Creator Science

#120: Derek Sivers – How to Live as a Creator and Why You Should Focus Like a Monomaniac

Oct 4, 2022

Derek Sivers, a multifaceted musician and entrepreneur, shares his journey from founding CD Baby to writing insightful books like "How to Live." He discusses the profound benefits of monomaniacal focus, stressing that concentrating on one project leads to remarkable outcomes. Sivers also navigates the challenges of conflicting life philosophies, drawing parallels to an orchestra's harmony. He encourages creators to maintain balance between passion and financial stability, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing impactful projects.

53:24

Creator website

Episode guests

Derek Sivers

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

The Monomaniac Approach to Idea Capture

01:37

Balancing Creative Work and Day Job

01:26

To achieve a goal, make it your top priority and let everything else fall aside.…

01:30

Grow Your Business With Shopify

03:27

Intro

2min

The Journey of a Creative Entrepreneur: Embracing Uniqueness

2min

The Power of Monomaniacal Focus

15min

Navigating Conflicting Philosophies: A Harmonious Approach to Life

5min

Navigating Creative Balances

13min

Lessons from Musical Mavericks

7min

Embracing Unique Creativity

7min

Embracing Creative Freedom and the Importance of Focus

4min

WATCH

▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube

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EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Derek Sivers is a musician, producer, circus performer, entrepreneur, TED speaker, and book publisher. He's written four books including How To Live, Hell Yeah Or No, Your Music And People, and Anything You Want.

He's also the founder of CD Baby – the largest seller of independent music online, with $100 million in sales for 150,000 musicians. In 2007, Derek sold that business for $22 million – almost all of which Derek donated to a charitable trust for music education.

In this episode, we talk about how Derek keeps himself focused on ONE project at a time, how to navigate conflicting philosophies, what we can learn from professional musicians, and how creators can pursue balance in our lives.

Full transcript and show notes

Visit Derek Sivers website

See Derek Sivers book recommendations

Follow Derek Sivers on Twitter / YouTube

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TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Who is Derek Sivers?

00:27 - Derek is a Monomaniac

01:19 - Derek’s Inspiration for “How To Live”

01:58 - What We Learn Today

02:45 - Derek Has a Singular Focus

04:14 - Is Being a Monomaniac Innate or Learned?