Gifted Underachievers

In every creative field there are “top-tier” workers, aka A-listers, whose achievements are undeniable and well-earned. This milieu can seem like a closed system, but the Gifted Underachievers agree that the elite corner of the creative ecosystem survives only by seeking out and admitting new talent.

Questions for Listeners:

* Are you a member of the so-called creative elite?

* If yes, can we interview you for this podcast?

For Further Exploration:

Buy us a Coffee and Win a Guide to World Domination!

Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!

If you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time.

Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

Last year, the board of a prestigious Canadian arts grant recommended Pat for a grant, but then they ran out of money before her name came up on the approved list. This year? Ame thing, exactly. WTF! Is this a victory, validation that Pat’s work and proposal are worthy? Or is this a more painful form of shunning?

Plus! An important US NEH grant update: The worm turns!

Questions for Listeners:

* Have you received a grant?

* What do you think set your proposal apart?

For Further Exploration:

Buy us a Coffee and Win a Guide to World Domination!

Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!

If you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time.

Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

Two years ago, James made a pearl. And he’s back at it, trying to bend the will of nature and time to his ‘creative’ whims.

Questions for Listeners:

* Any pearls in your past?

For Further Exploration:

Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!

If you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time.

Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

In this segment, Pat brings up the issue of resetting our creative physiology via the five senses when we feel frazzled or just need to give the brain and body a break. This isn’t about some complex, time-consuming set of to-dos to add to your list. Instead, it’s about taking five or maybe ten minutes and doing something simple that either refocuses the mind or stretches the body.

Questions for Listeners:

* What’s in your reset jar?

For Further Exploration:

Living in Game Mode: Activate Your Final Form By Gaming Life by Don B. Drew

Buy us a Coffee and Win a Guide to World Domination!

Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!

If you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time.

Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

In this segment, Gifted Underachiever Dobes is just in from the opera house, where she did a high-profile speaking engagement and had them rolling in the aisles.

Kidding!

But Dobes has, in fact, spoken in front of an audience, occasionally for money. James has also spoken in front of an audience—for example, his legendary talk on creativity for the organization called Creative Mornings.

We talk about how to enjoy your speaking engagements and how you can use them to bolster your other marketing tools.

Questions for Listeners:

* Have you given talks on your creative or creative-adjacent work?

* Ever had one go sideways in the most terrible way?

* If yes, DO TELL!

Treat us to a Coffee and Win a Book

Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!

For Further Exploration:

James Buchanan on Creative Mornings: Harvest Better Ideas

https://creativemornings.com/talks/james-buchanan

GD Green on The Moth

Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.

If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to see you in the GU Clubhouse! No cost, no spam, unsubscribe any time.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

Here in the Gifted Underachievers clubhouse, we’ve been talking about travel lately. Spanish cities James would like to visit include Barcelona and Madrid. When Pat shares her experience of wonderful Barcelona, James realizes there’s been some weird episodes in his GU cohost’s life.

Questions for Listeners:

* Have you ever been to Barcelona?

* What’s your favorite sport?

Buy us a Coffee and Win a Book

Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!

For Further Exploration:

Back issues of Sumo World! https://www.ebay.com/itm/315719280610

Barcelona Turisme! https://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/en/

Sumo Primetime with Hiro Morita – the Haru Basho:

Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.

If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to see you in the GU Clubhouse. No spam, no cost, unsubscribe anytime.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

What “career” pathways exist for creative writers, visual artists, and actors? Is there anything analogous to the training grounds of the minor leagues in sports?

We examine some options and come to the inevitable question for many people: how do I get into the minor leagues, period? What are the obstacles for your average creative worker, and how can we overcome those obstacles?

The answers we found? Drive, ambition, talent, support, resources, access to larger centers, and belief in yourself.

Questions for Listeners:

* What’s the minor league for YOUR art?

For Further Exploration:

Pathways to Arts, Media, and Entertainment Careers

Webinars on creative pathways in the arts (scroll down for the videos)

Working in the Arts: Ditch the Elevator Pitch with Betty Xie

Buy us a Coffee and Win a Guide to World Domination!

Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!

If you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time.

Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

The median income for all employed artists in all domains according to the NEA in 2023 was $70,170. Meanwhile, the value that all of that creativity delivers to the economy in the US (sorry Canada and Europe…more data to come) is $1.2 trillion.

Does that feel like a disparity?

It does to the Gifted Underachievers.

Is it going to get worse now that Trump cut nearly all arts funding?

You betcha.

What can we take away from this?

Organize! Organize! Organize!

PS: You will find out how bad at math the Gifted Underachievers are.

Links to the report below.

Questions for Listeners:

* Would you like to see more deep dives into financial and other data for creatives?

* If so, what do you think would have the most impact for you?

For Further Exploration:

The Report: THE U.S. ARTS ECONOMY IN 2023

Sharon Louden (THE Organizer of Organizers!!!)

Income Streams Update

Virtuous Feedback Financing Loop

Buy us a Coffee and Win a Guide to World Domination!

Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!

If you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time.

Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

After 100 episodes the gifted underachievers have decided it is time to release John Irving from controlled captivity in the Gifted Underachievers’ clubhouse.*

This is it. As of June 18, 2006, John Irving will be free.

Shockingly, Irving has still managed to be unbelievably productive.

Questions for Listeners:

* We’ve enjoyed ‘hosting’ the big man…have you had some fun, too?

For Further Exploration:

The John Irving Delusion

Gas Masks in the Basement with John Irving

The Captive Downstairs: John Irving Silliness

Buy us a Coffee and Win a Guide to World Domination!

Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!

If you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time.

Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

James and Pat ask questions, discuss options, and debate financial and productivity growth plans for creatives.

The debate: Pat must convince James that it’s possible to have a growth plan for purely creative work.

The plans: Pat and James run through their respective growth plans for BOTH their creative-adjacent and purely creative work.

For both: How to find more capacity to do more and better work, then help it find its audience and grow income.

Hint: James says ‘raise my rates’ then discusses increasing the perceived and real value of his work as a ghostwriter.

Questions for Listeners:

* Can purely creative work have a financial growth plan?

* What ideas from this segment resonated with you?

Buy us a Coffee and Win a Book

Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!

For Further Exploration:

Isaac Hirotsu Woofter

Being Strategic with Limited Burners

Creatives & Money: Ways to View Debt

If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No spam, no cost, unsubscribe any time.

Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com