Calibrate your inner compass with a sense of gratitude for the peculiar - Lawrence Yeo | S4E1
Jan 9, 2024
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Explore Lawrence Yeo's journey from finance to creativity, embracing gratitude, uncertainty, and storytelling. Learn about the power of reframing life's narratives and following your inner compass. Discover the importance of authenticity in storytelling and embracing curiosity while defying categorizations. Dive into the challenges of embracing uncertainty for personal growth and navigating the nuances of the human condition.
Embrace uncertainty in creativity to cultivate a unique style and voice.
Reframing circumstances can lead to authentic and nuanced storytelling.
Follow your inner compass to prioritize personal growth and fulfillment in creative pursuits.
Deep dives
The Power of Fear in Creativity
Embracing the fear of defining one's creative work and unique style can lead to a distinct and authentic output. Lawrence Yo emphasizes that the inability to neatly answer questions about one's creative pursuits can be a strength in cultivating a unique voice and perspective as a creator.
The Marvel of Reframing and Childhood Abundance
Lawrence Yo's childhood experience of growing up poor yet feeling abundant due to his supportive family instilled in him a superpower of reframing any situation. This ability to view circumstances through different lenses serves as the foundation of his creative work, allowing him to offer fresh perspectives and convey nuanced storytelling.
Following the Inner Compass in Creative Pursuits
Lawrence Yo's journey from finance to pursuing creative endeavors showcases the importance of following one's inner compass. By marrying writing with drawing in Mortar Bat, he prioritizes his curiosity and alignment with his unique interests over external validation. This approach results in meaningful creations that resonate with audiences and lead to personal growth and fulfillment.
Embracing Authenticity and Diverse Interests in Creativity
The speaker emphasizes the importance of embracing authenticity in creativity and not limiting oneself to a specific niche. They highlight the value of exploring diverse interests and intertwining elements like finance, storytelling, and self-reflection in their work. By focusing on the holistic representation of their beliefs and experiences, the speaker promotes authenticity over conforming to traditional categorizations, fostering a genuine connection with the audience.
Self-Reflection and Motivation in Pursuing Creative Endeavors
The podcast delves into the significance of self-reflection, particularly examining personal beliefs and motivations. The speaker encourages regular introspection to understand the 'why' behind one's actions and beliefs, aiming for deep self-awareness. By inventorying and analyzing beliefs, individuals can reframe their perspectives, leading to transformative changes and a clearer sense of direction in pursuing creative endeavors.
Lawrence Yeo is a writer, illustrator, storyteller, and the creator of 'More To That', an illustrated long form blog that delves deeper into the things that make us who we are. We discuss the role of confidence, gratitude, uncertainty and many other practicalities of pursuing a creative life.
Lawrence's story in brief
Lawrence grew up feeling abundant despite growing up poor, and always had a strong sense of curiosity and abundance.
He pursued a career in finance but knew it wasn't his true passion, so he quit his job to pursue music but eventually became disillusioned with the industry's demands for external validation.
He transitioned to writing blog posts on Medium, developing a unique writing style that combines philosophical and metaphorical writing with hand-drawn illustrations and graphs.
He found that his writing reached more people than his music did, and he realised that his inner compass was about how creating art moved him forward as a person.
Lawrence started his blog, More To That, without a specific strategy or intention to start a business, and it has since grown into a platform offering courses, consulting, and direct support.
Conversation Themes
Money, creativity, fulfilment, and the idea of 'enough'
Mindset, framing, and following your inner compass while embracing uncertainty
The power of storytelling in navigating the nuances of the human condition