"One must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star." ― Friedrich Nietzsche This has always been one of my favorite quotes. It reminds me to embrace the imperfections or challenges I've faced in my story - and to see them as strengths for my work instead of weaknesses. That the tension we all feel inside is what keeps us moving forward. Today, how can you embrace your story? With the highs and lows, and connect it to your work?
Jul 15, 2020•1 min•Ep. 39
Often, if we are feeling weary or burnt out on our work, it's because we feel distant from whatever goal or ideal we had in place from the beginning. If this is you, try redefining what success looks like first. I always like coming back to the basics of my practice. Make success about the process that you love instead of the results for a while. See what happens if you just 'make' with no strings attached.
Jul 14, 2020•45 sec•Ep. 38
It's easy to try and skip steps on the journey toward achieving our dreams. As society has sped everything up, we tend to want things quicker. The problem here is that to become truly great at something, you have to spend a lot of time doing that thing first. Greatness costs time, persistence, and patience. You wouldn't microwave a filet mignon, so why would you try to speed up our work? Where are you trying to speed up the process instead of mastering the level you're at?...
Jul 13, 2020•51 sec•Ep. 37
"Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them." - David Allen How many times have you had a 'million-dollar idea' and then totally forget it the next day? Or that thing you keep needing to buy at the grocery store, but somehow always miss it while you're there. Keeping ideas and tasks in our heads is a flawed system. Instead of keeping ideas in your memory, you need to find a safe place to keep them—a place where you will look again later and not forget. Write it down, just in case....
Jul 10, 2020•2 min•Ep. 36
"Complaining about not achieving success despite working hard is like complaining about an ice cube not melting when you heated it from 25 to 31 degrees. All the action happens at 32 degrees." - James Clear _ Every degree counts. Just because the ice cube hasn't melted at 26, 27, 28 doesn't mean you didn't need those steps to get to 32. This is the power of momentum. So today's prompt is simple - keep taking steps. If you keep building momentum, the ice will have to melt....
Jul 09, 2020•58 sec•Ep. 35
Your energy is your greatest competitive advantage. If you can identify what energizes you, then learn to gather, focus and act on it - you will accomplish more than most people ever will. Where can you give your best energy today and where can you remove it?
Jul 06, 2020•1 min•Ep. 34
A friend of mine shared with me awhile ago that she felt like she was finally accepting herself. She said, "I'm beginning to give myself permission to take up space in the world." I think that is a beautiful realization for us all. Our lives and experiences have molded us to have certain fears and insecurities that hold us back from taking our space in the world. So today, how can you assert yourself more in the ways that feel right to you? Where can you stand up for yourself more?...
Jul 03, 2020•1 min•Ep. 33
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” ― Winston S. Churchill How can you practice courage today? How can you step out of your comfort zone or restart something you gave up on?
Jul 02, 2020•1 min•Ep. 32
This season has been filled with plenty long days. I've felt overwhelmed and I sure you have at times too. So what do we do? I am going to get some separation from my work. I think getting a fresh perspective is the best thing we can do. Work as hard as possible to get some margin, instead of always letting work drip in. Where can you find some separation today? What expectations can you let go of for the next 24 hours and return refreshed?
Jul 01, 2020•2 min•Ep. 31
Systems help us make sense of messy projects. If we have good systems in place, it unlocks our creative output to be more consistent. A system could be a scheduled time to finish tasks or a list of best practices to follow in working on a project. Where do you think you can find and implement better systems today to support your creative goals? Need some advice on good systems? Write to [email protected] and I'll get back to you in a few days. (yes, I really do respond)...
Jul 01, 2020•2 min•Ep. 30
It's easy to drift away from our authentic voice in our work. There are a lot of expectations, desires, and voices that can steer us away from what we truly have to say in favor of what the world might want to hear. Today, ask yourself this: In what ways have I strayed from my own voice to please others? How do I steer myself back?
Jul 01, 2020•44 sec•Ep. 29
Black Lives Matter.
Jun 02, 2020•3 min•Ep. 25
Quitting needs to be our last option, not our first instinct. Want a helpful email delivered to your inbox every morning? Try Make Daily.
May 26, 2020•22 min•Ep. 24
The secret to happy productivity: Balancing your energy Want a helpful email delivered to your inbox every morning? Try Make Daily.
May 19, 2020•17 min•Ep. 23
The creative journey is all about adapting to your environment. It's never static and you'll always have to find news to solve problems. So how can you start building a more adaptive practice into your creative work? Want a helpful email delivered to your inbox every morning? Try Make Daily.
May 11, 2020•13 min•Ep. 22
A quick way to get focused
May 08, 2020•2 min•Ep. 21
While I prepare to change a few things with Make Something Cool starting next week, I want to encourage peace in your mind and body to help you create.
May 07, 2020•3 min•Ep. 20
Be ruthless with your plans in favor of your objective. If the strategy doesn't support the goal, then change it. Want a helpful email delivered to your inbox every morning? Try Make Daily.
May 06, 2020•5 min•Ep. 19
Treat interruptions like stop signs, not detours. Want a helpful email delivered to your inbox every morning? Try Make Daily.
May 05, 2020•5 min•Ep. 18
The creative journey is not for everyone, but it is probably for you. Want a helpful email delivered to your inbox every morning? Try Make Daily.
May 04, 2020•5 min•Ep. 17
Which is worse—making something and working out the kinks to eventually find your authentic voice? Or never making anything at all because it feels contrived to try? Want a helpful email delivered to your inbox every morning? Try Make Daily.
May 01, 2020•8 min•Ep. 16
You need a side-project, and in this episode, I'll explain why. Want a helpful email delivered to your inbox every morning? Try Make Daily.
Apr 30, 2020•4 min•Ep. 15
Someone who believes they should have something is very different from someone who believes they could have something. Want a helpful email delivered to your inbox every morning? Try Make Daily.
Apr 29, 2020•5 min•Ep. 14
Ambition breaks escapism into pieces. Ambition creates a beautiful agreement with ourselves to follow through on the things we want to achieve. Want a helpful email delivered to your inbox every morning? Try Make Daily.
Apr 28, 2020•5 min•Ep. 13
Healthy ambition is a decision we make that gives us direction, clarity, and grit to achieve a fulfilling vision. Want a helpful email delivered to your inbox every morning? Try Make Daily.
Apr 27, 2020•4 min•Ep. 12
When we listen to our lives, we can start to see patterns. If we can listen carefully, it becomes a compass for our life. Want a helpful email delivered to your inbox every morning? Try Make Daily.
Apr 24, 2020•4 min•Ep. 11
How do we manage all the heaviness of this season and still find time to create? Reassess your expectations, make for healing (not for likes), and try matching your output level with your energy level. Want a helpful email delivered to your inbox every morning? Try Make Daily.
Apr 23, 2020•6 min•Ep. 10
The more outside voices have in our lives, the more distant we can become from our own inner voice. Where do you need to find silence in your life? Want a helpful email delivered to your inbox every morning? Try Make Daily.
Apr 22, 2020•4 min•Ep. 9
Every fulfilling and successful creative project has 3 components holding it together. You gifts, your interests and using the right mediums to share it. Want a helpful email delivered to your inbox every morning? Try Make Daily.
Apr 21, 2020•6 min•Ep. 8
We can't change the way things are right now. But we do have control over one thing. How we respond to this moment. Want a helpful email delivered to your inbox every morning? Try Make Daily.
Apr 20, 2020•3 min•Ep. 7
