If fear has been stopping you from publishing, launching, or even hitting record, then this episode is for you.

Host Shawn Buttner shares the story of how one terrifying moment in high school helped him build real confidence. By saying "yes" to a last-minute musical performance as an anxious introvert, Shawn discovered that courage isn't about eliminating fear. It's about acting anyway.

In this episode, you'll also learn a powerful technique called fear-setting, made famous by Tim Ferriss and enhanced with high-performance coaching tools. Shawn walks you through how to map out your fears, defuse them, and create a plan that moves you forward—even when you're overwhelmed.

You'll also learn:

The three types of fear that sabotage creators
How to address each so you can finally make progress.

If you've been stuck in your creative business or personal growth journey, this episode might be the exact mindset shift you need.

→ Make your AI sound like you, not like everyone else's AI. Free 30-minute setup: shawnbuttner.com/voiceprint
→ The written version is in my newsletter, The Output: shawnbuttner.com/joinus

Input/Output is the creator system for experts: people who built a track record in another career and are now turning that into a creator business. Hosted by Shawn Buttner, certified high performance coach. The premise is simple. You are the ultimate input into your creator system. Get yourself clear, and the tools, team, and content follow.

This episode is about creator confidence and acting despite fear.

Feeling off, stuck, or disconnected from your work as a creator? It might be more than a bad day; it could be burnout.

In this episode, certified high performance coach Shawn Buttner shares the seven hidden signs of creator burnout he sees most often in coaching sessions. From subtle tension in your voice to the hero complex of doing everything yourself, these red flags can derail even the most committed creators.

You'll also hear Shawn's personal burnout story from his corporate days and how he turned that struggle into a calling to help others. More importantly, he shares a simple, proven 3-step framework (Clear. Action. Wins.) to help you recover, recharge, and re-ignite your creativity.

If you're feeling tired, frustrated, or unsure about your path, this episode could be the turning point.

Related episode: Creator Burnout: The Tiny Choices That Slowly Burn Creators Out: https://www.shawnbuttner.com/podcasts/input-output-the-creator-system-for-experts-with-shawn-buttner/episodes/2149030444

→ Make your AI sound like you, not like everyone else's AI. Free 30-minute setup: shawnbuttner.com/voiceprint
→ Feeling the gap? Book a Creator Diagnostic: shawnbuttner.com/clarity-call

Input/Output is the creator system for experts: people who built a track record in another career and are now turning that into a creator business. Hosted by Shawn Buttner, certified high performance coach. The premise is simple. You are the ultimate input into your creator system. Get yourself clear, and the tools, team, and content follow.

This episode is about creator burnout warning signs and catching burnout early.

What do you do when creating starts to feel pointless?

In this raw and honest episode, Shawn Buttner shares the doubts he's been facing as a creator in a world where AI generates content at lightning speed, social media feels dull, and audience growth gets harder every day. If you've ever wondered, "Why am I even doing this anymore?", this episode will hit home.

You'll hear how Shawn worked through feelings of burnout, the fear of irrelevance, and the temptation to quit. He shares how creators at every level (beginner, intermediate, and advanced) can handle market disruption, shifting platforms, and internal resistance. His biggest lesson? This is part of the job—and the fun.

Get grounded with insights from the real creator journey, hear why personal voice still matters more than ever, and walk away with a reframe that could keep you in the game when others burn out.

🎧 Listen now and learn how to stay inspired, even when creating feels like the last thing you want to do.

→ Make your AI sound like you, not like everyone else's AI. Free 30-minute setup: shawnbuttner.com/voiceprint
→ Feeling the gap? Book a Creator Diagnostic: shawnbuttner.com/clarity-call

Input/Output is the creator system for experts: people who built a track record in another career and are now turning that into a creator business. Hosted by Shawn Buttner, certified high performance coach. The premise is simple. You are the ultimate input into your creator system. Get yourself clear, and the tools, team, and content follow.

This episode is about creator burnout, creator purpose, and staying in the game.

Ever feel like you're doing all the "right" things as a creator—but still stuck? In this solo episode, Shawn Buttner breaks down the five surprisingly simple habits that helped him shift from burnout and overwhelm to consistent growth and energy.

You'll hear how a single journaling prompt took him from dreading his job to reclaiming optimism… how protecting his first hour of the day gave him a sustainable energy boost… and how he built influence and visibility without feeling sleazy online.

Whether you're just starting out or deep into your creator journey, these habits are practical, powerful, and easy to implement.

What You'll Learn:

A journaling trick that shifts negative thinking in under two minutes
Why "slow mornings" might be the missing productivity hack
How consistent exposure (even when it's uncomfortable) builds courage
The power of the "smallest viable action" to create lasting momentum
A simple rule for building influence without being salesy

→ Make your AI sound like you, not like everyone else's AI. Free 30-minute setup: shawnbuttner.com/voiceprint
→ Feeling the gap? Book a Creator Diagnostic: shawnbuttner.com/clarity-call

Input/Output is the creator system for experts: people who built a track record in another career and are now turning that into a creator business. Hosted by Shawn Buttner, certified high performance coach. The premise is simple. You are the ultimate input into your creator system. Get yourself clear, and the tools, team, and content follow.

This episode is about creator habits and sustainable creative energy.

What separates creators that thrive from those that stall out? Clarity. In this episode, Shawn shares a deeply personal story about the moment he realized he wasn't living his truth and how one question in a freezing hotel ballroom sparked the bold decision to quit his job and build a more aligned, joyful life.

You'll learn the core clarity questions every creator needs to revisit regularly: Who are you helping? How does your work help them? And what does success actually look like for you? These aren't just reflection prompts, they're strategic levers for content, business, and lifestyle alignment.

Shawn walks through his own process of defining values using the Three Words Exercise. You'll hear how creators can anchor themselves through self-belief, revisit their goals, and use journaling as a diagnostic tool when things feel off. From defining what makes you happy (like playing guitar daily) to outlining your personal metrics for success, this episode is a call to cut through the fog.

If you've ever felt like you're spinning your wheels or questioning your creative path, this episode will help you reset with confidence and purpose.

→ Make your AI sound like you, not like everyone else's AI. Free 30-minute setup: shawnbuttner.com/voiceprint
→ The written version is in my newsletter, The Output: shawnbuttner.com/joinus

Input/Output is the creator system for experts: people who built a track record in another career and are now turning that into a creator business. Hosted by Shawn Buttner, certified high performance coach. The premise is simple. You are the ultimate input into your creator system. Get yourself clear, and the tools, team, and content follow.

This episode is about creator identity and getting clear on what success looks like for you.

How do you know you've "made it?" Is it a packed schedule? The nonstop grind? Or freedom and flexibility? Today's conversation with Susan Boles, host of Calm is the New KPI, explores how creators can design a calm business that runs smoothly without toxic hustle or burnout.

We discuss how to bring "calm" into your business using Susan's four-lever framework, how to unlearn habits that lead to burnout, and strategies to stay creative and focused. Get tips on scaling a creative business, tracking true success, and finding the fun in your business!

Topics discussed:

What it means to have a calm business
Why creators unintentionally build chaotic businesses
Four levers of a calm business
How to design your own calm business
Scaling without overwhelm
Measuring success with calm KPIs

Susan Boles is the founder of Beyond Margins, creator of the Calmer Business framework, and host of Calm is the New KPI. Her work helps business owners, agencies and consulting firms move from reactive, chaotic operations to calm, sustainable ones so they can scale without burning out.

Connect with Susan:

https://pod.link/1478304620
https://www.linkedin.com/in/thesusanboles/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOkwGRBhMzlaxv3ZLP0PQIw
https://www.beyondmargins.com/

This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique: https://podcastboutique.com

→ Make your AI sound like you, not like everyone else's AI. Free 30-minute setup: shawnbuttner.com/voiceprint
→ Feeling the gap? Book a Creator Diagnostic: shawnbuttner.com/clarity-call

Input/Output is the creator system for experts: people who built a track record in another career and are now turning that into a creator business. Hosted by Shawn Buttner, certified high performance coach. The premise is simple. You are the ultimate input into your creator system. Get yourself clear, and the tools, team, and content follow.

This episode is about creator business growth and designing a calm, sustainable creator business.

Feel like you're putting out great content, but nobody's noticing? Meanwhile, others seem to effortlessly attract engagement without even trying?

In this episode, Shawn shares the hilarious and frustrating story of Fancy, a neighborhood peacock who's somehow gained local fame, viral attention, and even an ice cream flavor—without doing anything but being himself.

But there's a twist: Fancy has all the attention and none of the transformation. And that's where creators can do better.

Using Fancy's unexpected success as a metaphor, Shawn explores what real creators can do to not only stand out, but show up with purpose. You'll learn three ways to stand out authentically, even in an AI-saturated world, and how to use your values to create work that resonates and transforms.

What You'll Learn:

Why copying viral creators is a trap that drains your voice
The problem with attention if there's no transformation behind it
How to stand out without chasing trends
Why creators must focus on community, novelty, and humanity
A powerful values-based exercise to align your content with your best self

→ Make your AI sound like you, not like everyone else's AI. Free 30-minute setup: shawnbuttner.com/voiceprint
→ Feeling the gap? Book a Creator Diagnostic: shawnbuttner.com/clarity-call

Input/Output is the creator system for experts: people who built a track record in another career and are now turning that into a creator business. Hosted by Shawn Buttner, certified high performance coach. The premise is simple. You are the ultimate input into your creator system. Get yourself clear, and the tools, team, and content follow.

This episode is about content strategy for experts and grabbing attention that leads to transformation.

Are your responsibilities pulling you away from your creativity? Whether it's a day job, family, or the content engine you've built, it's easy to feel like your best ideas are slipping through the cracks.

In this episode, Shawn Buttner tackles the painful tension between obligation and art. Inspired by a quote from creator Jay Clouse, Shawn explores what happens when our energy and time are misaligned—and what creators can do to reclaim their spark.

In today's episode, we will discuss:

The struggle between Obligation and Art
An insight on what makes creators productive
What to do when Your Obligations Pull You From Your Creative Interests
10 actionable strategies (AI + coaching frameworks) to regain creative flow

Related episode: Creator Burnout: The Tiny Choices That Slowly Burn Creators Out: https://www.shawnbuttner.com/podcasts/input-output-the-creator-system-for-experts-with-shawn-buttner/episodes/2149030444

→ Make your AI sound like you, not like everyone else's AI. Free 30-minute setup: shawnbuttner.com/voiceprint
→ The written version is in my newsletter, The Output: shawnbuttner.com/joinus

Input/Output is the creator system for experts: people who built a track record in another career and are now turning that into a creator business. Hosted by Shawn Buttner, certified high performance coach. The premise is simple. You are the ultimate input into your creator system. Get yourself clear, and the tools, team, and content follow.

This episode is about sustainable content creation and protecting your art from obligation.

Burnout doesn't just happen to creators, it builds slowly from a hundred tiny choices we didn't realize we were making. In this solo episode, high performance coach Shawn Buttner breaks down the hard truth about creator burnout: it's often a pattern we unconsciously choose, but also one we can reverse.

You'll learn:

What burnout really looks like for creators (hint: it's more than exhaustion)
Why obligation to algorithms, audiences, and "being consistent" can secretly drain your joy
The four key steps to move from burnout to high-performance creative living
How to train like an athlete to sustain energy, stamina, and excitement
Why reclaiming your creative agency could be your biggest breakthrough

If you're tired of feeling like you're on the content treadmill with no exit, this episode will help you find a new way forward. One filled with clarity, energy, and purpose.

If you're ready to ditch the burnout and start thriving as a creator, this one's for you.

Related episode: Beating Imposter Syndrome to Raise Your Rates (with Georgie Darling): https://www.shawnbuttner.com/podcasts/input-output-the-creator-system-for-experts-with-shawn-buttner/episodes/2149019814

→ Make your AI sound like you, not like everyone else's AI. Free 30-minute setup: shawnbuttner.com/voiceprint
→ The written version is in my newsletter, The Output: shawnbuttner.com/joinus

Input/Output is the creator system for experts: people who built a track record in another career and are now turning that into a creator business. Hosted by Shawn Buttner, certified high performance coach. The premise is simple. You are the ultimate input into your creator system. Get yourself clear, and the tools, team, and content follow.

This episode is about creator burnout and the small choices that cause it.

You want to earn more, but you hesitate when it's time to raise your rates. Sound familiar? This is a challenge Georgie Darling, business coach and freelance writer, knows all too well. She battled imposter syndrome just like most creators do, and now helps other creatives move past self-doubt and build businesses that actually pay what they're worth.

In this episode, you'll learn simple strategies for growing a business that fits into your lifestyle, tools for choosing the right clients, and tips for pushing through fear and doubt that come with growing a creative business.

Georgie and I discuss:

Why so many creatives undervalue themselves
How to overcome imposter syndrome and start earning more
Mindset shifts for transitioning from freelancer to coach
Client red flags and how to set client boundaries
How to build a business around your ideal lifestyle
Tools for building confidence as a business owner

Georgie Darling is a business coach and freelance travel writer passionate about helping female creatives create confident, sustainable, and profitable businesses. She went from an office job to traveling the world and working with high-profile brands like Tripadvisor, Marriott Hotels, ELLE, and The Guardian.

Connect with Georgie:

👉 Join the Momentum community: https://thefreedomroute.com/momentum-magic
👉 Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefreedomroute_/

→ Make your AI sound like you, not like everyone else's AI. Free 30-minute setup: shawnbuttner.com/voiceprint
→ The written version is in my newsletter, The Output: shawnbuttner.com/joinus

Input/Output is the creator system for experts: people who built a track record in another career and are now turning that into a creator business. Hosted by Shawn Buttner, certified high performance coach. The premise is simple. You are the ultimate input into your creator system. Get yourself clear, and the tools, team, and content follow.

This episode is about creator business growth and overcoming imposter syndrome as a creator.