Productive Flourishing Podcast

In the 11th question and answer episode, Angela and Charlie answer questions from the Productive Flourishing Community and the Campfire. The answers focus on habit stacking, how to focus on important but not urgent projects, and a few tips on Medium.[1:17] - The first question from the Campfire: Are there any resources, links, or suggestions Charlie can offer about habit stacking? What teachables can be broken down into hacks, and how can we take tiny habits and build them up?[1:55] - Habit stacking is the concept of having a habit that you already do, and following it with a habit that you’re trying to learn. Oftentimes, people think too big with habits - narrow the focus of the habit down to something more specific. Charlie shares an example in his life of how he was able to use habit stacking to accomplish more during his morning routine. He calls each of these habits “micro-habits.” The importance of habit stacking is that it sets up a mental default that gets you going.[7:05] - As a teacher, you want to think in reverse. What a learner needs is a micro-action to get started - break down what you’re going to be teaching into the smallest possible chunk. His example reminds us to make sure that our learners actually know how to do everything they need to do to accomplish the larger action.[10:12] - What’s an action item? An action item is similar to a “to-do” item. To write an action item, you want to create a verb-noun construct: place a verb in front of the noun that is the item of consideration. This question is a great example of being able to break down something familiar or routine to explain the process to new learners.[14:40] - The second question also comes from the Campfire - how do you decide which important but not urgent projects to focus on first? The projects that tie in more to your priorities and values are always going to beat smaller projects that don’t tie in to your priorities and values. Sometimes, what we want to be the most important things for us are not the most important.[18:01] - Fear can influence the way we prioritize; typically, it may be fear of ostracism or fear of appearing incompetent. One of the ways to get important but not urgent projects to the top is to become truly aware of what your priorities are. If it truly is more important, the next step is having the courage to claim its importance and make the space for yourself to work on that project. The second way to move those projects up is to identify the fear and “claim it, name it, tame it.”[22:30] - Finally, give yourself time to get through the discomfort of not knowing what you’re doing or how it’s going to turn out. Lean into the creative tension until something starts flowing.[24:05] - What about the things that are important to do but perhaps not the most desirable or exciting? Charlie talks about a chart he adapted to help make these comparisons. Sandwich these things in between projects you want to do.[29:00] - The last question comes from the Campfire as well: does Charlie have any advice, tips, or suggestions on using Medium?[29:27] - Medium is a hybrid product that is a mixture of a hosting platform, a social community, and a product. It’s like Facebook, but it’s for most long-form posts and a variety of essays and articles.[32:43] - Your profile will show everything that you’ve written, everything that you’ve responded to, and everything that you’ve recommended. In addition, everything on Medium can be “tagged,” and anyone who follows these tags or topics will eventually see posts about them. Medium is a great way to discover all sorts of writers and various topics. Charlie also suggests following publications.[35:49] - Charlie loves Medium because the comments are really good. There is an interactive element that allows you to address specific elements of a post. To get started, set up your profile and follow topics that interest you. Respond to the content that shows up for you.[39:41] - The hierarchy of content on Medium is really flat. Every response on Medium shows up as a story- it does not differentiate between leaving a comment and writing a story.[42:11] - Angela talks about the thread running through all these responses to questions: bigger is not always better. It is about the small steps we can take to be part of the bigger world of any of these topics. Charlie then ties this point to how we can build upon smaller things to do something big in the world.Mentioned in This Episode:Creative Giant Campfire Facebook GroupTiny Habits ProgramHow to Referee Your Project Cage Match, on Productive FlourishingA Frog A Day Keeps Your Anchors Aweigh, on Productive FlourishingMediumContact on Productive FlourishingLeave a Rating or Review This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.productiveflourishing.com/subscribe

We may think creativity and grief wouldn’t normally go together, and yet, creativity and grief are very much related. Cath Duncan and Kara Jones join Charlie to talk about how grief and creativity are related, and why it’s important to do our grief and creativity our own way.Key Takeaways:[3:34] - Cath introduces herself and how she moved from her previous work to grief work. She had her own experiences of grief and loss that changed her and taught her what was going to be important in her work, and that helped to guide her journey to her current work.[6:08] - Kara shares her journey: she used to be an artist and a writer prior to the grief experiences that slammed her family. For her, the connections and work that came after the grief were really an organic experience. When finding reasons to get out of bed after loss, she made connections to her physical body that carried on, and her work as an artist. It was very personal, but eventually translated to connections with other people.[9:06] - As we experience loss and death and grief, we can choose to destroy ourselves or we can choose to create. Charlie, Cath, and Kara discuss the historical connection between these concepts as well as Cath and Kara’s current work. Kara views it as sort of a continuum, where grief and creativity are ends of a spectrum, and there’s a lot of stuff happening in between. Cath suggests that we can’t have grieving without creativity.[12:35] - Tentative definition of grieving: a social and creative meaning-making process. We all have meaning-making experiences, and we have to string them together in stories to make sense of what’s going on, how we respond, and who we are. This sort of sense of security is called the Assumptive World. A great loss can shatter this world, and grief is the process of looking at these shattered assumptions and doing a more deliberate review of priorities.[16:15] - Cath and Kara discuss an expanded definition of creativity as it relates to grief. It goes beyond something analytical. Kara talks about some of the other aspects of everyday life that can be affected by grief, and how different people react creatively.[20:00] - “The Myth of the Hierarchy of Loss” - Cath talks about this idea of considering socio-cultural ideas of grief and loss to try to qualify or rationalize reactions to different losses. The basic idea of the myth of the hierarchy is that some losses are more important than others, some we don’t talk about, some that society stigmatizes, and where someone thinks they get slotted into the hierarchy (whether by themselves or by others) “tells” them how much they’re allowed to grieve, how they can express it, or how long they can express it.[23:05] In their class, Cath and Kara teach about the relationships between grieving and shame. Shame, or the idea that we’re faulty or unworthy of belonging, can weave its way into some of the answers that we are considering for our new meanings. They consider questions like where shame comes from, and what sustains shame. A lot of people have experiences that sit outside of the “normal” or “preferred,” and that’s alright.[30:50] - This definition of creativity is not necessarily making art, but the rather the ability to envision something else. Any time we’re making something, we’re being creative. It’s not the form; it’s the process.[33:35] - Because we’re human, a lot of us carry around unprocessed grief. In society, we may not always feel like we have adequate time to cope with our grief. Charlie invites Kara and Cath to give an invitation for the listeners in these moments. Kara invites us to explore giving ourselves permission to do what we need to do. Related to that, Cath invites us to not explore grief. If you or someone you love is in denial, that can be okay. You don’t have to perform grief in the ways that others are requiring you to.[40:05] - Cath discusses some of the genderization of grief with regards to the performance of grief. Along with this, it is important to remember that there’s not only one way to do it. This may be difficult in families where we want to all be experiencing our grief the same way. It is important for couples and families to recognize that people might be having very different experiences and ways of expressing themselves.Mentioned in This Episode:Creative Giant Campfire Facebook GroupRemembering For GoodWhen Your Baby DiesRemembering For Good: The WorkbookThe Creative Grief StudioMrs. Duck and the Woman, by Kara L.C. Jones1000 Permissions Granted, by Kara L.C. Jones (PDF)They Were Still Born, by Janel C. AtlasBig Magic, by Elizabeth GilbertEpisode 58: How to Heal After the Loss of A Partner with Kristin Meekhof, on Productive FlourishingLeave a Review This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.productiveflourishing.com/subscribe

Today’s episode is a requested reading of a previously published post on Productive Flourishing. The article shows how using the lens of cash flow, opportunity, and visibility is useful for sorting through complex business decisions to determine your most relevant next step. In this reading, Charlie talks about how working through each of the lenses can help enhance the other two in turn.Key Takeaways:[0:52] - How do we assess the values of potential business activities? There is a quick framework to help, but we need to think about the goals of our business activities: to generate cash flow, to generate opportunities, or to generate visibility.[2:20] - Cash flow: It is always important to think about positive cash flow. This keeps us looking at how to get our working capital, rather than “I owe you’s” and unresolved potential payments. While cash flow generating activities are important, they aren’t the only thing we should be doing - a growing business also needs opportunity and visibility.[3:38] - Opportunities: An effective entrepreneurial executive succeeds in creating opportunities where it seems like there are none, rather than waiting for one to happen. We should ask ourselves what new realities or consequences might result from doing a specific activity, like an opportunity chain. An opportunity chain is a set of cascading opportunities that are synergistic. Your momentum depends on cumulative growth and opportunities.[5:17] - Visibility: To grow our business, we have to get what we’re doing in front of people. It is a balance between being seen by our ideal customers, and at least being seen by someone. As our visibility grows, we can be more selective about target audiences. It is also important to have our “home base” in order - there needs to be a reason for bringing people back to our sites.[6:37] - Trade-offs and sweet spots: In business, it may be necessary to trade one goal of business for another. Sometimes, we may need to pull back on cash flow generation to build opportunities and visibility. In these cases, we need to assess consequences from all three aspects to determine the value of participating in a certain activity at the expense of another. It is ideal to do activities that achieve two or more of the goals at once. The more of these sweet spots activities we do, the faster our businesses will grow.[8:22] - Planning strategically versus operating strategically: When we align both, we can get some powerful results. Thinking about these three goals can help align things more quickly. Take stock of your current state of business - which of the goals are most important right now? How can you combine the goals to get further faster?Mentioned in This Episode:Creative Giant Campfire Facebook GroupThe 3 Goals of Any Business Activity on Productive FlourishingLeave a Review This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.productiveflourishing.com/subscribe

A lot of people have a love-hate relationship with systems. On one hand, they can help clear up a lot of mind chatter and resolve frustrations. On the other hand, they’re not that fun. Many creative people tell themselves they just don’t get systems. In today’s episode, Marina Darlow joins Charlie to discuss the relationships between systems, being creative, and emotion, as well as some of the reasons people avoid building better systems.Key Takeaways:[2:35] - Many people might feel that systems/ automation take the humanity or the soul out of projects. Both Charlie and Marina agree that systems can actually allow you to focus on the things that you really care about doing by removing background chatter and the need to engage with things you’d rather not.[4:20] - Especially among creative giants, many people think that systems will stifle their creativity. However, if you are finding it difficult to move an idea from start to finish, systems can help provide a road map for the in-between (or equipment you have to use, or a playbook).[8:12] - Systems geeks often conflate processes as well as the tools and apps that run those processes. As a listener, it is helpful to remember that these things go hand in hand. Marina likes to think of a system as a method plus a container, or a tool that helps you implement that method. The focus should be on finding a system that helps to efficiently complete your tasks.[11:24] - With almost every tool that you start using, there will be a learning curve. Don’t abandon it - if you’re confident in the process, then dealing with the learning curve will become much easier. This stage of getting to understand how a tool works can be difficult for people who consider themselves to be creative.[15:42] - Splitting up the design, the build, and the following across your business can increase efficiency and decrease frustration, so different people know how to approach that space. As you’re working through new systems, remember NPS - no perfect system.[18:03] - Marina worked with a client (a filmmaker) who wanted more help planning out his week to accomplish a big project. He was getting stuck, and Marina had him pretend he was writing some material for a series. When he was writing a story instead of writing out tasks, his planning was much easier. Turning unpleasant tasks into a story can allow us to engage with our systems more.[23:04] - What happens when this project is extended to other clients? Many people jump on board because inventing a story or creating a narrative sounds more fun than putting tasks on the Gantt. When you create a story, you create a system that is very engaging.[27:30] - Moneyball applied to creativity: the secret of a great player is how many times they are able to get on base. In creative work, you never really see your big hits coming. The more we are “at bat”, the greater the chance that we will have a hit more frequently.[29:32] - You have to be careful with systems building; sometimes it’s a very sophisticated way of hiding from the very best work you need to do. A good system can help to contain the desire to perfect everything and to hide in the back.[31:26] - When is it time to scrap systems? Systems can actually hold you back when you try to dream and create a vision. In situations where there may be an emotional block, it makes sense to get away from the current structures you have in place. In some cases of crisis mode, it may be more important to focus on communication first and then find the system that works.[37:07] - Charlie and Marina talk about system maintenance: after you build it once, you may still need to review your key systems every quarter to see if they’re still working how you need them to. In a way, part of a good system is to self-assess.[40:40] - When teaching your systems to new employees or new partners, there may be a learning curve as they learn how their technical skills fit into the specific context of your business.[43:55] - What steps does Marina use with her clients to establish their own personal systems? The first step is the assessment, and she always starts with “what hurts?” Once you know where the struggles lie, you can begin building systems for that point. Also, here is where Marina begins to see how they think. Out of these things, they devise a custom process.[47:17] - When tackling systems building, start with what hurts the most. There are many ways to determine that and to figure out which systems to tackle first. Coming from a place of emotion can help understand this as well. When you confront that emotional wall, it’s not that you’ve done something wrong, it’s that you’ve done something right and that’s where the work is.[51:34] - Marina leaves listeners with this invitation: sit for 5-10 minutes and think about which system really bugs them the most in their current state. Think about it from the emotional perspective: what makes you feel either guilt, resentment, or avoidance to figure out what’s not quite going right.Mentioned in This Episode:Creative Giant Campfire Facebook GroupVision FrameworkSmartsheetCreative Giant Show Episode 71Leave a Review This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.productiveflourishing.com/subscribe

In this Q&A, Angela joins Charlie to answer questions from the Campfire about why they have a no electronics rule in the bedroom or dining room area, how to determine if your current focus block isn’t going to work and how to switch to something else, and how to conduct a mid-month review.Key Takeaways:[1:02] - Angela and Charlie have a no electronics rule in the bedroom/ at the dining room table . How did they decide to do this, how do they actually do this, and what do they feel like it’s done for them? How can the listener incorporate this without feeling like they might miss out on business opportunities if they’re not always available?[1:45] - Firstly, Charlie encourages letting go of the 24/7 availability, unless you are really in an emergency response role. This way, your clients are getting the best you have to offer when you are available. Additionally, we miss more business opportunities because we’re frazzled, not because we’re not available.[4:20] - Angela and Charlie have been following this rule for about ten years. It began to get frustrating when one would be on their phone while the other was talking, and they wanted to spend the time they had together actually being together. They have a place for their phones when they get home, and also don’t have a television in their bedroom. This allows them to be intentional about their media consumption.[10:30] - This was born out of personal observation of people browsing through their phones while being engaged with others, and it really started to bother Angela. Charlie and Angela had several discussions about it to figure out the best way to implement and carry it out.[14:05] - It’s awfully easy to get back into those habits of being constantly connected to our devices, but when we take a step back, we can use that time to connect with ourselves and those around us. To start, we can think about what would feel good to us, then communicate that to clients or family, so we can show up at our best for them.[20:09] - Jeremy from the Campfire wants to know: How do you determine if your current creative block (focus block) just isn’t going to work and you switch to something different? How do you get back on track with a creative block (focus block) once you start falling off track?[21:05] - There is a quick recap of what focus blocks are and how they work. Charlie touches on some things that may make it difficult to get through one: getting through the thrash/ resistance and being human. Sometimes, it’s hard to decide where to start or whether something is working. Other times, you might just be in a fog - whether it’s hunger, or exhaustion - and it’s important to understand that this could affect your work.[26:19] - Taking some time before you start to check in with yourself can help you re-center and get started, or evaluate and decide if you’re time is going to be well-spent in your current state. You may need to take care of yourself before you get started on a focus block.[28:15] - The last question asked is, can you please explain how to conduct mid-month reviews? What should we be focused on, and what should we look for?[28:54] - A lot of times when you are in a monthly planning cycle, by the end of the month you might forget what you’re working toward. A mid-month review is important for staying on track and making sure you know where your goals are headed.[29:46] - Look for a good time in the middle of the month, maybe a Sunday or a Monday. Questions to ask: What have you accomplished this month? What goals or projects need to be adjusted or dropped based upon what has actually happened? What are the priorities for the rest of the month? What bills need to be paid, and what funds are in place to pay them? What projects or tasks have fallen off the radar? When was the last time you rewarded yourself, and when will be the next?[35:20] - It doesn’t take too long to conduct a mid-month review. Try not to conduct it in your workspace; do it in a place where you can focus on it and be complete about it. The process allows you to start with the good, look for improvement, and then end with a reward for yourself - this is a very encouraging and important process![38:01] - Summary of questions and topics discussed. How will they help you flourish this week? Mentioned in This Episode:Creative Giant Campfire Facebook GroupThe Mid-Month ReviewLeave a Review This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.productiveflourishing.com/subscribe

A lot of creative people thrive on having multiple side projects, but at the same time, having side projects may cause your main projects to suffer. Nicole Stevenson joins Charlie to jam about how having side projects might help you with your main projects. She brings her vast experiences as an entrepreneur - clothing line creator, craft show extraordinaire, illustrator, among many others - to discuss how she got started on the two main ventures she’s working on today, aspects of working with a business partner to make projects work, as well as the various benefits working on side projects can provide to main business projects. Key Takeaways:[2:53] - Nicole shares a bit of her history, recounting some of her business and entrepreneurial ventures and tracing their evolution to get to where she is today. Her creative interests led to observations about different things in the crafting community, and she joined with her aunt to start up Patchwork Show and eventually Craft-cation.[7:47] - Charlie talks about predetermined business plans versus responsive business plans. With Nicole’s sort of adaptive process, how did she and her business partner let go of the old things to focus on the things that matter most right now? As she evaluated which aspects of her work were exciting and profitable, she slowly let other things drop off.[12:17] - Sometimes when things reach a certain level of maturity, or aren’t as new anymore, they might lose some of the magic that had us holding on to them. On the flip side, sometimes when projects are spaced out at cyclical intervals, each time you come back to it can be new and exciting.[14:09] - When we’re in the business of making creative things, there are a lot of open-loop projects. Having some closed-loops projects, maybe more of the admin side of your business, can be refreshing to balance out the other projects.[17:01] - Breaking down your tasks into smaller steps can make tackling some of the big projects more manageable. It can also increase our sense of accomplishment to be completing small steps towards finishing a big task. A good balance between small tasks divided over a certain amount of time is very beneficial in keeping your to-do list manageable.[20:20] - How can managing side projects make us better at our main projects? Having side projects that may get us connected with other people or things can be refreshing towards work with our main projects.[23:31] - Part of being a creative knowledge worker is recognizing that our emotion is one of the ingredients we’re working with. It is important to be mindful of our emotions and how they tie in to what we produce. Side projects can be an avenue to separate some of these emotions so the negative effects don’t drift into the main projects.[25:28] - Charlie talks about the importance of being in a divergent population of creatives, and the benefits of small projects can help the work we do with our main projects be more focused and provide different solutions.[29:05] - How do Nicole and her business partner workout temporal misalignments, or managing different time requirements between side projects and their main business? Evaluating who is better suited to managing and working on different tasks is important for both parties involved. Specifically for Nicole and Delilah, communication is key.[33:59] - In a partnership, it is not likely that each person will be doing the exact same work during a week. It is unlikely that it will be an even 50/50 distribution. Keeping track of these hours can also lead to conversations about the relative value of work.[38:02] - How does Nicole measure success when it comes to all her projects, both side projects and main projects? At the end of the day, she measures success based on whether she is proud of the work she’s doing, and feels like she is giving the best she can give to her community.[42:28] - For creative entrepreneurs in general, it is important to make reading about financial aspects part of your regular flow.[45:59] - Nicole leaves listeners with this invitation: start a side project, whether it’s something for your business, something for yourself, or something for your money. Anything that requires your attention is considered a project - pick a project out that is the most manageable for where you are. Mentioned in This Episode:Creative Giant Campfire Facebook GroupNicole Stevenson StudioDear Handmade LifePatchwork ShowCraftcationChunkingTCGS Episode 131 with Larry RobertsonApp: Hours KeeperInvestment App: AcornsCredit App: Credit KarmaLeave a Review This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.productiveflourishing.com/subscribe

Today’s episode is a requested reading of a previously published post on Productive Flourishing named “5 Ways to Get Through the Creative Red Zone.” This article lists five ways to get projects that are almost done into the finished stage. Key Takeaways:[0:48] - The creative “red zone” is when you have a project that is almost finished, and you feel as if you have just as much to do as you did when you started the final push. Charlie discusses this analogy as it relates to football and creative projects.[3:04] - 1. Double-down by returning to the why of a project: As we draw toward deadlines, we tend to lose sight of why we started the project in the first place. Reminding ourselves why can give us the extra push we need to finish - a gift to both ourselves and others.[3:45] - 2. Focus on getting it to good enough: If your goal is perfection, you will never get it done. We need other people to make our work excellent, which requires us to let go when it’s good enough.[4:16] - 3. Know that the more it matters, the more it’s only a start anyway: We often falsely assume that the more it matters, the better the start of it should be. In reality, the more something matters, the better it is that we start finishing sooner, so we can get it out in the world.[5:02] - 4. Understand that you’re usually working on your own mindset toward the end: Often, once we’re in the red zone, we continue to work without really getting anywhere. What we’re really working on is our own mindset.[6:02] - 5. Do your work, and then step away: There’s only so much we can do with creative work to make sure that it’s successful. When you make art, you give up predictability for remarkability.[6:37] - In finishing creative work, we risk our project failing, but we’ll be out of the red zone. Finishing a project allows for more self-reflection and change moving forward.[7:07] - You’ll always have a red zone; it never goes away if you’re really showing up. Charlie encourages us to get real about the type of projects in which we are investing our time. Mentioned in This Episode:Creative Giant Campfire Facebook GroupOriginal Post: 5 Ways to Get Through the Creative Red ZoneLeave a Review This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.productiveflourishing.com/subscribe

As entrepreneurs and small business owners, we can help create solutions that create positive social change - promoting diversity and inclusion, distributing wealth, creating opportunities, and promote flourishing. In today’s episode, Pam Slim joins Charlie to talk about how small business owners can lead the way for this change. Tune in today to hear their discussion and ideas! Key Takeaways:[3:51] - They share a love of supporting the small business market, specifically those that are the lifeblood of communities - founded on passion and dreams. As social dynamics change, how can we continue to support this small business sector?[7:10] - Pam shares her work with her new business - a physical place to foster growth. Through her previous travels, she gained great insight into communities coming together to connect, and this spurred her to work to create a positive experience in her own community - specifically focusing on the Native American community as well as other marginalized communities in Mesa, AZ.[11:43] - In what ways can one be involved in these kinds of conversations? One of the biggest things for Charlie and Pam is being more intentionally inclusive and working to expand diversity in speaker panels and leadership boards. In addition, this creates spaces where more people feel that they belong and have something to contribute.[16:10] - From a small business perspective, there has been a tremendous amount of opportunity and growth in the small business sector, as well as within certain markets and demographics.[20:33] - Pro-big versus pro-small camps: While there is the argument that the big companies generate wealth, the small companies distribute wealth. We need both, especially considering the opportunities small businesses can offer to vulnerable youth, recent graduates, and even older seniors wanting to get back into the workforce. These opportunities could be life-changing for some groups of people who are feeling rejected or unwanted in the workforce.[25:47] - Bouncing off the creation of new businesses and spaces, how can existing businesses be intentional about providing an atmosphere in which people with various backgrounds can work?[29:12] - There’s constant learning, and also such great change and innovation that can happen by beginning to ask questions and make some of these intentional shifts. Pam talks about expanding the definition of success to include not just personal financial gain, but also the health and well-being of the surrounding community. [31:40] - It is a limiting belief that focusing on some of these changes is going to cost a lot to execute. When you do the work, it doesn’t, and the gain is huge! People from diverse communities actually seek businesses and organizations that support their communities.[36:25] - We all have work to do in our communities, but there’s never a bad time to start the work that needs to be done.[37:00] - Charlie talks about his experiences when he first moved to Portland to connect with some of these communities (not just online). He got connected with the investment community and learned about how decisions are made within companies, and was able to apply this knowledge to more of the native communities in Portland.[39:12] - Since starting this venture, it has really encouraged Charlie to focus on simple, but universal messages that apply across communities. Thinking about this can change the approach of discussing some topics with different communities of people.[45:55] - Perhaps our goals in terms of charitable giving should be looking into how we can be doing the work with other people as equals.[48:04] - Charlie and Pam talk about hiring locally versus looking outside of our communities or even the nation for hiring. There is great discussion of different considerations from both sides![51:26] - The point is to start asking questions about how you are intentionally making choices in your business that benefit your local, national, and global communities. Our benefits come from thinking outside the box of a self-gain model.[54:03] - Pam’s invitation for listeners: look at your community, notice and celebrate which people are participating in your community, ask yourself who is not here, then ask yourself why they are not there. Then, ask yourself how you can begin to build bridges to people you want to be there. What small step can you make in the next week? Mentioned in This Episode:Creative Giant Campfire Facebook GroupEscape from Cubicle NationK’éBody of Work: Finding the Thread That Ties Your Story TogetherEscape for Cubicle Nation (Book)one n tenMalcom Gladwell: The Tipping PointThe Creative Giant Show: Episode 1Leave a review  This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.productiveflourishing.com/subscribe

In the 9th Q&A episode, Angela joins Charlie to answer questions from the campfire about decision fatigue, business growth problems, and how to manage multiple projects when you’re already overwhelmed. Key Takeaways:[1:06] - The show must go on! As a precursor to the depth of this episode, Charlie and Angela talk a bit about balancing hectic schedules with times of self care.[4:03] - The first listener from the Campfire wants to know what advice Charlie can offer on how she can reduce decision fatigue in all areas of her life.[4:18] - Decision fatigue is when you are in the midst of making either micro or normal decisions, and you wear out. Charlie suggests a few things to help: 1) Defaults can save you so much by eliminating some of decisions you have to make, because you’ve already made them in advance. 2) Try to have your bigger decisions happen when you have high energy; creating and keeping a decision list can to help organize and prioritize these things. 3) Look for ways you can make top level decisions by analyzing more deeply the source of decision on a lower level.[9:30] - Angela talks about how things can very easily start to cascade down when we haven’t had a chance to sit down and premeditate some of our decisions. Taking a little time beforehand to plan some things can save time and stress later on down the road when you have to make the decision or carry out a task.[11:58] - Another campfire listener wants to know what suggestions Charlie has to handle business growth problems, specifically because she’s grappling between scaling and pivoting in her business.[12:34] - When you’re have a growth challenge, take a moment to think about where you want to be three or five years down the road, and how does what you’re thinking about doing help get you there or prevent you from getting there.[14:17] - Charlie encourages thinking about what scaling might allow you to do that really matters for your business, your team, your family, and your business ecosystem. Be clear about the why when it comes to growth and scaling.[17:38] - In almost every case, eliminating something you’re doing is usually the best track forward, whether you’re scaling or pivoting. Anticipate that you might be making these types of decisions about every five to seven years.[19:45] - Our last campfire listener is looking for some best practices on managing multiple projects, both in a professional and personal sense. How can she handle more than she can handle, and what tools and systems can be used to keep track of everything?[21:00] - The first thing to do is start with a triage: which of the projects are absolutely essential? The timeline may need to be upleveled - set goals around the number of focus blocks you have. Another way to approach it may be by dedicating a day to one project, and moving each further along in that manner.[23:42] - The other thing is to maybe get to a point of acceptable mediocrity - we can’t be excellent at everything all the time. Communicating with a support system the things you can and can’t do is very important.[26:48] - We have to learn to say no more than we say yes; you can’t say yes to everything. Continue to check in with saying yes to the things that are in alignment for you. Mentioned in This Episode:Creative Giant Campfire Facebook GroupThe Five Why’sLeave a ReviewProductive Flourishing  This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.productiveflourishing.com/subscribe

Larry Robertson, author and thought leader, joins Charlie to jam about creativity. In this episode, they cover everything including what creativity is, where breakthroughs come through, unhelpful myths that prevent us from understanding creativity, the roles space and time have for the creative process, and the different modes of creativity. Key Takeaways:[0:56] - Charlie gives an introduction to Larry Robertson.[3:50] - Through his previous experiences in various roles in the entrepreneurial universe, Larry started noticing a pattern of people wanting to know “what is entrepreneurship?” His first book was a pull back to explore how entrepreneurship fits into a larger picture, and what is behind entrepreneurship: creativity.[7:51] - Charlie and Larry talk about the tension between the context of business and a context outside of business. How can we look outwards from the limited focus of our domains of expertise to invite other elements into our business practices?[11:07] - One of the keys to creativity is that is it variable - things (and you!) are going to change with time and circumstances. When we lean into this change, it can be quite uncomfortable - when we realize that this is part of the process, it can actually invite more moments of creativity.[14:46] - Creativity is something we often seek out when we are in a pinch. Larry’s book approaches creativity from the opposite perspective. Rather than thinking of where creativity ends, he encourages focus on where it begins and the process that it flows through.[17:02] - Charlie talks about his concept of slow magic: sometimes the work that matters the most happens slowly.[22:06] - Continuing this idea of a slow build versus lightning strikes, Larry talks about creativity being an accumulation. How can we lead ourselves toward that accumulation that leads to the big idea?[23:42] - Stu Coffman’s  concept of the adjacent possible: sometimes the biggest breakthroughs come from just moving to the edges of what you know. When you look back on the world you know, you can’t help but see it differently. Finally, when you explore the adjacent possible, you make the possible bigger.[27:27] - When you’re trying to figure out how to move forward with your next big idea, the trick is to immerse yourself into the work being done in not just your field, but also in the fields where your expertise overlaps with your other interests. Allow yourself to fall into this space and find those happy accidents.[32:55] - Charlie talks about the importance of having a community of people with varied interests, passions, and expertises, and interacting with that community. This community lends itself to the idea of creativity as a co-creation.[36:58] - We have to be ready for interaction with a creative community. Larry talks about ways we can prepare ourselves on an individual level before we start to become part of a co-creation.[40:15] - Five habits of the mind: 1. How do you know what you know? 2. Is there a pattern? 3. Ask “what if” questions 4. Is there another way of looking at it? 5. Who cares? Charlie shares some of his questions of the mind as well.[46:18] - Asking these questions, both in a personal and a professional context, can confirm that you’re on the right track or bring attention to something that could be changed for the better. These can be guided by the three acts of creation: choice, reaction, and improvisation.[49:22] - How do we actionize the three acts of creation? When all three modes of creation are on the same plane, we can think about where we are on the matrix and how we can lean into those modes. We can also apply these modes in different contexts and situations.[55:16] - We all have all three acts of creation. It is important to not think of them as a hierarchy, but to work to constantly move between them so you can develop them all.[58:11] - Larry leaves us with this challenge: “The perpetual obstacle to human advancement is custom”: What are your customs that are getting in the way of your own advancement? Mentioned in This Episode:Creative Giant Campfire Facebook GroupA Deliberate Pause: Entrepreneurship and its Moment in Human Progress by Larry RobertsonThe Language of Man: Learning to Speak Creativity by Larry RobertsonBig Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.productiveflourishing.com/subscribe