Have you ever noticed those water towers, scattered across the horizon, and thought "Hmm... I wonder how those work?" Well, there's actually lot to learn from them about how to manage your life as a creative pro.

In this episode, we explore the idea of managing energy instead of time in our creative process. Our guests, Lisa Congdon, Brian Johnson (author of Areté), Tony Schwartz (author of Be Excellent At Anything), and Jeff Karp (author of LIT), share their insights on the importance of understanding the creative process as a journey with highs and lows. We explore the link between physical and creative energy, emphasizing the significance of managing energy effectively to achieve peak performance in our work.

The episode covers essential strategies for managing energy, including the concept of activation energy, the impact of deep work and intermittent renewal, and the importance of prioritizing tasks based on their energy requirements. It also delves into the power of micro-progress, the negative effects of multitasking, and the value of starting each day with the most important task.

Key learnings:

1. Managing energy is crucial for achieving peak performance in creative work.

2. Prioritizing the most important task at the start of the day can significantly impact productivity.

3. Working in increments and avoiding multitasking can lead to higher quality work.

4. Small victories and low activation energy goals can contribute to overall energy management and motivation.

5. Recognizing the link between physical and creative energy is essential for sustained optimal performance.

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