Being good at something is cool. Greatness seldom occurs. But mastery... most have not experienced it. My friend Wu Fei is a true virtuoso of the Guzheng, an ancient Chinese instrument with 21 strings. Her story of how her mastery was developed, what it was like being raised under the One Child Policy in China, and how hearing Jimi Hendrix for the first time as a young adult changed her life is incredible. Fei is an amazing woman and you can learn all about her on the next episode of the #CreativePower Hour.

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Real change is soooo uncomfortable. Sometimes you don't even want to talk when you are going through it. So what happens when you are committed to writing and recording and sharing every week of your life? You get this episode of Practicing Purpose in which I tell Isaac all about Caterpiller Soup LOL.

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Stay in Nashville long enough and someone will tell you "this town isn't just Country Music City, it's Music City." That is true, but it wasn't easily true. A small group of hustlers worked tirelessly to make sure the live music scene in Nashville was as diverse as it's population. On that short list of people is my man, the next guest on the #CreativePower Hour, Eric Holt.

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Technology has made us want everything immediately. Including success, competency, and even virtuosity. That's an illusion, building things still requires building a solid foundation first. Issac and I discuss on Episode 9 of Practicing Purpose.

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

Marcia Masulla is a magical woman. I could stop there but I won't. She has brought amazing brands to Nashville like Yelp as an early employee and Nashville Fashion Week as a co-founder. She's a champion for animal rights. She's hilarious. She's a survivor. She's an inspiration & she's someone you can learn all about in episode 21 of the #CreativePower Hour.

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‪When we are inspired to do something great and brave, what drives the fear that stops us? Speaking our truth, especially today, can be costly. But what’s worse, facing others or not being true to ourselves? In Ep. 8 of Practicing Purpose, @yaoaddae and I discuss‬ how to navigate the desire to do great things and the need to be safe and secure.

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‪We often talk about companies getting disrupted, but what about the government being disrupted? In this keynote at the State of Tennessee's HR Conference, I talk about how innovation will impact the government's ability to hire the best talent.‬

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Today Issac and I discuss how we would benefit from a better equation on the effort and time long term commitments required to be successful. Whether romantic, business or civic, we often underestimate just how hard it will be to commit to something for the long haul.

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God, I love doing this show. Today's guest is one of my best buds, and half of the dynamic duo behind Strategic Hospitality, Max Goldberg. If you know anything about the food scene in Nashville, you know that for the last decade and a half, the Goldberg brothers have been a cornerstone of some of the best and most innovative food concepts around. From the Catbird Seat to Pinewood Social to Bastion, these guys have killed it. And Max is just so damn charming. Enjoy episode 20 of the Creative Power Hour.

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

The benefit of hosting the #CreativePower Hour is that I get to provide a space for the "strong friends" to share their story in a relaxed, unrushed space. It has now shown me over and over how important it is for us to do this for each other. It's one of the greatest ways that we can serve. "Make Space, Hold Space, Slow Down, Listen."

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