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© 2021 The Unmistakable Creative Podcast
Description
Timeless Practical Wisdom For Living a Meaningful Life
Inspiring stories and practical advice from creatives, entrepreneurs, change-makers, misfits, and rebels to help you become successful on your own terms
Our listeners say, “If TEDTalks met Oprah you’d have the Unmistakable Creative.” Eliminate the feeling of being stuck in your life, blocked in your creativity, and discover higher levels of meaning and purpose in your life and career. Listen to deeply personal, insightful, and thought-provoking stories from the world’s leading thinkers and doers including best-selling authors, artists, peak performance psychologists, happiness researchers, entrepreneurs, startup founders, artists, venture capitalists, and even former bank robbers. Former guests have included Tim Ferriss, Seth Godin, Justine Musk, Scott Adams, Rob Bell, David Heinemeier Hansson, Elle Luna, Jordan Harbinger Brett Mckay, and Simon Sinek.
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1669 Episodes
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Emily Fletcher, founder of Ziva Meditation and a former Broadway performer, shares how her journey from the stage to spiritual leadership reshaped her understanding of success, fulfillment, and mental resilience. In this candid and practical conversation, Emily explains the science behind stress, its impact on performance, and how meditation can transform not just your state, but your long-term traits. She breaks down the Ziva Technique — a blend of mindfulness, meditation, and manifesting — and explains how it's designed for people with busy lives, not monks. Along the way, she shares deeply personal stories, including living in New York during 9/11, performing in Moscow during a terrorist attack, and learning to surrender control while still pursuing excellence. This episode offers a grounded, non-woo look at how to change your brain, your body, and your life — 20 minutes at a time. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Courtney Harding, founder of Friends with Holograms and a leading voice in spatial computing, joins Srini to discuss the real-world applications and philosophical implications of immersive technologies like VR and AR. Drawing from her background in music journalism, activism, and public policy, she unpacks how virtual experiences are reshaping education, work, and socialization — especially for marginalized communities. Courtney challenges the common fear narratives around tech, advocating instead for thoughtful regulation, inclusive design, and greater human agency. From the classroom to the workplace, from social VR to AI-enhanced creativity, she explores how immersive tools can increase empathy, bridge physical divides, and elevate equity — when built with intention. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this mind-expanding conversation, psychiatrist and author Daniel Lieberman unpacks the role of dopamine — the brain's molecule of motivation — and how it shapes nearly every aspect of our lives, from love and ambition to addiction and impulsive behavior. Drawing from his bestselling book *The Molecule of More*, Lieberman explains why we’re wired to crave what's out of reach and why that craving often leads to restlessness, dissatisfaction, or destructive decisions. He contrasts dopamine’s future-focused drive with the chemistry of the present moment, exploring how we mistake infatuation for love, sabotage long-term happiness, and continually chase “more” even when we have enough. Packed with science, stories, and sobering insights, this episode offers a framework for understanding your own behavior and building a more balanced relationship with desire itself. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this powerful third appearance, bestselling author and decision strategist Annie Duke dismantles the myth that grit is always good — and makes the case for why strategic quitting is essential for success. Drawing from cognitive science, personal experience, and examples like Muhammad Ali, Dave Chappelle, and Stuart Butterfield (Slack), Duke illustrates how our obsession with persistence blinds us to opportunity costs, sunk cost fallacies, and identity traps.From failed startups to toxic jobs to long-dead relationships, this conversation explores why “quitting on time will feel like quitting too early”, and how tools like turnaround times and kill criteria can save your future. Annie also shares insights into why optimism can distort expected value, how founders sabotage themselves clinging to identity, and what Sears, a bankrupt retailer, can teach us about letting go.This episode is a reality check for dreamers, and a blueprint for making smarter, faster, braver decisions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Psychologist Anders Ericsson, the originator of the concept of deliberate practice, shares the foundational principles behind how experts are made—not born. Drawing on decades of empirical research, he explains how world-class performance emerges through structured effort, targeted feedback, and the development of mental models over time.Ericsson challenges myths around innate talent and demystifies the so-called 10,000-hour rule, emphasizing that quality and focus matter far more than raw repetition. He illustrates how deliberate practice applies not just to musicians and athletes, but to writers, interviewers, and anyone aiming for sustained high performance. He also explores the role of teachers, cognitive strain, and how to design practice that actually drives results.This conversation is a masterclass in what it really takes to achieve elite-level skill in any field. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode, Salim Ismail — founding executive director of Singularity University and author of *Exponential Organizations* — maps out what it takes to adapt, lead, and build in a world defined by accelerating change.He unpacks the frameworks behind exponential growth, the future of learning, and the architecture of modern organizations. But this isn’t just about scale — it’s about the inner transformation required to lead in chaotic environments. Salim discusses his own evolution, the importance of metaphysical inquiry, and how tools like NLP, flow-state hacking, and deliberate mindset engineering form the new foundation of personal and collective growth.Whether you're running a company, launching a project, or looking to expand your own operating system — this is an episode about thinking big, building differently, and staying grounded. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dennis Xu, co-founder of Mem, unpacks the future of personal knowledge and how it’s being reshaped by networked thinking, cognitive design, and human-centered AI. Drawing on his Stanford background, founder journey, and product philosophy, Dennis challenges the folder-based paradigms of information management — replacing them with malleable, graph-based systems that mirror how the human brain actually works. The conversation spans topics like information retrieval, product-market fit, second brains, deep work, and the difference between tourists and true builders in Silicon Valley. More than an app, Mem is portrayed as a thinking infrastructure for the modern knowledge worker. Together, Dennis and Srini explore how radical agency, creative autonomy, and better tools converge to help people manage complexity — without managing their software. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Cognitive scientist Gloria Mark explains why modern knowledge work sabotages attention — and how to fight back. Drawing from her decades of research, she breaks down internal vs. external distraction, meta-awareness, cognitive rhythms, and the misunderstood nature of flow states. This episode delivers practical insights for reclaiming agency over your focus in a digital world designed to fragment it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sonkhe Ahrens shares how traditional approaches to knowledge — highlighting, tagging, collecting — fail to support actual thinking. Drawing from Niklas Luhmann’s Zettelkasten method, Ahrens explains why insight isn’t something you plan for, but something you engineer into existence by connecting information deliberately over time. The conversation explores permanent notes, structured workflows, the failure of linear planning, and why writing is thinking — not a result of thinking. With over a thousand interviews as source material, Srini reflects on how note-taking became a creativity engine, not a storage problem. Together, they reveal a system where intellectual productivity compounds — and why the ability to retrieve insight is more powerful than hoarding information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Kevin Surace breaks down how AI is reshaping the future of work — not by eliminating jobs, but by replacing repetitive tasks and redefining what humans are actually needed for. He explains why productivity, not headcount, will determine company growth in a labor-constrained world. Drawing from decades of applied AI experience, Surace outlines the evolution of tools like spreadsheets and calculators as previews of what’s coming next. The conversation dives into the need for adaptability, the reality of macro trends like demographic shifts, and how knowledge workers must rethink how they engage with technology. This is a blueprint for staying relevant in a world where task-based work is being automated — and insight, not repetition, defines value. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Join us for a compelling conversation with Paul Millerd, author of The Pathless Path. In this episode, Paul shares his insights on finding yourself in the wrong life and the real work of figuring out how to live. Discover his journey through experiments, travels, and lessons learned, as he pieces together a set of principles to guide him from unfulfilled to the good life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Join us as we sit down with music industry insider, Arianna Warsaw-Fan Rauch. Discover her unique perspective on navigating identity change and get an insider's tour of the industry. From musician life to proper clapping etiquette, Arianna shares her knowledge and experiences. Don't miss this chance to gain a deeper understanding of the classical music world through the eyes of a seasoned professional. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In the latest episode of The Unmistakable Creative Podcast titled 'Money Zen: The Secret to Finding Your Enough', we are joined by Manisha Thakor, a seasoned financial expert and the Founder of MoneyZen LLC. With over 25 years of experience in the financial industry, Manisha offers a fresh perspective on our relationship with money and success.Drawing from her book 'MoneyZen', Manisha explores the personal, cultural, and societal forces that often lead us to the false belief that we can never have, do, or be enough. She shares her journey of overcoming toxic behaviors around work, money, and prestige that once threatened her relationships, health, and career.In our conversation, Manisha introduces 'MoneyZen' - her joy-based approach to living a life rich in both financial health and emotional wealth. She shares inspiring stories of individuals from all walks of life, their struggles with the 'Never Enough' syndrome, and their path to finding their 'enough'.Through Manisha's insights, listeners will learn how to break free from the hamster wheel of constant striving and start living a life fueled by authentic joy, connection, and meaning. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Aaron Dignan is using software to help scale new ways of working and expedite the decision making process of organizations. Discover the possibilities for transformation in the workplace and realize how we can use software like Murmur to revolutionize our slow and outdated systems. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Drew Plotkin, tattoo artist and filmmaker, shares his journey of self-discovery through tattoos in this episode. He recounts his adventures, from death row to Hollywood, and uses his experiences to inspire listeners with his resilience and determination to live life on his own terms. Don't miss this raw and honest account of success, failure, and finding the strength to always get back up. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this podcast episode, we sit down with Gautam Mukunda, a Research Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School's Center for Public Leadership, to discuss what we can learn about leadership from presidential elections. Drawing on insights from his book 'Picking Presidents', which examines the qualities that make for successful leaders, Mukunda provides a fascinating analysis of filtered and unfiltered presidents alike. Whether you're a political junkie or simply interested in the qualities that make for effective leadership, this episode is sure to provide plenty of food for thought. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
If you want to be more innovative, you need to start by changing the way you think about creativity. Good ideas aren't the result of pure wisdom, but rather the practice of innovation. Learn how to tap into surprising and valuable ideas on demand and fill the creative pipeline with breakthrough ideas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We have apps telling us who we should date, what music to listen to and which route to take to work, but no algorithm or AI can tell us who we should marry, where we should live or at what age we should have children. According to economist Russ Roberts, these decisions are borne of the necessity to solve life's wild problems. They aren't decisions made by us but rather by who we want to be. They are the decisions that define us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Camille Virginia presents a refreshing and influential solution to the conundrum of digital connection. That is- meeting offline and in the real world. Not only does Camille explain the power of offline connection but she also provides a handbook that will help you fast track your way to building a fulfilling and thriving connection with anyone. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome to an inspiring episode of Unmistakable Creative, featuring the brilliant Michael Bungay Stanier, a renowned coach and author, as we explore the path to unlocking greatness by embracing challenges. Join us as we delve into the transformative power of working on hard things and how it leads to personal and professional growth.Stanier shares his profound insights on the importance of tackling difficult tasks to unleash one's true potential. This episode is not just about productivity tips; it's about embracing discomfort and pushing boundaries to achieve extraordinary results in life and work.Through engaging stories and practical advice, Stanier reveals strategies to overcome resistance and take meaningful actions toward self-improvement. Listeners will gain valuable tools to step out of their comfort zones, build resilience, and create a positive impact in their lives and the lives of others.Whether you're seeking to enhance your performance at work, pursue your passions, or lead a more fulfilling life, this episode provides actionable wisdom to unlock your greatness. Stanier's expertise will empower you to navigate challenges with confidence and turn them into stepping stones for success.Don't miss this episode to learn from a seasoned coach and author and discover how working on hard things can lead to personal and professional growth. Gain insights that could transform your approach to challenges and unlock your full potential with Michael Bungay Stanier. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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4 types of facts
One more finger snap ....please inform your guests that tapping on a desk or finger snapping is baddd! you should add this to your contract, as well as - if the interview is not to a specific standard we won't publish--- this person is full of BS, because Seth gave her an opportunity doesn't mean that everyone should go mad hiring her and interviewing her, full of crap, nothing of real value here! Take risks and don't self-sabotage leaving space for people like this to take your place!
Very biased. Or at least very opinionated.
This was such a great episode, so helpful and enlightening, thank you!
The number of, "uuh, uuuhs" this guy used was so distracting, I had to skip the episode.
This is great!
interesting but too many commercial interruptions. Goner
It's refreshing to hear you talk about your book not selling well. Everyone who does write a book goes on and on about it, pretending they're best-sellers, when in reality, most books aren't. Thank you for sharing this experience. I'm a PhD candidate, and this helps me deal with how my dissertation will be taken when finally completed, and throughout the editing process.
fin