Zen Habits Podcast

S2 Bonus - Beth Adele Long on Resilience in the Creative Process

Apr 24, 2024

Beth Adele Long, an engineer, writer, and mystic, brings a unique blend of skills to the conversation. She discusses how resilience engineering informs her creative pursuits and the importance of feedback in navigating the creative process. Beth shares insights on managing multiple projects while confronting imposter syndrome and learning from failures in both writing and software development. She emphasizes the transformative power of integrating personal joy into creative work, encouraging listeners to embrace wonder and magic in their daily lives.

56:40

Creator website

Episode guests

Beth Adele Long

AI Summary

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Embracing uncertainty in the creative process fosters personal growth and innovation, allowing individuals to explore new opportunities in their craft.

Feedback plays a crucial role in writing, helping creators recognize strengths and weaknesses while promoting accountability and fresh perspectives.

Deep dives

Navigating Uncertainty in Creative Work

Working with uncertainty is a central theme in the creative process. Individuals often face fears and resistance when pursuing meaningful projects, which can stem from a lack of confidence or a fear of judgment. Embracing this uncertainty can lead to personal growth and innovation, allowing creators to explore new opportunities within their craft. By acknowledging these emotional hurdles, artists can develop resilience and commitment to their work, ultimately enhancing their creative expression.

Intro

4min

Navigating Dual Projects: Creativity and Feedback

21min

Rekindling the Writer's Spirit

4min

Exploring Wonder and Magic in Creativity

2min

Embracing Creative Joy Over External Validation

3min

Embracing Failure: The Path to Growth in Creativity

21min

Exploring the Fearless Living Academy for Personal Growth

3min

At the intersection of technical precision and creative insight lies a unique pathway to understanding the world around us. By blending the analytical skills of engineering with the reflective practices of writing and mysticism, we unlock new dimensions of personal and professional growth, transforming challenges into innovative solutions.

In this episode, I'm excited to welcome Beth Adele Long — an engineer by training, a writer by passion, and a mystic by inclination — who embodies this unique convergence of skills. Beth shares her experiences of writing both a memoir and a technical guide, providing a fascinating look at how diverse disciplines can inform and enrich each other, and how feedback becomes a vital tool in navigating the creative process and cultivating resilience. Together, we explore how her expertise in resilience engineering informs her creative pursuits, fostering a richer, more comprehensive understanding of life’s complexities.

Join us as we dive into a discussion that bridges the gap between systematic thinking and the boundless world of creative expression, illustrating the transformative power of integrating these realms.

Topics Covered

Blending technical proficiency with creative writing
The role of personal resilience in professional success
Learning from failures in software development and writing
The impact of receiving and integrating feedback
Overcoming imposter syndrome through multiple creative projects
Insights from co-founding Spiral Press and its innovative approach to publishing
The integration of mysticism in a technical career
Strategies for managing multiple projects and maintaining creative energy

Transcript

You can find the transcript on the episode's web page by clicking here.

Beth's Bio & Resources

Beth Adele Long is an engineer by training and a mystic by inclination. She currently coaches software companies in Resilience Engineering; writes memoir, travelogues, and fantastical fiction; and is a co-founder of Spiral Press. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her dazzling husband and a beautiful patchwork family.