Download

Bio of the artist

Karen was born and educated in the U.S., with a break of one year during high school, as an exchange student in France. She loves many things and had been playing the piano up till the end of university, finishing with a Master of Music degree in Viola da Gamba at New England Conservatory, and professional performance for several years. After that she moved to Switzerland where she studied with Jordi Savall.. She also teaches different approaches to learning English, music and music pedagogy. She has trained in the F.M. Alexander Technique and of course the MDH Breathing Coordination.

What she shares on this episode

The “hourglass.” Often when we want to break into something new we are just not familiar enough with the existing culture of that field to know how and what to do. We need to find certain universal constants because things are ever changing, and when they change our personal premeditated road maps need to apply. There are two universal constants as Karen describes them. They are like two halves of the hourglass. It might not seem so, but they need to go together. An hourglass has highly specific form and function – it is a two-part communicative form. One half, awareness of the rules of the game and the second half is the awareness of defining yourself. The more you turn them over they mix a little more. At one point you simultaneously realise that you are aware of all the rules and able to be true to yourself. Awareness of these two different aspects when you’re trying to break into a field is really important and If you find a discrepancy you need to get out of there. The idea being, the more comfortable you become the greater are your chances at succeeding.

In this episode of the Creator Mindset Podcast

• The metaphor of the hourglass and what it refers to.
• The rules of the game
• Defining yourself to yourself
• Ongoing personal projects

Key takeaways

• Make a clear distinction in your mind what the explicit and implicit rules of the game are.
• Speak to people, make observations and inform yourself as much as you can on the implicit rules.
• Take notes and organize.
• Know yourself and be able to express it
• Make a list (even if its fantastical) of what you can do and what you want to do in the near future
• Be in charge of your own experience. Allow yourself to lucidly see what you can offer and what your values are.
• Check If you have the necessary skills required to match your list.
• Study your list carefully
• Try and see if you are able to describe the things on your list as best as you can
• Find common denominators (Where are you always present with the same idea)
• Give it a name (it could be a product, concept, service) – it’s usually central to who you
• Go through the process as many times as you have to as you evolve.

Connecting with the artist

Website: http://www.windchimes-consulting.ch/