211; a talented filmmaker, photographer, writer and Misfit. Nelson is currently working on a documentary film about his life as one of El Salvador&amp;#8217;s Disappeared children. This film is a deeply personal story about a search for identity across a landscape of open wounds a generation after one of the bloodiest armed conflicts of the Cold War era. In this episode, Nelson and I discuss the nature of working on deeply personal passion projects, and how you maintain awareness, composure and stay the course when the going gets tough. Link Love Identifying Nelson (the film) Leaps of Faith &amp;#8211; Nelson de Witt Why you should support (and share) your friend’s work. &amp;#8211; Nelson de Witt A Kickstarter&amp;#8217;s Guide to Kickstarter In this Episode * Nelson talks about his childhood in Boston, the eventual discovery of his birth family, the incredible story of his family’s separation during the 12-year civil war in El Salvador, and the evolution of his story into the film he’s working on today. * Nelson talks about the evolution of the production on his film project and what that has taught him about patience. * The difficult in staying patient with the process when you’re deeply connected to a project, and the process that Nelson has gone through to rectify creative satisfaction and progress. * When you’re going it alone: The danger of getting lost in an echo chamber and losing perspective when you get too close. * Nelson on collaboration/contribution: “It might be my story, but John (the director/writer) pushes me to find the words I don’t always know how to say.” * Why it’s easy to get caught up in the outcome vs. the journey when you’re living the story. How do you deal with being so close to a project that you get lost in the vision of it? * Brett talks about i am convicted and the process of detaching from desired outcomes. * Why the tough decisions you’ll face launching a passion project can force you to focus more on the process. * The challenge of a “build community first” approach when the project is very young and maybe not ready to attract people just yet. * Why it’s difficult to translate tactical and strategic successes from one project to the next (especially in narrative driven projects where there isn’t always a single niche market to serve). * Brett talks about his conversation with Mark Horvath (invisiblepeople.tv) about what it takes to connect people to stories they may not immediately or personally be able to relate to. * Brett: “Sometimes, building community for something that you’re deeply passionate about is really about maintaining course … and that is not the sexy answer.” * While people may not be able to exactly relate to your story, they may be able to relate to a common theme or thread in the narrative. * Nelson on feedback and how that can help you understand where people might resonate most: “Listen to other people because they will tell you what is most important about the thing that you’re doing.” * Brett: “You’ve got to be patient enough to let the process unfold.” * Why you may need to reframe your perspective on a personal passion project being your “ticket out.” Brett Henley: Writer 1:05:24 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/jim-woods/ Mon, 22 Dec 2014 21:41:00 +0000 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/?p=5469 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/jim-woods/#comments http://www.themindfulcreator.com/jim-woods/feed/ 1 <p>Jim Woods is a Writer, Editor, Coach, and Instigator, as well as the co-author of Ready Aim Fire! A Practical Guide to Setting and Achieving Goals, and Hit the Mark! Improve Your Focus, Boost Your Energy and Make the Most of Your Time.</p> <p>In episode 20 of The Mindful Creator, Jim and I discuss some of the common, key themes that shape the creator’s journey, and what it takes to get back to the basics and focus on what distinctly works for you as a creator.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/jim-woods/">Season 1 – MC20: Lessons Learned with Jim Woods</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> Jim Woods is a Writer, Editor, Coach, and Instigator, as well as the co-author of Ready Aim Fire! A Practical Guide to Setting and Achieving Goals, and Hit the Mark! Improve Your Focus, Boost Your Energy and Make the Most of Your Time. - In episode 20 of the Mindful Creator, I talk with Jim Woods &amp;#8211; writer, editor, coach and instigator, as well as the co-author of Ready Aim Fire! A Practical Guide to Setting and Achieving Goals, and Hit the Mark! Improve Your Focus, Boost Your Energy and Make the Most of Your Time. Now I’ve known Jim for a few years, and what I love about his approach is that he’s relatively no nonsense and tells it like he see’s it when it comes to telling better stories and being a writer in this day and age. In this episode, Jim and I discuss some of the common, key themes that shape the creator’s journey, and what it takes to get back to the basics and focus on what distinctly works for you as a creator. (Note &amp;#8211; We originally recorded this episode back in September but got backlogged with all of the technology issues I had migrating the podcast, so some of the dates/context reflects that gap. I wanted to make sure this episode published before the new year!) Link Love From the Creative Capital of the World to a Small Town in Ohio &amp;#8211; Jim Woods Listen to your life &amp;#8211; Brett Henley In this Episode * Jim talks about his big transitions in 2013/2014 that landed him in the lap of self employment * What do you do to bring in income vs. creative satisfaction? * Jim talks about a blog post chronicling his family’s decision to move to Ohio and the weight of the transition to working for himself: “Change used to paralyze me. I would give into analysis paralysis and freeze in my tracks.” * Brett: “Our culture just isn’t wired for this kind of creative journey.” * Jim talks about his maturity as a creative and now entrepreneur, and how that has helped him focus less on comparing his journey to others and get focused on his own priorities. * The difficulty of finding our true core/selves as creators (fist bump to my friend Caroline), and how experience is really the only tried and true way to figure this out. * Jim looks back at the puzzle pieces in his journey, talks about the process of getting to a place of alignment and the importance of self reflection. * Why we lose track of what drives/motivates us over time and how we can get back to our core principals as humans/creators. * What “intentional reflection” might look like and why it’s important in deepening our connection the creative work. * The warrior story arch of cultivating and building self awareness and why we often overlook this critical phase in our creative journey. * Why “Brett” believes that self awareness is the most powerful tool that any artist/creator could ever cultivate. * Why we confuse self awareness with confidence. Confidence is often tied to our tactical and creative success, while deeper self awareness is a very soulful process. * The art (and difficulty) of embracing uncertainty and why trusting our gut as a first step is important. * Jim: “All time is NOT equal.” * Jim -&amp;gt; Embracing uncertainty = Going all in. * Brett talks about the misconception that simply acce... Brett Henley: Writer 1:24:42 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/andy-hayes/ Tue, 09 Dec 2014 03:00:36 +0000 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/?p=5451 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/andy-hayes/#comments http://www.themindfulcreator.com/andy-hayes/feed/ 1 <p>Andy Hayes is a creative entrepreneur and founder of Plum Deluxe, a website and online community dedicated to helping people create moments that matter. Plum Deluxe was started in 2007 with the goal of fostering a national conversation around mindfulness and self-care.</p> <p>In our discussion, Andy and I take a deeper look at the subjective nature of building a life of meaning and why it’s important to remain open to possibility on the creative journey.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/andy-hayes/">Season 1 – MC19: Moments That Matter with Andy Hayes</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> Andy Hayes is a creative entrepreneur and founder of Plum Deluxe, a website and online community dedicated to helping people create moments that matter. Plum Deluxe was started in 2007 with the goal of fostering a national conversation around mindfulne... In episode 19 of the Mindful Creator, I sit down with Andy Hayes, creative entrepreneur and founder of Plum Deluxe, to talk about what it takes to create moments that matter. Started in 2007 with the goal of fostering a national conversation around mindfulness and self-care, Plum Deluxe is a website and online community dedicated to helping people create moments that matter. In our discussion, Andy and I take a deeper look at the subjective nature of building a life of meaning and why it’s important to remain open to possibility on the creative journey. Link Love Phil Burnstein Fizzle.co Heather Strang The Creative Habit &amp;#8211; Twyla Tharp In this Episode * Andy takes us through his journey of self actualization as a creator/entrepreneur &amp;#8211; starting with his experience making magazines and books by hand as a child to his long career in software and tech to the severe stress and health challenges that prompted him to make a change. * What we can learn from loss: Brett and Andy talk about losing a parent and how you can reshape the space created in a time of grief to build something positive. * The threads of life experience and how even the most unnoticeable things interconnect to influence what we do as creative people. * Andy talks about his different perspectives on the creative journey from what he learned from his family as well as his previous career. * Andy talks about his knack for seeing how all the pieces fit and how he’s leveraged this to help build Plum Deluxe. * How Andy’s life and work experiences shaped his definition of intention and meaning. * Learning how to stay calm and navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship. * Why a lot of learning to live intentionally is about accepting and embracing what happens that you can’t control. * Learning to be lovingly neutral (see also what Buddhists refer to as equanimity) and accept what is. * Why our reaction to challenges has more impact on our success than almost any other factor. * Andy drops a baseball analogy on this beast (boom). * Andy talks about what a meaningful moment is to him and breaks down how the tiny moments in each day comprise what he defines as opportunities to lead a good life. * Andy: “Living a good life, to me, means looking at how you spend your time.” (note, Andy is specific in mentioning that the how is not just about productivity) * The process vs. the outcome of meaning: Embracing the small things that build up to a big moment. * Andy gives his thoughts on the “lifestyle improvement/optimization” movement that has exploded over the last 3-4 years. * Brett: “Is having meaning in your life always about change or is it about embracing what you have?” * Following the model of self improvement that paints a bit too rosy of a picture on what it takes to lead a fulfilled life. * Andy: “Let’s promote conversations that empower people to try these things and figure them out as opposed to dictating.” * Brett: “I’ve come to the conclusion over recent months, but especially very profoundly in recent weeks, that a lot of people are full of shit.” * Why helping the people we serve should be more about empowerment. * Andy slays the emulation dragon: “I’m going to give everyone listening permission to choose the things that you want and leave everything else behind.” * Why we need to get away from this dogmatic idea that living a life of intention or “chasing down the dream” is all or nothing. Brett Henley: Writer + Storyteller + Content Strategist 1:07:44 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/mindful-perspective/ Sat, 22 Nov 2014 03:08:13 +0000 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/?p=5436 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/mindful-perspective/#respond http://www.themindfulcreator.com/mindful-perspective/feed/ 0 <p>Welcome to the Mindful 15: A short monthly episode (15 minutes or less) where I step out of the usual format and fly solo, sharing personal stories and insights on self awareness from my journey as a writer.</p> <p>In this November episode of the Mindful 15, I talk about the importance of stopping to reflect once awhile on all the small, tiny details that shape so much of what we create, who we are and how we live.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/mindful-perspective/">Season 1 – MC18: On Perspective</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> Welcome to the Mindful 15: A short monthly episode (15 minutes or less) where I step out of the usual format and fly solo, sharing personal stories and insights on self awareness from my journey as a writer. - Welcome to the Mindful 15: A short monthly episode (15 minutes or less) where I step out of the usual format and fly solo, sharing personal insights on self awareness and mindset development from my own journey as a creative entrepreneur.
In this November episode of the Mindful 15, I talk about the importance of stopping to reflect once awhile on all the small, tiny details that shape so much of what we create, who we are and how we live.

Link Love
Listen to your life

Now and Then: A Memoir of Vocation – Frederick Buechner

The In Between – Jeff Goins
In this Episode

* Quote from Frederick Buechner’s memoir that inspired this episode: “Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery that it is. In the boredom and pain of it no less than in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to holy and hidden heart of it because in the last analysis all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace.”
* How I came upon Frederick Buechner and my thoughts on the read
* On my struggles with gaining/keeping perspective the last nearly 5 years of my creative journey and the tunnel vision I experienced with different projects.
* Why our experiences often blind us to what is right in front of us.
* Becoming self aware enough to slow down and consider what we might be overlooking.
* Realizing that so much of our life is colored by events and experiences that complicate the true meaning of our journey.
* Even those who embrace the idea of living intentionally, deliberately, and filling our days with value and meaning still struggle to make time for intense self reflection.
* My experience with intentional practice of being present
* Steve Jobs and his infamous “you can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards,” and why I altered to “You can only connect the dots looking inward.”
* Why I started listening to everything in my life a lot more and gained some much-needed creative perspective.
* Why so much of what we assume is true will wash away in the light of real perspective.

 
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]]> Brett Henley: Writer + Storyteller + Content Strategist 14:50 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/tom-morkes/ Fri, 14 Nov 2014 02:40:35 +0000 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/?p=5429 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/tom-morkes/#comments http://www.themindfulcreator.com/tom-morkes/feed/ 3 <p>Tom Morkes is an author, instigator, startup consultant and the CEO and Founder of Insurgent Publishing. In Episode 17 of The Mindful Creator, Tom and I dissect the creative process and the struggle that comes with it to determine what it takes to start, ship and sustain long-term projects with more confidence. </p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/tom-morkes/">Season 1 – MC17: Winning the Creative Battle with Tom Morkes</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> Tom Morkes is an author, instigator, startup consultant and the CEO and Founder of Insurgent Publishing. In Episode 17 of The Mindful Creator, Tom and I dissect the creative process and the struggle that comes with it to determine what it takes to star... In Episode 17 of The Mindful Creator, I chat with my friend Tom Morkes about winning the inner creative battle. Tom is an author, instigator, startup consultant and the CEO and Founder of Insurgent Publishing. In this episode, Tom and I dissect the creative process and the struggle that comes with it to discuss what it takes to start, ship and sustain long-term projects with more confidence. Link Love High Speed Elite &amp;#8211; Business Mastermind for Veterans (Tom Morkes, Antonio Centeno and John Lee Dumas) Smart Passive Income &amp;#8211; Pat Flynn Jeff Goins Entrepreneur on Fire &amp;#8211; John Lee Dumas In this Episode * Tom takes us through his journey from the military to entrepreneurism. * Tom’s early writing days and the blog 20-year/40-year initial plan for his blog . * How Tom’s experience at a Seth Godin conference pushed him to create his first product. * Tom talks about his creative process day to day. * Tom: “What we do is evolutionary.” * Tom’s simple approach to all creative projects: What skills do I have right now, who do I know, and how I can make something happen? * Tom’s ability to remain agile and flexible and constantly leverage what he learns/does into the next project. * Tom talks about singular focus on a specific calling vs. diversity in what we create, and why there is a power in the ability to focus on one thing (although that is not Tom’s bag). * The importance of alignment through self awareness: To understand what kind of work is best for you. * The weird good/bad nature of comparison: Part learning and growth by watching others; part insidious. * How Tom looks at the intersection of market need and financial viability with his desire to work on a particular project. * Why building your process from the ground up in a way that resonates with you is critical to short and long-term success. * Tom and Brett talk about the dynamic of doing work that you may not love to support the work that you do (Tim Ferris calls a “muse business”). Note &amp;#8211; NEITHER of us agree with this approach, but to each his own. * The difficulty of applying some of these newer, more agile business models to art. * Why we compartmentalize success and the creative journey a bit too much. * The “tough” dynamic of creating for the love vs. creating to sustain and why it’s important to understand what works best for you without all the noise influencing your decision. * Tom’s challenge to anyone creative that is struggling with the pressure to take an idea and make it profitable vs. honor the craft: “Maybe there’s a faster way. Maybe there’s a better way.” * The misconception of how difficult it is to marry traditional art and commerce, and why we’ve got to approach it differently. * The advantage of early validation in determining whether a creative project is financially viable. * Why we struggle so much to start, sustain and ship projects. * Tom: “Nobody is going to give you directions. At the end of the day, you’re the only one who is going to deeply care about it.” * Brett: &amp;#8220;There is no blueprint for this process. Nobody hands you a roadmap in the beginning and says ‘welcome to the creative journey, here’s what you need to do.’” * The importance of taking full ownership of every aspect of your creative journey &amp;#8211; no one else can give you that power... Brett Henley: Writer 1:08:50 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/colin-wright/ Fri, 31 Oct 2014 20:26:47 +0000 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/?p=5384 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/colin-wright/#comments http://www.themindfulcreator.com/colin-wright/feed/ 1 <p>Colin Wright is an with author, blogger, entrepreneur and full-time traveler. Colin has authored more than 30 books including his newest - titled Considerations - a collection of over 50 short essays about asking questions, attaining new perspectives, figuring out what you believe, and determining how these beliefs can help guide your actions.</p> <p>In Episode 16 of The Mindful Creator, I talk to Colin about the importance of cultivating perspective, or what Colin calls a "well curated collection of perspectives."</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/colin-wright/">Season 1 – MC16: Consider Everything with Colin Wright</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> Colin Wright is an with author, blogger, entrepreneur and full-time traveler. Colin has authored more than 30 books including his newest - titled Considerations - a collection of over 50 short essays about asking questions, attaining new perspectives, In Episode 16 of The Mindful Creator, I talk with author, blogger, entrepreneur and full-time traveler Colin Wright about the importance of cultivating perspective, or what Colin calls a &amp;#8220;well curated collection of perspectives.&amp;#8221; Colin has authored more than 30 books including his newest &amp;#8211; titled Considerations &amp;#8211; a collection of over 50 short essays about asking questions, attaining new perspectives, figuring out what you believe, and determining how these beliefs can help guide your actions. In this episode, Colin and I dig deeper into why cultivating perspective is vital to the human experience and the creative journey. Link Love Colin&amp;#8217;s Blog Asymmetrical Press The Minimalists In this Episode * The importance of curating perspectives in both life and creative work. * How a kaleidoscope of perspectives help shape what we create and how we live/view the world around us. * Colin tells his story &amp;#8211; including his early endeavors running creative businesses and how his work has evolved as a result of his life experiences (most especially his travels). * Colin&amp;#8217;s goal to achieve new perspectives and see things from a different point of view for awhile to see how it might change him. * How Colin&amp;#8217;s experiences has changed the nature of his creative palate and impacted where he puts his creative energy. * Brett asks Colin how self aware he&amp;#8217;s been of existing perspectives related to his work and how they&amp;#8217;ve evolved as a result. * Colin wins at life with a well-timed sea monkeys reference. * Colin&amp;#8217;s talk at Misfit Con 2013 on the process of chasing perfection in our journeys toward a meaningful life. * How Colin has rectified chasing the dream and the outcome he&amp;#8217;s wanted to achieve. * Colin: &amp;#8220;The more I learn, the more I know that I don&amp;#8217;t know.&amp;#8221; * Colin talks about recognizing that even though there are more &amp;#8220;horizons, you&amp;#8217;re at one now,&amp;#8221; and why it&amp;#8217;s important to focus on today&amp;#8217;s perfect and worry about tomorrow when it comes. * Why the experience of traveling forces you to be okay with imperfection and how that can positively impact your ability to stay focused on the present, learn to trust the moment and be patient with the growth process. * The importance of learning from the purposeful limitations you place in life and how you can also apply this to your creative work. * Colin talks about why restrictions are vital: &amp;#8220;Where&amp;#8217;s your gravity, where&amp;#8217;s your friction, where do you push off the wall from?&amp;#8221; * Colin talks about the story behind his latest book, Considerations. * Colin and Brett talk about absolute truths vs. considerations/perspectives. * When experience blinds us to what is * Colin: &amp;#8220;Absolute truth is a fantastic way to sell books.&amp;#8221; (A-fucking-men) * How can you remain objective enough to gain perspective to see things more clearly? * Colin and Brett talk about being more connected to our intuition, trusting this, and why this is not something that humans are inherently good at. * Why a well-rounded view of the world can help us attain a stronger relationship with our instincts. * Colin talks about the intention behind his new book not being as formulaic in marketing a sp... Brett Henley: Writer 1:06:13 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/charlotte-eriksson/ Fri, 24 Oct 2014 09:08:50 +0000 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/?p=5313 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/charlotte-eriksson/#comments http://www.themindfulcreator.com/charlotte-eriksson/feed/ 3 <p>Charlotte Eriksson, also known as The Glass Child, is a talented independent musician from Sweden who left home at 17 and moved to London to dedicate her life to music and writing.</p> <p>In Episode 15 of The Mindful Creator, I chat with Charlotte about the challenging journey of the independent artist, the tension between the call to create and the need to build a platform to be heard, and how she managed to remain deeply committed to her craft while doing whatever it took to build a life from her art.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/charlotte-eriksson/">Season 1 – MC15: The Art is Enough with Charlotte Eriksson</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> Charlotte Eriksson, also known as The Glass Child, is a talented independent musician from Sweden who left home at 17 and moved to London to dedicate her life to music and writing. - In Episode 15 of The Mindful Creator, In Episode 15 of The Mindful Creator, I chat with Charlotte Eriksson, also known as The Glass Child, a talented independent musician from Sweden who left home at 17 and moved to London to dedicate her life to music and writing. Through a hell of a lot of determination, grit and honing of her craft in the years since, Charlotte has successfully started her own label (Broken Glass Records), released 5 critically acclaimed albums, had a single, ’I Will Lead You Home,’ reach #2 on the Swedish iTunes-chart and was named ”Breakthrough Indie Artist Of The Year” by Lemonade Magazine. This episode digs deeper into the challenging journey of the independent artist, the tension between the call to create and the need to build a platform to be heard, and how Charlotte managed to remain deeply committed to her craft while doing whatever it took to build a life from her art. Link Love The Official Glass Child Store The Glass Child on Twitter Charlotte on Facebook In Between Frames &amp;#8211; Seth Godin The War of Art &amp;#8211; Stephen Pressfield The Artists’ Way &amp;#8211; Julie Cameron In this Episode * Charlotte talks about her introduction to music, the process of leaving Sweden by herself to start a life in music, and the year + she spent essentially homeless traveling from city to city in pursuit of the dream * Charlotte’s first year in London as an 18-year-old budding musician and how a drive to just learn her craft and the industry shaped that experience.Charlotte: “I realized quite fast that the way that I want to build my life is doing everything by myself.” * Where craft and practice and self promotion can coexist, and the importance of revisiting your why constantly to keep grounded in the former. * Why Charlotte doesn’t look at her art or work as a project or career but as her life, and why that dynamic prevents her from doing anything that she doesn’t find true joy in. * Why we live in an era obsessed with bottling success and why our impatience may rob us of the chance to get really, really good at something. * Brett: “I can’t imagine living or creating anything where the only reason behind creating was an exit plan for my life or a means to an end.” * Charlotte: “That finish line should be the last day of your life if you’re wanting to create something of real impact.” * Why creating a life of love for what you do will make the “how” of getting to the desk each day more and more irrelevant. * The delicate balance of dedication and determination and how to approach those days where you just don’t feel like doing anything. * The self awareness needed to understand when resistance is at play vs. time to step back and take a break. * Charlotte talks about the last years making her latest album and how she learned to better identify when she needed to push and when she needed to recharge and get inspired. * The importance of not forgetting to live your life and using those experiences to fuel your creativity. * Why beating yourself over the head to push through the resistance isn’t always the best route. * The danger of becoming too focused on the outcome of your art and how that can stunt your growth as a creator. * Charlotte’s experience with in-person networking and self promotion and how that taught her ... Brett Henley: Writer 1:13:51 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/mindful-hustle/ Thu, 25 Sep 2014 09:02:28 +0000 http://themindfulcreator.com/?p=5139 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/mindful-hustle/#respond http://www.themindfulcreator.com/mindful-hustle/feed/ 0 <p>In this episode of the Mindful 15, I’m diving deeper into the dark side of the hustle. That is to say, I’m diving deeper into the elements of the creative journey that entrepreneurs and artists don’t talk about often enough.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/mindful-hustle/">Season 1 – MC14: Dark Side of the Hustle</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> In this episode of the Mindful 15, I’m diving deeper into the dark side of the hustle. That is to say, I’m diving deeper into the elements of the creative journey that entrepreneurs and artists don’t talk about often enough. Welcome to the Mindful 15: A short monthly episode (15 minutes or less) where I step out of the usual format and fly solo, sharing personal insights on self awareness and mindset development from my own journey as a creative entrepreneur. In this episode, I’m diving deeper into the dark side of the hustle. That is to say, I’m diving deeper into the elements of the creative journey that entrepreneurs and artists don’t talk about often enough. Link Love The dark side of the hustle The rough edges of failure Stop Waiting to Live: Radically Reclaim Your Aliveness Now &amp;#8211; Jonathan Mead How To Waste Time Properly &amp;#8211; Greg Beato In this Episode * Strategic vulnerability &amp;#8211; why we don’t discuss the reasons we fall apart * Why it&amp;#8217;s okay to want to let go of being the model hustler and just be in the moment. * Most experts in this internet age only talk about the good parts:  The book ends and the polished steps required to make it to the finish line. * We talk about failure at a purely conceptual level &amp;#8211; it’s a novel idea, but few of us are willing to really expose why we failed, what happened and the truth of what failure looks (and feels) like in real life. * My struggles with perfectionism and shipping projects and what that as taught me about failure. * Why an unrealistic picture of how much we’ll actually struggle on this journey is flat out dangerous, and why we need to focus less on boxing up the creative process for self gain and more on painting realistic pictures of what you actually need to navigate the uncertainty. * The intangibles you really need = self awareness, trust, confidence. These intangibles are not gained by following a set of predetermined steps. They’re cultivated through daily practice and by connecting on a much deeper level to the purpose that drives your work. * Why you should get down and dirty with your core self through reflection. Why are you hustling? What does success look like outside of profitability, marketability and all of the common benchmarks we measure against? * Why we need trust, not pixie dust (and to stop trying to engineer away all our flaws and embrace the gifts that we already have). * The danger of placing too much faith in external solutions and ignoring our own intuition. * Why I’m not remotely attached to this mindless definition of hard work that is “hustle at all costs” * Outcome tunnel vision and the danger of not being present. * Why there is a fine line between opportunity and obsession (there is always more to be done, more to be changed, more to improve). * Why the hustle doesn’t necessarily make you tougher, more determined, grittier than the rest. It just makes you more tired, less effective and out of alignment in the long term. * Meeting our fears and struggles with a battering ram and calvary charge isn’t the only way. * Why it&amp;#8217;s not always about overcoming, it&amp;#8217;s about coexisting * Why it&amp;#8217;s not what or how, it&amp;#8217;s why we do it. &amp;nbsp; Thanks for listening! If you can please take a moment to subscribe and leave an honest rating and review of the show on iTunes, it will help improve our ranking and discoverability so that we can reach more people. Subscribe on iTunes &amp;nbsp; Brett Henley: Writer yes 15:46 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/mike-rohde/ Mon, 15 Sep 2014 09:00:51 +0000 http://themindfulcreator.com/?p=5072 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/mike-rohde/#comments http://www.themindfulcreator.com/mike-rohde/feed/ 3 <p>Mike Rohde is a designer, author, illustrator and sketchnoter with a passion for simple and usable design solutions. He has published two books on sketchnoting, The Sketchnote Handbook and The Sketchnote Workbook, and has provided custom illustration for New York Times bestsellers, REWORK and REMOTE by 37signals, The $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau and The Little Book of Talent by New York Times bestselling author Daniel Coyle.</p> <p>In Episode 13 of The Mindful Creator, I chat with Mike about finding that deeper determination to fight for the work that you love.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/mike-rohde/">Season 1 – MC13: Fighting for What You Love with Mike Rohde</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> Mike Rohde is a designer, author, illustrator and sketchnoter with a passion for simple and usable design solutions. He has published two books on sketchnoting, The Sketchnote Handbook and The Sketchnote Workbook, In Episode 13 of The Mindful Creator, I chat with designer Mike Rohde about finding that deeper determination to fight for the work that you love. Mike is a designer, author, illustrator and sketchnoter with a passion for simple and usable design solutions. He has published two books on sketchnoting, The Sketchnote Handbook and The Sketchnote Workbook, and has provided custom illustration for New York Times bestsellers, REWORK and REMOTE by 37signals, The $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau and The Little Book of Talent by New York Times bestselling author Daniel Coyle. In this episode, Mike and I discuss the evolution of our creative processes and how to push through when real life struggles threaten to pull you under. Link Love Writer Pro (Mike uses for his books) Showing up can be simple Music For Focus and Creativity (what I use for writing/creating) &amp;#8211; The American Dollar plannerhack.com (Mike mentions in our segment on productivity hacking) In this Episode * Mike talks about his 20+ year journey as a designer and an illustration. * The evolution of Mike’s design and illustration processes and how this introduced intentional limitations into his work. * The advent of sketchnoting, or “visual note taking,” in Mike’s process and how that led to a variety of opportunities at conferences and an eventual book deal. * How Mike’s willingness to accept and seek out limitations in creative projects forced himself to be present in his work and find more satisfaction in the grind. * The journey of writing and handling all of the production work on his first book, and the struggle to be creative and see this project through while dealing with serious family challenges. * Using challenges as a way forward. * Leaning on learning from your struggles when everything seems to fall apart. * Why my failure to place “purposeful limitations” around creative work has led to incomplete or unfinished projects. * Why we can’t always choose our situations, but we can choose how we creatively respond. * Learning to recognize the true nature of your struggles through self awareness and acceptance and reframing them. * Mike &amp;#8211; “Sometimes fighting for what you love means pushing against a situation and finding a way to change it.” * Why accepting where you are can help you get passed denial that keeps you from moving forward. * Why acceptance is about creating space to take the emotion out of the equation so you can gain some objectivity to deal with creative struggles (which is really hard when you’re deeply attached to your work). * Mike talks about the real tests of determination that he faced on higher-stake projects and how he overcame them (note &amp;#8211; every big project Mike has done h... Brett Henley: Writer 1:06:12 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/maisie-smith/ Tue, 02 Sep 2014 14:11:46 +0000 http://themindfulcreator.com/?p=5028 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/maisie-smith/#comments http://www.themindfulcreator.com/maisie-smith/feed/ 4 <p>Maisie Smith is a freelance writer, storyteller, blogger and owner of the Audacious Muse Writing Studio where she uses the power of words to connect small businesses with their people.</p> <p>In Episode 12 of The Mindful Creator, I chat with Maisie about rocking the small corners, whether we are all meant to serve on the grand stage with the rest of the influencers, and learning how to define our bodies of work through our own distinct lens.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/maisie-smith/">Season 1 – MC12: Rocking the Small Corners with Maisie Smith</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> Maisie Smith is a freelance writer, storyteller, blogger and owner of the Audacious Muse Writing Studio where she uses the power of words to connect small businesses with their people. - In Episode 12 of The Mindful Creator, In Episode 12 of The Mindful Creator, I chat with Maisie Smith about rocking the small corners, whether we are all meant to serve on the grand stage with the rest of the influencers, and learning how to define our bodies of work through our own distinct lens.
Maisie is a freelance writer, storyteller, blogger and owner of the Audacious Muse Writing Studio, where she uses the power of words to connect small businesses with their people.

Link Love
I Wish You Nothing But the Best As You Take Over the World – Maisie Smith

Building a Business You Love – Brett Henley

Deliberately Small – AJ Leon
In this Episode

* Maisie talks about the self promotional tidal wave she encountered at WDS 2014, how that impacted her concept of service, and why it prompted her to write the blog post on this idea of rocking the small corners (note, she also talks about how much respect and love she has for the conference, and that in know way did she feel that this reflected on the overall conference experience).
* Maisie on the interactions at WDS – “I felt like I was drowning in an ocean of people desperately trying to do good work.”
* Why the collective struggle we all face in owning our own unique space as creators and figuring out what service means to each of us creates this air of desperation in how we promote our work.
* The irony of focusing so much on the serving that we forget about the people that we’re serving (i.e. the bigger picture).
* Maisie talks about her journey from personal fitness training to advertising to her current adventures as a creative entrepreneur, and how a workshop by Pam Slim at WDS 2013 helped the light bulb come on for her.
* Why we tend to find what we’re looking for when we stop looking for it.
* Maisie talks about her definition of small corners and how that has evolved in her work.
* Maisie: “I found that I had more options in staying small; it allowed me to create exactly what I wanted to create.
* Why small corners are not about being small so that you don’t have to be big – it’s not about giving up on the dream.
* Why service is more and more about perspective the further you get in your journey.
* Why quality of life is a big part of both Maisie and Brett’s small corner, and why they don’t necessarily identify with the parts of the hustle that a lot of entrepreneurs seem to get off on.
* Brett – “Figuring out how to show up in the world is really fucking hard.”
* Why part of learning how to show up is learning how to promote without losing sight of service.
* Why Maisie hates the question, “what do you do?” (fist bump to JFM).
* The problem with believing that we can only truly show up to our work once we define it in concrete terms.
* The danger of associating service with making a big name for yourself.
* Why we (wrongfully) assume that sustainability is about bigger = better.
* Why our vision of mattering to the world is too often caught up in comparing how big our platform is (or could be) to the big influencers, and why we need to realize that creating impact isn’t about the size of your audience.
* The importance of being honest with what kind of platform you want to own – intimate connection vs. serving the masses? small community vs.]]> Brett Henley: Writer yes 1:01:36 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/laurel-staples/ Mon, 25 Aug 2014 11:00:46 +0000 http://themindfulcreator.com/?p=5025 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/laurel-staples/#respond http://www.themindfulcreator.com/laurel-staples/feed/ 0 <p>Laurel Staples is a Business "Jumpstarter", marketing expert, writer and podcaster who left a corporate career as a hardware engineer In 2007 to launch a retail clothing store. Today, she is the founder of Go Fire Yourself - where she helps corporate prisoners escape the rat race, make a shit ton of money with their business & live life on their own terms. Laurel is also the host of The Go Fire Yourself podcast as well as co-host of the RED (Real Entrepreneur Development) podcast with David Hooper.</p> <p>In episode 11 of The Mindful Creator, I talk with Laurel about the magical myth of work-life balance and why we should ditch it for good.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/laurel-staples/">Season 1 – MC11: Balance is Bullshit with Laurel Staples</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> Laurel Staples is a Business "Jumpstarter", marketing expert, writer and podcaster who left a corporate career as a hardware engineer In 2007 to launch a retail clothing store. Today, she is the founder of Go Fire Yourself - where she helps corporate p... In episode 11 of The Mindful Creator, I talk with Laurel Staples about the magical myth of work-life balance and why we should ditch it for good. Laurel is a Business &amp;#8220;Jumpstarter&amp;#8221;, marketing expert, writer and podcaster who left a corporate career as a hardware engineer In 2007 to launch a retail clothing store. Today, she is the founder of Go Fire Yourself &amp;#8211; where she helps corporate prisoners escape the rat race, make a shit ton of money with their business &amp;amp; live life on their own terms. Laurel is also the host of The Go Fire Yourself podcast as well as co-host of the RED (Real Entrepreneur Development) podcast with David Hooper. Note that Laurel has recently rebranded to 10X10, which you can read more about at http://www.10x10coach.com/  Link Love Why You Should Ditch the Work-Life Balance model &amp;#8211; Laurel Staples Let’s make a “to-don’t list” &amp;#8211; Brett Henley How a Good Life Builds a (Better Than) Great Company : The Zen of Jonathan Fields &amp;#8211; Terry St. Marie (Jonathan talks about the vitality, connection, contribution buckets I mention in my interview w/ Laurel). In this Episode * Laurel shares her story of working in the corporate world as a mechanical engineer designing color laser printers, the process of leaving the rat race behind to start her own retail clothing store, and the realization that led her to becoming an online entrepreneur. * Laurel talks about balance in her early days running a brick and mortar vs. her work today, and how running an online business has taught her how to work smarter, create intentional space, and make more money without killing herself. * Why work/life balance is an “unattainable ideal.” * Why we are consumed by this notion that we can create equal weight between obligations and passion, and why striving for balance is burning us out. * Why the process of creating an intentional life creates an urgency and pressure to achieve this false sense of balance. * People have to define a clear vision of what freedom looks like for them before they can understand how to prioritize and achieve their goals. * Why productivity and time management isn’t about “checking off” priorities; it’s about aligning them with your vision and goals and identifying what isn’t helping you reach your goals. * Why the concept of working smart vs. working hard is about mindset and energy, not tasks. * Laurel’s strategy of compartmentalization vs. balance and how we start to prioritize and be fully present in each “compartment” that comprises our day-to-day work and life. * Why it’s more effective to maximize the space that you’re in and not “cross the streams” between work and life (i.e. when you’re hanging out with family, hang out with family). * Beating distractions by breaking big tasks into small steps that you can work on in short intervals and giving 100% focus to whatever is right in front of you. * Making a to-don’t list instead of filling our days with arbitrary tasks and goals that we may not be aligned with * Why identifying the work that truly resonates will make the “chore” of prioritization much easier. * Why everyone is not necessarily destined to be an entrepreneur and that it’s okay to be an asset working for someone else. * Seeking alignment and the power of letting go of anything that does not serve our true selves as... Brett Henley: Writer 53:14 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/caroline-winegeart/ Tue, 12 Aug 2014 13:09:36 +0000 http://themindfulcreator.com/?p=5021 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/caroline-winegeart/#comments http://www.themindfulcreator.com/caroline-winegeart/feed/ 1 <p>Caroline Winegeart is a designer, illustrator, and happiness hunter with a passion for helping creatives become their best, most vibrant selves. She creates authentic, unique branding and design work through her studio, Made Vibrant, and writes on her blog about personal development for soulful creatives.</p> <p>In Episode 10 of The Mindful Creator, I sit down with Caroline to discuss what it takes to find our true core as creative entrepreneurs.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/caroline-winegeart/">Season 1 – MC10: Unlearning Excellence with Caroline Winegeart</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> Caroline Winegeart is a designer, illustrator, and happiness hunter with a passion for helping creatives become their best, most vibrant selves. She creates authentic, unique branding and design work through her studio, Made Vibrant, In Episode 10 of The Mindful Creator, I sit down with friend and fellow misfit Caroline Winegeart to discuss what it takes to find our true core as creative entrepreneurs so that we can create from a place of genuine satisfaction vs. external validation. Caroline is a designer, illustrator, and happiness hunter with a passion for helping creatives become their best, most vibrant selves. She creates authentic, unique branding and design work through her studio, Made Vibrant, and writes on her blog about personal development for soulful creatives. Link Love Connecting with your Core &amp;#8211; Caroline Winegeart The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future &amp;#8211; Chris Guillebeau Creating is exploring &amp;#8211; Brett Henley In this Episode * Caroline shares her journey from academic overachiever to a promising career in the agency world, and talks about the radical shifts that led her to becoming a creative entrepreneur. * Why our cultural definition of excellence is puritanical at best and downright soul sucking at worst (why the hell we need to unlearn this, fast). * The struggle to create from a truly aligned inner self (i.e. for ourselves) vs. creating for the acceptance of others. * Creating vs. selling &amp;#8211; how can we rectify the troubled relationship between passion and profit? * Why a deeper purpose (and a commitment to that purpose) should be the foundation that you build from, remain connected to &amp;#8211; always. * Why you should expect for this evolve as you grow &amp;#8211; don’t be alarmed … put down the finger and yank the batteries from the panic button. * Why we push and strive to meet an arbitrary standard that is more true to a cardboard cutout of a human being, and why the power shows up when we step out of that and become authentic to our true selves. * Why Caroline thought happiness was the gauge to measure quality of life, and why she realized that discovering her unique values and beliefs completely shifted her perspective on the why behind her work. * The irony of drowning in an ocean of best practices and the difficulty of trying to differentiate as creators. * Creating overlap with what you do, what the world might need and what you love, and why it’s difficult trying to serve all three masters at once. * Why we should figure out what we love before we figure out how to serve. Why not everyone is wired for the same flavor of influence, and why our resistance to accepting the uncertainty of our path to success is what brings us out of alignment. * Why settling into your own sense of authentic self will attract the right people for your business. * Why it’s important to listen when our body is telling us that we’re out of creative alignment. * Finding joy in your work is a process &amp;#8211; simply being an entrepreneur doesn’t guarantee happiness. * The importance of asking, “What would this life really look like, and do I really want it?” * Why you can’t intellectualize your true core as a creator &amp;#8211; it takes exploration and experimentation. * Caroline &amp;#8211; “If you want to be a creative that’s going to be internally satisfied vs. externally validated, it has to come from a deep desire to continually question yourself and your actions and your intentions &amp;#8211; it’s just part of the DNA.&amp;#8221; Brett Henley: Writer 1:11:51 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/mindful-alignment/ Fri, 01 Aug 2014 16:05:57 +0000 http://themindfulcreator.com/?p=5015 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/mindful-alignment/#respond http://www.themindfulcreator.com/mindful-alignment/feed/ 0 <p>Welcome to the Mindful 15: A short monthly episode (15 minutes or less) where I step out of the usual format and fly solo, sharing personal stories and insights on self awareness from my journey as a writer.</p> <p>In today’s Mindful 15, I focus on the importance of alignment in helping you stay grounded while building a creative business and body of work.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/mindful-alignment/">Season 1 – MC09: Creative Alignment</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> Welcome to the Mindful 15: A short monthly episode (15 minutes or less) where I step out of the usual format and fly solo, sharing personal stories and insights on self awareness from my journey as a writer. - In today’s Mindful 15, Today’s Mindful 15 focuses on the importance of alignment in helping you stay grounded while building a creative business and body of work.
If you do anything with this, I encourage you to first step back and reflect on how this might apply to your own journey, business and story.

note – the powerpress player is incorrectly displaying episode length at 16:13. The episode is actually 14:25.
Link Love
On creative alignment – Brett Henley (for further reading)
In this Episode

* Alignment as a strong foundation of self and craft that informs what you do day to day (and more importantly, why you do it).
* Alignment is about getting closer to your true self as a human and all of the moving parts that matter being in sync both short and long term.
* Why it’s important to seek alignment with what will make you feel fucking good so that you can sustain on this long ass journey – not just what will make you sexier and more successful according to external standards.
* There are no guides or steps because every alignment journey or process looks completely different.
* All of the focus we place as creators on habits, tools, best practices, strategies and plans are a complete waste of energy and time if the foundation of our alignment is missing the why.
* Tools we need to go through an alignment exercise: Self awareness; Grace; Patience; Courage to be present and to show up no matter how sloppy it gets.
* Grace to forgive the missteps, mistakes and not always knowing what we should be doing
* How to get started by reflecting on your truth and asking some tough questions (e.g. What kind of work do you feel truly connected to – regardless of viability or profitability?)
* Why it’s important to first take stock of everything currently in your life/work ecosystem (rituals/routines/habits; creative tasks related to your business; distractions).
* My alignment process starting with “write everything down on paper so you can examine and reflect on each item,” and how I used the filter “is this something valuable, something that is contributing to a healthy alignment or is it pulling me away?” to get rid of anything that didn’t serve.
* Why I started writing what I felt most connected to and what I felt would best serve others and let go of a lot of the pressure and anxiety associated with achievement for the purity of creating in the moment.
* How simplifying daily rituals has helped me uncomplicate my relationship with change — exchanging the cyclical anxiety of get better for feeling good.
* Why it’s important to remember that alignment takes practice — in many ways, like presence, it is a muscle that must be exercised and honed over time.
* Why you should let go of anything that doesn’t serve your true self and reprioritize everything you do on a daily basis to be in alignment with this true self.
* Always remember – alignment is a process, not an outcome.

 
Thanks for listening!
If you can please take a moment to subscribe and leave an honest rating and review of the show on iTunes, it will help improve our ranking and discoverability so that we can reach more people.
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]]> Brett Henley: Writer yes http://www.themindfulcreator.com/cc-chapman/ Tue, 15 Jul 2014 05:24:27 +0000 http://themindfulcreator.com/?p=4935 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/cc-chapman/#comments http://www.themindfulcreator.com/cc-chapman/feed/ 2 <p>C.C. Chapman is a storyteller, explorer and humanitarian who has spent the last five+ years helping people and brands (including American Eagle Outfitters, Coca-Cola, HBO and Warner Bros.) convert passive consumers into passionate, invested advocates. C.C. is a prolific content creator, professional speaker and author. </p> <p>In Episode 8 of The Mindful Creator, I chat with C.C. about the staying the course when the road is darkest, the unexpected dips and turns in any creative journey and how to keep moving despite feeling completely lost, and whether we truly ever stop feeling uncertainty nipping at our heels.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/cc-chapman/">Season 1 – MC08: Cracks in the Sidewalk with C.C. Chapman</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> C.C. Chapman is a storyteller, explorer and humanitarian who has spent the last five+ years helping people and brands (including American Eagle Outfitters, Coca-Cola, HBO and Warner Bros.) convert passive consumers into passionate, invested advocates. In Episode 8 of The Mindful Creator, I chat with C.C. Chapman about the staying the course when the road is darkest, the unexpected dips and turns in any creative journey and how to keep moving despite feeling completely lost, and whether we truly ever stop feeling uncertainty nipping at our heels. C.C. is a storyteller, explorer and humanitarian who has spent the last five+ years helping people and brands (including American Eagle Outfitters, Coca-Cola, HBO and Warner Bros.) convert passive consumers into passionate, invested advocates. C.C. is also prolific content creator, professional speaker and author. His published books include co-authoring Content Rules: How to Create Killer Blogs, Podcasts, Videos, Ebooks, Webinars (and More) That Engage Customers and Ignite Your Business, and Amazing Things Will Happen: A Real-World Guide on Achieving Success and Happiness. Link Love Managing the Gray + C.C.&amp;#8217;s podcast episodes Rework &amp;#8211; Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson The part where we say, “fuck it.” &amp;#8211; Brett Henley In this Episode * C.C. talks about his experience at Misfit Con, the talk that got scrapped at the last minute, and the sense of being in a bit of a grey area with what comes next * People often assume that success shields you from struggling (hint &amp;#8211; not at all true) &amp;#8211; but admitting struggle doesn’t necessarily strip us of our humanity. * How C.C. compares the “unknown” after success vs. when he first started out, and why the stakes and risks of maintaining success make the now far scarier. * Why it’s easier to get into a relationship with complacency when you have more to lose (and why losing the edge of curiosity can lead to leveling out). * Whether the pressure to maintain his level of success contributes to this unknown C.C. is facing. * Why the expectations set by the hustle and &amp;#8220;finding our passions&amp;#8221; can lead us down a dark road of constantly striving to engineer away our flaws and control every aspect of the journey. * How to recognize uncertainty and unknown as the Jekel and Hyde nature of creating anything meaningful vs. a sign that maybe what you’re doing isn’t aligned with your true values. * C.C &amp;#8211; “While it’s tempting (and definitely easier) to think with your wallet, leaving your heart open to adventure brings about some really cool opportunities” * Why &amp;#8220;being a misfit is fucking hard,&amp;#8221; (thanks Erik Proulx) and why part of bravery is also honoring who we already are &amp;#8211; flaws and all. * Why we don’t often talk openly about our vulnerabilities in this age of experts, and why we often (wrongly) assume that our favorite experts have it all figured out. * Why we need to ignore the hustle community and its constant yammering about meeting our fears with brute force, Brett Henley: Writer yes 1:02:32 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/dave-delaney/ Thu, 10 Jul 2014 23:20:15 +0000 http://themindfulcreator.com/?p=4970 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/dave-delaney/#respond http://www.themindfulcreator.com/dave-delaney/feed/ 0 <p>Dave Delaney is the author of New Business Networking, a book about using online and offline techniques and tools to improve your professional networking efforts. He is also the host of New Business Networking Radio and an award-winning digital marketing consultant and keynote speaker.</p> <p>In Episode 7 of The Mindful Creator, I sit down with Dave to chat about community and connection and how each impacts our bodies of work.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/dave-delaney/">Season 1 – MC07: Community + Connection with Dave Delaney</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> Dave Delaney is the author of New Business Networking, a book about using online and offline techniques and tools to improve your professional networking efforts. He is also the host of New Business Networking Radio and an award-winning digital market... In Episode 7 of The Mindful Creator, I sit down with my good friend Dave Delaney to chat about community and connection and how each impacts our bodies of work.
I originally met Dave through his efforts as co-founder of Barcamp Nashville, Geek Breakfast and several other community efforts that he spearheaded her in Music City. Dave is also the author of New Business Networking, a book about using online and offline techniques and tools to improve your professional networking efforts.
He is also the host of New Business Networking Radio and an award-winning digital marketing consultant and keynote speaker.

Link Love
Surrender to Serendipity with Hugh Forrest – NBN Radio interview with the Director of SXSW Interactive

How I Used Coffee to Network My Way to a Job – Dave Delaney

On true connection – Brett Henley

Reflecting on Misfit Con – C.C. Chapman
In this Episode

* How Brett and Dave define community and connection in this new age of opportunity, and how that has evolved.
* Dave takes us back to his “Internet beginnings” where he was first introduced to community managing BBS on an old Commodore 64.
* Dave’s perception of the evolution of connection and community before the Internet and social web vs. today.
* Dave’s experience in the “early adopter” days of podcasting and how that shaped his natural progression as a content creator, connector and marketer.
* The dynamic between offline and online connections and how it impacts connecting in real life.
* The natural, human process of connecting with like-minded people and how the age of hyper connectivity and opportunity has reshaped this process for the better
* When the magic happens: Communities built online that find their way into the real world.
* Why we often overlook the benefit of “putting yourself out there” through the body of work you cultivate as a connecting point for building community naturally.
* Why surrendering to the moment and leaving the planned connections behind often leads to stronger connections and relationships – both offline and online.
* Why Dave wants to tattoo Hugh Forrest’s quote, “surrender to serendipity,” on his chest.
* Dave’s intimate and amazing experience at MoSo 2014 in Saskatoon, and how he created a private Twitter list to bring those connections and community back with him.
* The joy of being surprised and experimenting/being creative in how we connect vs. strategizing how we connect.
* Dave and Brett’s early days in punk rock communities and how the experience of being a part of communities that shared value systems influenced perception of online communities.
* Correction: Dave co-founded Barcamp Nashville (but was a part of Podcamp birth as well)
* Dave’s experience “finding his people” online and how a general love for technology has influenced that experience and how he serves.
]]> Brett Henley: Writer 1:11:17 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/berni-xiong/ Wed, 02 Jul 2014 12:07:10 +0000 http://themindfulcreator.com/?p=4932 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/berni-xiong/#comments http://www.themindfulcreator.com/berni-xiong/feed/ 2 <p>Berni Xiong is the gracious host of The Shut Up Show, where she helps brave entrepreneurs shut up and make shit happen by interviewing some pretty amazing people to better understand the mechanism that drives their ability to do their best work every day.</p> <p>In Episode 6 of the Mindful Creator, I chat with Berni about what it takes for creative entrepreneurs to develop that special breed of courage to show up each and every day. This episode is all about bravery redefined in the age of opportunity and hyper connectivity.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/berni-xiong/">Season 1 – MC06: Redefining Bravery with Berni Xiong</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> Berni Xiong is the gracious host of The Shut Up Show, where she helps brave entrepreneurs shut up and make shit happen by interviewing some pretty amazing people to better understand the mechanism that drives their ability to do their best work every d... In Episode 6 of the Mindful Creator, I chat with Berni Xiong on what it takes for artists and creators to develop that special breed of courage to show up each and every day. This episode is all about bravery redefined in an age of opportunity and hyper connectivity. I had the privilege of meeting Berni in person recently at Misfit Con 2014 in Fargo and witnessed first hand how much passion, compassion and electricity she brings to the table. Berni is the gracious host of The Shut Up Show, where she helps brave entrepreneurs shut up and make shit happen by interviewing some pretty amazing people to better understand the mechanism that drives their ability to do their best work every day. Link Love Berni&amp;#8217;s upcoming book, The Year of the Brave Bear Redefining Bravery &amp;#8211; Brett Henley This is Not Your Practice Life &amp;#8211; AJ Leon Start Somewhere &amp;#8211; Chris Brogan In this Episode * Berni talks about her early journey as an entrepreneur, the illness and hospitalization (sans insurance + 40k in debt) that changed everything and how overcoming initial guilt and shame over her leap into entrepreneurship helped shape her version of bravery. * Why Berni doesn&amp;#8217;t necessarily recommend taking the drastic measure/extreme leap out on your own without having some foundation underneath (she left with $2000, no plan, no customers). * Why &amp;#8220;Do the best you can today to just get through today&amp;#8221; is the best advice Berni has ever gotten on entrepreneurship. * Part of bravery is permission to just be whoever you are right now &amp;#8211; no matter where you are in the journey. * Show up because you can, because the work you are doing matters to you (first and foremost), because you want to help other people. * Why showing up can be (and needs to be) simple + detached from outcomes/accomplishments. * The ingrained responsibility of choice that we sometimes take for granted in this age of opportunity. * The &amp;#8220;us vs. them&amp;#8221; mentality that can permeate our relationships with our work and other creators, and why our judgment of other creators impacts how we serve. * Why bravery is not always about creating an iron facade of courage; it&amp;#8217;s connecting small actions with big goals (i.e. it can be much simpler). * Embracing the serendipitous connections to the communities we &amp;#8220;show up&amp;#8221; and contribute to &amp;#8211; Berni talks about contributing to Chris Brogan&amp;#8217;s and AJ/Melissa Leon&amp;#8217;s communities and how those small examples of showing up created positive, unexpected experiences. * Why success doesn&amp;#8217;t remove the disconnect we often experience between our creative lives and the real world. * Cultivating bravery as a practice and the rituals that help keep you honest and make the whole showing up part a little easier over time. * Your voice, your passion is not hiding under a rock somewhere &amp;#8211; stop following and start doing. We already have everything we need. * Why it&amp;#8217;s important to dissect big goals/vision down to the day to day, repeatable steps that you can take to build inertia. * Why Brett has largely abandoned any tactical approach for a simpler vision-driven approach to the day to... Brett Henley: Writer 1:04:56 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/jason-surfrapp/ Mon, 23 Jun 2014 15:19:46 +0000 http://themindfulcreator.com/?p=4918 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/jason-surfrapp/#respond http://www.themindfulcreator.com/jason-surfrapp/feed/ 0 <p>Jason SurfrApp is a rather unconventional and dynamically creative entrepreneur who founded IWearYourShirt, a company that used sponsored t-shirts to promote businesses through social media. Jason has also auctioned off his last name twice and just published a book chronicling his entrepreneurial journey titled "Creativity For Sale."</p> <p>In Episode 5 of the Mindful Creator, I chat with Jason on whether formulas for success are ever truly transferrable, why creative entrepreneurs are often obsessed with distilling formula of those who have hustled before them, the myth of the one-size-fits-all path to success and more.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/jason-surfrapp/">Season 1 – MC05: Bottling Success with Jason Zook</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> Jason SurfrApp is a rather unconventional and dynamically creative entrepreneur who founded IWearYourShirt, a company that used sponsored t-shirts to promote businesses through social media. Jason has also auctioned off his last name twice and just pu... In Episode 5 of the Mindful Creator, I chat with Jason Zook (formerly Surfrapp) to discuss whether formulas for success are ever truly transferrable. Jason is a rather unconventional and dynamically creative entrepreneur who founded IWearYourShirt, a company that used sponsored t-shirts to promote businesses through social media. Jason has also auctioned off his last name twice and just published a book chronicling his entrepreneurial journey.
The book, Creativity For Sale, is a really interesting experiment in independent publishing. Jason raised over $75,000 through sponsorships – including front and back cover and several hundred pages – before a single word was written or a copy sold.
In today’s episode, Jason and I discuss whether formulas for success are transferrable, why creative entrepreneurs are often obsessed with distilling formula of those who have hustled before them, the myth of the one-size-fits-all path to success and more.

Link Love
SponsorMyBook – Jason Zook

Body of Work: Finding the Thread That Ties Your Story Together – Pam Slim

There is no formula for success – Brett Henley

treehouse
In this Episode

* Whether success formulas are every truly transferrable, and why artists and creators are often obsessed with bottling or distilling formulas from those who have hustled before them.
* How Jason has unconventionally approached the creative process and how we continually reinvents himself.
* Why our vision of success is just fucked.
* We predicate success on all the wrong ideas of what it means to achieve, to accomplish, to cross that proverbial finish line. This pulls us out of alignment, but it also pulls us into unhealthy relationships with how we define success individually.
* Why we start to look more and more externally for answers to our struggles so that maybe we can get there quicker. If we cut a few corners with a few out of the box tricks from successful vets before us and poof, magic success win.
* Being successful vs. being creative
* The impatience that comes with comparing our journey to those who succeeded before us and those we admire
* Why pining for success before the work is done is a dangerous distraction.
* The myth of the “one size fits all” path to success (there is no magic bullet that will slay the struggle with one shot)
* Why so much of the creation/consumption engine on the web has become about the abstract and how this ties into our obsession with success formulas.
* How to distill what you learn from other creators, experts, etc. and make it your own.
* People are craving more and more real, more handcrafted, more authenticity that isn’t just a buzzword but a genuine connection between product, maker and consumer.
* It’s not all about scalability – we still have to create something compelling, useful, etc. to last in this noisy idea market.
* Bottling success may grant keys to the kingdom, but will it win the hearts and minds of your people?

 
Thanks for listening!
If you can please take a moment to subscribe and leave an honest rating and review of the show on iTunes,]]> Brett Henley: Writer yes 1:01:32 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/matt-ragland/ Tue, 17 Jun 2014 17:52:11 +0000 http://themindfulcreator.com/?p=4905 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/matt-ragland/#comments http://www.themindfulcreator.com/matt-ragland/feed/ 1 <p>Matt Ragland is a writer, sketch artist, adventurer and host of the Story Signals podcast where he explores purpose, clarity and meaning through interviews with writers, artists, entrepreneurs, missionaries, and many other remarkable people.</p> <p>In Episode 4 of The Mindful Creator, I sit down with Matt to explore how the many threads of our experiences and our work connect and build our life’s story.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/matt-ragland/">Season 1 – MC04: Around the Campfire with Matt Ragland</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> Matt Ragland is a writer, sketch artist, adventurer and host of the Story Signals podcast where he explores purpose, clarity and meaning through interviews with writers, artists, entrepreneurs, missionaries, and many other remarkable people. - In Episode 4 of The Mindful Creator, I sit down with Matt Ragland to explore how the many threads of our experiences and our work connect and build our life’s story. Matt is a writer, sketch artist, adventurer and host the Story Signals podcast where he explores purpose, clarity and meaning through interviews with writers, artists, entrepreneurs, missionaries, and many other remarkable people.
(note – this episode turned out to be a little longer than previous, but that was a happy surprise. The conversation was on a very deep-rooted topic, so we wanted to let it run. Feel free to take it in chunks!)

Link Love
Story Signals podcast

How to Effectively Use Storytelling in your Work and Life – Matt Ragland, Podcast Nashville 2014

A season of reflection – Brett Henley

Stop Being a Superhero. It’s Killing Your Business (and You). – Pat Flynn, Smart Passive Income podcast

Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action – Simon Sinek
 
In this Episode

* Matt and Brett give brief version of their stories and discuss how all of the different pieces connected on our journeys and how are they serving the story we are currently telling
* How our stories are formed by all of the things that sometimes go unnoticed, and what we can learn from the seemingly mundane,
* How we can explore living a more meaningful story through the work we do each day
* How we can navigate the unwritten and uncertain parts with grace and humility.
* Hero mindset vs. being the guide of our stories.
* Experiencing our story vs. telling our story.
* How Matt’s connection adventure and the outdoors has impacted the story he is developing in both life and work.
* The larger narrative we’re forming through our experiences and our body of work isn’t always visible or clear until we’re right in the heart of it.
* How to keep exploring when we don’t have all the answers
* Matt – “If I’m not creating, not practicing – all the promotion is bullshit.”
* When we fear losing control of our stories and why we sometimes try to force structure to predict the outcomes
* How do we stay grounded and connected to our why as creative entrepreneurs? How can we remove the abstract or conceptual from our why?
* The importance of slowing down once in awhile to dig our heels and in reflect deeply on our why

 
Thanks for listening!
If you can please take a moment to subscribe and leave an honest rating and review of the show on iTunes, it will help improve our ranking and discoverability so that we can reach more people.
Subscribe on iTunes
 
To subscribe/leave a review: Click the “View in iTunes” button and follow the prompts once the iTunes app opens.  
]]> Brett Henley: Writer 1:25:52 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/running-change-matt-frazier/ Sun, 08 Jun 2014 06:02:48 +0000 http://themindfulcreator.com/?p=4878 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/running-change-matt-frazier/#respond http://www.themindfulcreator.com/running-change-matt-frazier/feed/ 0 <p>Matt Frazier is an Ultrarunner, vegan, blogger and author of No Meat Athlete: Run on Plants and Discover Your Fittest, Fastest, Happiest, Self. </p> <p>In Episode 3 of The Mindful Creator, Matt and I dive deeper into what it takes to create change in our life and our work in a way that serves us so that we can serve others, how to define healthy habits and rituals that are intuitively connected to our journey, and to begin the process of building the foundation for change.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/running-change-matt-frazier/">Season 1 – MC03: Running w/ Change with Matt Frazier</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> Matt Frazier is an Ultrarunner, vegan, blogger and author of No Meat Athlete: Run on Plants and Discover Your Fittest, Fastest, Happiest, Self. - In Episode 3 of The Mindful Creator, Matt and I dive deeper into what it takes to create change in our l... Matt Frazier is an Ultrarunner, vegan, blogger and author of No Meat Athlete: Run on Plants and Discover Your Fittest, Fastest, Happiest, Self. In Episode 3 of The Mindful Creator, Matt and I dive deeper into what it takes to create change in our life and our work in a way that serves us so that we can serve others, how to define healthy habits and rituals that are intuitively connected to our journey, and to begin the process of building the foundation for change.

Link Love
Being Okay (with Being Just Okay) – Matt Frazier

On Turning Pro (anchor habits mentioned in show, though Matt refers to it here as a “meta habit”) – Matt Frazier

Leaving the Church of Self Improvement – Danielle Laporte

Running with the change monster – Brett Henley
In this Episode

* Matt talks about his journey from a goal to qualify for the Boston Marathon to starting a blog and how navigating change has impacted his life/work
* Defining healthy change cycles and the habits and rituals that serve us so that we can serve others
* Seeking alignment vs. achievement and why it’s an often overlooked benchmark for healthy change
* The Self improvement treadmill – feeling stuck in the cycle of constant change for the sake of change, and how to deal with the anxiety that comes with the process.
* Building the foundation for healthy change by assessing what changes you want to make and not just what you feel like you have to make.
* Why it’s important to step back and reflect on the changes you’re making
* Why a joyful habit can make you feel alive and be useful as a wedge for more positive change in a life filled with priorities.
* Why should is definitely a dirty word in Brett’s house.
* What are we willing to sacrifice in order to grow?
* Establishing an anchor for change that helps you stay grounded, reset when needed and teaches you how to make healthy change across many areas of your life/work.
* Why Brett is becoming more and more of a believer in mindfulness as a soulful pursuit vs. an intellectual pursuit.
* Why change is not something to check off the accomplishment list

 
Thanks for listening!
If you can please take a moment to subscribe and leave an honest rating and review of the show on iTunes, it will help improve our ranking and discoverability so that we can reach more people.
Subscribe on iTunes
 
To subscribe/leave a review: Click the “View in iTunes” button and follow the prompts once the iTunes app opens.  
]]> Brett Henley: Writer 45:18 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/practice-paul-jarvis/ Wed, 14 May 2014 03:52:04 +0000 http://themindfulcreator.com/?p=4795 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/practice-paul-jarvis/#comments http://www.themindfulcreator.com/practice-paul-jarvis/feed/ 6 <p>Paul Jarvis is a web designer and best-selling author who’s spent the last two decades doing design work for some pretty remarkable entrepreneurs, startups and Fortune 500 companies, including Danielle Laporte, Marie Forleo, The Highline in New York City and more. In episode 2 of The Mindful Creator, Paul and I explore honing our craft vs. this mad dash to build bigger and louder platforms to gain attention for our work.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/practice-paul-jarvis/">Season 1 – MC02: Practice Before Promotion with Paul Jarvis</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> Paul Jarvis is a web designer and best-selling author who’s spent the last two decades doing design work for some pretty remarkable entrepreneurs, startups and Fortune 500 companies, including Danielle Laporte, Marie Forleo,
Paul Jarvis is a web designer and best-selling author who’s spent the last two decades doing design work for some pretty remarkable entrepreneurs, startups and Fortune 500 companies, including Danielle Laporte, Marie Forleo, The Highline in New York City and more. In episode 2 of The Mindful Creator, Paul and I explore why creative entrepreneurs seem to be afraid of focusing creative energy on honing our craft vs. this mad dash to build bigger and louder platforms to gain attention for our work.


Like Love
The Metric of More – Paul Jarvis

It’s okay to enjoy the work – Brett Henley

Buttering to the Edges  – AJ Leon
In this episode

* Why we are afraid to truly focus our creative energy on the craft and build something compelling vs. this mad dash to build big, polished platforms to gain attention for our work?
* How much time are we spending on talking about what it takes to do great work instead of actually doing great work?
* Afraid to miss the success train in the short term – if you miss one, there is another one coming, so no big deal
* How do you define enough in a day and age where creating is so democratized?
* Why our urgency at the hands of success leads to missed opportunities for creatives to “woodshed” their skills over time to learn and hone their craft
* The double-edge sword of validation via metrics and why striving for more is dehumanizing.
* People are attracted to the latest and greatest genie in the bottle or trend that promises to give much in exchange for little effort.
* How difficult it is measure true connection that people have with your work on a one-to-one basis.
* The danger of measuring without context and getting caught up in the numbers game.
* The legend of old man Internet
* Your body of work as an artist/creator is measured
* Art exists in community and the importance of taking time to build
* Drowning in opportunity and expectation of platforming building – we panic out of fear of missing our chance at success
* How Paul built a successful web design business via word of mouth by focusing on superior customer service, improving at his craft and building genuine relationships
* The appeal of scalability and why we don’t always need to scale
* In this day and age is is possible/practical
* Why people aren’t aware of the present moment enough (and the awesomeness of Paul saying this as his calendar notification pings in background)
* The balance of doing the work and letting people share in the process, and why you don’t necessarily need to sell hard, sell fast to successfully gain attention for your creations.
* The problem with a wet wool blanket approach to promotion and why it’s better to experiment and find a mode of sharing that works for you.
* The power of seeking what you enjoy doing and focusing on aligning your efforts with this vs. marrying yourself to rigid structure and generic best practices for how you create and promote your work.
* Why our effort to be too many things at once can create disconnection from our work.
* Why Paul thinks a “platform” is just a fancier way of saying connection – and why it doesn’t really matter how or where we connect.
]]> Brett Henley: Writer yes 58:06 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/just-be-caren-baginski/ Thu, 08 May 2014 21:53:33 +0000 http://themindfulcreator.com/?p=4611 http://www.themindfulcreator.com/just-be-caren-baginski/#respond http://www.themindfulcreator.com/just-be-caren-baginski/feed/ 0 <p>Caren Baginski is a certified yoga instructor, writer and creator of You Again Yoga, and a wonderful human being who overcame deep depression through dedicated yoga and meditation practice. In Episode 1 of The Mindful Creator, Caren and I explore presence in the context of creating, why presence is so damn important, and ways we can begin to cultivate presence in our creative processes and our lives. </p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com/just-be-caren-baginski/">Season 1 – MC01: Just Be with Caren Baginski</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.themindfulcreator.com">The Mindful Creator Podcast</a>.</p> Caren Baginski is a certified yoga instructor, writer and creator of You Again Yoga, and a wonderful human being who overcame deep depression through dedicated yoga and meditation practice. In Episode 1 of The Mindful Creator, Caren Baginski is a certified yoga instructor, writer and creator of You Again Yoga, and a wonderful human being who overcame deep depression through dedicated yoga and meditation practice. In Episode 1 of The Mindful Creator, Caren and I explore presence in the context of creating, why presence is so damn important, and ways we can begin to cultivate presence in our creative processes and our lives. Link Love Why you don’t need closure to start over &amp;#8211; Caren Baginski The real reason for coming to your yoga mat  &amp;#8211; Caren Baginski Russell Simmons: 3 Simple Ways Meditation Will Make You a Better Entrepreneur &amp;#8211; Russell Simmons, Entrepreneur. Happiness is Presence &amp;#8211; Brett Henley In this episode * Our struggles with being present as writers/artists/creators and understanding that it’s okay to be in this“grey area” between where want to be and where we are. * Caren’s transition into a full-time creator and how she’s coming to terms with the fact that there will always be things to wait on, beginnings and ends. * Caren defines presence as “letting in” rather than letting go. Spending more time in the ease by consciously choosing to be there &amp;#8211; i.e. showing up and realizing that life is just easier when you’re present. * Why cultivating presence is like exercising a muscle. It takes patience. * The desire for true connection that we don’t get when we’re not present. * Navigating the duality of creating for recognition and just losing ourselves in the process (i.e. being conscious of where you want to go while also being in the moment and fully aware of what you are doing). * Why we search for healthy creative habits and processes in all the wrong places &amp;#8211; productivity hacking, formulas, etc. * How Caren reversed the script on her distracting and debilitating self talk &amp;#8211; evolving from victim to being in charge &amp;#8211; through yoga and meditation practice. * Why you shouldn’t make &amp;#8220;awareness&amp;#8221; part of your to-do list. * Russell Simmons, founder of Def Jam, on his mindfulness practice: &amp;#8221; I don&amp;#8217;t do shit till I meditate.&amp;#8221; * Learning to recognize our “mindlessness” triggers that send us drifting into the recesses of our minds and establishing physical and mental anchors to bring us back. * Admitting that we can’t always measure how our effort will translate to the end product. We may think we have a beat on success, but we don’t always know what the end will look like. * In the age of noise and opportunity walking hand in hand, we are our own gatekeepers. Our minds are the only things holding us back. * How examining our priorities to shave away what doesn’t serve us or our creations can help us focus more on right now. * Having the willingness to start, no matter how small of a practice, to pave that path to presence. &amp;nbsp; Thanks for listening! If you can please take a moment to subscribe and leave an honest rating and review of the show on iTunes, it will help improve our ranking and discoverability so that we can reach more people. Subscribe on iTunes &amp;nbsp; To subscribe/leave a review: Click the &amp;#8220;View in iTunes&amp;#8221; bu... Brett Henley: Writer clean 45:40