The Gently Mad

This marks my first "solo" show ever. I had the content all planned out and then decided to change it up last minute.

In this "inbetweenisode" I talk about why it's important (and OK) to take big risks. In fact, it's necessary if you want to accomplish anything that matters.

Sure, you can play it safe and follow all the rules society has set on us, but that's the path that leads to regret, my friends. Often the most rewarding things you do in life are the ones that look like they simply can't be done.

"First you jump of the cliff and you build wings on the way down." ~ Ray Bradbury

"A ship in harbor is safe – but that is not what ships are for." ~ John A. Shedd

"It seems to me that people have vast potential. Most people can do extraordinary things if they have the confidence or take the risks. Yet most people don't. They sit in front of the telly and treat life as if it goes on forever." ~ Philip Adams

"Before you can be creative, you must be courageous. Creativity is the destination, but courage is the journey." ~ Joey Reiman

Two of my favorite topics of discussion are the over-connection world we live in and how to intentionally cultivate creativity in our lives. Jason and I dove headfirst into both of those topics as well as many others. And I couldn’t think of a better person which whom to have this particular discussion. Jason SurfrApp is hands-down one of the most brilliant people I know. I’m privileged to call him a friend and this conversation is definitely in my top 5 of the first 4 episodes of TGM. Wait…

Who knows what he really does at the Jason HQ, but officially, he’s a entrepreneur, best-selling author, creative thinker and a self-described “action taker and unconventional marketer”.

I loved Jason’s take on business, social media, finding balance and meaning on our lives and businesses.

Here are some of my favorite bits from the show:

“There were so many big companies that came to me and wanted to give me thousands of dollars if I could just come with a creative way that we could work together and I couldn’t come up with singe idea, because my brain was so taxed.”

“You don’t need to be on Facebook and Twitter to grow a business. We all built businesses before social media.”

“Everything is cyclical. Facebook will not be around for ever. Something new will come along.”

“I really believe social media is the next addiction. It’s the next cigarette, the next alcohol. We are literally going to have an entire network of social media doctors and therapists trying to wean people off this stuff and we just don’t realize it because it’s so new. I don’t think people understand the dopamine releases when we constantly check our likes, comments, etc.”

“So much of what I tried to do in the last year and half was, find my passion, find my purpose. I wanted this direction for myself and this *one thing* that I was so good at. But that’s the thing, I’m not that way. I’m not good at one thing. I’m good at a lot of random stuff … but it all cobbles together”

“I’m not going to worry about how all these things thread together perfectly. That’s kind of what everyone tells you, you need your thing, your niche. Ok, I agree. But for some people, you may not find that thing for 10 years.”

“When anyone can get themselves into a state where they’re not worried about the criticism of other people … [great things can happen].“

“If you feel the resistance to something that’s so strong that it’s like, there’s no way I can do this … you need it more than you know.”

“I think the first 5 to 15 minutes of your day is the most important part of your day. It’s when my best creative thinking happens.”

“Intentionally start your day with something that makes you happy.”

“Everyone should try things. Listen to your gut and try new things.”

“I throw the stick. There are a lot of people who hold the stick and stare at all the different directions and do know where to through it. I just throw the stick an go after it.”

“Every business needs two phases: preparation and then effort.”

“I want a much smaller list of incredibly high quality people. I was so obsessed with the numbers of things. I’ve realized that it really does not serve you. What you need is the high quality, the low-number

Whenever I talk to Chase Reeves it’s like two little rabbits hopping all over the place chasing a carrot through the world of philosophical meaning and existential angst. In a good way. ;)

Chase is a designer, educator and co-founder of Fizzle.co, which is hands-down the best online community for people who want to make a living doing something they love. Check out the contest to win a full year of Fizzle for FREE.

He’s a self-described “weird mix of business, design, marketing, tomfoolery, cocktails, marketing, design, flahoolick, and cocktails. Most of his friends say he’s the most indelicate person they know.”

Here are some of my favorite bits from the show:

“We live in a world of shit and yet we desire and dream of making something good. And in order to make something good we have to fool ourselves into trying, first of all, in a world where only shit things get big, and then if we really want that thing to have a change of getting big or to be seen by a lot of people, we have to wrap that good thing in shit and get it out there. And I can’t just wake up in the morning and feel like, I’m so grateful for what I have. It’s all about me me me, and everything fucked up and I don’t know where I’m going and yet I have is so good.”

“There’s artifice in everything. I don’t think there *is* a balance. The best we can do is try not to swing to pendulum to hard to the other side. That’s the game we’re in.”

“You and I are dreaming about a thing that doesn’t feel like a job. But everything turns into a job in the end.”

“What is big? What if what I have right now is enough.”

“Part of me feels like the whole secret to this thing is being satisfied, being grateful.”

As always, I had a great time talking to Chase. Enjoy the show!

It’s finally here, folks. The Gently Mad has been rebooted. I’m hoping it’s more of a J.J. Abrams style reboot than a George Lucas one, but only time will tell. 

I did 59 episodes of the old show (which is still in iTunes if you want to peruse the back catalogue) and I’m super excited about relaunching and what’s to come.

In this episode, I dive into why I decided to reboot (despite being told it was a dumb move), what you can expect from the new show and how it will be different from the old one.

One of the biggest changes is that the new show is going to air three times a week. Monday and Wednesday will be interview shows and Friday will be my “experiment” day. Some Friday’s will be solo shows, some will be Q&As, who knows what’s going to happen. I’m going to be trying all sorts of things just for the fun of it and hopefully, your enjoyment as well.