A Celebration of Original Thinking and Staying True to Yourself

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The key insight from the snip is the importance of staying true to oneself, exemplified by the experiences of George Lucas, Jim Henson, Ted Geisel, and Jay Z. Jay Z emphasized the significance of being successful at oneself rather than imitating others to achieve success. Similarly, Jim Henson encouraged original thinking and creation of new ideas, rather than copying existing ones. The relationship between George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola highlights the value of pursuing original creative endeavors, as well as the impact of encouragement in one's creative journey. Despite the initial challenge of writing, George Lucas ultimately created iconic original franchises, while Coppola focused on adapting the work of other writers.

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New York Times Bestselling biographer Brian Jay Jones joins Joe to discuss George Lucas: A Life, Becoming Dr. Seuss, and Jim Henson: The Biography. Brian and Joe talk about the lessons we can learn from Lucas, Dr. Seuss, and Henson:

Overcoming self-doubt and leveraging the power of frustration
Paying attention to our life's purpose
The power of doing the work even the when the results aren't immediate
Appreciating the creative journey, not just the end product
Innovation and flexibility of thought can lead to major breakthroughs
Recognizing the role of important relationships in our lives
....and much more!!

Brian Jay Jones is known for covering iconic creative geniuses who have made indelible contributions to pop culture. He has explored the lives and legacies of Jim Henson, George Lucas, Washington Irving, and Dr. Seuss for serious fans and newcomers alike.

His most recent book, Becoming Dr. Seuss: Theodor Geisel and the Making of an American Imagination (Dutton, 2019), has been celebrated as “nuanced, profoundly human” (NPR), “compelling [and] sweeping in scope” (The New Yorker), and “a rich, anecdotal biography” (Kirkus).

His previous book, George Lucas: A Life (Little, Brown, 2016) was named one of Kirkus‘s Best Books of 2016. The first comprehensive biography of the influential creator of Star Wars and Indiana Jones in nearly two decades, George Lucas: A Life was praised as “definitive” (New York Times), “whiz-bang” (People), “must-read” (Parade) and deemed by Rolling Stone as “the one biography for casual and die-hard [Star Wars] fans alike.

Brian lives in New Mexico where he is presently working on a history of the U.S. Capitol. You can find him running his mouth on Twitter at @brianjayjones, and @OfficialBrianJayJones on Facebook

Learn more about Brian at www.brianjayjones.com