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Welcome to Elevate with Grace, a podcast for people who are short on time and long to take steps to create success on their own terms.
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If you are feeling overworked, undervalued, and stuck in the daily juggle, knowing you are meant for more, then this podcast is for you.
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We cut through the noise to bring you the most valuable up-to-date insights, expert, wisdom and practical strategies.
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With bite-sized actionable tips, we help you take bold steps to creating real progress, real impact, and a career and life that truly work for you for.
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Thank you for listening into our podcast today.
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We truly appreciate you.
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My name is Miranda, and the other half of our dynamic duo is Claire.
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Today I have gone rogue with Claire's blessing and I'm incredibly excited to bring you a very special podcast, two part series, Elevate with Grace's very first interview.
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Carrying on from our last episode, the Creative Cure we are so fortunate to explore this deeper with the dynamic, creative and inspirational Mykel Dixon.
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In this episode, Mike and I will dig into what's holding us back from achieving full aliveness.
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And Mike is a global authority on this.
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He's an award-winning Australian author, globally recognized keynote speaker and leads corporate offsites that ignite human connection, unleash wild creativity, and drive meaningful performance.
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So excited.
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Before we dive in, just a quick check in on the Action Challenge from our last episode.
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The action challenge was to create a small step change of bringing creativity into your daily practice.
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A perfect setup for the episode today.
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A.
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10 minutes to create something at home or work journal, doodle bake, bring color into your outfit, change your team frame, change up the way you do online meetings, et cetera.
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So I do hope that you've really enjoyed that challenge.
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Claire was unable to join today, but I know she has been diving into this head first, attending author talks, writing more, creatively planning her holiday, embracing her more creative side and for me i've made my craft and art supplies much more visible and accessible so I can touch them and do something on them every other day.
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I've joined a little art group which was very scary, checked out the gallery, created a creative manifesto, and I just feel so good about this challenge and just that step change.
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All righty into our session today.
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Whoa.
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I've actually taken a pause between interviewing and recording this because the thought shared in this session really had me rethinking what I frame as creativity and how we don't need to learn this, but instead rediscover what creativity can do and mean for you.
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Hopefully this is great news you don't need to start from scratch, just small moments to remind yourself what it is to feel creative and what it is to feel alive.
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If we think about it, as just a muscle that needs to be trained like our biceps in the gym then we can get on our way very quickly and very easily.
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It's already inside you.
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This creativity, what we learn and talk about today, bursting to get out.
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So I'll pop back at the end to summarize some of the thoughts, but I'm just so incredibly excited to share this interview with you all, and I just, I truly hope you love it.
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In
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this episode, I have the absolute joy speaking with the amazing, now I didn't check, is it Michael Dixon or Mike Dixon?
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What do you prefer?
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Anything at all.
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You can call me Tony.
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you comfortable if I call you Mike?
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Yep.
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one of those Australian things, right?
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Name.
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I can't cope with it.
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You could you could take me way back and call me Dicko.
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How about that one?
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Straight outta High School.
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I'm gonna stick with Mike.
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Best winning author, TEDx speaker, award-winning keynote speaker, and all around creative guru.
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Mike.
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It's just an absolute pleasure and a mind blowing opportunity to be speaking with you today.
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So thank you so much for saying yes
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the privilege is all mine, I'm sure.
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Oh, thank you I first came across you at Sunshine, rainbows and Lollipops, which was an all day event, and I'm curious whether you're gonna do with them again.
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But they were super hard to describe.
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It was just this unreal, immersive, surreal experience.
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left me both inspired and changed.
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I never thought I would do an all day corporate event that looked like that.
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It was just amazing.
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And then following you post that on LinkedIn I just love how real authentic your conversations are it really does feel like we talking for all these years since.
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And and then it was only a year ago that I found your book Everyday creatives.
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And thank thank you so much for that I've but I've gotta say you're so humble i've attended your events, I've followed you on LinkedIn.
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And I i know you didn't know you had a book most people are plug in that I that thing for those who haven't come across Myke before, Mike has this amazing book called The everyday creative, dangerous guide for Making Magic At Work.
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And for for those that have been following Elevate with Grace you will will know that we are all about small steps for success on your own terms So so a dangerous ride for making magic totally up our alley.
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Bring it on.
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What what I absolutely loved book is that creativity is something that I feel like I've rediscovered.
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In 2017, so I sort of tried wanted to relearn creativity and there's certainly a lot of of reasons, why people don't get into creativity.
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They're a little bit scared and fearful.
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I definitely find, when I I talk to people about it.
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They're like, oh, oh, sounds great.
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Invite people to paint.
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And they're like, sorry, I'm not, sorry, that's not worth thing.
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And and so as much sometimes I've been talking about it with friends and family banging on being on about it, trying to give them some facts, I really haven't haven't landed, then I read your book and I was and I was like, this this is the message.
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This is what we need but I'm i'm curious many how many people do you have these conversations.
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Many people are still just, I don't know, not getting the creative vibe and what do you think we can do to change change that,
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that was a beautiful introduction, by the way.
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Very generous and very kind.
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You gotta own it.
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You.
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Stop it.
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Yeah, the big, if we go straight to the jugular is that somewhere along the way we started thinking about, or we were conditioned or we were told and taught that creativity is something we do, but it's not.
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It's who we are.
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It's life.
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It's the purest expression of life.
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It is energy on the move.
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It is the most natural way of being in the world yeah, to just see things, to process them, to imagine new possibilities, to take a different route to try, experiment, play.
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Obviously we do that as kids and then we start to get educated.
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We start to get.
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Indoctrinated.
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And then we start to develop these stories that were either creative or not.
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And even the people that live in creative industries or have found themselves they struggle just as much with the, with stories that either empower or disempower around creativity.
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And it's that segregation as though it's something, yeah, it's something you do as opposed to something you are, and I like the way that you said that you're starting to rediscover creativity.
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'cause that's the shortest, most effective, fastest path back is you don't learn to be creative.
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You remember?
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So the big quest that we're all on as individuals, as teams, as leaders, as businesses, and as a global community, is to remember that we're all born creative and that our capacity to imagine new possibilities and to play and explore and experiment with the world around us is the most natural thing we can do.
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That sounds beautiful, but like I said, so many people are so scared of it.
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And that's the bit I really struggle with.
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And so Claire, my podcast partner came up with this idea of create before you consume because what we were finding was that we are very comfortable talking about a Netflix episode or, that mindless doom scrolling that we all fall into at different time.
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But the but the idea of something and putting it out there is, it's scary.
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And it it just feels to me uncomfortable.
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When you sort of talk to it with people.
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the the reason that I rediscovered it, I just felt like it was control of my of, when Like my we weren't controlled very much was t 200 our baby here.
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My my husband was always fear, like setting
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setting the comfort what we were doing at
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when
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home or when we holiday
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and so it was like, I need control back.
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And I
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and actually
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found that
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that
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which, different journey and all those good For many people they don't find it.
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They don't think there's a need, they don't think there's anything missing.
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And when you describe it as this beautiful joy and play, et cetera, it's we, how do we get people to experience that and to want that?
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Yeah.
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It's a really good question.
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It's hard to want something when you haven't felt it in a while, and it's hard to know the value of something if you haven't experienced it in a while.
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So a lot of the work I do, whether it's one-on-one or whether it's with teams in offsites or programs and events, experiences, et cetera, it's very experience based because people need that embodied sense or this emotional entanglement with what it, how it feels to be creative or to be in a creative space or to express themselves.
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And once they get a taste, once they reignite those cells in their body, in their brain, in their heart, they start to remember and they start to.
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They start to get hungry for it.
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They, wow.
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What is this feeling?
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I haven't felt in a while.
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It's familiar.
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It might be dormant, it might be something, that's almost nostalgic.
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It's this sense of when I was a kid or when times were different or before.
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Yeah.
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I got the nine to five and the mortgage and all the pressures of raising children or whatever it may be.
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And it just it starts to crack.
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Open the door a little More of it you let in it can be both a troubling process because it can be quite confronting when that door does get cracked open a little bit.
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It can start to crack open just about every area of your life.
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Which is really tricky, but the reason we fear it is I mean there's so many reasons but ultimately it's about judgment and it's about what will others think.
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And it's about feeling as though we're not enough and that everything needs to be perfect if we're gonna share anything.
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If I'm gonna draw, I can't draw.
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Yeah, you can you are defining, or you're kind of conflating this idea that you can't draw with, you need to draw like Picasso, but you can draw.
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You just pick up a pen and draw.
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that's
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And even if you didn't have arms, yeah.
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You'd put a pen in your mouth and you can still draw.
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It's these little definitions, these stories, these narratives these contextual frames that really keep us paralyzed and imprisoned.
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Instead of just enjoying the joy of expressing who we are and the full capacity of our humanity.
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We've got legs and arms if we're lucky, we've got heartbeat.
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We've got a voice.
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We can sing, we can dance, we can move our bodies, we can do all these things.
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We just don't we limit our expression so much for yeah, for so many reasons.
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And not to harp on too much about this, but going back to your question a little bit in there, we're also living at a time that.
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I mean, 10 years ago it was, or let's say 15 in the advent of social media and the internet and oh, wow, look, we can share our stuff more widely.
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We can create and share, and first we just share about our lives.
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And then it became more of a product.
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And then we'd start to get advertising, and then we start to get influences or people that, full-time creators, et cetera, et cetera.
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And now we are at the peak of that experience where AI is starting to come in and the thought, it's so performative even doing an update on when you go on holiday.
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Let alone something that you create.
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It is, it's like, oh my God.
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I dunno if I could share anything for fear of what others might think.
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So then we resort to well, I'll just watch the world.
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I'll doom scroll, I'll watch Netflix, I'll consume i'll.
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And then that just puts us in this dull resigned, almost cynical state, where we're just passively consuming content and getting further and further from the natural capacity We have to express who we are, and I like to call it the great numbing, where we're just numbing ourselves into this state of, I think like the Matrix.
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Remember the movie, the Matrix, and everyone's in bathtubs and they've got the plug,
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movie.
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they're so ahead of its time.
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let's unplug.
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Yeah.
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And and when he comes out and he sees that there's just these billions of humans in bathtubs of pink goo all just eh, that's basically where we're at.
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Not yet, I hope, but God, it does feel like it sometimes.
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It's scary.
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And I loved I use that matrix just to
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Yeah,
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I think this is the P blue pill.
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It's pick the
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that's right.
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Let's live a full whole life.
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And it's interesting that you said it like the last 10 or 15 years, because for me, I felt like we had this real industrial age eighties, nineties, early two thousands.
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Where, it really was, everyone was in the workforce incredibly competitive.
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You work with people that are 10, 20 years older and you really do feel like a different corporate culture and they feel like there's a much better balance with people.
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I think getting to To express themselves a little bit there's a bit more flexibility than it used to be.
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And there's a lot of rigidity back in the eighties and nineties and there, there's sort of that, and then we had separation between work and life.
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That feels like we merged the two together in the two thousands and we're trying to separate them apart again now and have a work life and a life.
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The creativity is, potentially what's what's Is there a possibility that people are filming journey, journey?
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Where it's like reclaiming who we're what we're reclaiming who we we're at home.
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and that offers a level of creativity.
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And I think I think about your book was that you gave us that opportunity to say, this is how creativity can impact your life, but this is how creativity can also impact your work.
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And that it's important to have it in both, right?
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Like I think a lot of a lot of people just creativity as is.
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be, some art or some painting and absolutely loved what you said Said around that art and that fear.
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'cause we we try try something once or twice and we give up and I and I think about our kids and look, you pay for pay for a term And if the kid's like I don't want to do.
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So you know, session two suck it it up, You're going for for the term, we don't let our kids stop, learning, let stop learning.
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We stopped so we might do a bit of Duolingo and that language didn't vibe Or we might pick up pick up at piano.
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I know what?
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Always wanted to learn piano I'll give without Or painting, crafting.
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It's if I'm not Picasso by the by the second, maybe that's not not for me.
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you know, it's Taken me quite a journey.
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and I know for a lot of A lot of people just to go, it actually doesn't matter the what it what it looks like about about what out of it when you do it.
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And for me it do, it me.
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It's ability ability to rest of my brain help me try to solve.
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work puzzle.
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It's this ability to express myself in creative ways and to learn that I can't paint and make that look good, it actually doesn't matter.
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What you touched on there though is, I think a really important part for people is almost to lose the word creativity and see it as self-expression.
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Again, creativity is like ring fencing.
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This idea, it's an act that you do.
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It has an outcome where self-expression is fluid and responsive and alive.
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And if you are expressing who you are in every moment, it's different and it changes and it moves and it grows.
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And so you might have a creative problem that you are trying to solve or you're working on at work, or you might need a break from that type of work.
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And yeah, you just want to play with some paints for a while or jam it out on a guitar.
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Fine.
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But your expression, the thing that sits behind that, the most essential part of who you are, which is how you're showing up and how you're bringing yourself to the moment that's the real thing that we've lost where we're dulling and we're numbing and we're diluting and we're reducing and we've lost connection with that.
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And we now have a world that is on steroids.
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That is making it harder and harder for us to feel and stay connected to, and therefore to value and act upon these impulses within us that are primal and natural and organic and authentic.
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For example, our food is full of chemicals that numbs us out.
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the content we consume is all just there designed to keep us hooked in.
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It's Netflix, whether it's, social media, Instagram content, whatever it is, it is not designed to really empower us.
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It's designed to keep us glued so that they can make money from advertising.
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We have, oh God.
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I mean, pick a frame, pick a contextual frame.
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The world has never been as noisy as it is now.
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Yeah, a hundred
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All of it is preventing us from hearing that those little impulses, these wild impulses to play within us, that is stopping us from really feeling not just the benefit of what it is to be alive and to know who you are, and to play with the world and whatever's in front of you, but also to give your gifts and services of something greater than yourself.
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Because we didn't come here to grind and scroll and pay bills and die.
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We came here to bring something to life that only we can, that will make the world a more vibrant, vital, inclusive, magical place.
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And yet most of us are not doing that or even entertaining that idea because somewhere along the way we lost that connection.
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And now we live inside a story that we're A, not creative, or B, not like them, or, I couldn't do that.
00:17:32.302 --> 00:17:32.721
Or rah.
00:17:32.872 --> 00:17:35.872
And so then the world misses out on all the gifts that only you could give.
00:17:36.292 --> 00:17:38.677
Which is really a huge tragedy.
00:17:39.288 --> 00:17:41.689
That is a huge tragedy, but I just loved how you put that.
00:17:41.689 --> 00:17:44.538
I'm like, here's your next book, self-expression.
00:17:44.711 --> 00:17:45.021
Mm-hmm.
00:17:45.337 --> 00:17:46.928
Good, and you're right.
00:17:46.988 --> 00:17:50.108
If I reframe it like that, it actually is everything you do.
00:17:50.301 --> 00:17:51.561
And I found that with your book.
00:17:51.611 --> 00:17:54.131
When I read the start of it, and I did the creative manifesto.
00:17:54.484 --> 00:17:54.834
Right.
00:17:54.851 --> 00:17:55.061
it.
00:17:55.661 --> 00:18:01.421
I actually was driving, so I spoke it into a voice recorder and then typed it up when I got home, signed it.
00:18:01.717 --> 00:18:09.366
But I loved that you did it, and I found that at the start of the book, I was like, I am somebody who wants to be creative and tries to make time for it.
00:18:10.116 --> 00:18:15.370
I was reading through your book, I'm like I actually think I might qualify as an everyday creative, I didn't see it that way.
00:18:15.396 --> 00:18:20.693
creativity in the workforce and that generosity creativity, putting it out there.
00:18:20.693 --> 00:18:36.010
So if we change that lens to self-expression and it's wearing something that's a bit fun, it's changing your format to be a bit fun, maybe putting some cool backgrounds like you've got for us today with a bit of neon making, I dunno, is there Is there other ways that you put that out in the world?
00:18:36.621 --> 00:18:39.621
Single possible, way possible.
00:18:40.221 --> 00:18:46.176
And even what you mentioned was they were outcomes, but it's it go, it goes before that.
00:18:46.326 --> 00:18:51.994
So yes, the jumper that you choose to wear, but in this conversation you are expressing yourself and so am I.
00:18:52.054 --> 00:19:00.774
And so you're making creative choices that are instinctual and the moment that either one of us decides to get a question right, the energy and vitality will go out of this conversation.
00:19:01.695 --> 00:19:08.539
Because we're trying to we're stopping ourselves from expressing ourselves, and we are now seeking a particular defined outcome.
00:19:08.911 --> 00:19:13.471
And that's, and then yeah, we lose the magic of what could be created in the moment.
00:19:13.536 --> 00:19:17.076
Nature is the best expression of this, and the arts come a very close second.
00:19:17.286 --> 00:19:19.942
But if you look at nature, it is so intelligent.
00:19:19.942 --> 00:19:21.323
It is so efficient.
00:19:21.523 --> 00:19:34.019
It is so, it, it ticks every box in terms of an industrial lens in terms of very little, this production line of ensuring growth, which is what the world is obsessed by.
00:19:34.259 --> 00:19:41.585
And yet it also has beauty and it has it trusts and leverages emergence.
00:19:41.884 --> 00:19:46.925
It's not just working from a blueprint or a framework or something static that was created four years ago.
00:19:46.925 --> 00:19:48.175
And we go back to it and go, hang on.
00:19:48.175 --> 00:19:51.894
We're not on the, we need to stay on the plan.
00:19:52.164 --> 00:19:52.404
Yep.
00:19:53.230 --> 00:19:55.840
It changes every second of every day.
00:19:56.380 --> 00:20:01.090
Just like you and I change every second of every day, every seven years, we've got entirely new cells in our body.
00:20:01.090 --> 00:20:03.310
We don't have the same skin, the same organs, the same anything.
00:20:03.387 --> 00:20:05.051
Even our bone structure changes.
00:20:05.121 --> 00:20:20.466
So yeah, we need to get back to absolute presence, responding in real time playing instead of living in these frameworks and models and blueprints and goals and aspirations and desired outcomes.
00:20:20.466 --> 00:20:22.205
And it has to look like this.
00:20:22.205 --> 00:20:23.465
Otherwise it's a failure.
00:20:23.855 --> 00:20:27.371
It I'm a failure and instead playing with the moment.
00:20:27.510 --> 00:20:30.031
And this is, I mean, it happens all the time at events a lot.
00:20:30.181 --> 00:20:32.311
I just got an email before jumping on with you.
00:20:32.381 --> 00:20:39.637
There's a company I've done a lot of work with in the last three years and, yeah, a lot of really great events, but then and different, offsites and whatnot.
00:20:39.637 --> 00:20:46.070
But there's one particular program that continues to shine a big light in that company and have huge impact.
00:20:46.070 --> 00:20:49.969
And then unfortunately, some of the people that were there from the beginning of that have moved on.
00:20:50.089 --> 00:21:01.531
And so there's a new group of people that are now working with me on this program, and they just, every week or two, they're like, can you please give us exactly what you're gonna do in this session?
00:21:01.801 --> 00:21:04.209
And I'll say, okay, sure.
00:21:04.478 --> 00:21:09.795
However, I need to reiterate to you that what I'm doing is creating a container.
00:21:10.228 --> 00:21:11.958
And yes, there's an architecture to that.
00:21:11.958 --> 00:21:14.538
There's a lot of expertise and experience that I've built over time.
00:21:14.805 --> 00:21:22.522
But what we want to do is create a container for emergence, for creativity, for self-expression too, to unfurl.
00:21:22.912 --> 00:21:27.812
And that will be much more vital and alive with those people in that place at that time.
00:21:27.959 --> 00:21:38.269
If we go in with, here's the exact thing that we've defined four months prior and all those people have changed since that day that we designed this four months ago, then it's dead.
00:21:38.406 --> 00:21:39.546
It's dead in the room.
00:21:39.726 --> 00:22:05.013
So yeah, there's a lot of unlearning that we have to do as a culture to not be afraid of being 100% in the moment Trusting and leveraging everything that we've got and who we are instead of thinking and outsourcing our edge, or outsourcing our intelligence and outsourcing our instinct in service of a static predetermined plan that's outrageously irrelevant.
00:22:05.487 --> 00:22:05.877
Wow.
00:22:06.172 --> 00:22:11.477
I'm just like, whoa, you've taken me on a whole nother level of unlearning that I'm just like what, how, what?
00:22:11.605 --> 00:22:12.660
Yeah, it's a journey.
00:22:12.882 --> 00:22:13.572
Yeah,
00:22:13.890 --> 00:22:14.130
Yeah.
00:22:14.211 --> 00:22:20.967
I'm, I make product and so there is certainly a process map to that, and every meeting has to have an agenda.
00:22:20.967 --> 00:22:30.019
and so I'm just like, what if, and we know what the outcome is, and when you've got a group of people that you do, need a certain amount of outcomes, et cetera.
00:22:30.019 --> 00:22:40.880
But if we go, Hey, we need X by the date and we need to get this done by this period, want to check in once a week, just keep it loose, you still get the desired outcome?
00:22:41.273 --> 00:22:43.253
hundred percent, you'd get better.
00:22:43.528 --> 00:22:55.748
So when I first started, when I transitioned from being a musician into speaking and working with organizations and stuff like that, the first ip, my first kind of core message and premise that I would bring to the world was called Artisan Thinking.
00:22:55.748 --> 00:23:07.115
You as a product designer must be well familiar with design thinking iteration experiment, empathy, get in partnership your consumer or the end user and learn and iterate and then produce this thing for them.
00:23:07.163 --> 00:23:15.701
What that doesn't take into account is you And artisan thinking is that the maker matters just as much as what is being made.
00:23:15.938 --> 00:23:20.618
How you show up, not only as how the end user, they're changing and evolving over time.
00:23:20.618 --> 00:23:25.833
So the product, yes, you need to be responsive to that, but also you are changing the people that are making it.
00:23:25.970 --> 00:23:28.926
And the process of how you make it is also changing.
00:23:29.036 --> 00:23:36.596
And so if you are, to be at least just cognizant of that and to come in inside of a context of how are we feeling today?
00:23:36.783 --> 00:23:38.103
And what's going on for us today?
00:23:38.103 --> 00:23:44.017
Is there anything we need to look at, address, personal lives, whatever that might actually inform this product.
00:23:44.079 --> 00:23:48.269
Instead of saying, no, we need to keep that out and we need to stay attached to this way of working.
00:23:48.269 --> 00:23:49.649
That was defined three years ago.
00:23:49.679 --> 00:23:50.489
Exactly.
00:23:50.632 --> 00:23:55.282
Because the irony is this stuff is happening anyways as, as hard as we try.
00:23:55.402 --> 00:24:00.352
We are not robots, we are not algorithms, we are not machines.
00:24:00.382 --> 00:24:14.172
And we bring all of that beautiful, emotive, sensory dynamic unexpected, frustrating, unpredictable drama of being a human being into our work.
00:24:14.322 --> 00:24:18.162
And it comes in the relationships and it comes into, yeah, what we produce.
00:24:18.449 --> 00:24:30.028
So seeing that not as a burden or something that we need to design out of the design process and actually allowing that to in inspire and inform how we make things will only make the product more exciting.
00:24:30.058 --> 00:24:45.225
And you can see this even in a very, on a kind of micro scale is where you love the story behind a mug that you buy from someone because you go to their cafe or something like that, and then you find out, oh my God, this is actually, my great grandmother taught me this on this wheel, and da.
00:24:45.356 --> 00:24:52.961
And there's a little imperfection in that mug, and that becomes your favorite mug, not because it's just a mug that you put tea in.
00:24:53.012 --> 00:24:57.332
But because now of this story, because there's emotion behind it, because it's not perfect.
00:24:57.653 --> 00:25:00.623
Suddenly becomes a whole lot more special to us.
00:25:00.863 --> 00:25:06.583
And that obviously doing that at scale is a bit different if you're producing things, for loads of people, et cetera, et cetera.
00:25:06.823 --> 00:25:23.198
But still if you can put the values and the people and the story and the self-expression and the emotion of creating that product into that product and into the story of selling that product way more compelling and far more meaningful to the people that'll buy it.
00:25:24.073 --> 00:25:24.973
No, absolutely.
00:25:25.013 --> 00:25:32.950
I love the idea and we focus a lot on the power of moments and the fact that people do their memories of these great events in the things that we make and stuff like that.
00:25:33.310 --> 00:25:35.590
But the storytelling of the artisan, I love that.
00:25:35.677 --> 00:25:36.990
that's a whole nother level of cool.
00:25:37.121 --> 00:25:43.615
And even, the moments that you are, that you would be talking about and trying to design for with your market, what about the moments of making them.
00:25:43.758 --> 00:25:45.978
What, how are we defining these in the workplace?
00:25:46.378 --> 00:25:46.918
How?
00:25:46.923 --> 00:25:48.394
as and efficiently as possible, as
00:25:48.628 --> 00:25:49.108
right.
00:25:49.144 --> 00:25:49.504
real fun.
00:25:50.307 --> 00:25:51.118
That's right.
00:25:51.118 --> 00:25:57.673
And yet, like so much of life for 60,000 years in this country, we've had this cultural architecture.
00:25:57.673 --> 00:26:08.513
We've had these ways of holding humanity together with whether it's rights of passage, there is ceremony, there's ritual, there are ways that we marry, across culture.
00:26:08.513 --> 00:26:10.462
There's right story, wrong story, all this stuff.
00:26:10.462 --> 00:26:11.932
There's law LORE
00:26:12.009 --> 00:26:12.298
Yeah.
00:26:12.442 --> 00:26:17.003
has kept us holding this beautiful way of being for thousands and thousands of years.
00:26:17.003 --> 00:26:24.384
And modern modernity or modern life, particularly western life being so industrialized or commercialized, digitized, et cetera, et cetera.
00:26:24.495 --> 00:26:25.245
We've lost that.
00:26:25.245 --> 00:26:29.263
And in the workplace, every it's like it is ripe.
00:26:30.508 --> 00:26:38.488
Rife of moments that could be made into rituals, ceremonies, transitions, thresholds, et cetera, et cetera.
00:26:38.488 --> 00:26:40.798
You have a new employee, we have an onboarding experience.
00:26:40.798 --> 00:26:41.128
Cool.
00:26:41.307 --> 00:26:42.538
So they get a little journal.
00:26:43.258 --> 00:26:51.730
They have to watch seven videos that were made two years ago and the first day, oh, we're just gonna get to know everyone that lasts for about 40 minutes.
00:26:51.730 --> 00:26:54.490
And then it's straight into, here's all the projects, we need them yesterday.
00:26:55.720 --> 00:27:02.920
Or someone leaves, and maybe if you're lucky, they might get a card that goes around the office, but people rarely go into the office anymore anyway.
00:27:03.310 --> 00:27:06.320
And maybe Friday night drinks, a few people will show up.
00:27:06.345 --> 00:27:09.259
A lot will cancel because they've gotta get home to watch an episode of whatever.
00:27:09.593 --> 00:27:12.587
And yet, arrivals and departures are.
00:27:13.313 --> 00:27:23.759
Huge You are closing a chapter of your life for the individual that perhaps is leaving, but also a significant member of a team, a tribe, a community is leaving.
00:27:23.759 --> 00:27:32.060
How are we, celebrating and honoring both the grief and loss of losing someone, but the opportunity and potentiality of where they're moving next.
00:27:32.060 --> 00:27:33.800
And then what that leaves for us as a team.
00:27:33.800 --> 00:27:33.810
La.
00:27:34.350 --> 00:27:34.620
Oh yeah.
00:27:34.620 --> 00:27:35.910
Can you make it Thursday night?
00:27:35.910 --> 00:27:38.880
Yeah, we're just gonna put a couple hundred bucks on the bar.
00:27:38.983 --> 00:27:47.259
That's such a waste, again, coming back to just like our self-expression, this doesn't require sitting in a boardroom and designing.
00:27:47.741 --> 00:27:48.762
Onboarding experience.
00:27:48.792 --> 00:27:54.664
It requires people that are willing to see and sense the moment and to make something beautiful out of it.
00:27:54.725 --> 00:28:02.451
So if your work has a really crappy onboarding or offboarding experience rah, and you are there in the moment and you know it, and you don't need to tackle that right now.
00:28:02.480 --> 00:28:08.423
You can actually just say to the person, Hey, is there anything that you know you'd love to share About your time here?
00:28:08.753 --> 00:28:16.913
Do you want to just go for a walk around the block and I'm gonna ask you a series of questions and let's just get you like, complete and resolved on your time here.
00:28:16.961 --> 00:28:28.450
Or maybe I'll take your work for half an hour and you go write a letter and then you and me were gonna make it into a paper airplane and then fly it off the top floor, and then we'll go and pick it up because we don't want to litter, but.
00:28:28.680 --> 00:28:34.529
Like you can be that person in the workplace that brings this a bit more meaning and a bit more humanity to things.
00:28:34.529 --> 00:28:36.810
And know that I'll get a bit deep.
00:28:37.038 --> 00:28:57.396
Know that when you do that, the universe smiles and winks and runs towards you with all kinds of serendipity and all kinds of electric, magnetic, extraordinary things that then you'll go, you would not believe what happened when we got to the top floor and we went to go and fly this thing, A bird come and landed next to us and then da dah.
00:28:57.396 --> 00:29:04.536
And then we saw someone else come up at the same time and they were blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, and then this happened, and then this happened, and then this happened,
00:29:05.831 --> 00:29:06.191
Well,
00:29:06.336 --> 00:29:12.446
then life becomes this rich, vibrant, vital, astonishing experience.
00:29:12.446 --> 00:29:13.196
Moment to moment.
00:29:13.651 --> 00:29:17.730
and all you're doing is gonna the top floor and flying an airplane, the story and The
00:29:17.841 --> 00:29:18.531
that's right.
00:29:18.627 --> 00:29:23.517
and the environment brings the rest, which is that serendipitous moment that you'd keep talking to or the
00:29:23.841 --> 00:29:24.411
That's right.
00:29:24.537 --> 00:29:24.927
sorry.
00:29:24.980 --> 00:29:25.341
Yeah.
00:29:25.401 --> 00:29:25.701
Yeah.
00:29:25.791 --> 00:29:28.701
And it all, and even tracing that back, where does it come from?
00:29:28.701 --> 00:29:32.217
It comes from the moment that you feel an instinct.
00:29:32.499 --> 00:29:41.947
Feel this tiny whispering impulse that something's not right, or something wants to be born and you trust it and you allow it, and then you act on it.
00:29:42.397 --> 00:29:47.887
And you just take a couple of steps and the universe will take 500 towards you and then something magical will happen.
00:29:47.951 --> 00:29:49.240
You don't need permission for that.
00:29:49.240 --> 00:29:50.201
You don't need approval.
00:29:50.201 --> 00:29:53.747
You don't need to study, you don't need a certificate.
00:29:54.017 --> 00:29:58.336
You just need to start listening to that voice, trusting it, and then acting on it.
00:29:58.336 --> 00:29:59.627
And then suddenly life just comes.
00:30:00.988 --> 00:30:01.468
I love it.
00:30:02.543 --> 00:30:04.127
That is That is so And cool.
00:30:04.127 --> 00:30:05.596
And that, that anybody can do.
00:30:05.903 --> 00:30:15.034
anyone can take that into their work, into their world and I've been very fortunate with the onboarding and offboarding place in my workplaces, but every other day.
00:30:15.693 --> 00:30:22.464
know, it's, it is those meetings, it is that freedom of process to seize that day and take those opportunities.
00:30:22.864 --> 00:30:23.153
Yeah,
00:30:23.214 --> 00:30:31.455
a lot about generosity, if we think about this as self-expression and not creativity, how could you not want to celebrate somebody in the moment?
00:30:31.663 --> 00:30:36.044
How could you not want to make things a bit more fun,
00:30:36.468 --> 00:30:37.128
exactly.
00:30:37.163 --> 00:30:44.323
work, and take that meeting with 20 people value their time have a bit of fun with those their time.
00:30:44.570 --> 00:30:44.870
Yeah.
00:30:45.019 --> 00:30:47.090
Can I say two more things on that You've got me going now.
00:30:47.215 --> 00:30:47.575
Please.
00:30:47.935 --> 00:30:48.805
loving this.
00:30:49.100 --> 00:30:57.950
So there's, I'll try and remember both, but, so the, if you think about ideas or you think about our, we're talking about our unique self-expression, right?
00:30:57.950 --> 00:30:59.779
But then there's this collective expression.
00:30:59.810 --> 00:31:03.529
There is life, and life only wants to create more life.
00:31:03.681 --> 00:31:08.701
A forester wants more abundance, an ocean wants to make more waves in partnership with the wind.
00:31:08.781 --> 00:31:15.951
It's this beautiful dance of like, how do we keep making music with what's around us, new sounds, new melodies, new songs, et cetera, et cetera.
00:31:16.725 --> 00:31:28.188
If you get a gift of an idea in a moment, in a meeting, or you get a sense that someone's been overlooked and that they've been diminished, and you're like, Ooh, that's come for you.
00:31:28.188 --> 00:31:30.048
Because life wants that to happen.
00:31:30.648 --> 00:31:41.928
And if you deny that, you are denying the abundance of life, you're denying, you know, recognizing that person, making sure they're okay or celebrating them, or a wild, crazy idea, that might not be the one that your team.
00:31:42.418 --> 00:31:45.448
Executes on, but might lead to the next one.
00:31:45.448 --> 00:31:47.518
That might lead to the one that you actually do.
00:31:47.788 --> 00:32:00.719
So by stopping, by blocking the expression of our collective conscious of the universe writ large we're stopping this vitality and abundance that life is here to make.
00:32:01.048 --> 00:32:03.239
It's so foreign and unnatural and
00:32:03.394 --> 00:32:04.029
Where the damn
00:32:04.169 --> 00:32:05.818
and yeah, it's hilarious.
00:32:05.829 --> 00:32:08.528
And, terrifyingly sad at the same time.
00:32:08.635 --> 00:32:09.546
Like, what are we doing?
00:32:09.599 --> 00:32:14.837
And then also, in addition to that, if you become that person that starts to do this, that starts to trust.
00:32:14.888 --> 00:32:17.458
And over time you build more confidence with this.
00:32:17.458 --> 00:32:19.368
And then you, it's not as scary.
00:32:19.668 --> 00:32:27.201
So then maybe you do start posting something online, or then maybe you do raise your hand a little more in meetings, and then you get to a point where you stop raising your hand you just start jumping in.
00:32:27.480 --> 00:32:27.631
Woo.
00:32:29.701 --> 00:32:31.051
How are you all feeling?
00:32:31.321 --> 00:32:31.980
Oh my gosh.
00:32:31.980 --> 00:32:32.968
I hope you loved that.
00:32:33.099 --> 00:32:37.568
There was so many great takeaways from this discussion, and there is so much more to come.
00:32:37.836 --> 00:32:44.226
In our next episode, we will dive into how to turn this into practical tips to get more out of your life at work and at home.
00:32:44.403 --> 00:32:47.643
Some of the key areas I would love you to remember from this episode.
00:32:48.153 --> 00:32:51.212
Creativity should feel like play, not pressure.
00:32:51.753 --> 00:33:01.833
Creativity really ignites when you stop defining it as some rare, elusive talent that you have to prove yourself instead of just a muscle that you need to regularly use and train.
00:33:02.192 --> 00:33:19.247
No one expects you to look like Arnie because you go to the gym, nor should we expect Picasso level skills because we create and another thought that I had as we were talking, an interview with Brene Brown in Diary of a CEO suggests that people are prepared to live without joy because they fear vulnerability.
00:33:19.547 --> 00:33:29.377
And if we think about what Mike's just been talking about over liveness and just wanting to get out there and live a full experience, it's crazy that we don't want this for ourselves.
00:33:29.377 --> 00:33:31.807
And I think in a lot of cases we don't know that we don't want this.
00:33:31.807 --> 00:33:40.457
He spoke about the fact that a lot of the time people need to experience a creative session or a big creative output to acknowledge what they're missing.
00:33:40.757 --> 00:33:52.862
Brene went in to say the fear of not being good enough of being sucker punched by somebody else's judgment or disappointment is so visceral that we just don't let ourselves feel joy.
00:33:52.922 --> 00:33:54.632
We hold ourselves back and not knowingly.
00:33:54.632 --> 00:33:58.201
I think this is a truly subconscious thing, but I'm just, ugh.
00:33:58.382 --> 00:34:00.382
I know this is not how our listeners want to live.
00:34:00.731 --> 00:34:04.241
We want to live a full, whole successful life.
00:34:04.241 --> 00:34:07.201
We want to be happy, and it really doesn't matter what other people think.
00:34:07.252 --> 00:34:16.221
If we can come away with those conversations where we do feel a little bit like, oh, that didn't land, or Oh, that felt really vulnerable and uncomfortable, what do we get out of it?
00:34:16.271 --> 00:34:17.561
Can we feel more joy?
00:34:17.561 --> 00:34:18.851
Can we feel more love?
00:34:19.271 --> 00:34:20.592
And that's really all that matters.
00:34:21.461 --> 00:34:30.822
We want full, whole don't let your lived experiences or those you love get wrapped up in this great numbing, the matrix example, right?
00:34:30.872 --> 00:34:42.152
So for this action challenge, I would love you to acknowledge that we do hold ourselves back because of fear, judgment, performance, anxiety, perfectionism, and a whole lot of learned stories that we've told ourselves.
00:34:42.561 --> 00:34:43.731
I do all the time.
00:34:43.731 --> 00:34:45.351
I know that it's really hard.
00:34:45.351 --> 00:34:46.612
We are so conditioned.
00:34:47.061 --> 00:34:48.262
For acceptance.
00:34:48.442 --> 00:34:53.811
And the things that we'll do to do that are kind of scary when you actually start to consciously think about them.
00:34:54.442 --> 00:35:07.552
So instead think of this creative thing we're talking about as your ability to grow bigger with your self-expression and aliveness, and think about how you can notch the dial up of who you are how you want to show up in the world for yourselves and others.
00:35:07.762 --> 00:35:09.382
Unshackled, unlocking.
00:35:09.802 --> 00:35:11.392
Something that was always there.
00:35:12.142 --> 00:35:16.372
Finally, let's keep trying to play without purpose at least once a day.
00:35:16.612 --> 00:35:17.992
Trust those impulses.
00:35:18.172 --> 00:35:20.122
No editing, just collecting.
00:35:20.152 --> 00:35:21.412
And I know that's a hard one.
00:35:21.412 --> 00:35:42.822
There is so much about purpose and efficiencies and trust me, I'm with you I will be hard placed on that journey, trying to play without purpose because at the end of the day, it is going to unlock a bit of mental strength to help build resilience, to help build problem solving and, find those creative outcomes.
00:35:42.822 --> 00:35:47.142
So you can put a little bigger, bigger picture purpose in there.
00:35:49.182 --> 00:35:49.572
All righty.
00:35:49.572 --> 00:35:54.762
I better wrap this up, but a huge thank you again to Mike for making this episode one to remember.
00:35:54.822 --> 00:35:56.322
What a legend.
00:35:56.802 --> 00:36:03.372
Thank you again to all of our beautiful listeners for tuning in, and I do hope you come back for the next episode.
00:36:03.432 --> 00:36:04.572
Dropping next Thursday.
00:36:05.122 --> 00:36:08.481
We'll put all of the curated content we've mentioned in the episode show notes.
00:36:08.722 --> 00:36:16.342
You can check them out at any time and dip into the stuff that resonates with you to take small actionable steps for your own success journey.
00:36:16.762 --> 00:36:20.152
For more inspiration, do check out our socials on Insta and LinkedIn.
00:36:20.481 --> 00:36:28.956
A huge thank you for listening and sharing this with any others to help elevate their own lived experiences and maybe get them on the creative journey with you so you've got a buddy.
00:36:29.811 --> 00:36:32.751
We appreciate you all so much until next week.
00:36:32.782 --> 00:36:37.856
Take care and let's elevate with grace I.
00:00:16.410 --> 00:00:24.100
Welcome to Elevate with Grace, a podcast for people who are short on time and long to take steps to create success on their own terms.
00:00:24.490 --> 00:00:31.969
If you are feeling overworked, undervalued, and stuck in the daily juggle, knowing you are meant for more, then this podcast is for you.
00:00:32.825 --> 00:00:38.704
We cut through the noise to bring you the most valuable up-to-date insights, expert, wisdom and practical strategies.
00:00:38.945 --> 00:00:47.399
With bite-sized actionable tips, we help you take bold steps to creating real progress, real impact, and a career and life that truly work for you for.
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Thank you for listening into our podcast today.
00:00:50.475 --> 00:00:52.035
We truly appreciate you.
00:00:52.365 --> 00:00:56.145
My name is Miranda, and the other half of our dynamic duo is Claire.
00:00:56.292 --> 00:01:07.721
Today I have gone rogue with Claire's blessing and I'm incredibly excited to bring you a very special podcast, two part series, Elevate with Grace's very first interview.
00:01:08.051 --> 00:01:18.841
Carrying on from our last episode, the Creative Cure we are so fortunate to explore this deeper with the dynamic, creative and inspirational Mykel Dixon.
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In this episode, Mike and I will dig into what's holding us back from achieving full aliveness.
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And Mike is a global authority on this.
00:01:27.597 --> 00:01:39.418
He's an award-winning Australian author, globally recognized keynote speaker and leads corporate offsites that ignite human connection, unleash wild creativity, and drive meaningful performance.
00:01:39.567 --> 00:01:40.408
So excited.
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Before we dive in, just a quick check in on the Action Challenge from our last episode.
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The action challenge was to create a small step change of bringing creativity into your daily practice.
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A perfect setup for the episode today.
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A.
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10 minutes to create something at home or work journal, doodle bake, bring color into your outfit, change your team frame, change up the way you do online meetings, et cetera.
00:02:02.969 --> 00:02:05.608
So I do hope that you've really enjoyed that challenge.
00:02:05.733 --> 00:02:25.153
Claire was unable to join today, but I know she has been diving into this head first, attending author talks, writing more, creatively planning her holiday, embracing her more creative side and for me i've made my craft and art supplies much more visible and accessible so I can touch them and do something on them every other day.
00:02:25.363 --> 00:02:35.900
I've joined a little art group which was very scary, checked out the gallery, created a creative manifesto, and I just feel so good about this challenge and just that step change.
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All righty into our session today.
00:02:38.320 --> 00:02:39.100
Whoa.
00:02:39.436 --> 00:02:55.597
I've actually taken a pause between interviewing and recording this because the thought shared in this session really had me rethinking what I frame as creativity and how we don't need to learn this, but instead rediscover what creativity can do and mean for you.
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Hopefully this is great news you don't need to start from scratch, just small moments to remind yourself what it is to feel creative and what it is to feel alive.
00:03:05.301 --> 00:03:13.759
If we think about it, as just a muscle that needs to be trained like our biceps in the gym then we can get on our way very quickly and very easily.
00:03:14.030 --> 00:03:15.379
It's already inside you.
00:03:15.379 --> 00:03:18.887
This creativity, what we learn and talk about today, bursting to get out.
00:03:19.183 --> 00:03:27.293
So I'll pop back at the end to summarize some of the thoughts, but I'm just so incredibly excited to share this interview with you all, and I just, I truly hope you love it.
00:03:27.443 --> 00:03:27.503
In
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this episode, I have the absolute joy speaking with the amazing, now I didn't check, is it Michael Dixon or Mike Dixon?
00:03:35.397 --> 00:03:36.117
What do you prefer?
00:03:36.902 --> 00:03:37.532
Anything at all.
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You can call me Tony.
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you comfortable if I call you Mike?
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Yep.
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one of those Australian things, right?
00:03:42.447 --> 00:03:42.657
Name.
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I can't cope with it.
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You could you could take me way back and call me Dicko.
00:03:47.190 --> 00:03:47.940
How about that one?
00:03:48.180 --> 00:03:49.125
Straight outta High School.
00:03:49.125 --> 00:03:49.935
I'm gonna stick with Mike.
00:03:52.075 --> 00:03:58.282
Best winning author, TEDx speaker, award-winning keynote speaker, and all around creative guru.
00:03:58.680 --> 00:03:58.980
Mike.
00:03:58.980 --> 00:04:03.840
It's just an absolute pleasure and a mind blowing opportunity to be speaking with you today.
00:04:03.840 --> 00:04:06.000
So thank you so much for saying yes
00:04:06.145 --> 00:04:07.765
the privilege is all mine, I'm sure.
00:04:08.212 --> 00:04:15.510
Oh, thank you I first came across you at Sunshine, rainbows and Lollipops, which was an all day event, and I'm curious whether you're gonna do with them again.
00:04:15.549 --> 00:04:17.199
But they were super hard to describe.
00:04:17.199 --> 00:04:20.920
It was just this unreal, immersive, surreal experience.
00:04:20.956 --> 00:04:23.146
left me both inspired and changed.
00:04:23.175 --> 00:04:26.745
I never thought I would do an all day corporate event that looked like that.
00:04:26.985 --> 00:04:27.985
It was just amazing.
00:04:27.985 --> 00:04:37.407
And then following you post that on LinkedIn I just love how real authentic your conversations are it really does feel like we talking for all these years since.
00:04:37.554 --> 00:04:41.287
And and then it was only a year ago that I found your book Everyday creatives.
00:04:41.620 --> 00:04:47.740
And thank thank you so much for that I've but I've gotta say you're so humble i've attended your events, I've followed you on LinkedIn.
00:04:47.915 --> 00:05:00.859
And I i know you didn't know you had a book most people are plug in that I that thing for those who haven't come across Myke before, Mike has this amazing book called The everyday creative, dangerous guide for Making Magic At Work.
00:05:01.012 --> 00:05:11.218
And for for those that have been following Elevate with Grace you will will know that we are all about small steps for success on your own terms So so a dangerous ride for making magic totally up our alley.
00:05:11.367 --> 00:05:12.388
Bring it on.
00:05:13.129 --> 00:05:18.199
What what I absolutely loved book is that creativity is something that I feel like I've rediscovered.
00:05:18.497 --> 00:05:27.499
In 2017, so I sort of tried wanted to relearn creativity and there's certainly a lot of of reasons, why people don't get into creativity.
00:05:27.549 --> 00:05:30.170
They're a little bit scared and fearful.
00:05:30.258 --> 00:05:32.451
I definitely find, when I I talk to people about it.
00:05:32.451 --> 00:05:34.670
They're like, oh, oh, sounds great.
00:05:34.730 --> 00:05:35.691
Invite people to paint.
00:05:35.691 --> 00:05:38.734
And they're like, sorry, I'm not, sorry, that's not worth thing.
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And and so as much sometimes I've been talking about it with friends and family banging on being on about it, trying to give them some facts, I really haven't haven't landed, then I read your book and I was and I was like, this this is the message.
00:05:50.646 --> 00:05:56.946
This is what we need but I'm i'm curious many how many people do you have these conversations.
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Many people are still just, I don't know, not getting the creative vibe and what do you think we can do to change change that,
00:06:04.915 --> 00:06:06.720
that was a beautiful introduction, by the way.
00:06:06.987 --> 00:06:08.817
Very generous and very kind.
00:06:09.297 --> 00:06:09.807
You gotta own it.
00:06:09.807 --> 00:06:09.867
You.
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Stop it.
00:06:11.569 --> 00:06:23.141
Yeah, the big, if we go straight to the jugular is that somewhere along the way we started thinking about, or we were conditioned or we were told and taught that creativity is something we do, but it's not.
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It's who we are.
00:06:24.264 --> 00:06:25.884
It's life.
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It's the purest expression of life.
00:06:28.747 --> 00:06:29.953
It is energy on the move.
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It is the most natural way of being in the world yeah, to just see things, to process them, to imagine new possibilities, to take a different route to try, experiment, play.
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Obviously we do that as kids and then we start to get educated.
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We start to get.
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Indoctrinated.
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And then we start to develop these stories that were either creative or not.
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And even the people that live in creative industries or have found themselves they struggle just as much with the, with stories that either empower or disempower around creativity.
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And it's that segregation as though it's something, yeah, it's something you do as opposed to something you are, and I like the way that you said that you're starting to rediscover creativity.
00:07:07.417 --> 00:07:15.170
'cause that's the shortest, most effective, fastest path back is you don't learn to be creative.
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You remember?
00:07:16.162 --> 00:07:35.177
So the big quest that we're all on as individuals, as teams, as leaders, as businesses, and as a global community, is to remember that we're all born creative and that our capacity to imagine new possibilities and to play and explore and experiment with the world around us is the most natural thing we can do.
00:07:35.442 --> 00:07:38.463
That sounds beautiful, but like I said, so many people are so scared of it.
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And that's the bit I really struggle with.
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And so Claire, my podcast partner came up with this idea of create before you consume because what we were finding was that we are very comfortable talking about a Netflix episode or, that mindless doom scrolling that we all fall into at different time.
00:07:54.770 --> 00:07:58.550
But the but the idea of something and putting it out there is, it's scary.
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And it it just feels to me uncomfortable.
00:08:00.859 --> 00:08:02.299
When you sort of talk to it with people.
00:08:02.865 --> 00:08:11.008
the the reason that I rediscovered it, I just felt like it was control of my of, when Like my we weren't controlled very much was t 200 our baby here.
00:08:11.117 --> 00:08:13.307
My my husband was always fear, like setting
00:08:13.384 --> 00:08:14.495
setting the comfort what we were doing at
00:08:14.537 --> 00:08:14.687
when
00:08:14.765 --> 00:08:15.574
home or when we holiday
00:08:15.595 --> 00:08:17.395
and so it was like, I need control back.
00:08:17.395 --> 00:08:17.665
And I
00:08:17.742 --> 00:08:18.432
and actually
00:08:18.895 --> 00:08:19.675
found that
00:08:19.753 --> 00:08:19.903
that
00:08:20.605 --> 00:08:24.468
which, different journey and all those good For many people they don't find it.
00:08:24.468 --> 00:08:27.048
They don't think there's a need, they don't think there's anything missing.
00:08:27.468 --> 00:08:36.128
And when you describe it as this beautiful joy and play, et cetera, it's we, how do we get people to experience that and to want that?
00:08:37.370 --> 00:08:37.660
Yeah.
00:08:37.780 --> 00:08:38.770
It's a really good question.
00:08:39.250 --> 00:08:46.390
It's hard to want something when you haven't felt it in a while, and it's hard to know the value of something if you haven't experienced it in a while.
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So a lot of the work I do, whether it's one-on-one or whether it's with teams in offsites or programs and events, experiences, et cetera, it's very experience based because people need that embodied sense or this emotional entanglement with what it, how it feels to be creative or to be in a creative space or to express themselves.
00:09:09.850 --> 00:09:18.230
And once they get a taste, once they reignite those cells in their body, in their brain, in their heart, they start to remember and they start to.
00:09:18.665 --> 00:09:20.165
They start to get hungry for it.
00:09:20.165 --> 00:09:20.615
They, wow.
00:09:20.615 --> 00:09:21.336
What is this feeling?
00:09:21.336 --> 00:09:22.235
I haven't felt in a while.
00:09:22.235 --> 00:09:23.165
It's familiar.
00:09:23.238 --> 00:09:26.688
It might be dormant, it might be something, that's almost nostalgic.
00:09:26.688 --> 00:09:32.208
It's this sense of when I was a kid or when times were different or before.
00:09:33.108 --> 00:09:33.378
Yeah.
00:09:33.378 --> 00:09:37.778
I got the nine to five and the mortgage and all the pressures of raising children or whatever it may be.
00:09:38.086 --> 00:09:40.425
And it just it starts to crack.
00:09:40.485 --> 00:09:50.659
Open the door a little More of it you let in it can be both a troubling process because it can be quite confronting when that door does get cracked open a little bit.
00:09:50.659 --> 00:09:53.779
It can start to crack open just about every area of your life.
00:09:54.158 --> 00:10:04.043
Which is really tricky, but the reason we fear it is I mean there's so many reasons but ultimately it's about judgment and it's about what will others think.
00:10:04.043 --> 00:10:11.112
And it's about feeling as though we're not enough and that everything needs to be perfect if we're gonna share anything.
00:10:11.602 --> 00:10:13.312
If I'm gonna draw, I can't draw.
00:10:13.762 --> 00:10:24.812
Yeah, you can you are defining, or you're kind of conflating this idea that you can't draw with, you need to draw like Picasso, but you can draw.
00:10:24.990 --> 00:10:26.490
You just pick up a pen and draw.
00:10:26.606 --> 00:10:26.786
that's
00:10:26.789 --> 00:10:28.379
And even if you didn't have arms, yeah.
00:10:28.379 --> 00:10:30.240
You'd put a pen in your mouth and you can still draw.
00:10:30.386 --> 00:10:38.426
It's these little definitions, these stories, these narratives these contextual frames that really keep us paralyzed and imprisoned.
00:10:38.616 --> 00:10:44.288
Instead of just enjoying the joy of expressing who we are and the full capacity of our humanity.
00:10:44.288 --> 00:10:47.099
We've got legs and arms if we're lucky, we've got heartbeat.
00:10:47.099 --> 00:10:47.759
We've got a voice.
00:10:47.759 --> 00:10:50.810
We can sing, we can dance, we can move our bodies, we can do all these things.
00:10:50.810 --> 00:10:57.091
We just don't we limit our expression so much for yeah, for so many reasons.
00:10:57.150 --> 00:11:02.977
And not to harp on too much about this, but going back to your question a little bit in there, we're also living at a time that.
00:11:03.120 --> 00:11:12.466
I mean, 10 years ago it was, or let's say 15 in the advent of social media and the internet and oh, wow, look, we can share our stuff more widely.
00:11:12.495 --> 00:11:15.615
We can create and share, and first we just share about our lives.
00:11:15.615 --> 00:11:17.235
And then it became more of a product.
00:11:17.235 --> 00:11:23.029
And then we'd start to get advertising, and then we start to get influences or people that, full-time creators, et cetera, et cetera.
00:11:23.035 --> 00:11:33.053
And now we are at the peak of that experience where AI is starting to come in and the thought, it's so performative even doing an update on when you go on holiday.
00:11:33.533 --> 00:11:35.123
Let alone something that you create.
00:11:35.153 --> 00:11:36.833
It is, it's like, oh my God.
00:11:36.833 --> 00:11:40.253
I dunno if I could share anything for fear of what others might think.
00:11:40.493 --> 00:11:43.620
So then we resort to well, I'll just watch the world.
00:11:43.889 --> 00:11:46.857
I'll doom scroll, I'll watch Netflix, I'll consume i'll.
00:11:46.857 --> 00:12:11.613
And then that just puts us in this dull resigned, almost cynical state, where we're just passively consuming content and getting further and further from the natural capacity We have to express who we are, and I like to call it the great numbing, where we're just numbing ourselves into this state of, I think like the Matrix.
00:12:11.613 --> 00:12:15.183
Remember the movie, the Matrix, and everyone's in bathtubs and they've got the plug,
00:12:15.510 --> 00:12:16.050
movie.
00:12:16.111 --> 00:12:17.341
they're so ahead of its time.
00:12:17.428 --> 00:12:18.238
let's unplug.
00:12:18.961 --> 00:12:19.562
Yeah.
00:12:19.621 --> 00:12:28.553
And and when he comes out and he sees that there's just these billions of humans in bathtubs of pink goo all just eh, that's basically where we're at.
00:12:28.863 --> 00:12:31.563
Not yet, I hope, but God, it does feel like it sometimes.
00:12:31.563 --> 00:12:32.433
It's scary.
00:12:32.493 --> 00:12:34.333
And I loved I use that matrix just to
00:12:34.426 --> 00:12:34.817
Yeah,
00:12:34.993 --> 00:12:36.553
I think this is the P blue pill.
00:12:36.553 --> 00:12:37.093
It's pick the
00:12:37.276 --> 00:12:37.817
that's right.
00:12:37.913 --> 00:12:39.942
Let's live a full whole life.
00:12:40.002 --> 00:12:48.852
And it's interesting that you said it like the last 10 or 15 years, because for me, I felt like we had this real industrial age eighties, nineties, early two thousands.
00:12:49.048 --> 00:12:54.158
Where, it really was, everyone was in the workforce incredibly competitive.
00:12:54.553 --> 00:13:03.932
You work with people that are 10, 20 years older and you really do feel like a different corporate culture and they feel like there's a much better balance with people.
00:13:04.322 --> 00:13:08.902
I think getting to To express themselves a little bit there's a bit more flexibility than it used to be.
00:13:08.902 --> 00:13:16.952
And there's a lot of rigidity back in the eighties and nineties and there, there's sort of that, and then we had separation between work and life.
00:13:16.952 --> 00:13:24.507
That feels like we merged the two together in the two thousands and we're trying to separate them apart again now and have a work life and a life.
00:13:24.855 --> 00:13:32.569
The creativity is, potentially what's what's Is there a possibility that people are filming journey, journey?
00:13:33.009 --> 00:13:36.344
Where it's like reclaiming who we're what we're reclaiming who we we're at home.
00:13:36.776 --> 00:13:38.546
and that offers a level of creativity.
00:13:39.161 --> 00:13:48.461
And I think I think about your book was that you gave us that opportunity to say, this is how creativity can impact your life, but this is how creativity can also impact your work.
00:13:48.625 --> 00:13:51.295
And that it's important to have it in both, right?
00:13:51.295 --> 00:13:53.743
Like I think a lot of a lot of people just creativity as is.
00:13:53.785 --> 00:13:59.573
be, some art or some painting and absolutely loved what you said Said around that art and that fear.
00:13:59.634 --> 00:14:09.410
'cause we we try try something once or twice and we give up and I and I think about our kids and look, you pay for pay for a term And if the kid's like I don't want to do.
00:14:09.535 --> 00:14:18.332
So you know, session two suck it it up, You're going for for the term, we don't let our kids stop, learning, let stop learning.
00:14:18.722 --> 00:14:24.587
We stopped so we might do a bit of Duolingo and that language didn't vibe Or we might pick up pick up at piano.
00:14:24.587 --> 00:14:24.990
I know what?
00:14:25.039 --> 00:14:29.461
Always wanted to learn piano I'll give without Or painting, crafting.
00:14:29.461 --> 00:14:33.709
It's if I'm not Picasso by the by the second, maybe that's not not for me.
00:14:34.111 --> 00:14:36.409
you know, it's Taken me quite a journey.
00:14:36.631 --> 00:14:44.062
and I know for a lot of A lot of people just to go, it actually doesn't matter the what it what it looks like about about what out of it when you do it.
00:14:44.161 --> 00:14:45.110
And for me it do, it me.
00:14:45.110 --> 00:14:48.243
It's ability ability to rest of my brain help me try to solve.
00:14:48.375 --> 00:14:49.096
work puzzle.
00:14:49.096 --> 00:14:57.004
It's this ability to express myself in creative ways and to learn that I can't paint and make that look good, it actually doesn't matter.
00:14:57.094 --> 00:15:05.056
What you touched on there though is, I think a really important part for people is almost to lose the word creativity and see it as self-expression.
00:15:05.761 --> 00:15:07.562
Again, creativity is like ring fencing.
00:15:07.562 --> 00:15:09.451
This idea, it's an act that you do.
00:15:09.481 --> 00:15:14.671
It has an outcome where self-expression is fluid and responsive and alive.
00:15:14.731 --> 00:15:20.791
And if you are expressing who you are in every moment, it's different and it changes and it moves and it grows.
00:15:20.791 --> 00:15:27.432
And so you might have a creative problem that you are trying to solve or you're working on at work, or you might need a break from that type of work.
00:15:27.462 --> 00:15:31.403
And yeah, you just want to play with some paints for a while or jam it out on a guitar.
00:15:31.615 --> 00:15:32.096
Fine.
00:15:32.515 --> 00:15:50.830
But your expression, the thing that sits behind that, the most essential part of who you are, which is how you're showing up and how you're bringing yourself to the moment that's the real thing that we've lost where we're dulling and we're numbing and we're diluting and we're reducing and we've lost connection with that.
00:15:51.070 --> 00:15:54.640
And we now have a world that is on steroids.
00:15:54.983 --> 00:16:09.190
That is making it harder and harder for us to feel and stay connected to, and therefore to value and act upon these impulses within us that are primal and natural and organic and authentic.
00:16:09.640 --> 00:16:13.300
For example, our food is full of chemicals that numbs us out.
00:16:13.621 --> 00:16:18.301
the content we consume is all just there designed to keep us hooked in.
00:16:18.583 --> 00:16:25.280
It's Netflix, whether it's, social media, Instagram content, whatever it is, it is not designed to really empower us.
00:16:25.280 --> 00:16:28.930
It's designed to keep us glued so that they can make money from advertising.
00:16:29.000 --> 00:16:30.971
We have, oh God.
00:16:31.000 --> 00:16:34.310
I mean, pick a frame, pick a contextual frame.
00:16:34.310 --> 00:16:37.280
The world has never been as noisy as it is now.
00:16:37.397 --> 00:16:37.967
Yeah, a hundred
00:16:38.270 --> 00:17:01.100
All of it is preventing us from hearing that those little impulses, these wild impulses to play within us, that is stopping us from really feeling not just the benefit of what it is to be alive and to know who you are, and to play with the world and whatever's in front of you, but also to give your gifts and services of something greater than yourself.
00:17:01.550 --> 00:17:07.191
Because we didn't come here to grind and scroll and pay bills and die.
00:17:07.911 --> 00:17:19.371
We came here to bring something to life that only we can, that will make the world a more vibrant, vital, inclusive, magical place.
00:17:19.730 --> 00:17:26.931
And yet most of us are not doing that or even entertaining that idea because somewhere along the way we lost that connection.
00:17:27.021 --> 00:17:32.302
And now we live inside a story that we're A, not creative, or B, not like them, or, I couldn't do that.
00:17:32.302 --> 00:17:32.721
Or rah.
00:17:32.872 --> 00:17:35.872
And so then the world misses out on all the gifts that only you could give.
00:17:36.292 --> 00:17:38.677
Which is really a huge tragedy.
00:17:39.288 --> 00:17:41.689
That is a huge tragedy, but I just loved how you put that.
00:17:41.689 --> 00:17:44.538
I'm like, here's your next book, self-expression.
00:17:44.711 --> 00:17:45.021
Mm-hmm.
00:17:45.337 --> 00:17:46.928
Good, and you're right.
00:17:46.988 --> 00:17:50.108
If I reframe it like that, it actually is everything you do.
00:17:50.301 --> 00:17:51.561
And I found that with your book.
00:17:51.611 --> 00:17:54.131
When I read the start of it, and I did the creative manifesto.
00:17:54.484 --> 00:17:54.834
Right.
00:17:54.851 --> 00:17:55.061
it.
00:17:55.661 --> 00:18:01.421
I actually was driving, so I spoke it into a voice recorder and then typed it up when I got home, signed it.
00:18:01.717 --> 00:18:09.366
But I loved that you did it, and I found that at the start of the book, I was like, I am somebody who wants to be creative and tries to make time for it.
00:18:10.116 --> 00:18:15.370
I was reading through your book, I'm like I actually think I might qualify as an everyday creative, I didn't see it that way.
00:18:15.396 --> 00:18:20.693
creativity in the workforce and that generosity creativity, putting it out there.
00:18:20.693 --> 00:18:36.010
So if we change that lens to self-expression and it's wearing something that's a bit fun, it's changing your format to be a bit fun, maybe putting some cool backgrounds like you've got for us today with a bit of neon making, I dunno, is there Is there other ways that you put that out in the world?
00:18:36.621 --> 00:18:39.621
Single possible, way possible.
00:18:40.221 --> 00:18:46.176
And even what you mentioned was they were outcomes, but it's it go, it goes before that.
00:18:46.326 --> 00:18:51.994
So yes, the jumper that you choose to wear, but in this conversation you are expressing yourself and so am I.
00:18:52.054 --> 00:19:00.774
And so you're making creative choices that are instinctual and the moment that either one of us decides to get a question right, the energy and vitality will go out of this conversation.
00:19:01.695 --> 00:19:08.539
Because we're trying to we're stopping ourselves from expressing ourselves, and we are now seeking a particular defined outcome.
00:19:08.911 --> 00:19:13.471
And that's, and then yeah, we lose the magic of what could be created in the moment.
00:19:13.536 --> 00:19:17.076
Nature is the best expression of this, and the arts come a very close second.
00:19:17.286 --> 00:19:19.942
But if you look at nature, it is so intelligent.
00:19:19.942 --> 00:19:21.323
It is so efficient.
00:19:21.523 --> 00:19:34.019
It is so, it, it ticks every box in terms of an industrial lens in terms of very little, this production line of ensuring growth, which is what the world is obsessed by.
00:19:34.259 --> 00:19:41.585
And yet it also has beauty and it has it trusts and leverages emergence.
00:19:41.884 --> 00:19:46.925
It's not just working from a blueprint or a framework or something static that was created four years ago.
00:19:46.925 --> 00:19:48.175
And we go back to it and go, hang on.
00:19:48.175 --> 00:19:51.894
We're not on the, we need to stay on the plan.
00:19:52.164 --> 00:19:52.404
Yep.
00:19:53.230 --> 00:19:55.840
It changes every second of every day.
00:19:56.380 --> 00:20:01.090
Just like you and I change every second of every day, every seven years, we've got entirely new cells in our body.
00:20:01.090 --> 00:20:03.310
We don't have the same skin, the same organs, the same anything.
00:20:03.387 --> 00:20:05.051
Even our bone structure changes.
00:20:05.121 --> 00:20:20.466
So yeah, we need to get back to absolute presence, responding in real time playing instead of living in these frameworks and models and blueprints and goals and aspirations and desired outcomes.
00:20:20.466 --> 00:20:22.205
And it has to look like this.
00:20:22.205 --> 00:20:23.465
Otherwise it's a failure.
00:20:23.855 --> 00:20:27.371
It I'm a failure and instead playing with the moment.
00:20:27.510 --> 00:20:30.031
And this is, I mean, it happens all the time at events a lot.
00:20:30.181 --> 00:20:32.311
I just got an email before jumping on with you.
00:20:32.381 --> 00:20:39.637
There's a company I've done a lot of work with in the last three years and, yeah, a lot of really great events, but then and different, offsites and whatnot.
00:20:39.637 --> 00:20:46.070
But there's one particular program that continues to shine a big light in that company and have huge impact.
00:20:46.070 --> 00:20:49.969
And then unfortunately, some of the people that were there from the beginning of that have moved on.
00:20:50.089 --> 00:21:01.531
And so there's a new group of people that are now working with me on this program, and they just, every week or two, they're like, can you please give us exactly what you're gonna do in this session?
00:21:01.801 --> 00:21:04.209
And I'll say, okay, sure.
00:21:04.478 --> 00:21:09.795
However, I need to reiterate to you that what I'm doing is creating a container.
00:21:10.228 --> 00:21:11.958
And yes, there's an architecture to that.
00:21:11.958 --> 00:21:14.538
There's a lot of expertise and experience that I've built over time.
00:21:14.805 --> 00:21:22.522
But what we want to do is create a container for emergence, for creativity, for self-expression too, to unfurl.
00:21:22.912 --> 00:21:27.812
And that will be much more vital and alive with those people in that place at that time.
00:21:27.959 --> 00:21:38.269
If we go in with, here's the exact thing that we've defined four months prior and all those people have changed since that day that we designed this four months ago, then it's dead.
00:21:38.406 --> 00:21:39.546
It's dead in the room.
00:21:39.726 --> 00:22:05.013
So yeah, there's a lot of unlearning that we have to do as a culture to not be afraid of being 100% in the moment Trusting and leveraging everything that we've got and who we are instead of thinking and outsourcing our edge, or outsourcing our intelligence and outsourcing our instinct in service of a static predetermined plan that's outrageously irrelevant.
00:22:05.487 --> 00:22:05.877
Wow.
00:22:06.172 --> 00:22:11.477
I'm just like, whoa, you've taken me on a whole nother level of unlearning that I'm just like what, how, what?
00:22:11.605 --> 00:22:12.660
Yeah, it's a journey.
00:22:12.882 --> 00:22:13.572
Yeah,
00:22:13.890 --> 00:22:14.130
Yeah.
00:22:14.211 --> 00:22:20.967
I'm, I make product and so there is certainly a process map to that, and every meeting has to have an agenda.
00:22:20.967 --> 00:22:30.019
and so I'm just like, what if, and we know what the outcome is, and when you've got a group of people that you do, need a certain amount of outcomes, et cetera.
00:22:30.019 --> 00:22:40.880
But if we go, Hey, we need X by the date and we need to get this done by this period, want to check in once a week, just keep it loose, you still get the desired outcome?
00:22:41.273 --> 00:22:43.253
hundred percent, you'd get better.
00:22:43.528 --> 00:22:55.748
So when I first started, when I transitioned from being a musician into speaking and working with organizations and stuff like that, the first ip, my first kind of core message and premise that I would bring to the world was called Artisan Thinking.
00:22:55.748 --> 00:23:07.115
You as a product designer must be well familiar with design thinking iteration experiment, empathy, get in partnership your consumer or the end user and learn and iterate and then produce this thing for them.
00:23:07.163 --> 00:23:15.701
What that doesn't take into account is you And artisan thinking is that the maker matters just as much as what is being made.
00:23:15.938 --> 00:23:20.618
How you show up, not only as how the end user, they're changing and evolving over time.
00:23:20.618 --> 00:23:25.833
So the product, yes, you need to be responsive to that, but also you are changing the people that are making it.
00:23:25.970 --> 00:23:28.926
And the process of how you make it is also changing.
00:23:29.036 --> 00:23:36.596
And so if you are, to be at least just cognizant of that and to come in inside of a context of how are we feeling today?
00:23:36.783 --> 00:23:38.103
And what's going on for us today?
00:23:38.103 --> 00:23:44.017
Is there anything we need to look at, address, personal lives, whatever that might actually inform this product.
00:23:44.079 --> 00:23:48.269
Instead of saying, no, we need to keep that out and we need to stay attached to this way of working.
00:23:48.269 --> 00:23:49.649
That was defined three years ago.
00:23:49.679 --> 00:23:50.489
Exactly.
00:23:50.632 --> 00:23:55.282
Because the irony is this stuff is happening anyways as, as hard as we try.
00:23:55.402 --> 00:24:00.352
We are not robots, we are not algorithms, we are not machines.
00:24:00.382 --> 00:24:14.172
And we bring all of that beautiful, emotive, sensory dynamic unexpected, frustrating, unpredictable drama of being a human being into our work.
00:24:14.322 --> 00:24:18.162
And it comes in the relationships and it comes into, yeah, what we produce.
00:24:18.449 --> 00:24:30.028
So seeing that not as a burden or something that we need to design out of the design process and actually allowing that to in inspire and inform how we make things will only make the product more exciting.
00:24:30.058 --> 00:24:45.225
And you can see this even in a very, on a kind of micro scale is where you love the story behind a mug that you buy from someone because you go to their cafe or something like that, and then you find out, oh my God, this is actually, my great grandmother taught me this on this wheel, and da.
00:24:45.356 --> 00:24:52.961
And there's a little imperfection in that mug, and that becomes your favorite mug, not because it's just a mug that you put tea in.
00:24:53.012 --> 00:24:57.332
But because now of this story, because there's emotion behind it, because it's not perfect.
00:24:57.653 --> 00:25:00.623
Suddenly becomes a whole lot more special to us.
00:25:00.863 --> 00:25:06.583
And that obviously doing that at scale is a bit different if you're producing things, for loads of people, et cetera, et cetera.
00:25:06.823 --> 00:25:23.198
But still if you can put the values and the people and the story and the self-expression and the emotion of creating that product into that product and into the story of selling that product way more compelling and far more meaningful to the people that'll buy it.
00:25:24.073 --> 00:25:24.973
No, absolutely.
00:25:25.013 --> 00:25:32.950
I love the idea and we focus a lot on the power of moments and the fact that people do their memories of these great events in the things that we make and stuff like that.
00:25:33.310 --> 00:25:35.590
But the storytelling of the artisan, I love that.
00:25:35.677 --> 00:25:36.990
that's a whole nother level of cool.
00:25:37.121 --> 00:25:43.615
And even, the moments that you are, that you would be talking about and trying to design for with your market, what about the moments of making them.
00:25:43.758 --> 00:25:45.978
What, how are we defining these in the workplace?
00:25:46.378 --> 00:25:46.918
How?
00:25:46.923 --> 00:25:48.394
as and efficiently as possible, as
00:25:48.628 --> 00:25:49.108
right.
00:25:49.144 --> 00:25:49.504
real fun.
00:25:50.307 --> 00:25:51.118
That's right.
00:25:51.118 --> 00:25:57.673
And yet, like so much of life for 60,000 years in this country, we've had this cultural architecture.
00:25:57.673 --> 00:26:08.513
We've had these ways of holding humanity together with whether it's rights of passage, there is ceremony, there's ritual, there are ways that we marry, across culture.
00:26:08.513 --> 00:26:10.462
There's right story, wrong story, all this stuff.
00:26:10.462 --> 00:26:11.932
There's law LORE
00:26:12.009 --> 00:26:12.298
Yeah.
00:26:12.442 --> 00:26:17.003
has kept us holding this beautiful way of being for thousands and thousands of years.
00:26:17.003 --> 00:26:24.384
And modern modernity or modern life, particularly western life being so industrialized or commercialized, digitized, et cetera, et cetera.
00:26:24.495 --> 00:26:25.245
We've lost that.
00:26:25.245 --> 00:26:29.263
And in the workplace, every it's like it is ripe.
00:26:30.508 --> 00:26:38.488
Rife of moments that could be made into rituals, ceremonies, transitions, thresholds, et cetera, et cetera.
00:26:38.488 --> 00:26:40.798
You have a new employee, we have an onboarding experience.
00:26:40.798 --> 00:26:41.128
Cool.
00:26:41.307 --> 00:26:42.538
So they get a little journal.
00:26:43.258 --> 00:26:51.730
They have to watch seven videos that were made two years ago and the first day, oh, we're just gonna get to know everyone that lasts for about 40 minutes.
00:26:51.730 --> 00:26:54.490
And then it's straight into, here's all the projects, we need them yesterday.
00:26:55.720 --> 00:27:02.920
Or someone leaves, and maybe if you're lucky, they might get a card that goes around the office, but people rarely go into the office anymore anyway.
00:27:03.310 --> 00:27:06.320
And maybe Friday night drinks, a few people will show up.
00:27:06.345 --> 00:27:09.259
A lot will cancel because they've gotta get home to watch an episode of whatever.
00:27:09.593 --> 00:27:12.587
And yet, arrivals and departures are.
00:27:13.313 --> 00:27:23.759
Huge You are closing a chapter of your life for the individual that perhaps is leaving, but also a significant member of a team, a tribe, a community is leaving.
00:27:23.759 --> 00:27:32.060
How are we, celebrating and honoring both the grief and loss of losing someone, but the opportunity and potentiality of where they're moving next.
00:27:32.060 --> 00:27:33.800
And then what that leaves for us as a team.
00:27:33.800 --> 00:27:33.810
La.
00:27:34.350 --> 00:27:34.620
Oh yeah.
00:27:34.620 --> 00:27:35.910
Can you make it Thursday night?
00:27:35.910 --> 00:27:38.880
Yeah, we're just gonna put a couple hundred bucks on the bar.
00:27:38.983 --> 00:27:47.259
That's such a waste, again, coming back to just like our self-expression, this doesn't require sitting in a boardroom and designing.
00:27:47.741 --> 00:27:48.762
Onboarding experience.
00:27:48.792 --> 00:27:54.664
It requires people that are willing to see and sense the moment and to make something beautiful out of it.
00:27:54.725 --> 00:28:02.451
So if your work has a really crappy onboarding or offboarding experience rah, and you are there in the moment and you know it, and you don't need to tackle that right now.
00:28:02.480 --> 00:28:08.423
You can actually just say to the person, Hey, is there anything that you know you'd love to share About your time here?
00:28:08.753 --> 00:28:16.913
Do you want to just go for a walk around the block and I'm gonna ask you a series of questions and let's just get you like, complete and resolved on your time here.
00:28:16.961 --> 00:28:28.450
Or maybe I'll take your work for half an hour and you go write a letter and then you and me were gonna make it into a paper airplane and then fly it off the top floor, and then we'll go and pick it up because we don't want to litter, but.
00:28:28.680 --> 00:28:34.529
Like you can be that person in the workplace that brings this a bit more meaning and a bit more humanity to things.
00:28:34.529 --> 00:28:36.810
And know that I'll get a bit deep.
00:28:37.038 --> 00:28:57.396
Know that when you do that, the universe smiles and winks and runs towards you with all kinds of serendipity and all kinds of electric, magnetic, extraordinary things that then you'll go, you would not believe what happened when we got to the top floor and we went to go and fly this thing, A bird come and landed next to us and then da dah.
00:28:57.396 --> 00:29:04.536
And then we saw someone else come up at the same time and they were blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, and then this happened, and then this happened, and then this happened,
00:29:05.831 --> 00:29:06.191
Well,
00:29:06.336 --> 00:29:12.446
then life becomes this rich, vibrant, vital, astonishing experience.
00:29:12.446 --> 00:29:13.196
Moment to moment.
00:29:13.651 --> 00:29:17.730
and all you're doing is gonna the top floor and flying an airplane, the story and The
00:29:17.841 --> 00:29:18.531
that's right.
00:29:18.627 --> 00:29:23.517
and the environment brings the rest, which is that serendipitous moment that you'd keep talking to or the
00:29:23.841 --> 00:29:24.411
That's right.
00:29:24.537 --> 00:29:24.927
sorry.
00:29:24.980 --> 00:29:25.341
Yeah.
00:29:25.401 --> 00:29:25.701
Yeah.
00:29:25.791 --> 00:29:28.701
And it all, and even tracing that back, where does it come from?
00:29:28.701 --> 00:29:32.217
It comes from the moment that you feel an instinct.
00:29:32.499 --> 00:29:41.947
Feel this tiny whispering impulse that something's not right, or something wants to be born and you trust it and you allow it, and then you act on it.
00:29:42.397 --> 00:29:47.887
And you just take a couple of steps and the universe will take 500 towards you and then something magical will happen.
00:29:47.951 --> 00:29:49.240
You don't need permission for that.
00:29:49.240 --> 00:29:50.201
You don't need approval.
00:29:50.201 --> 00:29:53.747
You don't need to study, you don't need a certificate.
00:29:54.017 --> 00:29:58.336
You just need to start listening to that voice, trusting it, and then acting on it.
00:29:58.336 --> 00:29:59.627
And then suddenly life just comes.
00:30:00.988 --> 00:30:01.468
I love it.
00:30:02.543 --> 00:30:04.127
That is That is so And cool.
00:30:04.127 --> 00:30:05.596
And that, that anybody can do.
00:30:05.903 --> 00:30:15.034
anyone can take that into their work, into their world and I've been very fortunate with the onboarding and offboarding place in my workplaces, but every other day.
00:30:15.693 --> 00:30:22.464
know, it's, it is those meetings, it is that freedom of process to seize that day and take those opportunities.
00:30:22.864 --> 00:30:23.153
Yeah,
00:30:23.214 --> 00:30:31.455
a lot about generosity, if we think about this as self-expression and not creativity, how could you not want to celebrate somebody in the moment?
00:30:31.663 --> 00:30:36.044
How could you not want to make things a bit more fun,
00:30:36.468 --> 00:30:37.128
exactly.
00:30:37.163 --> 00:30:44.323
work, and take that meeting with 20 people value their time have a bit of fun with those their time.
00:30:44.570 --> 00:30:44.870
Yeah.
00:30:45.019 --> 00:30:47.090
Can I say two more things on that You've got me going now.
00:30:47.215 --> 00:30:47.575
Please.
00:30:47.935 --> 00:30:48.805
loving this.
00:30:49.100 --> 00:30:57.950
So there's, I'll try and remember both, but, so the, if you think about ideas or you think about our, we're talking about our unique self-expression, right?
00:30:57.950 --> 00:30:59.779
But then there's this collective expression.
00:30:59.810 --> 00:31:03.529
There is life, and life only wants to create more life.
00:31:03.681 --> 00:31:08.701
A forester wants more abundance, an ocean wants to make more waves in partnership with the wind.
00:31:08.781 --> 00:31:15.951
It's this beautiful dance of like, how do we keep making music with what's around us, new sounds, new melodies, new songs, et cetera, et cetera.
00:31:16.725 --> 00:31:28.188
If you get a gift of an idea in a moment, in a meeting, or you get a sense that someone's been overlooked and that they've been diminished, and you're like, Ooh, that's come for you.
00:31:28.188 --> 00:31:30.048
Because life wants that to happen.
00:31:30.648 --> 00:31:41.928
And if you deny that, you are denying the abundance of life, you're denying, you know, recognizing that person, making sure they're okay or celebrating them, or a wild, crazy idea, that might not be the one that your team.
00:31:42.418 --> 00:31:45.448
Executes on, but might lead to the next one.
00:31:45.448 --> 00:31:47.518
That might lead to the one that you actually do.
00:31:47.788 --> 00:32:00.719
So by stopping, by blocking the expression of our collective conscious of the universe writ large we're stopping this vitality and abundance that life is here to make.
00:32:01.048 --> 00:32:03.239
It's so foreign and unnatural and
00:32:03.394 --> 00:32:04.029
Where the damn
00:32:04.169 --> 00:32:05.818
and yeah, it's hilarious.
00:32:05.829 --> 00:32:08.528
And, terrifyingly sad at the same time.
00:32:08.635 --> 00:32:09.546
Like, what are we doing?
00:32:09.599 --> 00:32:14.837
And then also, in addition to that, if you become that person that starts to do this, that starts to trust.
00:32:14.888 --> 00:32:17.458
And over time you build more confidence with this.
00:32:17.458 --> 00:32:19.368
And then you, it's not as scary.
00:32:19.668 --> 00:32:27.201
So then maybe you do start posting something online, or then maybe you do raise your hand a little more in meetings, and then you get to a point where you stop raising your hand you just start jumping in.
00:32:27.480 --> 00:32:27.631
Woo.
00:32:29.701 --> 00:32:31.051
How are you all feeling?
00:32:31.321 --> 00:32:31.980
Oh my gosh.
00:32:31.980 --> 00:32:32.968
I hope you loved that.
00:32:33.099 --> 00:32:37.568
There was so many great takeaways from this discussion, and there is so much more to come.
00:32:37.836 --> 00:32:44.226
In our next episode, we will dive into how to turn this into practical tips to get more out of your life at work and at home.
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Some of the key areas I would love you to remember from this episode.
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Creativity should feel like play, not pressure.
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Creativity really ignites when you stop defining it as some rare, elusive talent that you have to prove yourself instead of just a muscle that you need to regularly use and train.
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No one expects you to look like Arnie because you go to the gym, nor should we expect Picasso level skills because we create and another thought that I had as we were talking, an interview with Brene Brown in Diary of a CEO suggests that people are prepared to live without joy because they fear vulnerability.
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And if we think about what Mike's just been talking about over liveness and just wanting to get out there and live a full experience, it's crazy that we don't want this for ourselves.
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And I think in a lot of cases we don't know that we don't want this.
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He spoke about the fact that a lot of the time people need to experience a creative session or a big creative output to acknowledge what they're missing.
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Brene went in to say the fear of not being good enough of being sucker punched by somebody else's judgment or disappointment is so visceral that we just don't let ourselves feel joy.
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We hold ourselves back and not knowingly.
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I think this is a truly subconscious thing, but I'm just, ugh.
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I know this is not how our listeners want to live.
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We want to live a full, whole successful life.
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We want to be happy, and it really doesn't matter what other people think.
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If we can come away with those conversations where we do feel a little bit like, oh, that didn't land, or Oh, that felt really vulnerable and uncomfortable, what do we get out of it?
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Can we feel more joy?
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Can we feel more love?
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And that's really all that matters.
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We want full, whole don't let your lived experiences or those you love get wrapped up in this great numbing, the matrix example, right?
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So for this action challenge, I would love you to acknowledge that we do hold ourselves back because of fear, judgment, performance, anxiety, perfectionism, and a whole lot of learned stories that we've told ourselves.
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I do all the time.
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I know that it's really hard.
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We are so conditioned.
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For acceptance.
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And the things that we'll do to do that are kind of scary when you actually start to consciously think about them.
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So instead think of this creative thing we're talking about as your ability to grow bigger with your self-expression and aliveness, and think about how you can notch the dial up of who you are how you want to show up in the world for yourselves and others.
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Unshackled, unlocking.
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Something that was always there.
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Finally, let's keep trying to play without purpose at least once a day.
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Trust those impulses.
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No editing, just collecting.
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And I know that's a hard one.
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There is so much about purpose and efficiencies and trust me, I'm with you I will be hard placed on that journey, trying to play without purpose because at the end of the day, it is going to unlock a bit of mental strength to help build resilience, to help build problem solving and, find those creative outcomes.
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So you can put a little bigger, bigger picture purpose in there.
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All righty.
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I better wrap this up, but a huge thank you again to Mike for making this episode one to remember.
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What a legend.
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Thank you again to all of our beautiful listeners for tuning in, and I do hope you come back for the next episode.
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Dropping next Thursday.
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We'll put all of the curated content we've mentioned in the episode show notes.
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You can check them out at any time and dip into the stuff that resonates with you to take small actionable steps for your own success journey.
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For more inspiration, do check out our socials on Insta and LinkedIn.
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A huge thank you for listening and sharing this with any others to help elevate their own lived experiences and maybe get them on the creative journey with you so you've got a buddy.
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We appreciate you all so much until next week.
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Take care and let's elevate with grace I.
