Work for Its Own Sake

Twyla Tharp is a world-renowned dancer, choreographer and expert on the creative process. She explains how to achieve creative success by keeping a highly disciplined routine that ultimately allows you to bring your creative visions to life. She explains how to establish a central message for each project, how to think about your audience, navigate criticism and continually elevate your standards with daily actions. We discuss how one's view of hard work, competition and even your name can shape what you think you're capable of and ultimately achieve. This episode offers direct, practical advice from a world-class creator on how to access your inner vision, build a strong body and mind, and do your best work.

Show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/Yx57rWq

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Timestamps

(00:00:00) Twyla Tharp

(00:03:28) Focus & Creative Work, Tool: "Spine" of Creative Work

(00:06:22) Creator & Audience Dynamic; Intention, Finances

(00:11:57) Early vs Late Works, Learning & Selectivity throughout Career

(00:15:59) Sponsors: Our Place & Eight Sleep

(00:19:09) "Cubby-Holing", Career Change & Reputation

(00:21:48) Creator Community & Selectivity; Success & Useful Failure

(00:27:42) Work Process, Schedule; Selecting Dancers, Supporting the Arts, Expectations

(00:32:36) Successful Performance; Beauty, Arts Compensation

(00:36:22) Mikhail Baryshnikov, Ballet & Invention; Philip Glass, Minimalism

(00:43:18) Knowledge vs Instinct, Taste; Avant Garde; Classical Training

(00:47:05) Kirov Ballet, Kids, Uniformity; Body Types

(00:52:13) Sponsor: AG1

(00:53:36) Movement, Body Frequency, Power

(01:00:18) Creative Process, Spine; Idea, Habit

(01:04:15) Rituals, Gym, Discipline; Farming, Quaker & Community; Communication

(01:12:16) Communication, Signaling & Distance; Feeling Emotion

(01:18:11) Boxing, Strength Training

(01:21:41) Sponsors: LMNT

(01:23:01) Ballet Barre Work, Fundamentals

(01:29:09) Body's Knowledge, Honoring the Body, Kids & Movement

(01:35:42) High Standards & Childhood; Wordlessness & Movement, Twins

(01:41:31) Translator, Objectivity; Critics, Creator Honesty

(01:46:50) Sponsor: Mateina

(01:47:50) Evolution & Learning; Amadeus Film & Research

(01:53:53) Medicine, Keto Diet; Ballet Training & Performance, Desire

(02:00:50) Young Dancers & Competition, Intrinsic vs Extrinsic Reward, Hard Work

(02:08:47) Tool: "The Box"; Ritual, Practice vs Habit; Honorary Degrees

(02:13:37) Tool: Idea "Scratching"; Movement & Longevity, Apprentice

(02:19:46) Aging & Less Movement, Fearlessness; Taking Up Space, Names

(02:25:42) Acknowledgements

(02:27:18) Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow, Reviews & Feedback, Sponsors, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter

Disclaimer & Disclosures

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