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#649: Rick Rubin, Legendary Producer — Timeless Methods for Unlocking Creativity, Secrets Hidden in Plain Sight, The Future with AI, Helpful Distractions, Working with Strong Personalities, Breaking Out of “The Sameness,” and More

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Jan 11, 2023

Guest

Rick Rubin

Rick Rubin, a nine-time GRAMMY-winning producer, shares his insights on creativity and collaboration drawn from his experience with legends like Adele and Jay-Z. He discusses the importance of embracing creative uncertainty and aligning authenticity with artistic output. The conversation dives into effective strategies for navigating interpersonal conflict in creative environments and how awareness of the world around us can spark inspiration. Rubin also addresses the role of distractions in creativity and the evolving influence of AI on artistic expression.

01:24:59

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Episode notes

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ADVICE

One-Word Homework

Break creative blocks by giving yourself small, doable tasks.
Start with one word, then build momentum towards larger pieces.

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ADVICE

Prioritizing Ideas

For better collaboration, prioritize the best idea, not personal egos.
Use blind testing to evaluate work objectively, removing bias.

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ANECDOTE

Over-Revision

Tim Ferriss over-revises his fiction, blurring his perspective.
He questions if later revisions are actually improvements.

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Embracing Creative Uncertainty

05:04 • 10min

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Navigating Creative Collaboration

15:01 • 17min

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Aligning Creativity with Authenticity

32:09 • 6min

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The Art of Perception

38:08 • 4min

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Navigating Creativity and Distractions

42:23 • 24min

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Enduring Creativity: Balancing Art and Routine

01:06:15 • 11min

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Reflections and Discoveries

01:17:44 • 7min

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Tao te ching

Laozi

The Tao Te Ching is a central text in Taoist philosophy and religion. It consists of 81 brief chapters or sections that discuss the nature of the Tao, which is described as the source and ideal of all existence. The text emphasizes living in harmony with nature, the importance of simplicity, humility, and the interconnectedness of all things. It critiques unnatural actions and social activism based on abstract moralism, advocating for a life of 'nonaction' (wu wei) and spontaneity. The text has been highly influential in Chinese philosophy and has been translated numerous times, making it one of the most translated texts in world literature[2][3][4].

The Creative Act

A Way of Being

Rick Rubin

In *The Creative Act: A Way of Being*, Rick Rubin distills the wisdom he has gained from a lifetime of working with artists across various genres. The book is not just about music production but about the broader creative process and how it applies to everyone's life. Rubin emphasizes the importance of reconnecting with a state of innocence, being aware of the world, and tapping into what he calls 'Source'—an infinite and constant flow of ideas and inspiration. The book is structured around 78 areas of thought, providing practical wisdom, philosophical insights, and encouragement for anyone seeking to enhance their creative expression.

The artist's way

a spiritual path to higher creativity

Ada Arbós Bo

Julia Cameron

This book presents a comprehensive method for artists to recover their creativity from various blocks such as limiting beliefs, fear, self-sabotage, and other inhibiting forces. It is designed to help individuals discover and develop their artistic potential, whether as writers, painters, poets, or musicians. The book emphasizes the connection between creativity and spirituality, providing step-by-step exercises to nurture creative expression as a consistent part of daily life.

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Rick Rubin (@RickRubin) is a nine-time GRAMMY-winning producer, one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world, and the most successful producer in any genre, according to Rolling Stone. He has collaborated with artists from Tom Petty to Adele, Johnny Cash to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beastie Boys to Slayer, Kanye West to the Strokes, and System of a Down to Jay-Z. You can find my 2015 interview with Rick at tim.blog/RickRubin.

His new book is THE CREATIVE ACT: A Way of Being.

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[00:00] Start

[06:28] Why Rick wrote The Creative Act.

[09:24] The Tao of Rick Rubin.

[12:16] Making the creative toolbox multi-purposeful.

[15:00] Collaborations: ensuring the best ideas prevail over egos.

[19:50] Creative revisions are experiments, not guaranteed improvements.

[26:44] Knowing when to be defined by or to deviate from an established genre.

[33:07] Why Rick resisted advice to make his first book an autobiography.

[37:10] Even a solo project is a collaboration.

[38:07] Noticing what nobody else sees.

[40:24] Being in the wonderful state “which makes art inevitable.”

[42:22] Craftsperson vs. artist.