Do you have a ritual for setting intentions for the new year? If you've been following for awhile, you'll know I'm not a huge fan of resolution or even goals without an action plan. That's why I'm a huge fan of frameworks and habits which help turn intentions, ideas, and dreams into action plans. Those who have already read my book 'Creative Calling' will already be familiar with the IDEA framework. It serves as the... read more ›
217 reads
Jan
30
Apr
11
What would it feel like to put your creative ambition out into the world? To share your work with others? Creative expression is a fundamental piece of human health. The more you create, the closer you feel to the truest version of yourself. Tapping into your own unique creative mojo feels good, and it’s life sustaining. But it doesn’t stop when you finish the work. Putting your work out into the world is part of... read more ›
531 reads
Mar
07
Do you have a big dream, but you're having trouble making progress? There is one simple thing you can do to start moving, and re-train your brain to operate autonomously, prioritize joy. Once you make this contract with yourself to pursue joy on a regular basis, you start to create inertia. So how do you get started? Maybe you don't know what action to take? I believe that a hugely under valued element of the... read more ›
568 reads
Jan
17
We all want to be more productive, creative, fulfilled, ________ (fill-in-the-blank). There are an infinite number of ways to get there. Reading, listening to podcasts, and attending conferences are a few typical options, but there is no one-size fits-all solution. Listen to the Podcast In Creating Calling, I developed a simple image to help understand the relationship between mindset, habits and goals. I call it the creative pyramid. To reach a desired outcome, we need... read more ›
613 reads
Sep
06
Uncreated works of personal expression are at the top of everybody's bucket list. The thing, the business, the book, the project… how is it that the most important goals we have are commonly left unchecked when we kick the bucket? The time for excuses is up, and I believe that the ability to be self-directed and motivated is critical to a fulfilling creative career. Waiting for inspiration isn't a reliable way to create. Today I... read more ›
509 reads
May
27
Think of that ONE dream you’ve always imagined materializing. Are you getting closer to it every day? Or do you keep yourself from committing to it for fear of failure? Bestselling author, coach, visionary, and guest for today’s episode, Rachel Rodgers, shares her story, and how she built her multi-million dollar business, Hello Seven, after becoming a lawyer, working for state and federal judges, non-profits, and even Hillary Clinton. Rachel has been featured in global... read more ›
373 reads
Apr
12
Recently I joined photographers Ben Von Wong and Tim Tadder, along with hosts Walid Azami and Mathieu Young on Clubhouse to chat about "Things Photographers Spend Too Much Time Talking About". But this is not about photography widgets, lenses, and photo shoots. It's not even really specific to photography. This is about career choices. It's about following your heart. And of course - the title is tongue-in-cheek because it's actually about the stuff we don't... read more ›
395 reads
Feb
10
Samantha Power started as an outsider, a war correspondent who wrote impassioned pieces for the Washington Post, Economist, and others about the failings of the American government on an international stage. That voice led to her Pulitzer Prize winning book “A Problem from Hell”: America and the Age of Genocide and earned her a job in the cabinet of President Barack Obama helping to shape the very policies she was once a harsh critic of.... read more ›
347 reads
Jan
25
There is an unavoidable hump along any creative path, a big, steep, muddy hill to climb between the exciting start and the point where you’ve become a proficient creator. You’re going to hit rough patches. There’s no thinking your way over this hump. Once you get to it, the time for planning is at an end. Only action will suffice. Once I’d quit graduate school and started to make decent money as a photographer, I... read more ›
429 reads
Nov
18
James Clear is a writer, speaker and the bestselling author of one of my absolute favorite books, Atomic Habits. His work on decision-making, continuous improvement and personal development has been instrumental in my life, but it's his focus on habits that fires me up the most. If you've read Creative Calling or listened to this show in the past, you've probably heard me describe the creative pyramid. On the bottom of that pyramid is mindset,... read more ›
738 reads