Daily Creative with Todd Henry

The key to producing a brilliant body of work is steady, regular, brave practice. You must engage every day with your work as a matter of discipline. No one embodies this ethic better than Seth Godin. Seth is the author of most of my favorite books, all of which have been best-sellers, and is a champion of those who make brave art each day.

On this episode, we discuss his new book The Practice and how we can purposefully bring ourselves to our work every day.

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Since the early days of the Accidental Creative podcast we’ve closed off with the phrase “cover bands don’t change the world – you need to find your unique voice if you want to thrive.” A cover band is a band that plays other people’s music, and they often fill music venues and make money, but at the end of the night people go home singing the music. Cover bands are often quickly forgotten, but the music lives on.

This doesn’t mean that emulation is always wrong. In fact, emulation is a key part of early growth and development. However, we cannot rely on imitation as a short-cut to success. If we do, our success will be hollow, and without a foundation. In order to add lasting, meaningful value, we must – eventually – find our own voice.

But how do we do that? With the pressures and demands of daily work, it can often be overwhelming simply to deliver on expectations, let alone to try to find some unique way of engaging our day. But it’s often in the midst of our work that we will find the best clues for our deeper, resonant vocation. The sources of both “voice” and “vocation” are close to the Latin word vocare, which means “to call, or invoke”. Our voice is the thing that is being called out of us in the midst of our work. It is the underlying why of our passion, even if we’ve never considered it.

We must actively search for our voice, and clear a path for it to emerge. It is uncovered, not manufactured. We may not even like what we discover at first, but by embracing it we will position ourselves to occupy the unique space for which we’re wired.

Here are a few questions that may help uncover clues to your voice. Set aside some time with a notebook or journal to reflect on each:

What angers you? Every super hero needs a bad guy. Without one, the super hero has nothing to fight against. Are there specific things that evoke a compassionate anger in you? (Key point of differentiation: this is not about road rage, poor service, or leaving the seat up. We’re talking about the systemic things that evoke a desire to intervene in a situation as an act of compassion or to rectify a great wrong.)

What makes you cry? Think about the last several instances that caused you to cry. Movies are fair game too. I’ve noticed that I almost always tear up while watching stories of underdogs who overcome incredible odds. This is a clue to me that my greatest work may somehow involve fighting for those who are oppressed or unheard. (Hence…we call AC “freedom fighters for the creative class.”)

What have you mastered? Are there tasks, skills, or opportunities that you have simply mastered and can do without thinking? These low-friction activities might give you a clue to ways you can continue pursuing your voice. We learn through action, observation, then correction. Start with what you do well, and work your way toward your goal.

What gives you hope? What do you look forward to? What great vision do you have for your future and the future of others? Hope is a powerful motivator, and can give you a clue to the ways in which you may be able to compel others to act.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? We often forget the earliest clues to our voice as we are burdened with the expectations of peers, teachers, parents, and eventually the marketplace. But those early days of wonder – the vast expanses of horizon that hinted at limitless possibility – can give us insight into the deeper seeds of fascination that still reside within us. So…what did/do you want to be when you grow...

In the face of uncertainty, teams need good, effective leadership. Not just bold, brash, decisive leadership, but empathetic, focused, generous leadership. Is it possible to accomplish a lot of great work while simultaneously growing a great culture? Yes, but it requires that leaders routinely model for their team what a great culture looks like.

There are three words that every creative pro needs to hear from their manager: “I’m for you.” I want to see you thrive. I want to see you excel. I want to help you accomplish your goals. Here are three specific ways we can model this sentiment to our teams:

1. I believe in your abilities. I won’t try to control your work, but will instead allow you to operate within clear principles and will give you the freedom you need to bring your best thought to the work.
2. I won’t let you settle. I will hold you accountable to expectations and to a high standard of performance, not because of how it reflects on the team but because I believe you are capable of more than you think.
3. We are in this together. We will get to the other side in lock step, and I will fight to protect the resources, time, focus, and energy you need to do what I’m asking of you.

If teams begin to operate in this fashion, it unlocks trust and deep engagement. On this episode, I dive into each of these three principles and how to implement them.

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Some people think of design as the afterthought of a project. It’s about making things look good, tweaking the usability, or simply making a product or service more appealing. However, those who understand the value of design know that it must be baked into the very fabric of a product or service. Design is not an afterthought, it’s a starting point.

On this episode, Scott Berkun shares principles from his new book How Design Makes The World, and offers some tactical insights for how we can be more intentional about approaching our everyday interactions and work through the lens of good design.

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If there was one word that I would use to describe those who succeed in the face of adversity, it would be resilience. Some professionals are able to withstand changing times, shifting expectations, and limited resources in a way that others aren’t. And, if there was one quality that is most needed right now, it certaintly is resilience.

On this episode, we feature an interview with John Jantsch, author of The Self-Reliant Entrepreneur. John discusses key principles for growing self-reliance in the midst of disconnected times, and how small business owners can continue to succeed even as the ground is constantly shifting beneath their feet.

In part two of this episode, I share three key principles for developing creative resilience during these uncertain times:

• Train yourself to take risks in low-risk environments.
• Always be learning a new skill, to create layers of redundancy and a mindset of perseverance.

Take time to synthesize and to think systemically and in layers, so that you can parse the noise and uncertainty.

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Have we worn out the phrase “unprecedented times” yet? OK, let’s just say that we are continuing to wrestle with the uncertainty of our systems, our expectations, our relationships, our team dynamics, and even the edges of our workdays. In addition to the overwhelming loss of those who have succmbed to the virus, another major thing that has been taken from us is a sense of rhythm. We are wired for rhythm, and without it we are less focused, productive, and engaged.

On this episode, we share three core principles for dealing with Covid overwhelm:

Understand and use your natural motivaiton to overcome overwhelm. Discover your unique motivations and bring those to what you do every day instead of waiting for your circumstances to inspire you.

Gave clear edges and set buffers. Define the beginning and end of your work day, and establish breaks in the midst of the day so that your obligations don’t stack up.

Mind your dailies. Have routines and practices that keep you grounded. Feed your mind, work your body, and feed your soul every day.

We are wired for rhythm and Covid has stolen it. On this episode, you’ll learn some strategies for taking it back.

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Butcherbox: Butcherbox.com/accidental

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