I used to think I somehow escaped the clutches of imposter syndrome. Oh, the ego in that statement. Surprise, surprise, I was wrong.My imposter syndrome grips me as a writer, a podcaster, a speaker, and a creator-of-things-that-people-are-supposed-to-enjoyer.  It's the worst when I face gatekeepers -- people like editors or publishers who decide whether or not someone is worthy of coming onto their platform or working with their service.Most of us face some flavor of imposter syndrome, and it can feel impossible to beat. Recently, I heard the story of a friend's brother obsessed with searching for mushrooms in the woods behind his house. That led me to a realization that can help us change the way we view or work and our relationship to it, which can in turn help us beat imposter syndrome.In the end, we aren't experts. We're explorers. We're not creators. We're foragers.What might happen if we thought about our work in those terms?*   *   *TO GET MORE INSPIRATION + SUPPORT THE SHOW:Subscribe to my newsletter:Equal parts human story and pep talk, my weekly newsletter is focused on inspiring us to make what matters to our careers and communities. Subscribe for free and join creatives from brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, and the NY Times, as well as thousands of freelancers, creators, and entrepreneurs. >>> jayacunzo.com/newsletterBuy a book:Stories and frameworks for questioning best practices, honing your intuition, and doing your best work.>>> jayacunzo.com/books *   *   *THANKS FOR LISTENING AND SUPPORTING!Keep making what matters.-Jay

The company Museum Hack, founded by Nick Gray, was at one point a promising new startup. It helped reinvent and reinvigorate a stale museum experience. It lured people out of their homes, away from their screens, and into groups of people. There, connection happened. Learning. Inspiration. And another concept, pulled from Dutch culture, known as "gezellig." As I re-air this story, we're in the midst of the pandemic. (Again? Still?) The Delta variant is raging. People are making foolish, selfish decisions about the vaccine, prolonging this difficult time and harming people near them who continue to get sick or even die because of those choices.It's time to remind ourselves of what it can feel like when we're together, not apart, both for nostalgia but also to stir up some hope for the future. As creators, we have a role to play in making this world better -- whether through companies we build or projects we ship. We can't lose sight of that. We can provide connection in a world in desperate need of more.*   *   *TO GET MORE INSPIRATION + SUPPORT THE SHOW:Subscribe to my newsletter:Equal parts human story and pep talk, my weekly newsletter is focused on inspiring us to make what matters to our careers and communities. Subscribe for free and join creatives from brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, and the NY Times, as well as thousands of freelancers, creators, and entrepreneurs. >>> jayacunzo.com/newsletterBuy a book:Stories and frameworks for questioning best practices, honing your intuition, and doing your best work.>>> jayacunzo.com/books *   *   *THANKS FOR LISTENING AND SUPPORTING!Keep making what matters.-Jay

As creative people, how we see the world changes how we think about it which changes how we communicate which changes how we resonate which changes the results we see.Want to change you results? Start at the beginning. Consider changing, or at least thinking critically about, how you see the world. It's not often a tiny tactic or hidden marketing channel or technology that's needed. It's something far more transformative, but it needn't be difficult to grasp.(PS: Thanks to everyone who shared feedback on the initial four One-Shots! People seem to like them, so I'll continue running roughly two of these each month.)*   *   *TO GET MORE INSPIRATION + SUPPORT THE SHOW:Subscribe to my newsletter:Equal parts human story and pep talk, my weekly newsletter is focused on inspiring us to make what matters to our careers and communities. Subscribe for free and join creatives from brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, and the NY Times, as well as thousands of freelancers, creators, and entrepreneurs. >>> jayacunzo.com/newsletterBuy a book:Stories and frameworks for questioning best practices, honing your intuition, and doing your best work.>>> jayacunzo.com/books *   *   *THANKS FOR LISTENING AND SUPPORTING!Keep making what matters.-Jay

On the show, we keep talking about the importance of reaching that next rep of your creative process consistently, faster, and better, but often, those ideas are in conflict. Often, we shouldn't move to the next iteration or project quickly.  Then there are other times where taking a break is actually a form of hiding. We want the perfect conditions or the Muse to visit us.How do we spot the difference? How do we know whether we should just keep showing up, shipping the work, putting in the reps ... or we need to recover so the next rep is better?There's a hidden a tension between being consistent and being better. Sometimes, they work in harmony, but when they don't, we experience burn out.We'll visit with a writer, Margo Aaron, who became a marketer by accident, burnt out, and has found a smart, repeatable way to recover and consistently show up improved. We'll also hear from editor and researcher Molly Donovan, who brings us some of the science behind recovery in athletes, as well as a concept called Default Mode. We'll learn why that mode is so critical for the health of our brains and, specific to our exploration together, to creating more resonant work.Recovery is a messy topic, and we have so many more questions than answers. Sounds like an Unthinkable episode to me! *   *   *TO GET MORE INSPIRATION + SUPPORT THE SHOW:Subscribe to my newsletter:Equal parts human story and pep talk, my weekly newsletter is focused on inspiring us to make what matters to our careers and communities. Subscribe for free and join creatives from brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, and the NY Times, as well as thousands of freelancers, creators, and entrepreneurs. >>> jayacunzo.com/newsletterBuy a book:Stories and frameworks for questioning best practices, honing your intuition, and doing your best work.>>> jayacunzo.com/books *   *   *VOICES IN THIS STORY:Margo Aaron: twitter.com/margoaaron | thatseemsimportant.comMolly Donovan: twitter.com/mhdonovan | mdonovancontent.com *   *   *THANKS FOR LISTENING AND SUPPORTING!Keep making what matters.-Jay

This week, another "One-Shot." These are my short-form, experimental episodes, where I read a short written piece for you, covering an observation I've made or story I've experienced firsthand. Whereas my main episodes share stories from the perspectives of others, these shorts are from my perspective alone.It's all part of the journey we're on to understand how to avoid stagnation, keep improving, and ultimately reach that next rep of the creative process consistently and better.In this one, we discuss an untapped creative superpower. It involves the story of a misshapen mug (to put it kindly) and my childhood home -- which I can no longer visit.GET MORE STORIES AND INSIGHTS TO ELEVATE YOUR CREATIVITY:Subscribe to my newsletter:Equal parts human story and pep talk, my weekly newsletter is focused on inspiring us to make what matters to our careers and communities. Subscribe for free and join creatives from brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, and the NY Times, as well as thousands of freelancers, creators, and entrepreneurs. >>> jayacunzo.com/newsletterBecome a member:Get access to a community forum of ambitious creators who help each other level up, plus exclusive riffs, rants, and courses from me, a 1:1 call with me, and all paid projects I create included as part of your membership.>>> makewhatmattersgroup.comExplore my books:Stories and frameworks for questioning best practices, honing your intuition, and doing your best work.>>> jayacunzo.com/books *   *   *THANKS FOR LISTENING AND SUPPORTING!Keep making what matters.-Jay

While I'm on vacation, I wanted to ensure I shared something special. Jay Clouse's show, Creative Elements, is among my favorite interview podcasts about creativity and building a career as a content entrepreneur and artist online today.Jay asks me about...My experiences as a sports journalist and sports PR intern at ESPN and elsewhere, before getting into marketing.How I think about and develop stories.Why I aspire to be the Anthony Bourdain of workplace storytelling.How I structure and schedule my weeks to juggle lots of projects.How I broke into public speaking as a big piece of my career and revenue. ...and a lot more.I hope you enjoy this bonus episode! If you do, consider listening to Creative Elements with Jay Clouse. Find your podcast player of choice at pod.link/elementsYou can also find Jay Clouse on Twitter @jayclouse. SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEWSLETTER:Equal parts human story and pep talk, my weekly newsletter is focused on inspiring us to make what matters to our careers and communities. Subscribe for free and join creatives from brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, and the NY Times, as well as thousands of freelancers, creators, and entrepreneurs. >>> jayacunzo.com/newsletter BECOME A MEMBER:Get access to a community forum of ambitious creators who help each other level up, plus exclusive riffs, rants, and courses from me, a 1:1 call with me, and all paid projects I create included as part of your membership.>>> makewhatmattersgroup.com LEARN MORE ABOUT MY BOOKS, SPEAKING, AND ORIGINAL SERIES:>>> jayacunzo.com THANKS FOR LISTENING AND SUPPORTING!Keep making what matters.-Jay

Alex Cook's obsessions are ever-changing, from growing and farming mushrooms to men's haircare products to riding Fat bikes on the beach ... to investigating family mysteries involving his grandfather, a dog, and an old wooden chest full of clues.All of this led Alex to create his company, NanaGram. It's the most rewarding app you'll ever use (full disclosure: I'm a longtime customer). THANKS TO THOSE INVOLVED IN THIS EPISODE:Max Yoder, CEO of Lessonly. Check out his book: https://dobetterwork.com/ or his company: https://www.lessonly.com/ SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEWSLETTER:Equal parts human story and pep talk, my weekly newsletter is focused on inspiring us to make what matters to our careers and communities. Subscribe for free and join creatives from brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, and the NY Times, as well as thousands of freelancers, creators, and entrepreneurs. >>> jayacunzo.com/newsletter BECOME A MEMBER:Get access to a community forum of ambitious creators who help each other level up, plus exclusive riffs, rants, and courses from me, a 1:1 call with me, and all paid projects I create included as part of your membership.>>> makewhatmattersgroup.com LEARN MORE ABOUT MY BOOKS, SPEAKING, AND ORIGINAL SERIES:>>> jayacunzo.com THANKS FOR LISTENING AND SUPPORTING!Keep making what matters.-Jay

Learn about the importance of tension in storytelling and how it creates intriguing story arcs. Explore the three phases of storytelling skills and the techniques to create captivating stories. Embrace messiness and uncertainty in phase three storytelling to capture the complexity of reality. Join the 'Make What Matters' community group and prioritize progress in your creative projects.

Alex Cook's obsessions are ever-changing, from growing and farming mushrooms to men's haircare products to riding Fat bikes on the beach ... to investigating family mysteries involving his grandfather, a dog, and an old wooden chest full of clues.All of this led Alex to create his company, NanaGram. It's the most rewarding app you'll ever use (full disclosure: I'm a longtime customer). THANKS TO THOSE INVOLVED IN THIS EPISODE:Alex Cook: https://twitter.com/aacookNanaGram: https://nanagram.co/ SUBSCRIBE TO MY FREE NEWSLETTER:Equal parts human story and pep talk, my weekly newsletter is focused on inspiring us to make what matters to our careers and communities. Subscribe for free and join creatives from brands like Adobe, Red Bull, Shopify, and the NY Times, as well as thousands of freelancers, creators, and entrepreneurs. >>> jayacunzo.com/newsletter LEVEL UP AS A CREATOR AND SUPPORT THE SHOW:Become a Supporter: Get bonus content and exclusive invites to projects and educational opportunities for creative people.Become a Member: Get access to a community forum of ambitious creators who help each other level up, plus exclusive riffs, rants, and courses from me, a 1:1 call with me, and all paid projects I create included as part of your membership.>>> makewhatmattersgroup.com LEARN MORE ABOUT MY BOOKS, SPEAKING, AND ORIGINAL SERIES:>>> jayacunzo.com THANKS FOR LISTENING AND SUPPORTING!Keep making what matters.-Jay

In a new monologue story, we try to understand how to bring greater focus and our own unique form to our creative work more consistently. After all, being a professional creator means showing up even when we don't feel amazing in order to tinker, draft, and ship.We need to bring our focus and our form to our work upon command. How do we do that? We look to an unexpected source of inspiration. FREE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:Playing Favorites shares one new story every Friday morning that you can't find anywhere else, focused on creating work that matters. Subscribe at jayacunzo.com/newsletter COMMUNITY FOR CREATORS:$13/month makes you a supporter of this show, with bonus content shared monthly. Or you can become a full-blown member of the group, Make What Matters.Make What Matters is where independent content creators (in function or in spirit) learn to elevate their creative skills,  earn more in resources and income, and execute their best work yet. Through peer support and members-only content (live and asynchronous), each member benefits from greater clarity, more confidence, and a stronger network. Consider joining at makewhatmattersgroup.com LIKE WHAT YOU HEAR? SHARE THE SHOW:Mention me on Twitter, @jayacunzo, or Instagram, @jacunzo. *** THANKS FOR LISTENING AND SUPPORTING!Keep making what matters.-Jay