Claim OwnershipThe Unmistakable Creative Podcast
Subscribed: 25,586Played: 650,074
Subscribe
© 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.
Join The Unmistakable Collective
The Unmistakable Collective is a monthly membership for writers, bloggers, podcasters, and content creators that gives you access to workshops, AMA's, and accountability from other like-minded peers to help you accomplish any creative goals! Click here to become a member.
Connect with Us On Social
Twitter: @unmistakableceo
Instagram: @unmistkablecreative
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1724 Episodes
Reverse
Author and entrepreneur Luke Burgis joins us to explore the invisible architecture of human desire — and how understanding it can radically change our choices, ambitions, and sense of self. Drawing on his book *Wanting* and the mimetic theory of René Girard, Burgis unpacks how most of what we "want" is shaped not by independent reasoning, but by models — people we unconsciously imitate.From adolescent identity formation to startup culture, self-improvement traps, and curated social media personas, Burgis reveals how easily our values can be hijacked. He discusses the destructive loop of rivalrous desire, the myth of the autonomous goal-setter, and how most of us never pause to ask *why* we want what we want. The conversation also dives into the difference between thin vs. thick desires, how to build a life rooted in fulfillment rather than status, and the importance of discovering what only *you* can do. For anyone seeking clarity in a noisy, comparison-driven world, this episode is a wake-up call — and a blueprint for reclaiming your inner compass. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Laura Owens, broadcaster and domestic violence survivor, shares her journey from an abusive relationship to reclaiming her voice and sense of self. Growing up in a family dedicated to broadcasting and storytelling, she learned the power of narrative—but nothing prepared her for how deeply trauma would challenge her ability to trust and be vulnerable. Laura explains why going to the police felt like a betrayal that led nowhere, why victims face a coat of shame they shouldn't have to wear, and how emotional abuse can be more damaging than physical violence. She explores the difference between letting your past inform your future versus letting it define you, why self-worth recovery is a daily struggle, and how gratitude journaling and surrounding yourself with trustworthy people become part of healing. This conversation challenges the victim-blaming question of why didn't she leave and reframes survival as strength, not weakness. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Kristin Neff, pioneering researcher and author of *Self-Compassion*, shares a groundbreaking case for why treating ourselves with kindness isn’t indulgent — it’s essential. Drawing on decades of academic research and personal reflection, Neff outlines how self-compassion transforms mental health, resilience, motivation, and even our relationship to ambition.The conversation spans parenting, education, culture, and the myth of the “perfect” self. Neff breaks down the differences between self-esteem and self-compassion, explores how shame and criticism undermine growth, and reveals how to rewire self-talk using neuroscience and contemplative practice. Her concept of self-worth isn’t built on achievement or performance — it’s rooted in humanity, connection, and presence.From emotional resilience and rumination to social comparison and cultural programming, this episode is a masterclass in learning to care for yourself — not as a reward for success, but as a prerequisite for thriving. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Kate Peterson, artist and author, shares her journey from chasing Instagram validation to defining success on her own terms. After spending 10 months in Greece, she realized that achievement itself was hollow—what mattered was building a life where small joys like pastries and coffee became the reward, not just checkpoints on a path to something else. Peterson explores how growing up across cultures shaped her identity, why social media creates superficial positive reinforcement loops, and how artists must navigate the spectrum between creating what they want and creating what pays. The conversation challenges Western individualism, explores Greek concepts of joy and togetherness, and questions whether the pursuit of an extraordinary life undermines the value of a perfectly good ordinary one. This is about defining the good life for yourself, not inheriting someone else's blueprint. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Kamal Ravikant, author of "Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends On It," breaks down the neuroscience and daily practice of self-love as a transformative mental discipline. Drawing from his own journey through depression, Kamal explains how thoughts are just old mental loops running on autopilot, how we can consciously rewrite painful memories by changing their emotional charge, and why self-forgiveness is the necessary first step before transformation. He introduces the practice of layering one primal mental loop—I love myself—until it runs automatically and becomes the foundation from which your thoughts, feelings, and life arise. This conversation explores the malleability of memory, why the mind needs constant training like the body, and how seven minutes a day of internal work can compound into lasting change from the inside out. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Justin Connor, filmmaker and musician behind The Golden Age, shares how his saxophonist father and jazz-loving parents never encouraged music yet inadvertently programmed workaholism into his DNA—a double-edged sword that became both his greatest asset for wearing multiple hats on independent films and his potential downfall requiring hard drive reformatting of his life. Connor reveals how cigarette addiction reflected grief stored in the lungs, how psychedelics and ayahuasca offered exploration without true addiction, and why workaholism proved more dangerous than any substance by fueling perfectionism, obsessive careerism, and control. Drawing from his upbringing witnessing family dynamics, he explains how directing became about trusting himself as an adult after childhood wounds, why he interned for Eric Holder before a double feature of Shawshank Redemption and Pulp Fiction redirected him to Hollywood, and how creating The Golden Age with superhuman strength felt like lancing a boil that needed purging—a film he could never remake even with 10 million dollars. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jim Kwik, brain performance expert and author of Limitless, reveals how a childhood brain injury transformed him from the kid with the broken brain into one of the world leading authorities on accelerated learning and memory. Drawing from his immigrant parents sacrifices and his own journey through learning disabilities, Jim breaks down the three forces that limit us mindset, motivation, and methods. He explains why risk-taking capacity gets drilled out of us with age, how reframing victimhood into gifts unlocked his superpower, and why comparison through social media creates digital depression. This conversation explores neuroplasticity, energy management, and how to align daily actions with core values to escape the box of limiting beliefs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Vanessa Van Edwards, behavioral researcher and author, traces her expertise in human behavior back to being a highly neurotic student council nerd with few friends in high school. That discomfort zone became her comfort zone—teaching, conferences, and analyzing how people communicate. Van Edwards breaks down nonverbal communication patterns, micro-expressions, charisma signals, and what research reveals about likability versus respect. She explains how to read rooms, why authenticity beats performance in social settings, and the science behind first impressions. Her work transforms awkward interactions into learnable skills by treating social dynamics as data rather than mystery. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Tiago Forte, creator of the Second Brain methodology, shares how attending five different schools in five consecutive years obliterated his social circles and forced him to become a chameleon—crossing between student government, cross country, French club, and chess nerds. This adaptability became the foundation for his work on knowledge management and building systems that work across contexts. Forte explains the CODE method for organizing information, why traditional note-taking fails, how to capture and connect ideas across projects, and why your brain is for having ideas, not storing them. His system helps knowledge workers think better by externalizing memory into a trusted digital system. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Susan Magsamen, author of Your Brain on Art, explores creativity through neuroscience rather than philosophy or technique. Born to working-class parents who never attended college—her father worked his way up from nurseries to insurance executive—Magsamen learned management and relentless work ethic early. She explains how art and creative engagement physically change brain structure, why aesthetic experiences matter for wellbeing beyond productivity, and what neuroscience reveals about how humans process creative work. Her research-backed approach bridges the gap between artistic practice and biological reality, showing that creativity isn't mystical—it's measurable, trainable, and essential for cognitive health. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Robin Dellabough, writer and editor, shares her unconventional journey from growing up in a bohemian Greenwich Village household to spending decades supporting other people's creativity. Raised by beatnik parents who gave her the confidence to try anything, she hitchhiked Europe at 17, lived in a Hawaiian treehouse, worked as a theater stage manager, and ghostwrote books—all while her own creative voice remained underground. Dellabough explains the pattern of talented people who facilitate others' success while neglecting their own work, how she eventually claimed her creative life through poetry and writing, and why direct feedback without sugarcoating serves creative growth better than false encouragement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Rob Bloom, creative director for Universal theme parks, shares his journey living with a stutter that shaped his entire life and career. He reveals how hiding his stutter for 30 years meant ordering food he didn't want, watching movies he didn't choose, and avoiding authentic self-expression. Paradoxically, stuttering forced him to become creative early—making videos for school presentations instead of speaking. Bloom explains the three coping strategies for stutterers (openly stuttering, blocking, or hiding), why hiding leads to inauthenticity, and how he eventually embraced his stutter. His story demonstrates how perceived limitations can become creative advantages and why vulnerability is essential for genuine connection. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Rich Karlgaard, author of Late Bloomers, dismantles the toxic narrative that success must come early. Drawing from his father's reinvention in his 30s and his own struggles after college, he explains why our obsession with early achievement is detrimental to people who develop at different paces. Karlgaard analyzes the college admissions scandal as a symptom of parental pressure, explores how comparison culture on platforms like Medium fuels inadequacy, and offers a research-backed case for why patience and diverse developmental timelines produce more fulfilled, successful individuals. He argues that being fired, struggling, and blooming late often leads to greater work than following the traditional fast-track path. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Rebecca Beltran shares her unconventional journey from polyamory to becoming a courtesan, challenging cultural stigma around sex work and intimacy. She reveals that her work is primarily about connection and being truly seen—not just physical encounters. Rebecca explains how religious Puritanism shapes American attitudes toward sexuality, why younger men in their 20s and 30s are now seeking her services post-Me Too movement, and how open communication about desire can shift sex from something dangerous to something empowering. She also discusses navigating relationships with partners outside her work and why pleasure rooted in fulfillment matters more than hedonistic thrills. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jenny Blake, author of "Free Time," reveals how her father—an architect who gives ruthless editorial feedback with his "WKIYB" abbreviation (we know it’s your book)—taught her to eliminate unnecessary qualifiers and strengthen her writing. Drawing from her experience creating a paid family newsletter at age 11 with 50 subscribers, Blake has always been entrepreneurial, guided by her mother’s lesson: "you should always know how to support yourself." As the breadwinner in her marriage who rejects traditional domestic roles, Blake challenges societal pressures on both men and women around earning and gender expectations. She introduces the "time-to-revenue ratio"—a missing P&L metric that measures how much time it takes to generate revenue—arguing that revenue, ease, and joy aren’t mutually exclusive. Blake dismantles Benjamin Franklin’s "time is money" myth, explaining that business owners aren’t rewarded for butt-in-seat time and that working less actually requires more sophistication through systems, automation, and delegation. Her three-part framework—align, design, assign—helps entrepreneurs optimize what’s now, not just navigate what’s next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Marc Elliott shares his controversial perspective on NXIVM, arguing that media narratives have distorted the truth about Keith Raniere and the organization. Living with severe Tourette syndrome for 20 years, Elliott found relief through NXIVM techniques when traditional medical approaches failed. He challenges the dominant narrative by examining inconsistencies in accusers stories, questioning the lack of due process in the trial, and arguing that salacious headlines and the MeToo movement created a climate where critical questioning was discouraged. Elliott explains how easy it is to be a victim in modern culture, the importance of evaluating evidence rather than emotions, and why he believes that prejudicial tactics corrupted the judicial process. This conversation explores media manipulation, the ethics of narrative control, and the uncomfortable space between believing victims and demanding evidence. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Luvvie Ajayi Jones challenges the cultural expectation that harmony is more important than justice. As a professional troublemaker, she argues that speaking up in rooms where bad ideas or unjust systems persist is not just necessary—it is our responsibility. Drawing from her Nigerian heritage and her grandmother's fearless example, Luvvie explores how we've been conditioned to shrink ourselves, hide our superpowers, and accept being called "too much" instead of claiming our full selves. She breaks down why we fear asking for what we want, why boundaries are gifts rather than selfishness, and how imposter syndrome can actually drive us to do better work. Her framework for professional troublemaking reframes discomfort as worthwhile when it serves a larger cause. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Peter Krask, creator of Myth Merchant and former Hollywood producer, shares his journey from quitting grad school to producing reality TV to building a business around storytelling and mythology. After realizing a PhD wasn't his path, Krask dove into the entertainment industry, learning the business side of creativity—budgets, staff, international shipping, and legitimacy through visibility. He explains how being on television instantly validated his work in ways that years of independent effort couldn't, why many people stay in PhD programs despite knowing it's not right for them, and what he's learned about balancing artistic ambition with commercial viability. This conversation explores the tension between creative freedom and financial sustainability, the cultural weight of visible success, and how mythology and narrative shape the way we understand our lives and work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oliver Burkeman, author of "The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking," dismantles the self-help industry's obsession with optimism and goal-setting. Raised as a Quaker with pro-social parents, Burkeman explores why chasing happiness often makes us miserable, how negative visualization (imagining worst-case scenarios) builds resilience, and why acceptance of uncertainty is more valuable than relentless positivity. He explains that we already know the five or six things required for a meaningful life—good relationships, sleep, nature, exercise—but consuming more books and courses becomes procrastination disguised as progress. The conversation tackles spiritual bypassing, why new information rarely solves our problems, and how shifting perspective at an emotional level matters more than intellectual understanding. This is a contrarian, practical take on self-improvement that challenges the tyranny of positive thinking. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this powerful conversation, former CBS news anchor and positive psychology researcher Michelle Gielan unpacks how we can rewire our communication habits to shape more resilient, empowered, and optimistic lives — both personally and collectively. Drawing on research from her book *Broadcasting Happiness*, Gielan shows how small shifts in the way we speak, frame problems, and open conversations have a measurable impact on our mindset, productivity, and relationships.She explores the science behind “power leads,” fueling facts, and positive priming — including how a single sentence can increase workplace performance, family resilience, and mental well-being. Gielan also breaks down the dangers of passive news consumption, the psychology of negativity bias, and how to apply fact-checking to rewrite the personal stories that keep us stuck in stress or fear.From practical strategies for dealing with pessimism and toxic people to the data-driven case for gratitude and solution-oriented media, this episode offers a toolkit for becoming a more intentional broadcaster of hope — at work, at home, and in your own mind. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States
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