SuperCreativity Podcast with James Taylor | Creativity, Innovation and Inspiring Ideas

The World of Creativity: Lessons from 75 Countries with Fredrik Haren #363 In this episode of the SuperCreativity Podcast, James Taylor welcomes back Fredrik Haren, the globally renowned Creativity Explorer and author of The World of Creativity: A Journey Across 37 Countries to Discover the Secrets of Creative Minds. Over the past 25 years, Fredrik has travelled to more than 75 countries, meeting everyone from artists in Afghan villages to innovation leaders in global corporations — all to answer one question: What is creativity? In this fascinating and deeply human conversation, Fredrik shares the most powerful lessons he’s learned from creative people across cultures — from Thailand’s idea naps and Finland’s love of questions, to Japan’s Kaizen and America’s “move fast and break things.” Together, they explore how curiosity fuels creativity, why we must fall in love with the process (not the outcome), and how to un-alienate people to bold new ideas. Whether you’re a leader, artist, or lifelong learner, this episode will help you see creativity not as a skill reserved for the few, but as a global language of exploration, humility, and connection. Notable Quotes “You can’t master what you don’t understand — and most people don’t understand the creative process.” – Fredrik Haren “If you want to be more creative, become more curious.” – Fredrik Haren “Don’t be a developed person; be a developing one. Stay soft, stay adaptable.” – Fredrik Haren “Sometimes the smartest way to innovate is to make the alien familiar.” – Fredrik Haren “Creativity isn’t about speed or slowness — it’s about knowing when to go fast and when to be patient.” – Fredrik Haren Resources and Links Book: The World of Creativity: A Journey Across 37 Countries to Discover the Secrets of Creative Minds   Website:  fredrikharen.com Recommended Read: Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor  Connect with Fredrik: Search “The Creativity Explorer” on Google or LinkedIn Apple Podcast Spotify Podcast Takeaways Creativity loves process, not product — The most creative people fall in love with the how, not just the what. Curiosity is the fuel of creativity — In languages like Finnish and Bulgarian, the word for “curious” literally means “love of asking questions.” Developing vs. developed mindsets — Declaring yourself “developed” kills innovation; true progress means staying open and unfinished. Un-alienate new ideas — To introduce radical change, make the unfamiliar feel familiar through gradual storytelling and empathy. Balance exploration and reflection — Fredrik’s creative rhythm alternates between global travel (inspiration) and quiet solitude on his private island (reflection). In his upcoming book, James Taylor delves into the transformative concept of SuperCreativity™—the art of amplifying your creative potential through collaboration with both humans and machines. Drawing from his experiences speaking in over 30 countries, James combines compelling stories, case studies, and practical strategies to help readers unlock innovation and harness the power of AI-driven tools. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to elevate their creativity and thrive in the modern age of human-machine collaboration. James Taylor is a highly sought-after keynote speaker, often booked months or even years in advance due to his exceptional expertise. Given his limited availability, it’s crucial to contact him early if you’re interested in securing a date or learning how he can enhance your event. Reach out to James Taylor now for an opportunity to bring his unique insights to your conference or team. Enquire Now The Creativity Blueprint Free 3-Part Video Training Series On How To Unlock Your Creative Potential, Break Down Creative Blocks, and Unleash Your Creative GeniusFREE training video shows you how to unlock your creative potential in 5 simple steps. The world’s top creative individuals and organizations use these exact strategies.   The 7-Figure Speaker Blueprint FREE training video shows you the ten ways to make $1,000,000 from your speaking. The world’s top professional speakers use these exact strategies.In this first FREE video series, award-winning keynote speaker James Taylor reveals how to become a 7-figure speaker. CHAPTERS Timestamps00:00 – Introduction to Fredrik Haren and The World of Creativity 01:31 – What it means to be a “Creativity Explorer” 02:55 – Why so few people actively develop their creativity 04:22 – Loving the process: the German brewer’s lesson 06:18 – Creativity as practice, not performance 07:56 – The student mindset and the power of curiosity 09:52 – Cultural biases in creativity and the danger of “developed” thinking 11:50 – Why progress stalls in the most advanced countries 13:43 – The psychology of complacency and lack of imagination 17:04 – “Un-alienating” ideas: how to make the new less scary 19:45 – Lessons from Thai “idea naps” and Sabai Sabai philosophy 22:35 – The neuroscience of rest and creativity 24:20 – Fredrik’s creative process: selective seclusion and exploration 26:10 – Globalization and why sameness kills creativity 29:46 – Cultural fusion vs. cultural flattening 31:32 – Kaizen vs. “move fast and break things” — two creative speeds 32:33 – Profound patience: creativity lessons from Afghanistan 36:12 – AI, safety, and the speed of innovation 37:04 – How to explore creativity without leaving your city 39:30 – Storytelling, curiosity, and human connection 40:29 – Inspiration vs. respiration: why ideas need to be acted on 41:51 – Fredrik’s current book recommendation: Breath by James Nestor43:05 – Where to find Fredrik and pre-order The World of Creativity TRANSCRIPT  James Taylor (00:09)Today's guest is Fredrik Haren known to many as the creativity explorer. Over the past 25 years, Fredrik has traversed more than 60 countries to uncover the hidden rhythms of creative life, from artists in remote villages to tech innovators in global capitals. His book, The World of Creativity, a Journey Across 37 Countries to Discover the Secrets of Creative Minds, is not a how-to manual, it's a map of how creativity actually lives, breathes and adapts across cultures. Fredrik's own story is creative. He built and sold a company, then pivoted to a life of storytelling, exploration, and keynote speaking, shifting continents and mindsets along the way. So whether you're curious about how to take ideas from local to global, or how your environment can become your creative teacher, then this is a conversation I think you're really gonna enjoy. Fredrik Haren, please welcome, I welcome you to the SuperCreativity Podcast. Fredrik Haren (01:01) Thank you so much. So happy to be here. James Taylor (01:04) Now you've been on this show before and so I will put a link for people who want to listen to that and we talked a little bit more about your background, your story, but I remember when I met you at an event or we were a conversation recently and I was asking you kind of how you describe today what you do, how you think of your identity, what you do today. So if someone come up to you at a party or you're sitting on a plane sitting next to you, how do you describe what you do? Fredrik Haren (01:31) Well, then I would describe myself as the creativity explorer, as you just did. But then what does it mean to be the creativity explorer? the more I basically, to explore means to venture into unknown territory in order to learn more about something. And that's what I do about creativity. But the way what I realized is what I really enjoy is meeting with people around the world from all walks of life and to discover what they can teach me about creativity. So it's this meet, it's this encounters with other creative people and the lessons they can teach us. The more people I interview, the more I realized that that's where the interesting stuff. James Taylor (02:16) I remember watching one of the very first videos I ever saw of you and you asked a question to the audience about how many of you consider yourself creative. And I'm interested, as you've traveled around the world, does that number differ? Does that percentage in the room differ or does

Our Brains, Our Selves: How the Mind Creates Identity with Professor Masud Husain #362 In this episode of the SuperCreativity Podcast, James Taylor speaks with Professor Masud Husain, neurologist, neuroscientist, essayist, and author of Our Brains, Ourselves: What a Neurologist’s Patients Tell Him About the Brain. A leading researcher at the University of Oxford, Husain explores how the brain constructs our sense of self—and what happens when that system breaks down. Through remarkable patient stories—from a man who loses his motivation after a stroke to a woman whose hand acts with a mind of its own—Husain shows how identity, motivation, and consciousness emerge from the fragile architecture of the brain. Together, they discuss the neuroscience of apathy and addiction, the role of dopamine in behavior, the intersection of AI and neurobiology, and what it truly means to be human. If you’ve ever wondered how much of “you” is shaped by your brain—and how much you can change—this conversation offers profound insights into the science of the self. Notable Quotes “Our brains create our identities—ourselves. And when a part of that function fails, so does a piece of who we are.” – Prof. Masud Husain “Motivation is not just psychological—it’s biological. It lives in deep circuits that connect desire to action.” – Prof. Masud Husain “Apathy and addiction are two sides of the same coin—they both involve the brain’s motivation system gone wrong.” – Prof. Masud Husain “We can still learn and reshape who we are. Even in adulthood, the brain remains astonishingly flexible.” – Prof. Masud Husain Resources and Links Book: Our Brains, Ourselves Website: masudhusain.org Recommended Read: Principles of Neuroscience by Eric Kandel and James Schwartz Apple Podcast Spotify Podcast Takeaways The brain builds identity — Selfhood arises from multiple interacting functions: memory, motivation, attention, and perception. Apathy and addiction share the same circuitry — Dopamine links motivational cues to action; too little or too much disrupts balance. Motivation can be restored — Dopaminergic treatments show promise for patients whose “will to act” has vanished after brain injury. Attention is selective and limited — The brain filters vast sensory input, sustaining focus through the right hemisphere’s networks. We remain flexible — Even in adulthood, the brain’s plasticity allows for self-directed change in habits, motivation, and mindset. In his upcoming book, James Taylor delves into the transformative concept of SuperCreativity™—the art of amplifying your creative potential through collaboration with both humans and machines. Drawing from his experiences speaking in over 30 countries, James combines compelling stories, case studies, and practical strategies to help readers unlock innovation and harness the power of AI-driven tools. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to elevate their creativity and thrive in the modern age of human-machine collaboration. James Taylor is a highly sought-after keynote speaker, often booked months or even years in advance due to his exceptional expertise. Given his limited availability, it’s crucial to contact him early if you’re interested in securing a date or learning how he can enhance your event. Reach out to James Taylor now for an opportunity to bring his unique insights to your conference or team. Enquire Now The Creativity Blueprint Free 3-Part Video Training Series On How To Unlock Your Creative Potential, Break Down Creative Blocks, and Unleash Your Creative GeniusFREE training video shows you how to unlock your creative potential in 5 simple steps. The world’s top creative individuals and organizations use these exact strategies.   The 7-Figure Speaker Blueprint FREE training video shows you the ten ways to make $1,000,000 from your speaking. The world’s top professional speakers use these exact strategies.In this first FREE video series, award-winning keynote speaker James Taylor reveals how to become a 7-figure speaker. CHAPTERS Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction to Professor Masud Husain and Our Brains, Ourselves 01:24 – How neurological patients reveal the building blocks of identity 03:18 – Why the self is a neuro function, not a philosophical abstraction 05:24 – The brain as a “controlled hallucination” machine 06:57 – Case study: David, apathy, and the basal ganglia 09:54 – Dopamine, motivation, and recovery through treatment 14:35 – Oxford study on apathy and brain activation differences 16:23 – Apathy vs. addiction: the same motivation circuitry at work 19:02 – Dopamine as the “wanting” transmitter, not the pleasure chemical 21:52 – Attention, distraction, and why focus is so difficult to sustain 24:50 – How Marvin Minsky’s “society of mind” shaped modern neuroscience 27:55 – The illusion of self: from Descartes to Buddhist philosophy 30:12 – Case study: Anna’s “alien hand” and body representation in the brain 33:38 – Phantom limbs, body maps, and how tools become part of us 36:01 – When machines become extensions of the self 37:41 – How adults can retrain motivation and change behavior 39:26 – Why the brain’s plasticity offers lifelong potential for growth 40:05 – Book recommendation: Principles of Neuroscience by Eric Kandel 40:46 – Where to learn more: masudhusain.org TRANSCRIPT   James Taylor (00:09) Today's guest is Professor Masud Husain a neurologist, neuroscientist, and essayist who sits at the intersection of brain identity and self. Masud Husain is a leading figure at University of Oxford, editing the journal Brain and treating patients whose neurological disorders cause us to reassess our deepest assumptions about who we are. His new book, Our Brains, Ourselves, what a neurologist's patients talk to him about the brain is a compelling, beautifully written exploration of how identity is wired. and how it unravels. Through seven rich patient stories spanning language loss, apathy, delusions, and disinhibition, Hussein illustrates that our minds are fragile architectures, but also sometimes repairable. If you've ever wondered how much of you is just a brain doing its job, and what happens when it doesn't, then this is the episode that you've been waiting for. Masud Husain welcome to the Super Creativity Podcast. Masud Husain (01:05) Thank very much, James. Great to be here. James Taylor (01:08) Now in your decades of the work in neurology, neuroscience, was there one particular patient or moment early in your career that you convinced you that identity and selfhood are maybe far more fragile than we assume? Masud Husain (01:24) I think a lot of our neurological patients who come to us with cognitive complaints, whether it's about their language, their memory, the fact that they're missing things in the world around them. In total, they made me think that actually we can learn an awful lot from the people who come to see us. We can learn an awful lot about ourselves. So the seven patients you mentioned in the book are... really, I thought, good examples of how that would occur. But for me, it's actually the sort of whole panoply of the kind of patients we see that make me think that what we're witnessing is how different brain functions really create ourselves. And it's not one of those in particular that I think is particularly revealing about the self. It's that combination of functions that creates our identities ourselves. And all we need is to lose one of those functions. Then it becomes clear that someone has changed in their personal identity. So you might lose your memory when you think, well, that someone's just amnestic. But it's not just that. It changes the way you are. And it changes your personal identity. It changes how you fit in society, your social identity. James Taylor (02:49) and we're gonna get into some of these individual kind case studies as well, but I live part of the time in North London, kind of Hampstead area, and often I walk past the house, I think it was Oliver Sacks used to live in that. So you follow in this kind of, I feel like this traditionally, Oliver Sacks, Ramachandran, but you bring a kind of a new nuance to it. So this identity as a neuro function. What first took you

The Creative Brain: Busting Myths About Creativity with Dr. Anna Abraham #361 In this episode of the SuperCreativity Podcast, James Taylor interviews Dr. Anna Abraham, neuroscientist, educator, and author of The Creative Brain: Myths and Truths. As the E. Paul Torrance Professor at the University of Georgia and director of the Creativity and Imagination Lab, Dr. Abraham has spent decades exploring the science behind creativity and imagination. Together, they dive deep into some of the most persistent myths about creativity—from the supposed link between creativity and mental illness to the popular idea that creativity is only a “right brain” activity. Along the way, Dr. Abraham explains how creativity actually works in the brain, what makes myths so sticky, and why everyday creativity is just as important as exceptional genius. If you’ve ever doubted your creative potential because of stereotypes or wanted to understand what science really says about imagination, this conversation will change how you think about creativity forever. Notable Quotes “Every myth has a kernel of truth—it’s the way the story gets told that flattens it into something misleading.” – Dr. Anna Abraham “Creativity is less like magic and more like fitness—it improves with practice.” – Dr. Anna Abraham “We like outlandish explanations for creativity more than the truth, because they make a better story.” – Dr. Anna Abraham “The unglamorous part of creativity is the real truth: it’s a craft, and you have to keep working at it.” – Dr. Anna Abraham Resources and Links Book: The Creative Brain: Myths and Truths Website: anna-abraham.com Recommended Reads: The Creative Act by Rick Rubin The Body by Bill Bryson Apple Podcast Spotify Podcast Takeaways Creativity & mental illness — There are links, but they are complex, nuanced, and shaped by vulnerability and environment, not destiny. Right brain vs. left brain — Both hemispheres play a role; the metaphor is useful, but the science is more complicated. Everyday creativity matters — Creativity isn’t just about lone geniuses; it’s about building your own creative “fitness.” Precarity fuels vulnerability — From writers working alone to creative industries hit hardest by crises, uncertainty impacts mental health. Creativity is a skill — Like fitness, it can be measured, trained, and improved with the right practices and tools. In his upcoming book, James Taylor delves into the transformative concept of SuperCreativity™—the art of amplifying your creative potential through collaboration with both humans and machines. Drawing from his experiences speaking in over 30 countries, James combines compelling stories, case studies, and practical strategies to help readers unlock innovation and harness the power of AI-driven tools. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to elevate their creativity and thrive in the modern age of human-machine collaboration. James Taylor is a highly sought-after keynote speaker, often booked months or even years in advance due to his exceptional expertise. Given his limited availability, it’s crucial to contact him early if you’re interested in securing a date or learning how he can enhance your event. Reach out to James Taylor now for an opportunity to bring his unique insights to your conference or team. Enquire Now The Creativity Blueprint Free 3-Part Video Training Series On How To Unlock Your Creative Potential, Break Down Creative Blocks, and Unleash Your Creative GeniusFREE training video shows you how to unlock your creative potential in 5 simple steps. The world’s top creative individuals and organizations use these exact strategies.   The 7-Figure Speaker Blueprint FREE training video shows you the ten ways to make $1,000,000 from your speaking. The world’s top professional speakers use these exact strategies.In this first FREE video series, award-winning keynote speaker James Taylor reveals how to become a 7-figure speaker. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Introduction to Dr. Anna Abraham and The Creative Brain 01:17 – Myth #1: Creativity and mental illness 06:32 – Why myths about creativity persist in culture 11:46 – Myth #2: The right brain is the seat of creativity 16:35 – The metaphorical power (and limits) of right vs. left brain 18:17 – Creativity and dementia: de novo creativity explained 21:56 – Improvisation, jazz, comedy, and breaking the path of least resistance 25:57 – Training yourself to disrupt automatic thinking patterns 29:02 – Defining creativity for business audiences: creativity vs. innovation 30:12 – The Torrance Test and measuring creativity in children and adults 34:55 – Myth of the lone creative genius: why context matters 39:42 – The most pervasive myths about creativity today 42:50 – Practice makes the performance look “natural” 44:25 – Book recommendations: Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act and Bill Bryson’s The Body 47:51 – Where to learn more about Dr. Abraham’s work TRANSCRIPT James Taylor (00:09) Today's guest is Dr. Anna Abraham, a neuroscientist, educator, myth buster, and the E. Paul Torrance Professor at University of Georgia. She leads the Creativity and Imagination Lab and directs the Torrance Center for Creativity and Talent Development. Anna's work sits at the intersection of brain science and human imagination. She studies mental time travel, the boundary between fact and fiction, self-referencing thought and how creativity works in our minds. Her latest book, The Creative Brain, Myths and Truths, pulls back the curtain on beliefs we hold about creativity. Ones like the right brain myth, the tortured artist stereotype, or that psychedelics are a shortcut and shows the truths underneath. If you've ever doubted your creative potential because you believed a myth or wondered how science can illuminate what actually helps creativity, then this episode is for you. Anna, welcome to the SuperCreativity Podcast. Anna Abraham (01:08) Thank you for having me. I'm delighted to be here. James Taylor (01:10) So Anna, what was your earliest encounter with a myth about creativity? Anna Abraham (01:17) That's a good one. ⁓ Probably my own. I've ⁓ always been fascinated by creativity, but the first time I got the chance to study it was during my PhD. the main impetus of my study was to try and figure out the link between creativity and mental illness. was my starting point. ⁓ And it's one of the, I'd call them myth truths is the way I kind of handle them in the book. ⁓ of what is really the link between creativity and mental illness. And it's probably the oldest one of all of them, because it's existed since sort of the ancient Greeks thought about it. So that's probably the oldest that I have encountered and really been thinking about for decades now. James Taylor (02:01) And I wonder with a myth like that, obviously we have these different myths that have in society and the media, it seems to be one that the media often latch onto, you know, the young rock star that dies of an overdose, for example. So let's do some myth bustings in this episode. What is that? Is there a link, first of all? And if so, what is that link between this? Anna Abraham (02:29) So the interesting thing about the myth truth of creativity and mental illness is that there is a link, but it's not really clear what the directionality is, how strong it is. When we think about creativity and madness or mental illness, saying it that broadly is obviously a myth. But when we look closer, ⁓ there are certain types of disorders that are more associated with it. And there are lots of ideas about why that is. Some are sort of saying, well, when you're trying to be creative, exploring the unknown, you're taking a lot of risks, you're putting yourself, it's quite vulnerable to try and come up with new ideas that may or not, may not be accepted by the larger collective. So it's a, you're in the business of risk taking and potentially getting things wrong, or even if you're getting things right, it may not be actually recognized by others. So you're in a vulnerable position very often, depending on the kind of creative activity it is, it can be a kind of isolating experience. So if you think about writers, they tend to be more. at risk for a lot of mental disorders. T

Tiny Experiments: How Curiosity Beats Goals with Anne-Laure Le Cunff #360 In this episode of the SuperCreativity Podcast, James Taylor speaks with Anne-Laure Le Cunff — neuroscientist, entrepreneur, founder of Ness Labs, and author of Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World.Anne-Laure shares her personal journey from Google’s hustle culture to a health crisis that sparked a radical rethinking of success. Instead of chasing fixed goals and rigid outcomes, she advocates for a mindset of tiny experiments—low-risk, curiosity-driven trials that build resilience, creativity, and self-knowledge.We explore her insights on neuroscience, neurodiversity, and how curiosity paired with ambition leads to growth. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, leader, or recovering goal-setter, this conversation will help you embrace uncertainty, cultivate creativity, and design a life built on exploration rather than obsession.Notable Quotes“Success is not reaching a goal. Success is learning something new.” – Anne-Laure Le Cunff“A tiny experiment has no fixed outcome. Your only goal is to show up and explore.” – Anne-Laure Le Cunff“Curiosity without ambition is escapism. Ambition without curiosity is perfectionism. An experimental mindset is both.” – Anne-Laure Le Cunff“We don’t need to fix brains. We need to design environments that fit different brains.” – Anne-Laure Le CunffResources and LinksBook: Tiny Experiments (Penguin)Website & Newsletter: Ness LabsRecommended Read: How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan Apple Podcast Spotify Podcast Takeaways Goals can trap us — shifting to tiny experiments fosters learning, joy, and freedom. Curiosity + ambition = experimental mindset — a healthier alternative to perfectionism or cynicism. Neurodiversity as strength — ADHD and nonlinear thinking can be powerful in the right environments. Failure ≠ failure — experiments reframe outcomes as data and opportunities to learn. Practical tools — “Plus, Minus, Next” weekly review and stop-doing lists can spark creativity and focus. In his upcoming book, James Taylor delves into the transformative concept of SuperCreativity™—the art of amplifying your creative potential through collaboration with both humans and machines. Drawing from his experiences speaking in over 30 countries, James combines compelling stories, case studies, and practical strategies to help readers unlock innovation and harness the power of AI-driven tools. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to elevate their creativity and thrive in the modern age of human-machine collaboration. James Taylor is a highly sought-after keynote speaker, often booked months or even years in advance due to his exceptional expertise. Given his limited availability, it’s crucial to contact him early if you’re interested in securing a date or learning how he can enhance your event. Reach out to James Taylor now for an opportunity to bring his unique insights to your conference or team. Enquire Now The Creativity Blueprint Free 3-Part Video Training Series On How To Unlock Your Creative Potential, Break Down Creative Blocks, and Unleash Your Creative GeniusFREE training video shows you how to unlock your creative potential in 5 simple steps. The world’s top creative individuals and organizations use these exact strategies.   The 7-Figure Speaker Blueprint FREE training video shows you the ten ways to make $1,000,000 from your speaking. The world’s top professional speakers use these exact strategies.In this first FREE video series, award-winning keynote speaker James Taylor reveals how to become a 7-figure speaker. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Introduction to Anne-Laure Le Cunff and Tiny Experiments01:18 – A health crisis at Google that changed everything04:08 – Hustle culture, identity, and immigrant family expectations05:57 – Leaving Google and family reactions07:34 – Startup life: why uncertainty felt scarier than overwork09:27 – When startup failure became freedom10:50 – Returning to study neuroscience out of curiosity12:40 – Curiosity, ADHD, and neurodiversity as superpowers14:57 – The first “tiny experiment” and the generation effect17:42 – Recall, connections, and building a personal knowledge network21:27 – Systems vs. goals and how tiny experiments bridge the gap26:09 – Redefining success: not binary, but data and learning28:53 – OKRs, KPIs, and where experiments fit in business30:53 – Non-attachment, curiosity, and Buddhist parallels31:57 – Curiosity + ambition: the experimental mindset matrix35:32 – The dangers of “one true purpose”39:54 – How to start your first tiny experiment today40:47 – The “Plus, Minus, Next” weekly review ritual42:03 – Recommended book: How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan43:21 – Where to find Anne-Laure’s work and newsletter TRANSCRIPT  James Taylor (00:09)Today's guest is Anne-Laure Le Cunff neuroscientist, entrepreneur, founder of Nest Labs, and author of Tiny Experiments, How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World. Anne-Laure has written a book that turns the ambition-driven, outcome-focused language of success on its head, arguing that curiosity, experimentation, and small trials are more sustainable and actually often more illuminating than fixed goals. From leaving a high-profile role at Google to building a thriving learning community, Her journey has been about reclaiming meaning, creativity, and self-knowledge in a busy world. If you're tired of chasing milestones and want to make choices that feel genuinely yours, then this episode is for you. Anne-Laure welcome to the SuperCreativity Podcast. Anne-Laure Le Cunff (00:55) What an amazing introduction. Thanks so much for having me, James. James Taylor (00:59) So I mentioned earlier, were early on in your career, you working at Google, so I'm wondering, working at Google with all that external valuations and what was the moment that you felt something fundamentally inside you kind of changed, that that linear path, those OKRs, those metrics, wasn't delivering what you thought it would? Anne-Laure Le Cunff (01:18) I loved my job at Google. I loved my team. I loved the projects I was working on. It was exciting work, very intellectually stimulating work. So it took something external. It took a trigger, a big change for me to notice that something was wrong. And that thing for me was a health crisis. So I was working at Google in San Francisco at the time. I was working pretty hard. I had a very long to do list, lots of projects, but again, just waking up every morning, going to work, and sometimes canceling social plans, but just getting things done. So one morning, like any other, I was in my bathroom brushing my teeth, and in the mirror, I noticed that my entire arm had turned purple. And so I went to the Google Infirmary, because yes, we had an infirmary on campus at Google, of course. And the nurse there had one look at my arm and said, you need to go to the hospital straight away. So I went to the hospital and the doctor said, we need to operate as soon as possible. You have a blood clot in your arm that is threatening to travel to your lungs. And in that moment, what did I do? I said, one second, let me check my calendar. So I... James Taylor (02:39) How? Anne-Laure Le Cunff (02:42) The doctors were telling me that I needed surgery as soon as possible, but in my mind, what was most important at that moment was to check that all of the projects I was working on were going to be okay, that my to-do list was still going to be taken care of. And I had this almost like out of body experience when you see yourself do something completely absurd. Who is that person who is having this response? to disinformation. This is when for me, I realized that despite the intellectual stimulation, despite the fact that I was working on very interesting stuff, something was really out of whack in my life in terms of my sense of priorities. James Taylor (03:27) So I'm wondering, like, what do you think, I mean, your upbringing was this kind of way of thinking about things, was that something in your family or did you, when you, I used to work in the Bay Area as well and there was obviously that very kind of hustle culture, quite long hours, very entrepreneurial, very driven, it feels like there, it's al

The Untapped Science of Less: Why Subtraction Unlocks Better Ideas with Dr. Leidy Klotz #359 In this episode of the SuperCreativity Podcast, James Taylor speaks with Dr. Leidy Klotz, engineer, designer, behavioral scientist, and author of Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less. Klotz reveals why our brains are biased toward adding complexity—and why the smartest solution is often to remove, reduce, or simplify.From Lego bridges and Jenga-inspired problem solving to organizational strategy and sustainability, Klotz shows how subtraction can fuel innovation, improve decision-making, and create more meaningful lives. Learn why leaders struggle to showcase competence by doing less, how subtraction improves team morale, and why sustainability, education, and design sectors are embracing the power of removal.If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by too many meetings, endless features, or bloated systems, this conversation will inspire you to see less as progress, not sacrifice.Soundbytes: “Our first instinct is to add—but the real breakthrough often comes when we subtract.”“Subtraction isn’t about less for the sake of less—it’s about clearing space for what really matters.”“Innovation isn’t always building more. Sometimes, it’s about removing the unnecessary.”“Great design, great strategy, and even great lives are defined not by what we add, but by what we choose to take away.”“Subtraction feels counterintuitive, but it’s the hidden lever for creativity and progress.”  Apple Podcast Spotify Podcast Takeaways Our brains default to adding, not subtracting — but subtractive thinking can create elegant and effective solutions. Visible subtraction matters — leaders must model it for teams to feel empowered to simplify. Sustainability thrives on subtraction — less packaging, less waste, less complexity equals more progress. Subtraction boosts morale — removing tasks or meetings frees up mental energy and creativity. Simple rituals help — swap to-do lists for stop-doing lists, or remove one recurring meeting to reclaim focus. In his upcoming book, James Taylor delves into the transformative concept of SuperCreativity™—the art of amplifying your creative potential through collaboration with both humans and machines. Drawing from his experiences speaking in over 30 countries, James combines compelling stories, case studies, and practical strategies to help readers unlock innovation and harness the power of AI-driven tools. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to elevate their creativity and thrive in the modern age of human-machine collaboration. James Taylor is a highly sought-after keynote speaker, often booked months or even years in advance due to his exceptional expertise. Given his limited availability, it’s crucial to contact him early if you’re interested in securing a date or learning how he can enhance your event. Reach out to James Taylor now for an opportunity to bring his unique insights to your conference or team. Enquire Now The Creativity Blueprint Free 3-Part Video Training Series On How To Unlock Your Creative Potential, Break Down Creative Blocks, and Unleash Your Creative GeniusFREE training video shows you how to unlock your creative potential in 5 simple steps. The world’s top creative individuals and organizations use these exact strategies.   The 7-Figure Speaker Blueprint FREE training video shows you the ten ways to make $1,000,000 from your speaking. The world’s top professional speakers use these exact strategies.In this first FREE video series, award-winning keynote speaker James Taylor reveals how to become a 7-figure speaker. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Introduction to Dr. Leidy Klotz and Subtract01:49 – Why addition isn’t always the answer04:08 – The Lego bridge story: A child’s insight into subtraction07:00 – Why subtraction feels harder than addition09:54 – The visibility problem: How leaders can model subtraction13:39 – Subtraction in leadership: examples from Steve Jobs and Capital One16:14 – Maya Lin’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial as a powerful subtractive design19:56 – Marie Kondo, “omit needless words,” and joyful subtractions21:47 – Innovation vs. exnovation: why patents rarely focus on subtraction23:30 – Sustainability as subtraction: packaging, waste, and planetary limits26:30 – Rituals: stop-doing lists, subtractive AI prompts, and meeting-free time28:15 – How subtraction improves morale and team performance31:59 – From marginal gains to subtractive culture in organizations34:20 – Airlines, hotels, and small subtractions that save costs and resources36:22 – Quotes, notebooks, and tools for creativity38:22 – Book recommendations: Soccer in Sun and Shadow & The Extended Mind39:45 – Where to learn more about Leidy Klotz and his upcoming work TRANSCRIPT  James Taylor (00:09)Today I'm joined by Dr. Lydie Klotz, an engineer, designer, and behavioral scientist whose work challenges a deep-seated bias in how we think and act. His book, Subtract, the untapped science of less, flips our default impulse to add onto its head, showing how sometimes the smartest move is actually to remove. I mean, that's a weird way of writing that. Sorry, let me just go again. I'll re-start that. Smartest. Leidy Klotz (00:36) I it was good. The James Taylor (00:38) It's my move is to remove that's yeah. Yeah, okay. I've got I've got I've got the hit they re on the remove. That's fine. Let me just go again Leidy Klotz (00:38) smartest move is actually to... to re-move. You gotta hit the... Well, I don't know, I mean, or you can leave it settle. I thought it was good. Anyway. James Taylor (00:50) That's fine. I'll go again. Don't worry. Okay. Today I'm joined by Dr. Lydie Klotz, an engineer, designer, and behavioral scientist whose work challenges a deep-seated bias in how we think and act. His book, Subtract, the Untapped Science of Less, flips our default impulse to add onto its head, showing how sometimes the smartest move is to remove. He supports this with experiments from Lego models to freeway demolitions and interventions from Jenga-inspired thinking to stop doing lists. Subtract is a rare blend of science, strategy, and design perfect for listeners wondering how to simplify systems, sharpen decisions, and lead more intentionally. Lydie Klotz, welcome to the Super Creativity Podcast. Leidy Klotz (01:40) Thanks for having me, James. That was great. I love the smartest move is to remove. That's like one I haven't thought of it, but that's, it's very memorable. mean, I caught it. So that's great. James Taylor (01:49) a bit of little bit of alliteration there. Now you've come from these different, these worlds of engineering, architecture, behavioral science. tell us what professional or personal moment first made you suspicious that addition wasn't always the answer. Leidy Klotz (01:52) Yeah. And I mean, one of the stories I tell in the book is, mean, I remember my summer job was mowing grass and I would do it. I did it for my parents and then I eventually did it for this guy who owned all the property in town. And I remember that gives you a lot of time to think, right. And about all these deep questions. And one of the questions I had was like, why am I why is there all this grass here that seems to only exist for the purpose of me mowing it, right? And ⁓ so it's just something that I've always noticed as a ⁓ person interested in trying to change things from how they are to how we want them to be, right? ⁓ And whether that's through engineering or design or education, that's as professionals, all of us are engaged in that in some way. And you kind of see that there's I didn't conceptualize it as subtracting at first, but I did notice these opportunities where, ⁓ things are actually better because there's less. ⁓ Whether it's the not having to mow grass or whether it's a really neat modernist building that has clean lines and all these examples. James Taylor (03:18) you were just talking about that and I'm looking out as I'm recording this just now I'm looking at the grass that I have to go and mow probably after this call but we had a guest on Dr. Joseph Gibelli who was talking about, we had this conversation about boredom and the benefits of boredom sometimes because we live in this know 24-7 like base switched

The Creativity Advantage: How Creativity Shapes Our Lives with Dr. James C. Kaufman #358 In this episode of the SuperCreativity Podcast, James Taylor sits down with Dr. James C. Kaufman, one of the world’s leading creativity researchers and a professor of educational psychology at the University of Connecticut. Known for groundbreaking concepts like the 4C Model of Creativity and the Sylvia Plath Effect, Kaufman’s latest book, The Creativity Advantage, explores how creativity impacts our lives far beyond innovation—enhancing our emotional well-being, self-insight, relationships, and sense of meaning.Together, they explore:The science-backed benefits of creativity and how they apply to everyone.Why process matters more than outcomes in creative work.How AI is reshaping creativity—both its opportunities and risks.Practical steps to unlock your creative potential and cultivate openness in everyday life.Whether you’re an artist, leader, educator, or someone just beginning your creative journey, this conversation will inspire you to see creativity as a powerful tool for growth, connection, and resilience.  Apple Podcast Spotify Podcast Takeaways Creativity benefits everyone — You don’t have to be a professional artist or innovator to gain its emotional and cognitive rewards. Process over product — The act of creating often matters more than the final outcome. Openness is key — Trying one new thing a week can significantly expand your creative mindset. AI is a collaborator, not a replacement — Use it to augment, not replace, your creative processes. Creativity fosters well-being — From journaling to micro-creative habits, small practices can have profound effects on mental health and self-awareness. In his upcoming book, James Taylor delves into the transformative concept of SuperCreativity™—the art of amplifying your creative potential through collaboration with both humans and machines. Drawing from his experiences speaking in over 30 countries, James combines compelling stories, case studies, and practical strategies to help readers unlock innovation and harness the power of AI-driven tools. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to elevate their creativity and thrive in the modern age of human-machine collaboration. James Taylor is a highly sought-after keynote speaker, often booked months or even years in advance due to his exceptional expertise. Given his limited availability, it’s crucial to contact him early if you’re interested in securing a date or learning how he can enhance your event. Reach out to James Taylor now for an opportunity to bring his unique insights to your conference or team. Enquire Now The Creativity Blueprint Free 3-Part Video Training Series On How To Unlock Your Creative Potential, Break Down Creative Blocks, and Unleash Your Creative GeniusFREE training video shows you how to unlock your creative potential in 5 simple steps. The world’s top creative individuals and organizations use these exact strategies.   The 7-Figure Speaker Blueprint FREE training video shows you the ten ways to make $1,000,000 from your speaking. The world’s top professional speakers use these exact strategies.In this first FREE video series, award-winning keynote speaker James Taylor reveals how to become a 7-figure speaker. CHAPTERS Timestamps00:00 – Introduction to Dr. James C. Kaufman and his work01:08 – How a personal family experience inspired his research on meaning and creativity02:58 – Why focusing on process over outcomes changes everything05:49 – Writing as a tool for self-insight and healing06:43 – Balancing solo and collaborative creative work08:47 – The power of creative partnerships10:34 – Discovering a passion for creativity research at Yale13:15 – The origins of the Sylvia Plath Effect and its widespread misinterpretation18:04 – Creativity, neurodivergence, and misunderstood narratives20:34 – Audience responses to The Creativity Advantage22:22 – AI, creativity, and the importance of human engagement23:05 – The next generation of creativity researchers25:50 – How attitudes toward creativity have shifted in business and education28:14 – Creativity’s role in healing and well-being in an “always-on” world30:42 – The risks and opportunities of AI as a creative collaborator35:41 – Simple habits to nurture creativity: Openness and trying new things37:25 – A personal mantra for staying grounded38:03 – Finding your optimal time of day for creative flow38:57 – Recommended reads for exploring creativity39:54 – Closing thoughts TRANSCRIPT  James Taylor (00:08)Today's guest is Dr. James Kaufman, a psychologist, author, creativity researcher, and professor of educational psychology at the University of Connecticut. James is known for shaping how we think about creativity, from his 4C model to the Sylvia Plath effect. His powerful new book, The Creativity Advantage, asks, beyond being creative, what does creativity actually do for us? If you're hungry to understand why creativity matters emotionally, socially, spiritually, you're about to hear why it's not just useful, it's essential. James, welcome to the Super Creativity Podcast. James (00:48) Thank you. Thank you so much for having me. James Taylor (00:50) Now, I know your past research has mapped creativity very widely, from cognition to culture. I'm interested, what has guided this kind of recent work, which is really about why creativity matters rather than just how it works? James (01:08) something I first got interested in with this late to meaning. And my father had been diagnosed with stage four bladder cancer. And I kind of had spent the summer with my parents in Athens to say goodbye and had been reading things like man's search for meaning. And in the evenings when I was more in my own time, I began working on this piece on creativity and meaning. And the nice thing is that my father actually recovered. Usually he was given 10 % and he ended up beating it. He's still around and cancer free. But my interest in creativity and meaning and kind of the bigger picture of life has continued. And it went from meaning to kind of general positive aspects. So how it helps heal you, how it can connect you to other people, the whole idea of legacy, self-insight. wide variety of different benefits. James Taylor (02:11) redefine creativity across these different dimensions as talked about in the book. Which one surprised you the most? ⁓ And obviously I know you from your work, this is a fantastic book I highly recommend anyone who's interested in creativity or theory of creativity called the Cambridge Handbook of Creativity. I remember reading a few years ago in its absolute Bible. in world of creativity research and it really helped shape my own thinking about creativity, the importance of creativity and how it works. But as you wrote this latest book, has your thinking about creativity shifted? And of those five dimensions that you mentioned, which one has maybe changed the most in terms of how you think about it? James (02:58) would say a lot of the way my thinking in general has changed has been to focus in a process instead of the outcome or product. but not often when you say you're interested in the creative process, people kind of assume, okay, well, how can I be more creative? So how can I think of more ideas or how can I make sure I select the best one? And I'm certainly interested in that, but... More about the fact that almost all the benefits, it doesn't matter how creative you are. So it's not like this helps people who are super creative and the people who are only kind of so-so don't benefit. Pretty much everybody benefits, whether or not they're incredibly creative or whether or not they're just kind of trying it out. A lot of the stuff... I found out more about but wasn't necessarily shocked. Probably the thing that I knew the least about was the part about stealth insight and understanding yourself. And I'd remembered when I was writing the book, like 15 years ago, I'd heard about the writing cure, where if you write on a regular basis, kind of in this expressive, emotional way, that it leads to positive outcomes. But ever since... The last 15 years, so much stuff has turned out to not replicate, not really turn out. And when I did my

How Rest Unlocks Creativity: The Neuroscience of Your Brain - Dr. Joseph Jebelli #357 In this episode of the SuperCreativity Podcast, James Taylor interviews Dr. Joseph Jebelli, neuroscientist and author of The Brain at Rest and In Pursuit of Memory. Together, they explore how rest isn’t laziness but a neural necessity that unlocks creativity, productivity, and mental clarity.Discover the neuroscience behind the brain’s default mode network (DMN), why overwork accelerates aging and burnout, and practical strategies for harnessing rest to spark creative insights. Dr. Jebelli also shares actionable tips on micro-rest practices, the surprising cognitive power of nature, and why doing “nothing” could be the most productive thing you do today.Perfect for entrepreneurs, creatives, leaders, and anyone looking to work smarter—not harder.🎙️ Top 5 Soundbites:“People often succeed in life not despite their inactivity but because of it.” – Dr. Joseph Jebelli“Rest isn’t powering down; it’s your brain switching states and forming new connections.” – Dr. Joseph Jebelli“Nature is full of what psychologists call soft fascinations—things that hold your attention effortlessly and calm the brain.” – Dr. Joseph Jebelli“The more you rest, the sharper and more creative your brain becomes.” – Dr. Joseph JebelliResources and LinksDr. Joseph Jebelli’s Website: drjosephjebelli.comBook: The Brain at RestBook: In Pursuit of MemoryRecommended Read: The Expectation Effect by David Robson Apple Podcast Spotify Podcast Takeaways Rest is a productivity tool: Rest activates the brain’s default mode network, boosting intelligence, memory, and creativity. Burnout rewires the brain: Chronic overwork shrinks the hippocampus, enlarges the amygdala, and accelerates cognitive aging. Micro-rest techniques work: Short breaks, naps, and even just staring into space can enhance problem-solving and creative thinking. Nature fuels creativity: Spending as little as 20 minutes in green or blue spaces significantly improves creativity, memory, and immune health. Cultural mindset shift needed: From hustle culture to embracing rest as a key driver of performance and well-being. In his upcoming book, James Taylor delves into the transformative concept of SuperCreativity™—the art of amplifying your creative potential through collaboration with both humans and machines. Drawing from his experiences speaking in over 30 countries, James combines compelling stories, case studies, and practical strategies to help readers unlock innovation and harness the power of AI-driven tools. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to elevate their creativity and thrive in the modern age of human-machine collaboration. James Taylor is a highly sought-after keynote speaker, often booked months or even years in advance due to his exceptional expertise. Given his limited availability, it’s crucial to contact him early if you’re interested in securing a date or learning how he can enhance your event. Reach out to James Taylor now for an opportunity to bring his unique insights to your conference or team. Enquire Now The Creativity Blueprint Free 3-Part Video Training Series On How To Unlock Your Creative Potential, Break Down Creative Blocks, and Unleash Your Creative GeniusFREE training video shows you how to unlock your creative potential in 5 simple steps. The world’s top creative individuals and organizations use these exact strategies.   The 7-Figure Speaker Blueprint FREE training video shows you the ten ways to make $1,000,000 from your speaking. The world’s top professional speakers use these exact strategies.In this first FREE video series, award-winning keynote speaker James Taylor reveals how to become a 7-figure speaker. CHAPTERS Timestamps00:00 – Introduction to Dr. Joseph Jebelli and his work01:32 – Personal story: How overwork led to insights about rest05:07 – The statistics behind burnout and its neurological effects08:29 – The cultural roots of overwork and the Protestant work ethic13:36 – The brain’s default mode network explained17:31 – Why naps grow your brain (literally)20:27 – Creativity, the shower effect, and hypnopompic states24:26 – The importance of green and blue spaces for brain health28:49 – Micro-rest practices for everyday life33:22 – The connection between place, nature, and creativity41:24 – Favorite quotes and reflections on solitude44:09 – Why boredom sparks creativity45:46 – Rituals vs. apps for better rest and productivity47:27 – Book recommendation: The Expectation Effect by David Robson49:00 – How to connect with Dr. Jebelli TRANSCRIPT James Taylor (00:09)Today I’m thrilled to welcome Dr. Joseph Gibelli to the Super Creativity Podcast. Joseph is a neuroscientist with a PhD from University College London, postdoctoral experience at the University of Washington, and a writer who brings scientific depth to real human dilemmas. His first book, In Pursuit of Memory, was shortlisted for the Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize and longlisted for the Welcome Book Prize. His latest, The Brain at Rest, is a thoughtful, counter-cultural manifesto. Rest isn’t slacking. It activates our brain’s default mode network, lighting up creativity, memory, insight, and emotional clarity. He reveals how burnout doesn’t just drain us, it ages our brain, thins critical regions, and fuels a silent global health crisis. Whether you’re feeling stuck, burnout or just sinking into your smartphone at night, Joseph’s message is resoundingly clear. What if stepping back is the most creative move you could make? Joseph, welcome to the Super Creativity Podcast. Joseph Jebelli (01:16)Hi James, thanks for having me. James Taylor (01:19)Now, in parts you’ve written deeply about memory, the evolution of the human brain, and now rest, was there a moment, professionally or personally, when you realised that rest wasn’t laziness, but a neural necessity? Joseph Jebelli (01:32)Yeah, so I had quite an interesting journey discovering the neuroscience of rest. So the first reason was really personal. So I witnessed both my mother and father massively overwork and reached the point of burnout to the point of really ⁓ ill health consequences. So my father now lives with major depressive disorder as a result of overwork. My mother has a blood pressure that’s so high that her GP texts almost daily asking for blood pressure. readings. And so I sort of grew up with parents who were incredibly hard workers to the point of burnout. And so it took me a long time to really actually appreciate the importance of rest. And so I myself went through that phase of overwork. So when I was a postdoc at the University of Washington, I’d basically spend all day in the lab doing experiments and mentoring students. And then I would you know, I would finish around six or seven and go straight to a coffee shop and then just sit and work on grants and my first book until like 10 or 11 o’clock at night. And, you know, like, needless to say, it was it was exhausting. And I always felt, you know, I often felt totally wiped out. And it was interesting because I realized I couldn’t sustain that pace indefinitely. And so I started to ease off from my work. And when I started to ease off from my work, these something really astonishing happened. So not only did I feel better, not only did I sleep better, but other, I noticed other cognitive improvements. So like my memory got better, my ability to think clearly improved, my ability to write more fluidly got better. And I actually ended up being more productive than I was when I was just grinding it out all day long. So even though I was doing fewer hours of work every day, I was achieving more. And so I just thought this is really interesting. And then I, so I decided to look into the neuroscience of rest, you know, driven largely by that. And what I discovered is really extraordinary. You know, there is this resting brain network, which as you say, is called the default network. And that network only becomes active when we rest, when we do things that are restful to our brains. And we now know just in the last few years that when you activate your default network with rest, you improve your intelligence. creativity, memory, problem solving abilities, ability to predict th

Asking Better Questions for Leadership Success In business and in life, the smartest people aren’t always the ones with the best answers, they’re the ones who know how to ask better questions. Curiosity is more than just a trait, it’s a superpower that builds trust, reveals hidden insights, and sparks innovation. Yet in today’s fast paced world, many leaders skip over curiosity in favor of speed, ego, or fear of looking unprepared.In this episode, James Taylor shares how a simple game called Only Questions sharpened his listening skills and transformed casual conversations into powerful breakthroughs. From uncovering industry secrets on long haul flights to learning strategies that shaped global keynotes, he reveals how to use the curiosity gap to your advantage. If you’ve ever wondered how to shift conversations, open new opportunities, and lead with impact, it all starts with the questions you ask.🎙️ Top 5 Soundbites:“The smartest leaders aren’t the ones with the best answers — they’re the ones who ask better questions.”“Curiosity is a superpower that builds trust and unlocks hidden insights.”“The curiosity gap makes our brains restless — and great communicators know how to use it.”“Most breakthroughs don’t come from answers, they come from asking the right questions.”“A single powerful question can change the direction of an entire conversation.”  Apple Podcast Spotify Podcast Takeaways Curiosity is a superpower that builds trust, reveals insights, and sparks innovation. Playing the Only Questions game sharpens listening skills and strengthens conversations. The curiosity gap: The space between what we know and want to know — drives engagement and attention. Ego, speed, and fear are the main barriers that stop leaders from asking better questions. Breakthroughs often come from questions, not answers, as they change conversations and uncover hidden opportunities. Sharpen curiosity by asking follow ups, listening for surprises, and keeping a running list of great questions. In his upcoming book, James Taylor delves into the transformative concept of SuperCreativity™—the art of amplifying your creative potential through collaboration with both humans and machines. Drawing from his experiences speaking in over 30 countries, James combines compelling stories, case studies, and practical strategies to help readers unlock innovation and harness the power of AI-driven tools. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to elevate their creativity and thrive in the modern age of human-machine collaboration. James Taylor is a highly sought-after keynote speaker, often booked months or even years in advance due to his exceptional expertise. Given his limited availability, it’s crucial to contact him early if you’re interested in securing a date or learning how he can enhance your event. Reach out to James Taylor now for an opportunity to bring his unique insights to your conference or team. Enquire Now The Creativity Blueprint Free 3-Part Video Training Series On How To Unlock Your Creative Potential, Break Down Creative Blocks, and Unleash Your Creative GeniusFREE training video shows you how to unlock your creative potential in 5 simple steps. The world’s top creative individuals and organizations use these exact strategies.   The 7-Figure Speaker Blueprint FREE training video shows you the ten ways to make $1,000,000 from your speaking. The world’s top professional speakers use these exact strategies.In this first FREE video series, award-winning keynote speaker James Taylor reveals how to become a 7-figure speaker. CHAPTERS Timestamps:00:00 – Opening HookWhy attention spans matter and the 8-second rule.00:45 – The Goldfish MythMicrosoft’s study and what it says about modern focus.02:00 – Research on AttentionGloria Mark’s findings and the drop from 2.5 minutes to 47 seconds.03:30 – Real-World ImpactKing’s College survey and what shorter attention spans mean for communication.05:00 – Capturing the First Eight SecondsStories, questions, and unexpected openings that grab attention.07:00 – Attention ResetsHow to re-engage audiences with tone shifts, visuals, and surprises.09:00 – Competing Against DistractionsWhy speakers must be intentional in the digital age.11:00 – The 4-Step FrameworkPractical strategies: script your opening, chunk content, add resets, deliver value.13:00 – The Gift of AttentionHow to respect focus and earn deeper engagement from your audience. TRANSCRIPT James Taylor (00:08) 8 seconds. That’s how long you have to capture someone’s attention before it drifts. You probably heard the goldfish comparison from Microsoft’s 2015 study. They claimed their attention spans have dropped from 12 seconds in 2000 to just 8 seconds in 2013. Supposedly that makes us less focused than a goldfish. Now, whether that’s literally true or just a catchly headline, the point’s stuck. Our focus is under siege. Gloria Mark, a professor at UC Irvine, has tracked human attention for decades. Her team found that the average time that we spend focused on a single screen has dropped from 2.5 minutes in the early 2000s to just 47 seconds today. That’s less than a minute before our minds wander off or our fingers swipe to something else. And it’s not just the data. A 2023 survey by King’s College London found that nearly half of UK adults feel their attention spans have shortened in the past decade. And many believe that eight seconds is now the norm. So if you’re a speaker, a leader, a teacher, or anyone who needs to hold attention, you can’t ignore this. Eight seconds is your runway. If you use it well, you earn the next eight seconds and the next eight seconds. And before you know it, you’ve got them with you for the whole ride. When I walk onto a stage, those first few seconds are where I’m testing the waters. Did that opening line make someone look up? Did I see the phone go face down on the table? Did the body language in the front row shift from, I’m here because I have to, to, okay, you got my attention? Those cues tell me I passed the first test. Sometimes I’ll open with a story, like the time I was halfway through a talk in Manila and the power went out. It’s unexpected, it’s human, and it makes people wonder what happened next. Sometimes it’s a question. What do jazz musicians and AI engineers have in common? It’s unusual enough that people want to stick around to hear the answer. more images ⁓ than all human photographers have. in history. That one usually gets a raised eyebrow or two. Whatever the hook, my goal is the same. Break autopilot. But here’s the thing. Grabbing attention is the easy part. Keeping it now, that’s the craft. I use what I call attention resets. Every few minutes I change something. I might shift from telling a personal story to showing a powerful image. I might move from the center of the stage to the edge or lower my voice so the room has to lean in. Sometimes I’ll throw in a surprising statistic or ask a question that makes people stop and think. These resets are intentional. They’re the moments that pull people back from the brink of distraction. Think of it like driving on long road. If it’s a straight highway with nothing to look at, your mind starts to wander. But if the road curves or you pass through a town, or a song you love comes on the radio, your attention snaps back. Those changes keep you present. In a talk, I tried to create those curves and scenery changes on purpose. The reality is, we are competing against the most addictive attention machines ever built. Social media feeds, news apps, streaming platforms, they’re designed by teams and teams of engineers and behavioral scientists whose sole job is to keep you scrolling. If you’re communicating in that environment, you need to be just as intentional. That doesn’t mean dumbing things down. It means structuring your message in a way that works with human attention rather than against it. here’s my framework for thriving in the eight second world. Step one, script your opening eight seconds. Don’t wing it. Know exactly what you’re gonna say, show or do. Step two, break your content into short, high impact chunks. If it’s a 30 minute talk, think in three to five minute segme

Why Your Team Isn't Creative? How to Build Innovation #356 Are you trying to foster innovation, but your team meetings end up being repetitive and uninspired? It’s a common challenge for leaders: you have a room full of smart people, but unlocking their collective creative genius feels just out of reach. If you’re ready to move beyond stagnant brainstorming sessions and drive real results, you’re in the right place.We’ve distilled the key insights from a powerful conversation with Dr. Amy Climer, a leading expert on team creativity and author of Deliberate Creative Teams. Drawing from her appearance on the Super Creativity Podcast, this guide breaks down her proven framework for building highly innovative teams. You’ll discover the three critical elements every team needs—Purpose, Dynamics, and Process—and learn actionable strategies, like using “creative abrasion,” to transform your team’s culture and output.Get ready to learn not just why innovation matters, but how to deliberately cultivate it.🎙️ Top 5 Soundbites:On Intentionality: “If you want to be creative, if you want to be innovative, you have to be intentional about it. I say it all the time: Be deliberate to be creative. It will not happen by accident.”On Productive Conflict: “We need what’s called ‘creative abrasion’—the ability to disagree about the work. If everyone in the meeting says ‘that looks fine’ but complains in the hallway, that’s not helping anybody.”On Problem-Solving: “Many teams jump to solutions without deeply understanding the problem. Research shows that if you just spend five minutes clarifying the issue, you can get dramatically better results.”On a Common Misconception: “I’ve had CEOs say, ‘I don’t want my team to be creative, I just want them to be innovative.’ They see creativity as frivolous, but true creativity is about generating novelty that is valuable.”On Making Time for Innovation: “Teams always say ‘time’ is their biggest barrier. But are you still doing things you no longer need to? We all have ‘antiquated bureaucratic remnants’—like a report no one reads—that we can let go of to create space for new ideas.” Apple Podcast Spotify Podcast Takeaways Innovation Requires a Three-Part Alignment. Successful creative teams don't happen by accident. They require the deliberate alignment of three key elements: a clear Team Purpose (the 'why'), healthy Team Dynamics (the 'who' and 'how' of interaction), and an effective Creative Process (the 'what' and 'when' of doing the work). When one of these is missing, innovation falters. Embrace 'Creative Abrasion,' Not Relationship Conflict. Productive teams need to engage in task-based conflict, which Dr. Climer calls "creative abrasion." This is the healthy debate and disagreement about the work itself. It's crucial to foster an environment where ideas can be challenged without it becoming personal, as relationship conflict is always destructive to creativity. Don't Solve the Wrong Problem: Clarify First. Teams often rush to generate solutions before they fully understand the problem. Dr. Climer highlights that even spending just five minutes clarifying the challenge, asking questions, and digging deeper can significantly improve the quality and relevance of the final outcome. Psychological Safety is Non-Negotiable. For creative abrasion and honest feedback to occur, a foundation of psychological safety is essential. Team members must feel safe enough to speak up, challenge ideas, and take risks without fear of punishment or humiliation. It's the bedrock upon which all healthy team dynamics are built. Make Time for Innovation by 'Exnovating' the Unnecessary. The most common barrier to creativity is a perceived lack of time. Dr. Climer advises teams to actively look for "antiquated bureaucratic remnants"—outdated processes, reports, or meetings that no longer add value. By strategically removing this old work (exnovation), you create the space needed for new, innovative thinking. Creativity is a Skill, Not Just an Artistic Talent. A major misconception leaders have is confusing creativity with artistic ability. Creativity in a business context is the skill of generating novel and valuable ideas. It is a practical, learnable process that can be applied to any field, from mechanical engineering to marketing. In his upcoming book, James Taylor delves into the transformative concept of SuperCreativity™—the art of amplifying your creative potential through collaboration with both humans and machines. Drawing from his experiences speaking in over 30 countries, James combines compelling stories, case studies, and practical strategies to help readers unlock innovation and harness the power of AI-driven tools. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to elevate their creativity and thrive in the modern age of human-machine collaboration. James Taylor is a highly sought-after keynote speaker, often booked months or even years in advance due to his exceptional expertise. Given his limited availability, it’s crucial to contact him early if you’re interested in securing a date or learning how he can enhance your event. Reach out to James Taylor now for an opportunity to bring his unique insights to your conference or team. Enquire Now The Creativity Blueprint Free 3-Part Video Training Series On How To Unlock Your Creative Potential, Break Down Creative Blocks, and Unleash Your Creative GeniusFREE training video shows you how to unlock your creative potential in 5 simple steps. The world’s top creative individuals and organizations use these exact strategies.   The 7-Figure Speaker Blueprint FREE training video shows you the ten ways to make $1,000,000 from your speaking. The world’s top professional speakers use these exact strategies.In this first FREE video series, award-winning keynote speaker James Taylor reveals how to become a 7-figure speaker. CHAPTERS Podcast Episode Timestamps: Dr. Amy Climer on Building Innovative Teams(00:08) Introduction to Dr. Amy Climer and her work.(01:16) Dr. Climer’s personal journey into creativity research, starting in high school.(03:23) The purpose behind her “Deliberate Creative Team Scale” – measuring team behaviours, not just personality.(04:22) Introduction to the Deliberate Creative Team model: the three essential elements of Purpose, Dynamics, and Process.(06:17) A deep dive into Team Purpose and the need for enough space within a goal to innovate.(08:21) Explaining Team Dynamics, including trust, psychological safety, and the role of conflict.(08:52) Breaking down the Team Creative Process, using Creative Problem Solving as an example.(11:41) The power of clarifying the problem first, even for just five minutes.(14:55) Discussing productive conflict and the concept of “Creative Abrasion” from the work of Jerry Hirschberg at Nissan.(23:02) The most common barrier to creativity that teams report: a lack of time.(23:51) How to overcome the time barrier by removing “antiquated bureaucratic remnants” (or ‘exnovating’ old tasks).(29:47) Dr. Climer’s personal story of letting go of her podcast to create space for new innovation.(30:30) A teacher who personally influenced her approach to creativity.(34:02) The biggest misunderstanding leaders have: separating “fluffy” creativity from “serious” innovation.(35:30) The myth that creativity will just happen by accident, and her core message: “Be deliberate to be creative.”(39:37) The single most impactful action leaders can take: rethinking and redesigning their team meetings.(41:03) A creative tool Dr. Climer developed: “Climer Cards” to facilitate deeper conversations.(44:30) Dr. Climer’s book recommendation for personal creativity: The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron.(45:34) How to connect with Dr. Amy Climer online. TRANSCRIPT  James Taylor (00:08)Dr. Amy Climer teaches teams and organizations how to increase their creativity so they can maximize innovation. She works with forward thinking organizations such as the Mayo Clinic, Stanford University, and the US Department of Homeland Security. Amy is the author of the bestselling book, Deliberate Creative Teams, How to Lead for Innovative Results. She is also the host of another fantastic website which you've got to

How to Capture Audience Attention in 8 Seconds In today’s world, you only have eight seconds to capture audience attention before they drift. That’s shorter than the blink of an eye in public speaking terms. Research shows our focus has dropped dramatically in the past two decades, down to less than a minute on a single task before distraction takes over. Whether you’re a keynote speaker, a leader in the boardroom, or simply sharing ideas in a meeting, learning how to hook your audience fast isn’t optional, it’s essential.In this episode, we’ll explore practical strategies to grab attention in those first eight seconds and keep it, using stories, questions, surprising facts, and attention resets that pull people back in. If you’ve ever wondered how to stay engaging in a world of endless scrolling and constant distraction, this is your guide.🎙️ Top 5 Soundbites:“You only have eight seconds to capture attention — use them wisely.”“Grabbing attention is easy. Keeping it is the real craft.”“Every eight seconds you win, earns you the next eight.”“Attention isn’t guaranteed, it’s a gift — and you have to respect it.”“The first eight seconds decide if your audience leans in or tunes out.” Apple Podcast Spotify Podcast Takeaways You only have eight seconds to capture audience attention before distraction sets in. Plan your opening: Never wing the first moments of a talk or presentation. Break content into short chunks (3–5 minutes) to match modern attention spans. Use attention resets: Change tone, pace, visuals, or movement to re-engage the audience. Deliver value quickly so listeners feel rewarded for giving you their focus. Respect attention as a gift: If you earn it, your audience will give you more than you expect In his upcoming book, James Taylor delves into the transformative concept of SuperCreativity™—the art of amplifying your creative potential through collaboration with both humans and machines. Drawing from his experiences speaking in over 30 countries, James combines compelling stories, case studies, and practical strategies to help readers unlock innovation and harness the power of AI-driven tools. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to elevate their creativity and thrive in the modern age of human-machine collaboration. James Taylor is a highly sought-after keynote speaker, often booked months or even years in advance due to his exceptional expertise. Given his limited availability, it’s crucial to contact him early if you’re interested in securing a date or learning how he can enhance your event. Reach out to James Taylor now for an opportunity to bring his unique insights to your conference or team. Enquire Now The Creativity Blueprint Free 3-Part Video Training Series On How To Unlock Your Creative Potential, Break Down Creative Blocks, and Unleash Your Creative GeniusFREE training video shows you how to unlock your creative potential in 5 simple steps. The world’s top creative individuals and organizations use these exact strategies.   The 7-Figure Speaker Blueprint FREE training video shows you the ten ways to make $1,000,000 from your speaking. The world’s top professional speakers use these exact strategies.In this first FREE video series, award-winning keynote speaker James Taylor reveals how to become a 7-figure speaker. CHAPTERS Timestamps:00:00 – Opening HookWhy attention spans matter and the 8-second rule.00:45 – The Goldfish MythMicrosoft’s study and what it says about modern focus.02:00 – Research on AttentionGloria Mark’s findings and the drop from 2.5 minutes to 47 seconds.03:30 – Real-World ImpactKing’s College survey and what shorter attention spans mean for communication.05:00 – Capturing the First Eight SecondsStories, questions, and unexpected openings that grab attention.07:00 – Attention ResetsHow to re-engage audiences with tone shifts, visuals, and surprises.09:00 – Competing Against DistractionsWhy speakers must be intentional in the digital age.11:00 – The 4-Step FrameworkPractical strategies: script your opening, chunk content, add resets, deliver value.13:00 – The Gift of AttentionHow to respect focus and earn deeper engagement from your audience. TRANSCRIPT James Taylor (00:08) 8 seconds. That’s how long you have to capture someone’s attention before it drifts. You probably heard the goldfish comparison from Microsoft’s 2015 study. They claimed their attention spans have dropped from 12 seconds in 2000 to just 8 seconds in 2013. Supposedly that makes us less focused than a goldfish. Now, whether that’s literally true or just a catchly headline, the point’s stuck. Our focus is under siege. Gloria Mark, a professor at UC Irvine, has tracked human attention for decades. Her team found that the average time that we spend focused on a single screen has dropped from 2.5 minutes in the early 2000s to just 47 seconds today. That’s less than a minute before our minds wander off or our fingers swipe to something else. And it’s not just the data. A 2023 survey by King’s College London found that nearly half of UK adults feel their attention spans have shortened in the past decade. And many believe that eight seconds is now the norm. So if you’re a speaker, a leader, a teacher, or anyone who needs to hold attention, you can’t ignore this. Eight seconds is your runway. If you use it well, you earn the next eight seconds and the next eight seconds. And before you know it, you’ve got them with you for the whole ride. When I walk onto a stage, those first few seconds are where I’m testing the waters. Did that opening line make someone look up? Did I see the phone go face down on the table? Did the body language in the front row shift from, I’m here because I have to, to, okay, you got my attention? Those cues tell me I passed the first test. Sometimes I’ll open with a story, like the time I was halfway through a talk in Manila and the power went out. It’s unexpected, it’s human, and it makes people wonder what happened next. Sometimes it’s a question. What do jazz musicians and AI engineers have in common? It’s unusual enough that people want to stick around to hear the answer. more images ⁓ than all human photographers have. in history. That one usually gets a raised eyebrow or two. Whatever the hook, my goal is the same. Break autopilot. But here’s the thing. Grabbing attention is the easy part. Keeping it now, that’s the craft. I use what I call attention resets. Every few minutes I change something. I might shift from telling a personal story to showing a powerful image. I might move from the center of the stage to the edge or lower my voice so the room has to lean in. Sometimes I’ll throw in a surprising statistic or ask a question that makes people stop and think. These resets are intentional. They’re the moments that pull people back from the brink of distraction. Think of it like driving on long road. If it’s a straight highway with nothing to look at, your mind starts to wander. But if the road curves or you pass through a town, or a song you love comes on the radio, your attention snaps back. Those changes keep you present. In a talk, I tried to create those curves and scenery changes on purpose. The reality is, we are competing against the most addictive attention machines ever built. Social media feeds, news apps, streaming platforms, they’re designed by teams and teams of engineers and behavioral scientists whose sole job is to keep you scrolling. If you’re communicating in that environment, you need to be just as intentional. That doesn’t mean dumbing things down. It means structuring your message in a way that works with human attention rather than against it. here’s my framework for thriving in the eight second world. Step one, script your opening eight seconds. Don’t wing it. Know exactly what you’re gonna say, show or do. Step two, break your content into short, high impact chunks. If it’s a 30 minute talk, think in three to five minute segments. Step three, build in attention resets. These can be changes in tone, visuals, pace, or even when you’re actually in the room. Step four, deliver value quickly. Give your audience a reason to keep investing their attention in you. One of my favorite moments on stag

Creativity and Emotional Intelligence Explained: Dr. Zorana Ivcevic Pringle on Turning Ideas Into Action and Emotion Into Insight #355 In this episode of the SuperCreativity Podcast, host James Taylor speaks with Dr. Zorana Ivcevic Pringle, senior research scientist at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and author of the new book The Creativity Choice: The Science of Making Decisions to Turn Ideas into Action.Zorana reveals why the most creative people aren’t necessarily the most inspired—but the most committed to acting on their ideas. Drawing on cutting-edge research from the fields of psychology, creativity, and emotional intelligence, she explores how our emotions shape our creative process, how cultural norms influence our creative confidence, and why social conditions are key to sustaining creativity over time.Whether you’re a designer, entrepreneur, educator, or innovator, this episode provides practical wisdom for transforming creative sparks into meaningful outcomes.🎙️ Top 5 Soundbites:“Emotions are data. Frustration doesn’t just feel bad—it tells you what you’re doing isn’t working.”“Confidence doesn’t come before creativity. It’s built by doing.”“In many cultures, creativity is not a trait—it’s an act. You become creative through action.”“You don’t need to eliminate doubt to be creative. You just need to act anyway.”“The creativity choice isn’t a one-time decision—it’s a decision we make again and again.”Links & Resources:📘 The Creativity Choice (available May 6, 2025) – Buy on Amazon🌐 Zorana Ivcevic Pringle – zoranaivcevic.com🧠 Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence – Visit site🎙️ James Taylor’s SuperCreativity Podcast – All Episodes Apple Podcast Spotify Podcast Takeaways Seeing is a skill: Art schools don’t just teach craft—they transform how students perceive and interpret the world. Linear thinking limits creativity: Great artists don't execute ideas—they discover them through iterative exploration. Problem-finding > problem-solving: True innovation emerges not from solving known problems but from identifying better ones. Critique is conversation: Professors don’t tell students what to do—they help them see what they’ve created and guide reflection. AI lacks creative dialogue: Current gen-AI tools can't replicate embodied creativity or guide personal transformation. Structure creates freedom: Constraints (like musical forms or material limits) often spark greater creative breakthroughs. In his upcoming book, James Taylor delves into the transformative concept of SuperCreativity™—the art of amplifying your creative potential through collaboration with both humans and machines. Drawing from his experiences speaking in over 30 countries, James combines compelling stories, case studies, and practical strategies to help readers unlock innovation and harness the power of AI-driven tools. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to elevate their creativity and thrive in the modern age of human-machine collaboration. James Taylor is a highly sought-after keynote speaker, often booked months or even years in advance due to his exceptional expertise. Given his limited availability, it’s crucial to contact him early if you’re interested in securing a date or learning how he can enhance your event. Reach out to James Taylor now for an opportunity to bring his unique insights to your conference or team. Enquire Now The Creativity Blueprint Free 3-Part Video Training Series On How To Unlock Your Creative Potential, Break Down Creative Blocks, and Unleash Your Creative GeniusFREE training video shows you how to unlock your creative potential in 5 simple steps. The world’s top creative individuals and organizations use these exact strategies.   The 7-Figure Speaker Blueprint FREE training video shows you the ten ways to make $1,000,000 from your speaking. The world’s top professional speakers use these exact strategies.In this first FREE video series, award-winning keynote speaker James Taylor reveals how to become a 7-figure speaker. CHAPTERS Timestamps:00:09 – Intro to Keith Sawyer and his new book Learning to See02:05 – Discovering creativity research through Csikszentmihalyi03:35 – Why he immersed himself in art and design schools05:05 – The surprising resistance to the word “creativity”07:00 – What professors are really teaching: “learning to see”08:30 – Why many see themselves as “accidental teachers”10:34 – Making as thinking: the fallacy of the “one big idea”13:45 – Malcolm McLaren vs. Vivienne Westwood creativity styles15:36 – Problem-finding vs. problem-solving creativity18:40 – How professors help students find their voice21:53 – Mismatches and self-discovery in student work22:25 – How the book evolved from research to storytelling25:15 – What business and tech leaders can learn from artists29:16 – Could AI become a creativity co-pilot? Not yet33:49 – Redefining failure and building resilience36:58 – The “deep water and canoe” metaphor for mentorship37:42 – Why constraints help unlock creativity39:10 – Jazz as a metaphor: structure enables improvisation40:43 – Where to find Keith’s work and podcast TRANSCRIPT  James Taylor (00:09)My guest today is Dr R Keith Sawyer, one of the world's leading experts on creativity and learning. Keith is the Morgan Distinguished Professor of Educational Innovation at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, beautiful part of America. He began his career as a video game designer for Atari, earned a PhD in psychology from the University of Chicago, and is also a lifelong jazz pianist and improviser. That unique blend of science, art and improvisation runs through everything he does. Keith has written over 19 books and more than 100 scientific articles exploring the science of creativity, collaboration and how people learn. You may know him from his early works like Group Genius and Zig Zag, which explore how creativity happens in teams and how individuals can build innovative lives. His new book, Learning to See Inside the World's Leading Art and Design Schools, takes us into the studios and classrooms of top BFA and MFA programs across the world. Based on 10 years of immersive research, Learning to See explores how students are transformed, not just in skill, but in perception, awareness, and the way they think. It's a book that challenges how we define creative education and offers powerful lessons for anyone in any profession looking to unlock deeper creative thinking. In today's conversation, we'll talk about what it really means to learn to see, the surprising ways that creativity is taught, and how these lessons apply far beyond the arts to business, innovation, leadership, and everyday life. Keith, welcome to the Super Creativity Podcast. Keith (01:42) Well, thank you. Well, that's a great introduction. James Taylor (01:45) Now, you've had a very fascinating career. You've moved from game design, computer science, first of all, then pivoted jazz improvisation, and eventually in what we know you for today in creativity research. Was there a key moment that kind of pulled you into this kind of work that you do today? Keith (02:05) I decided I wanted to go to graduate school and get a PhD because I was interested in collaboration and human social dynamics. So I went to University of Chicago. I didn't know at that time that there was a field of research called creativity research. In my first semester in graduate school at University of Chicago, that's where Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi was a professor and he offered a course called psychology of creativity. So right at the beginning of my graduate study, I discovered this fascinating area of research that people could really use their psychology expertise to study creativity. And so I'm glad I learned about that in the first year of my PhD program because ⁓ I was hooked and that's where I spent the rest of my career and continuing in my current career to focus on studying creativity as a scientist to come up with rigorous findings and understandings that often are quite surprising. rising. James Taylor (03:06) Now in this book and over the past 10 years or so of your work, you've really immersed yourself in this, world of top art and design schoo

Teaching Creativity in a World of AI and Uncertainty: Keith Sawyer’s Art School Insights #354 In this episode of the SuperCreativity Podcast, James Taylor interviews Dr. R. Keith Sawyer, one of the world’s leading experts on creativity, learning, and innovation. Keith is the Morgan Distinguished Professor of Educational Innovation at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and author of 19 books on the science of creativity—including his latest, Learning to See: Inside the World’s Leading Art and Design Schools.Based on a decade of immersive research across top BFA and MFA programs, Learning to See explores how artists and designers are taught to transform their perception, navigate uncertainty, and unlock deeper creative thinking. In this conversation, Keith shares why the most creative people don’t start with an idea—they discover it through making. You’ll learn how great teachers foster creative breakthroughs, the power of constraints, why failure is redefined in creative environments, and what business and AI leaders can learn from the artistic process.Whether you’re an entrepreneur, educator, engineer, or executive, this episode will change how you think about creativity, leadership, and innovation.🎙️ Top 5 Soundbites:“You can’t tell someone how to see. You have to guide them through a transformation.” – Keith Sawyer“Making is thinking. It’s through engaging with materials that surprising new ideas emerge.”“Students arrive with talent—but they haven’t yet learned how to find the problem worth solving.”“AI can help with problem-solving. But it can’t yet help with problem-finding—and that’s where the most creative work lives.”“Failure is not failure. It’s a mismatch between intention and result—and often, that mismatch is the breakthrough.”Links & Resources:📘 Learning to See: Inside the World’s Leading Art and Design Schools – Buy on Amazon🎧 The Science of Creativity Podcast – Listen here📬 Keith’s Substack newsletter – Subscribe🔍 James Taylor’s SuperCreativity Podcast – All Episodes Apple Podcast Spotify Podcast Takeaways Creativity is not a trait—it’s a choice, repeated again and again. Emotions are not barriers to creativity—they are information that guide the process. Cultural perceptions of creativity dramatically affect confidence and identity. Creative block often comes from emotional overload, not lack of talent or ideas. Sustained creativity is fueled not only by inner drive but by social ecosystems. In his upcoming book, James Taylor delves into the transformative concept of SuperCreativity™—the art of amplifying your creative potential through collaboration with both humans and machines. Drawing from his experiences speaking in over 30 countries, James combines compelling stories, case studies, and practical strategies to help readers unlock innovation and harness the power of AI-driven tools. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to elevate their creativity and thrive in the modern age of human-machine collaboration. James Taylor is a highly sought-after keynote speaker, often booked months or even years in advance due to his exceptional expertise. Given his limited availability, it’s crucial to contact him early if you’re interested in securing a date or learning how he can enhance your event. Reach out to James Taylor now for an opportunity to bring his unique insights to your conference or team. Enquire Now The Creativity Blueprint Free 3-Part Video Training Series On How To Unlock Your Creative Potential, Break Down Creative Blocks, and Unleash Your Creative GeniusFREE training video shows you how to unlock your creative potential in 5 simple steps. The world’s top creative individuals and organizations use these exact strategies.   The 7-Figure Speaker Blueprint FREE training video shows you the ten ways to make $1,000,000 from your speaking. The world’s top professional speakers use these exact strategies.In this first FREE video series, award-winning keynote speaker James Taylor reveals how to become a 7-figure speaker. CHAPTERS Timestamps:00:09 – Intro to Dr. Zorana Ivcevic Pringle and The Creativity Choice01:06 – Her origin story: studying “interesting people” and discovering creativity science02:59 – The standard definition of creativity: originality + effectiveness04:59 – What makes The Creativity Choice different from other creativity books06:46 – The role of emotions in the creative process08:28 – Emotional granularity and how to use emotions as feedback12:20 – How art evokes complex emotion beyond language16:20 – Why ideas alone aren’t enough—the decision to act18:26 – Social fear, self-doubt, and identity: the real blockers to creativity19:17 – Cultural differences in defining and identifying with creativity22:36 – Japanese Takumi and Western vs. Eastern creative mindsets24:08 – Language and creativity: being vs. doing27:02 – Creative confidence is grown, not given30:24 – Certainty vs. uncertainty—for both creators and audiences32:43 – Georgia O’Keeffe and embracing discomfort in creativity34:28 – What keeps people going: social support and creative community37:54 – Competitors and the creative power of external motivation39:27 – How to handle creative block and emotional overload41:21 – Nature, art, and personal recovery strategies44:41 – How creative habits evolve over a lifetime46:38 – What a creative life looks like—and why it’s available to everyone49:43 – Zorana’s personal creative process and emotional timing hacks50:12 – Where to find the book and connect with Zorana TRANSCRIPT  James Taylor (00:09) My guest today is Dr. Zohanna Icevic-Pringle, a senior research scientist at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. She's dedicated her life to exploring the psychology of creativity, what sparks it, what sustains it, and how we can all bring more of it into our lives. Her new book, The Creativity Choice, is a powerful guide to turning our ideas into action and making creativity part of our everyday choices. So whether you're an artist, an entrepreneur, an educator, a leader, her work offers the tools that you need to transform inspiration into impact. Zorana, welcome to the Super Creativity Podcast. Zorana (00:49) Thank you very much for coming, James. James Taylor (00:52) Now, before you became one of the leading researchers in this field, what drew you into this area? It's not often a common topic that people go into. What was your early work life and how did you get into this area? Zorana (01:06) Well, I got into it very early. was really an undergrad when I got interested and I wanted to study interesting people. I, obviously that is not a way to define anything in science. And I was reading wide and I was thinking of what I really mean by this very late term, interesting people. And I came down to what I really mean is people who are creative. They are making choices that are difficult. They are making choices that are interesting, unconventional, and they are doing stuff in their lives and with their lives that made me want to study that for, well, the rest of my life, I guess. James Taylor (01:54) So who were some of those early interesting people that kind of inspired you to look further into this area? Zorana (02:00) Well, there was a big boom in creativity research, historical in the 1960s, in the 1950s and 1960s, and it was historically related to the space race. And in the US, there was a big, big movement to study creativity in science, to study how to teach creativity, to learn how it works. And I have read lots of stuff that was done at that time and found it very inspirational. James Taylor (02:35) Now that word creativity is a difficult one because it's quite amorphous as a term, you people use it different ways, often when you see adverts they talk about creativity in one way, we have the advertising industry that uses it in a very kind of distinct type of way as well, and in business they'll use it in a different way, there obviously there's entertainment, the arts, music, literature, so when you talk about creativity how do you define this term? Zorana (02:59) Well, I define it from the scientific standpoint. So the science of creativity has settled on what we call the standard definition of creativity. And the standard part says we real

AI and Creativity: Is AI Stealing Our Creative Muscle? We’ve all seen the incredible things that AI can do, from generating stunning art to drafting entire ad campaigns. But there’s a question that’s been on the minds of many creative professionals: Is AI helping us, or is it quietly robbing us of our most precious asset—our creativity?Today, we’re diving into this fascinating paradox. We’ll explore the idea of “cognitive offloading,” where we let technology do the thinking for us, and what that means for our creative muscles. We’ll also look at the crucial difference between a human’s ability to create meaningful, emotionally resonant stories and an AI’s ability to simply recombine existing data. Join us as we explore how to use AI as a powerful trampoline to launch your ideas higher, rather than a crutch that holds you back.5 Soundbites“Creativity isn’t just about producing something. It’s a muscle that we need to train, stretch, and strengthen.”“Heavy AI use can cause what researchers call cognitive offloading—the tendency to let technology do the thinking for us.”“AI can generate lots of options faster, but when it comes to creative writing and emotionally resonant storytelling, humans still have the edge.”“AI is like a trampoline. It can bounce you higher than you could jump alone, but you still need to do the jumping.”“AI can draw our monsters faster, but we should not stop imagining them ourselves.”  Apple Podcast Spotify Podcast Takeaways Be aware of creative muscle atrophy: While AI is a powerful tool, relying on it too heavily can lead to "cognitive offloading," where we lose our ability to think creatively on our own. Humans still have the creative edge: AI excels at divergent and convergent thinking (generating and filtering ideas), but humans are still superior at creating meaningful, emotionally resonant content based on lived experiences. Use AI as a collaborator, not a crutch: The most effective way to use AI is to treat it as a partner that extends your reach, helping you prototype ideas faster and explore new angles. Avoid handing over the creative reins entirely. Schedule "no-AI time": To combat creative atrophy, intentionally set aside time each week to brainstorm, write, or sketch without any digital assistance. This helps keep your creative muscles strong and engaged. Focus on the "why": Let AI handle the "what" and "how" of a project, such as generating content or designs, but always own the "why"—the core meaning, voice, and values behind your work. In his upcoming book, James Taylor delves into the transformative concept of SuperCreativity™—the art of amplifying your creative potential through collaboration with both humans and machines. Drawing from his experiences speaking in over 30 countries, James combines compelling stories, case studies, and practical strategies to help readers unlock innovation and harness the power of AI-driven tools. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to elevate their creativity and thrive in the modern age of human-machine collaboration. James Taylor is a highly sought-after keynote speaker, often booked months or even years in advance due to his exceptional expertise. Given his limited availability, it’s crucial to contact him early if you’re interested in securing a date or learning how he can enhance your event. Reach out to James Taylor now for an opportunity to bring his unique insights to your conference or team. Enquire Now The Creativity Blueprint Free 3-Part Video Training Series On How To Unlock Your Creative Potential, Break Down Creative Blocks, and Unleash Your Creative GeniusFREE training video shows you how to unlock your creative potential in 5 simple steps. The world’s top creative individuals and organizations use these exact strategies.   The 7-Figure Speaker Blueprint FREE training video shows you the ten ways to make $1,000,000 from your speaking. The world’s top professional speakers use these exact strategies.In this first FREE video series, award-winning keynote speaker James Taylor reveals how to become a 7-figure speaker. CHAPTERS Timestamps 00:09: Introduction to the topic, setting the scene at the Hotel Del Coronado.00:27: Observing a child drawing a monster, emphasizing pure, unfiltered creativity.00:46: Introduction of the idea that creativity is a muscle that needs training.01:05: Discussing the rise of generative AI and its creative applications.01:21: Introducing the concept of “cognitive offloading” and its link to creative muscle atrophy.01:46: A study comparing AI and human creativity in divergent, convergent, and creative writing tasks.02:22: The reason humans still have an edge: lived experience, meaning-making, and emotional subtext.02:41: Acknowledging the benefits of AI as a collaborator and tool.03:10: The “AI as a trampoline, not a crutch” analogy.03:26: Three practical tips for listeners: use AI like a trampoline, schedule “no-AI time,” and focus on context over execution.04:06: The concluding thought on the importance of imagining first and engineering later. TRANSCRIPT James Taylor (00:09)When AI steals our creativity, is that a feature or a bug? Last week I was in San Diego speaking at a fintech conference and staying at the historic Hotel Del Coronado. If you’ve never been, the Del, as locals like to call it, is one of those grand old hotels with a past so rich it could fill a Netflix series. It’s where presidents have stayed, where Hollywood stars hid from the paparazzi, and where some of the great creative minds of the last century came to think, write, and dream.One morning after the keynote, I sat on the beach in front of the hotel, coffee in hand, watching the Pacific crash into the shore in long, lazy intervals. To my left, surfers bobbed in the water like patient punctuation marks, waiting for the perfect sentence of a wave. And just a few feet from me, a six-year-old child knelt in the sand, entirely absorbed in drawing a monster. She didn’t have a tablet or a device. She wasn’t copying from a screen.Every wobbling eye, jagged tooth and lopsided grin came straight from her own mind. It reminded me, creativity isn’t just about producing something. It’s a muscle that we need to train, stretch and strengthen. And right now, we’re in a moment where AI is both building and weakening that muscle. In the last 18 months, generative AI tools like ChatGBT, Mid Journey and Dali have gone from curiosities to core creative utilities.Entire ad campaigns, concept designs, and even TED-style talks are being co-created with machines. But a recent MIT-backed study sounded the alarm. Heavy AI use can cause what researchers call cognitive offloading, the tendency to let technology do the thinking for us. And over time, this can lead to a form of creative muscle atrophy. The AI draws the monster for us. It even adds shading, texture, and style.But in doing so, it quietly robs us of the joy and the neural workout of making something from scratch. A fascinating academic paper published earlier this year compared AI-generated outputs with human creativity across multiple tests. Divergent thinking, which is about creating lots of ideas. Convergent thinking, which is about narrowing to the best idea and open-ended creative writing. The results?AI often scored higher than humans in divergent and convergent thinking tests. It can generate lots of options faster and filter them very efficiently. But when it came to creative writing and emotionally resonant storytelling, humans still had the edge. Why? Well, because true creativity isn’t just about recombining what’s been done before. It’s about meaning making, lived experience, emotional subtext,AI can approximate, but not authentically inhabit those things. This is not a manifesto for rejecting AI though. Quite the opposite. I use it in my daily work, spark ideas for keynotes to explore creative angles for clients to accelerate research. When I work with AI as a partner or collaborator, it extends my reach. I can prototype concepts faster, test scenarios at scale, and open creative doors I may not have thought to knock on.But when I hand over the reins entirely, I stop exercising my own creative judgment. Think of it this way, AI is like a trampoline. It can bench you h

AI Decision-Making & The Future of Leadership | Kate O'Neill #353 In this episode of the SuperCreativity Podcast, host James Taylor interviews tech humanist Kate O’Neill, founder and CEO of KO Insights and author of the new book What Matters Next: A Leader’s Guide to Making Human-Friendly Tech Decisions in a World That’s Moving Too Fast. Kate has advised global organizations like Google, Adobe, Microsoft, and the United Nations on how to design technology and digital transformation strategies that are ethical, human-centered, and built to last. In this conversation, she explains why we must move beyond shallow futurism to embrace strategic foresight, how to distinguish transformation from innovation, and why meaning is the most important compass for the future of leadership. Whether you’re a CEO, innovator, strategist, or simply curious about the future of humanity and technology, this episode will equip you with frameworks for clearer decision-making and sustainable success. 🎙️ Top 5 Soundbites: “Transformation is catching up. Innovation is moving ahead.” – Kate O’Neill “Leaders need clearer thinking, not shinier tools.” “Foresight is not about predicting the future—it’s about preparing for meaningful outcomes.” “We don’t need timid incrementalism—we need right-sized steps into what matters next.” “AI lets us build serendipity into our thinking—if we use it thoughtfully.” 🔗 Links & Resources: 📘 What Matters Next by Kate O’Neill – Buy on Amazon 🌐 KO Insights – www.koinsights.com 📲 Kate O’Neill on LinkedIn – Connect 🧠 James Taylor’s SuperCreativity Podcast – All Episodes Apple Podcast Spotify Podcast Takeaways Transformation ≠ Innovation: Transformation is about catching up; innovation is about moving ahead. Strategic foresight is not futurism: Leaders must develop insights and foresight simultaneously to navigate fast-changing environments. Meaning drives decision-making: Whether semantic, emotional, or strategic—understanding “what matters” is the key to human-centered leadership. Synthetic data and digital twins offer powerful tools to test future-facing decisions without risking real-world failures. Cross-pollination of ideas across disciplines is where creativity and insight thrive. In his upcoming book, James Taylor delves into the transformative concept of SuperCreativity™—the art of amplifying your creative potential through collaboration with both humans and machines. Drawing from his experiences speaking in over 30 countries, James combines compelling stories, case studies, and practical strategies to help readers unlock innovation and harness the power of AI-driven tools. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to elevate their creativity and thrive in the modern age of human-machine collaboration. James Taylor is a highly sought-after keynote speaker, often booked months or even years in advance due to his exceptional expertise. Given his limited availability, it’s crucial to contact him early if you’re interested in securing a date or learning how he can enhance your event. Reach out to James Taylor now for an opportunity to bring his unique insights to your conference or team. Enquire Now The Creativity Blueprint Free 3-Part Video Training Series On How To Unlock Your Creative Potential, Break Down Creative Blocks, and Unleash Your Creative GeniusFREE training video shows you how to unlock your creative potential in 5 simple steps. The world’s top creative individuals and organizations use these exact strategies.   The 7-Figure Speaker Blueprint FREE training video shows you the ten ways to make $1,000,000 from your speaking. The world’s top professional speakers use these exact strategies.In this first FREE video series, award-winning keynote speaker James Taylor reveals how to become a 7-figure speaker. CHAPTERS James Taylor (00:09) Welcome to the Super Creativity Podcast where we explore the intersection of technology, humanity and innovation. Today we’re honored to have with us Kate O’Neill, renowned as the tech humanist. Kate is a leading expert in aligning business success with human-centric technology. As the founder and CEO of KO Insights, she has guided organizations like Adobe, Google, Microsoft and the United Nations towards more meaningful and effective digital transformation.   Her latest book, What Matters Next? A Leader’s Guide to Making Human-Friendly Tech Decisions in a World That’s Moving Too Fast, offers a roadmap for leaders to navigate the rapid pace of technological change while keeping humanity at the forefront. So let’s delve and dive into Kate’s insights on making technology work better for business and importantly for people. Kate, welcome to the Super Creativity Podcast.   Kate O’Neill (she/her) (01:04) Thank you, James. Great to see you.   James Taylor (01:06) Well nice that we’ve met a few times before now and it’s just wonderful because I know this is your, is this your fourth book I’m guessing? Third, fourth.   Kate O’Neill (she/her) (01:14) It’s my fourth   book in the business and tech space. I have six overall and I’ve contributed to a few others, but so it’s always kind of a funny question. Like how many are there? Well, it depends on how you count them. But yes, four in the business and tech space.   James Taylor (01:26) Now, what were you doing before you became known as a tech humanist? Because I’ve always known you as a tech humanist, and that’s the title that you often get, you is used. What were you doing before you were out there giving speeches, writing books, consulting?   Kate O’Neill (she/her) (01:35) Yeah.   You know, so my career has been in technology for…   30 years now, but it’s been in different fields of technology. in different fields that didn’t have names at the time. before we were calling it information architecture, I was doing information architecture. Before user experience and before customer experience, was doing that content management, content strategy. So all these different fields that are, in some ways, the interesting thing about them is that what they all have in common is that they are this interesting synthesis of understanding language.   and the way humans organize in our brains and the way technology best organizes. And so it’s kind of always bringing those things together. And then over time, realizing that I was always, in every organization, the person who was the sort of fiercest advocate for the customer or the user or the people on the other side of the equation. And that became sort of my go-to role. I just became the person who   who realized like, need to make sure the business is successful, that the business objectives succeed, but we also need to make sure that in doing that, we’re providing for human success as well. And so that became that morphed into this field over the last 15 years of speaking and researching and writing around tech humanism.   James Taylor (03:04) Well, it’s interesting, you use that, the tech humanist, it’s an interesting phrase because I don’t think of you as a futurist in that way. I think I’ve seen you talk about futurist adjacent, which I thought is quite nice because when I often think of traditional futurists, it’s like intellectual Red Bull. It’s just like a high, a sugar high, and there’s nothing really much there. But you kind of go deeper.   Kate O’Neill (she/her) (03:19) Yes, yeah.   Yeah.   James Taylor (03:34) this, tell me about this, the tech, the humanist start, was there a particular point that you decided, because you could have gone and just done the typical futurist thing and gone down that route and break shany thing syndrome, but you chose a slightly different path to face it a little bit more around ethics, around humanity, was there a particular point that you went that this is the direction I want to go with this?   Kate O’Neill (she/her) (03:59) Yeah, I think like you, I see the whole futurist space.   as one that’s filled with a lot of conjecturing and a lot of posturing that doesn’t really feel like it pays off in many respects. It doesn’t necessarily feel like it benefits business leaders either. You know, the people who most need to consume that content are the people who are trying to make the high stakes decisions and want the most guidance. And what it feels like is much more relevant is what I would think of as more like

AI in Leadership: Marissa Afton on Awareness, Wisdom & Compassion in the Age of Machines In this episode of the SuperCreativity Podcast, host James Taylor interviews Marissa Afton, co-author of More Human: How the Power of AI Can Transform the Way You Lead. Marissa is a Partner at Potential Project, where she works with companies like IBM, Eli Lilly, and Amgen to create more human-centered workplaces.Together they explore how artificial intelligence isn’t here to replace leaders—but to amplify their humanity. Drawing from real-world examples, global executive interviews, and practical frameworks from the book, they unpack how leaders can become AI-augmented by developing awareness, wisdom, and compassion.If you’re a leader navigating the rise of AI, this episode will help you avoid dehumanizing traps and unlock a more mindful, emotionally intelligent, and ethically grounded approach to leadership.🎙️ Top 5 Soundbites:“AI gives us the time to be better leaders—but we often just fill that time with more work.” – Marissa Afton“The leader of the future is not more digital—but more human.” – James Taylor“Awareness happens in stillness. Creativity happens in stillness.” – Marissa Afton“AI is an exoskeleton for the mind and heart. But we still have to drive.” – Marissa Afton“We must ask not only what AI can do for us—but what it can do to us.” – Marissa AftonLinks & Resources:🔹 More Human: How the Power of AI Can Transform the Way You Lead – Book on Amazon🔹 Marissa Afton on LinkedIn – Connect🔹 Potential Project – www.potentialproject.com🔹 SuperCreativity Podcast – All Episodes Apple Podcast Spotify Podcast Takeaways AI is an amplifier: It will magnify your leadership—for better or worse. Awareness, wisdom, and compassion are the three human capacities that will differentiate great leaders in the AI era. Time-freed ≠ time-used well: Leaders must reinvest AI-generated efficiency into more connection, creativity, and presence. Digital twins and psychometric AIs can help simulate and anticipate—but the human touch is still essential. Stillness enables awareness: The best leaders will use AI to create space, not just speed. In his upcoming book, James Taylor delves into the transformative concept of SuperCreativity™—the art of amplifying your creative potential through collaboration with both humans and machines. Drawing from his experiences speaking in over 30 countries, James combines compelling stories, case studies, and practical strategies to help readers unlock innovation and harness the power of AI-driven tools. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to elevate their creativity and thrive in the modern age of human-machine collaboration. James Taylor is a highly sought-after keynote speaker, often booked months or even years in advance due to his exceptional expertise. Given his limited availability, it’s crucial to contact him early if you’re interested in securing a date or learning how he can enhance your event. Reach out to James Taylor now for an opportunity to bring his unique insights to your conference or team. Enquire Now The Creativity Blueprint Free 3-Part Video Training Series On How To Unlock Your Creative Potential, Break Down Creative Blocks, and Unleash Your Creative GeniusFREE training video shows you how to unlock your creative potential in 5 simple steps. The world’s top creative individuals and organizations use these exact strategies.   The 7-Figure Speaker Blueprint FREE training video shows you the ten ways to make $1,000,000 from your speaking. The world’s top professional speakers use these exact strategies.In this first FREE video series, award-winning keynote speaker James Taylor reveals how to become a 7-figure speaker. CHAPTERS 00:09 – Intro to Marissa Afton and More Human02:45 – How the book changed course due to generative AI04:40 – What leaders misunderstand about AI’s permanence06:28 – Why some leaders want AI to make decisions for them07:58 – How to use time saved by AI for more human leadership10:14 – Psychometrics, sales calls, and keeping the human in AI12:34 – The risk of outsourcing too much to AI13:31 – Avoiding AI echo chambers and reinforcing bias16:10 – The “exoskeleton” model of AI + human leadership19:46 – Perception, creative seeing, and blind spots22:34 – AI as a reflective coach for the future version of you24:15 – Contrasting reactive vs. AI-augmented leadership styles27:22 – Using digital twins to improve boardroom dynamics29:28 – Why companies must train the human, not just the tool30:15 – The Ferrari analogy: AI without driver training31:26 – Where to find out more about Marissa and Potential Project TRANSCRIPT James Taylor (00:09)My guest today is Marissa Afton, partner and head of global accounts at Potential Project, a global research and leadership development firm helping companies like IBM, Amgen, and Eli Lilly build more human workplaces. Marissa is also a co-author of the new book, More Human, How the Power of AI Can Transform the Way You Lead, a powerful and timely guide for leaders navigating the intersection of artificial intelligence and human potential. In More Human, Marisa and our co-authors argue that AI shouldn’t dehumanize leadership, but elevate it. Drawing on interviews with over a hundred global executives and research from thousands of leaders, they show how AI can help us become more aware, wiser, and more compassionate in how we lead. Today, we’ll explore what it means to be an AI augmented leader, how to lead with both heart and algorithm, and why the future of leadership is not about being more digital, but being more human. Marisa. Welcome to the Super Creativity Podcast. Marissa Afton (01:09)Thank you so much, I appreciate your introduction and it’s so nice to be here. James Taylor (01:15)So before we get into the depth of the book itself, what first sparked your interest in human-centered leadership, this field more generally? Marissa Afton (01:24)Well, Potential Project, and as you mentioned in our introduction, Potential Project is a global research development and research firm, and we have been around for about 15 years now, and our mission is to create more human workplaces. Sounds simple, not necessarily easy, but the way we do it is we invite leaders to look at their own, enhancing their own leadership potential by understanding their own minds and their mindsets. They’re how mindsets enhance behaviors and how mindsets enhance action. So we have for a very long time been very committed to looking at what are some of the research-backed outcomes of being a human-centered leaders. And now we have kind of extrapolated the research we’ve already been doing for some time into how we support leaders in an AI-enabled world. James Taylor (02:19)Now, probably when you were probably starting to think about this book with your co-authors, we might have been just coming out of the kind pandemic period and everyone was talking about distributed teams and virtual teams and working that way as well. And I’m guessing you were probably thinking about going down one way of the book, but with the AI, maybe things kind of changed. How did this book kind of develop and did it become a different beast as you started creating it together? Marissa Afton (02:45)It’s so interesting that you’re asking that question. So in fact, we were already under contract with HBR and HBR has been our partner now. This is our third book published with them. And we were under contract for a completely different book. It was going to be on selfless leadership on eagle-less leadership. Stay tuned. We’re still under contract with them for that book. But right when we were at the beginning stages of looking at that topic, they came to us and they said, Hey, have you heard about this thing called generative AI? And this is going back to about 2022. And we thought, yes, we’ve heard about it, but why are you coming to us? And they said, well, we understand that you’re not experts in the technology. but you are experts in leadership. And we’re really curious about starting an exploration on how AI can enhance leadership or to the point that you said in our introduction, could it dehumanize our leadership? And that became very interesting for us. So that’s how we started and to be r

The Barbell Guide to Mentorship — A Game-Changing Strategy for Creative Leaders & Innovators #351 In this episode of the SuperCreativity Podcast, global keynote speaker and creativity expert James Taylor shares a powerful new framework for mentoring in the modern workplace. Titled “The Barbell Guide to Creative Mentoring,” James explores how true innovation doesn’t just come from learning from those ahead of us—but also from those just starting out. Drawing inspiration from a recent keynote he delivered in Dubai to tech leaders at duTech, he unpacks how combining traditional mentors with reverse mentors can unlock fresh thinking, challenge assumptions, and supercharge creative problem-solving. Whether you’re a leader, innovator, or someone passionate about personal growth, this episode offers a game-changing approach to building mentorship relationships that spark real transformation.  Tune in now and ask yourself: Are you balancing your barbell? 🎙️ Top 5 Soundbites: 1. “Most people look for mentors ahead of them—but the real creative breakthroughs often come from those just starting out.” 2. “To find balance in mentoring, you need weight on both sides of the barbell: one from experience, and one from fresh perspective.” 3. “Reverse mentoring isn’t about giving—it’s about receiving insights that challenge your assumptions and spark innovation.” 4. “Their questions may seem naïve—but sometimes it’s the simplest question that unlocks the biggest shift in your thinking.” 5. “If you want to future-proof your creativity, listen to someone who hasn’t been conditioned by how things have always been done.” Apple Podcast Spotify Podcast Takeaways Mentorship is a two-way street. True creative growth comes from having both a traditional mentor and a reverse mentor—someone younger or less experienced who brings a fresh lens to your thinking. Reverse mentoring sparks innovation. Younger voices challenge your assumptions, expose blind spots, and help you stay ahead of change by offering unfiltered, unconventional ideas. Creative insights can come from anywhere. Some of the most valuable lessons don’t come from the top, but from those just entering the game—people who see possibilities without limitations. Leadership is about balance. Great leaders develop talent below them while staying open to being challenged by those same individuals. That’s where growth happens. Action fuels transformation. James challenges listeners to set up a 30-minute reverse mentoring session—and to capture one insight that shifts their perspective. That small step can lead to big creative leaps. In his upcoming book, James Taylor delves into the transformative concept of SuperCreativity™—the art of amplifying your creative potential through collaboration with both humans and machines. Drawing from his experiences speaking in over 30 countries, James combines compelling stories, case studies, and practical strategies to help readers unlock innovation and harness the power of AI-driven tools. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to elevate their creativity and thrive in the modern age of human-machine collaboration. James Taylor is a highly sought-after keynote speaker, often booked months or even years in advance due to his exceptional expertise. Given his limited availability, it’s crucial to contact him early if you’re interested in securing a date or learning how he can enhance your event. Reach out to James Taylor now for an opportunity to bring his unique insights to your conference or team. Enquire Now The Creativity Blueprint Free 3-Part Video Training Series On How To Unlock Your Creative Potential, Break Down Creative Blocks, and Unleash Your Creative GeniusFREE training video shows you how to unlock your creative potential in 5 simple steps. The world’s top creative individuals and organizations use these exact strategies.   The 7-Figure Speaker Blueprint FREE training video shows you the ten ways to make $1,000,000 from your speaking. The world’s top professional speakers use these exact strategies.In this first FREE video series, award-winning keynote speaker James Taylor reveals how to become a 7-figure speaker. CHAPTERS Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro: The Power of Mentorship 01:15 – The Barbell Metaphor for Balanced Mentorship 02:45 – The Value of a Traditional Mentor 04:10 – Why You Also Need a Reverse Mentor 06:20 – How Younger Mentees Challenge Your Thinking 08:00 – Real-Life Examples of Reverse Mentorship 09:30 – The Reverse Mentorship Challenge 11:10 – Final Reflection: Are You Balancing Your Barbell? TRANSCRIPT   Hi, it’s James Taylor here, and welcome to another episode of the SuperCreativity Podcast. Now, last month, I had the incredible opportunity to deliver a keynote in Dubai for duTech, a company at the forefront of Hyperscale Data Centers, Cybersecurity, IoT, and Cloud services. As I spoke to their leaders about the future of innovation, one concept that really resonated with them was the power of mentorship—not just as a way to develop talent but as a driver of creative thinking and problem-solving in organizations. And today, I want to share that idea with you. It’s something I call ‘The Barbell Guide to Creative Mentoring.’ And it could just change the way you think about mentorship forever. If you’ve ever lifted a barbell in the gym, you’ll know that to create balance, you need weight on both sides. And that’s exactly how I think about mentorship. Most leaders understand the value of having a mentor—someone older, more experienced, someone who’s been where they are now and can offer guidance when they face those career-defining decisions. This mentor acts like a sounding board, helping you navigate challenges with the wisdom that only experience can provide. They’ve been in the trenches, they’ve made the mistakes, and they can help you avoid the pitfalls. But here’s where many people stop. They focus only on having that one mentor who’s ahead of them, but they forget the other side of the barbell. And that’s where things get interesting. Why You Need a ‘Reverse Mentor’Confucius once said, “Respect those younger than yourself.” And I think he was onto something. If you really want to supercharge your creativity and stay ahead of the curve, you also need to have a mentee—but not just any mentee. You need someone younger or less experienced than you, someone who sees the world through fresh eyes and isn’t tied down by ‘how things have always been done.’ At first, it might feel like you’re mentoring them, passing on your knowledge, guiding them in their career. But here’s the secret: in the process, they start mentoring you. Their questions—sometimes naïve, sometimes surprising—can challenge your assumptions, expose your blind spots, and help you see opportunities you might have otherwise missed. They bring fresh perspectives, energy, and ideas that can shake up your thinking in the best possible way. I’ve personally experienced this time and again. Some of the best insights I’ve gained in my career have come not from the seasoned experts but from those just starting out. Their curiosity and willingness to question ‘the way things are’ help me stay sharp and innovative. The Reverse Mentor ChallengeSo, here’s my challenge for you: Identify someone younger or less experienced in your industry or organization. This could be a junior colleague, a recent graduate, or even someone outside your usual network. Set up a 30-minute conversation, but instead of you giving advice, flip it around. Ask them about their thoughts on your industry, how they see the future, what they think could be done differently. Capture at least one insight from that conversation that shifts your perspective. And I promise you, there will be one. Closing ThoughtsSo, the question I leave you with today is this: Are you balancing your barbell? Do you have a mentor who can offer guidance from experience? And do you have a mentee who challenges your thinking and helps you see the world in a new way? Great leaders—and great creative thinkers—do both. Because when you have weight on both sides of the barbell, that’s when you find balance. And that’s when the real innovation happens. If you take on this challenge, I’d love to hear about it. Drop me a

Will AI Have Its Chernobyl Moment? #350 Is AI Headed for a Catastrophic “Chernobyl Moment”?In this video, we explore one of the most urgent questions of our time: Will AI have its own catastrophic failure—an event so disruptive that it reshapes society overnight?Drawing parallels between the 1986 Chernobyl disaster and the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, this video breaks down the warning signs of unchecked AI development, the potential for large-scale failures, and the critical steps needed to prevent disaster.From autonomous warfare and financial meltdowns to deepfake-driven misinformation, we’ll dive into the risks—and more importantly, the solutions—that can help us build AI responsibly.🚀 Will AI lead to disaster, or can we harness its power for good? Watch now, engage in the conversation, and let’s shape the future of AI together.🎙️ Top 5 Soundbites:1️⃣ “Will AI have its own Chernobyl moment? A single flaw, an unchecked system—one mistake that changes everything.”2️⃣ “History has shown us: when technology evolves faster than our ability to control it, disaster isn’t just possible… it’s inevitable.”3️⃣ “AI doesn’t ask ‘should we?’ It only asks ‘can we?’ And that’s where the real danger lies.”4️⃣ “Deepfakes, autonomous warfare, stock market crashes—these aren’t sci-fi scenarios. They’re already happening.”5️⃣ “AI can either be our greatest tool for progress—or the biggest disaster we’ve ever created. The choice is ours.” Apple Podcast Spotify Podcast Takeaways AI’s “Chernobyl Moment” is a Real Risk – Just like Chernobyl was a failure of human oversight, AI’s rapid advancement without proper regulation could lead to catastrophic consequences. AI is Already Showing Warning Signs – From job displacement and misinformation to financial crashes and autonomous weapons, AI is proving that unchecked growth comes with serious risks. AI Lacks Ethics—Humans Must Provide Them – AI doesn’t distinguish between right and wrong; it only follows its programming. Ethical guidelines and human oversight are crucial to ensuring it benefits society. The Future of AI is Not Just About Risk, But Opportunity – AI is already transforming healthcare, sustainability, and creativity. If we guide its development responsibly, it can be one of the greatest tools for progress. Regulation, Transparency, and Human Control Are Non-Negotiable – To prevent AI’s “Chernobyl moment,” we need clear regulations, ethical guardrails, and human decision-making at critical points. The time to act is now. In his upcoming book, James Taylor delves into the transformative concept of SuperCreativity™—the art of amplifying your creative potential through collaboration with both humans and machines. Drawing from his experiences speaking in over 30 countries, James combines compelling stories, case studies, and practical strategies to help readers unlock innovation and harness the power of AI-driven tools. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to elevate their creativity and thrive in the modern age of human-machine collaboration. James Taylor is a highly sought-after keynote speaker, often booked months or even years in advance due to his exceptional expertise. Given his limited availability, it’s crucial to contact him early if you’re interested in securing a date or learning how he can enhance your event. Reach out to James Taylor now for an opportunity to bring his unique insights to your conference or team. Enquire Now The Creativity Blueprint Free 3-Part Video Training Series On How To Unlock Your Creative Potential, Break Down Creative Blocks, and Unleash Your Creative GeniusFREE training video shows you how to unlock your creative potential in 5 simple steps. The world’s top creative individuals and organizations use these exact strategies.   The 7-Figure Speaker Blueprint FREE training video shows you the ten ways to make $1,000,000 from your speaking. The world’s top professional speakers use these exact strategies.In this first FREE video series, award-winning keynote speaker James Taylor reveals how to become a 7-figure speaker. CHAPTERS 00:00 – The Chernobyl Disaster & AI’s Parallels01:30 – How AI is Already Changing the World03:45 – The Dark Side of AI: Risks We Can’t Ignore06:10 – Worst-Case AI Catastrophes (Autonomous Warfare, Financial Crashes)09:15 – The Ethics Problem: AI Doesn’t Ask “Should We?”11:50 – AI’s Potential for Good (Healthcare, Sustainability, Creativity)14:20 – How to Prevent an AI Disaster: Transparency, Ethics, and Oversight17:05 – AI’s Future: The Biggest Question We Must Ask TRANSCRIPT Will AI Have Its Chernobyl Moment?A single mistake at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant triggered an explosion that changed the world.Today, we’re on the brink of another technological revolution—Artificial Intelligence. AI is already transforming industries, solving complex problems, and unlocking human potential like never before.But here’s the question no one wants to ask:🚨 Will AI have its own Chernobyl moment? 🚨Will a single error, an unforeseen flaw, or an unchecked system cause a disaster so big that it reshapes society overnight?Because history has shown us—when technology evolves faster than our ability to control it, disaster isn’t just possible… it’s inevitable.In December 2021 I stood in the ghost town of Pripyat, Ukraine. Just the day before, I had delivered a keynote in Kyiv on AI and innovation. But there, walking through abandoned hospitals and empty apartments, I was reminded of a simple truth:Chernobyl wasn’t just a failure of technology—it was a failure of human oversight, flawed design, and blind optimism.And right now, we’re making the same mistakes with AI.AI is advancing at an insane speed. Here’s what’s already happening:⚠️ AI could replace 300 million jobs – Goldman Sachs.⚠️ AI misinformation spreads 10X faster than real news – MIT.⚠️ AI-driven trading has already caused billion-dollar crashes – One faulty algorithm wiped out $440 million in 45 minutes.And these are just the warning shots.Let’s talk worst-case scenarios. What does an AI catastrophe actually look like?💥 Autonomous Warfare – AI drones making their own kill decisions. No human oversight. No off switch.💥 Financial Meltdown – AI-powered trading triggers a stock market crash within minutes, outpacing human intervention.💥 Total Information Collapse – Deepfake videos and AI-generated propaganda make it impossible to tell fact from fiction.And the scariest part? AI doesn’t have ethics. It doesn’t ask “should we?” It only asks “can we?”And yet… I am more excited about AI than ever before.Because AI isn’t just about risk—it’s about opportunity.🚀 AI is already accelerating medical breakthroughs, diagnosing diseases faster than human doctors.🚀 AI is transforming sustainability, helping us tackle climate change with smarter energy solutions.🚀 AI is enhancing human creativity, composing music, writing scripts, and unlocking new ways of thinking.AI has the potential to make the world a better, brighter place—but only if we build it responsibly.So, what do we do to keep AI from going off the rails?✅ We need transparency. No more black-box AI making decisions we don’t understand.✅ We need ethical guardrails. Just like nuclear treaties, we need AI regulations that prevent dangerous developments.✅ We need human oversight. AI should never be in full control of life-and-death decisions.Standing in Chernobyl, I saw firsthand what happens when we ignore the risks of powerful technology.But AI doesn’t have to have its Chernobyl moment.If we act now—if we stay curious, creative, and critical—AI can become the greatest tool for human progress we’ve ever created.🚀 What do you think? Will AI lead to disaster, or will we use it to build a better future?Drop a comment below, let’s talk. And if this video made you think, hit like and subscribe—because the AI conversation is just getting started. The post Will AI Have Its Chernobyl Moment? – #350 appeared first on James Taylor.

The 3 Secrets of a Hit Keynote Speech #349 Welcome to the SuperCreativity Podcast, the show dedicated to unlocking your creative potential with insights on creativity, innovation, and artificial intelligence. Hosted by internationally renowned keynote speaker James Taylor, this episode reveals “The 3 Secrets of a Hit Keynote Speech”—and why some speakers fail to make an impact.Drawing inspiration from legendary music producer David Foster’s formula for creating a hit song, James shares how the same three essential elements—the voice, the performance, and the content—are what transform an ordinary keynote into an extraordinary experience.Whether you’re a seasoned speaker or preparing for your very first big stage, this episode is packed with actionable strategies to help you stand out, engage your audience, and deliver a message that truly lasts.So, sit back, take notes, and let’s dive in!🎙️ Top 5 Soundbites:1️⃣ “A hit keynote, just like a hit song, needs three things: the voice, the performance, and the content.”2️⃣ “If you sound like everyone else, your speech is forgettable. Your unique point of view is your superpower.”3️⃣ “The best speakers don’t just fill time on stage—they create an experience that transforms people.”4️⃣ “Brilliant content without great delivery is like a hit song sung off-key—no one sticks around to listen.”5️⃣ “Inspire, educate, and make it actionable. That’s the formula for a keynote that actually makes a difference.” Apple Podcast Spotify Podcast Takeaways Your Unique Voice Sets You Apart: A memorable keynote starts with a clear, distinctive point of view. Your perspective—how you see the world—is what makes your message stand out. Performance is Just as Important as Content: Even the best ideas will fall flat without engaging delivery. Energy, storytelling, and emotional connection are critical to keeping your audience captivated. Content Must Be Relevant, Memorable, and Actionable: Inspire your audience, yes—but also give them practical tools and insights they can apply immediately. Substance matters as much as style. The Best Keynotes Create Transformation, Not Just Inspiration: A great speech doesn’t just entertain—it changes the way people think, feel, and act long after they leave the room. Mastering All Three Elements is the Goal To deliver a hit keynote, you need the complete package: a unique voice, powerful performance, and meaningful content. Nail all three, and you don’t just give a speech—you create an experience. In his upcoming book, James Taylor delves into the transformative concept of SuperCreativity™—the art of amplifying your creative potential through collaboration with both humans and machines. Drawing from his experiences speaking in over 30 countries, James combines compelling stories, case studies, and practical strategies to help readers unlock innovation and harness the power of AI-driven tools. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to elevate their creativity and thrive in the modern age of human-machine collaboration. James Taylor is a highly sought-after keynote speaker, often booked months or even years in advance due to his exceptional expertise. Given his limited availability, it’s crucial to contact him early if you’re interested in securing a date or learning how he can enhance your event. Reach out to James Taylor now for an opportunity to bring his unique insights to your conference or team. Enquire Now The Creativity Blueprint Free 3-Part Video Training Series On How To Unlock Your Creative Potential, Break Down Creative Blocks, and Unleash Your Creative GeniusFREE training video shows you how to unlock your creative potential in 5 simple steps. The world’s top creative individuals and organizations use these exact strategies.   The 7-Figure Speaker Blueprint FREE training video shows you the ten ways to make $1,000,000 from your speaking. The world’s top professional speakers use these exact strategies.In this first FREE video series, award-winning keynote speaker James Taylor reveals how to become a 7-figure speaker. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Introduction: Why some keynote speakers fail (and how to fix it)00:15 – The David Foster Formula: What hit songs and hit keynotes have in common00:40 – Secret 1: The Voice – Your unique point of view01:20 – Secret 2: The Performance – How you deliver matters02:10 – Secret 3: The Content – Creating a message that sticks03:00 – Final Thought: Do you have all three?03:20 – Call to Action: What’s your biggest challenge? TRANSCRIPT 🎬 The 3 Secrets of a Hit Keynote SpeechWhat makes a great keynote speech?Well, legendary composer David Foster once said that every hit song needs three things:🎤 The singer🎭 The performance📜 The song itselfAnd guess what? A hit keynote speech needs the exact same formula.But most speakers get it wrong—and that’s why their speeches fail.Let me explain.🎤 1. The Voice – Your Unique Point of ViewGreat singers have recognizable voices—think Adele, Freddie Mercury, or Sinatra.Great keynote speakers? Same thing.Your voice isn’t just how you sound—it’s your perspective. Your point of view. The way you see the world.If you sound like everyone else, your speech is forgettable.👉 What’s YOUR unique take? That’s what makes you stand out.🎭 2. The Performance – How You Deliver ItEver heard someone butcher a great song?Same with keynotes. You can have brilliant content, but if your delivery is flat, robotic, or boring, no one will care.✅ Energy matters.✅ Storytelling matters.✅ Emotional connection matters.The best speakers command the stage—not with volume, but with presence.Think about how you perform your message, not just what you say.📖 3. The Content – The Message That SticksSome speakers are all performance, no substance.They get laughs, they engage the room—but the audience leaves with nothing.Great keynote speeches don’t just inspire—they transform.Your content needs to be:✔ Relevant (Does it solve a problem?)✔ Memorable (Will they remember it next week?)✔ Actionable (Can they use it today?)The best speeches do BOTH:🔥 They excite AND educate.🚀 Final Thought: Do You Have All Three?So, before your next speech, ask yourself:✔ Do I have a unique voice?✔ Am I delivering with impact?✔ Is my content powerful and actionable?Because when you nail all three, you don’t just give a speech—👉 You create an experience that transforms people.🎯 Now tell me in the comments: Which of these three is YOUR biggest challenge? 👇💡 Like, share, and subscribe for more on creativity, innovation, and the business of speaking! The post The 3 Secrets of a Hit Keynote Speech – #349 appeared first on James Taylor.

Why Your Ideas Aren’t Ready (Yet) – The Secret Process of Idea Development #348 In this episode of SuperCreativity, James Taylor takes you behind the scenes of idea development—how a simple spark evolves into a fully formed concept ready for the world. He reveals the five levels of an idea, from the sacred space of initial inspiration to the big stage where it impacts audiences. If you’ve ever wondered why some ideas thrive while others fade, this framework will help you refine and stress-test your creative thinking.Listen in as James shares personal insights, real-life examples, and actionable steps to help you nurture your best ideas before you share them with the world.🎙️ Soundbites from This Episode1️⃣ “Every great idea starts in the quiet.”2️⃣ “Not every idea needs to be shared, but the best ones demand to be tested.”3️⃣ “The best way to innovate is sometimes to stop doing certain things.”4️⃣ “Great ideas don’t arrive fully formed. They evolve through conversation.”5️⃣ “Too many people rush to share ideas before they’re ready.” Apple Podcast Spotify Podcast Takeaways Ideas Need Time to Develop: Great ideas don’t arrive fully formed. They go through multiple levels of refinement—from private reflection to public experimentation—before they’re ready for a big stage. The Best Ideas Start in Stillness: Before brainstorming or sharing, ideas emerge in quiet moments—during a walk, on a flight, or in early morning reflection. This "sacred space" is where creativity begins. Testing an Idea in Safe Spaces Strengthens I: Before taking an idea public, discuss it with trusted people. Conversations with a mentor, a partner, or a mastermind group help refine and sharpen the concept. Small-Scale Testing is Crucial Before Going Big: Social settings, blog posts, or short videos help gauge audience reactions and refine an idea. Feedback at this stage helps avoid launching underdeveloped concepts. Ideas Need to Be Stress-Tested Before the Big Stage: The best keynote speeches, business pitches, or published articles come from ideas that have been shaped, tested, and refined over time—not rushed to completion. In his upcoming book, James Taylor delves into the transformative concept of SuperCreativity™—the art of amplifying your creative potential through collaboration with both humans and machines. Drawing from his experiences speaking in over 30 countries, James combines compelling stories, case studies, and practical strategies to help readers unlock innovation and harness the power of AI-driven tools. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to elevate their creativity and thrive in the modern age of human-machine collaboration. James Taylor is a highly sought-after keynote speaker, often booked months or even years in advance due to his exceptional expertise. Given his limited availability, it’s crucial to contact him early if you’re interested in securing a date or learning how he can enhance your event. Reach out to James Taylor now for an opportunity to bring his unique insights to your conference or team. Enquire Now The Creativity Blueprint Free 3-Part Video Training Series On How To Unlock Your Creative Potential, Break Down Creative Blocks, and Unleash Your Creative GeniusFREE training video shows you how to unlock your creative potential in 5 simple steps. The world’s top creative individuals and organizations use these exact strategies.   The 7-Figure Speaker Blueprint FREE training video shows you the ten ways to make $1,000,000 from your speaking. The world’s top professional speakers use these exact strategies.In this first FREE video series, award-winning keynote speaker James Taylor reveals how to become a 7-figure speaker. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Introduction: How ideas actually develop02:15 – The spark: Level 5 (Sacred Space)05:30 – Testing in private: Level 4 (Inner Circle)08:45 – The social test: Level 3 (Dinner Party Effect)12:20 – Public experimentation: Level 2 (Short-form content)15:10 – The big stage: Level 1 (Keynote, book, or full launch)18:00 – Why most ideas fail: Sharing them too early20:30 – How to apply this framework to your own ideas22:00 – Closing thoughts and next steps TRANSCRIPT The Five Levels of an Idea: From Spark to Stage🎙 INTRO“Welcome to the show! I’m James Taylor, keynote speaker on creativity, innovation, and artificial intelligence, and in today’s episode, I want to take you behind the scenes of how an idea develops—from that first flicker of inspiration to the moment it’s ready for the world. Last week I was speaking in Manila in the Philippines at a Leadership Summit for SM Supermalls, the owners and operators of 95 shopping malls in the Philippines and China. In that speech I shared a story and concept to help the leaders in the room implement Artificial Intelligence in the organisation. In today’s episode I’d like to take you through the process of how that story was created. From spark to stage.Because here’s the thing… ideas don’t arrive fully formed. They go through layers, stages—what I like to call ‘The Five Levels of an Idea.’ And if you want to be a more effective creator, innovator, or leader, understanding these levels will help you shape your best ideas before sharing them with the world.”Level 5: The Sacred Space – Where Ideas Begin“Every great idea starts in the quiet. Before the brainstorming sessions, before the conversations, before the keynote stage, there’s a moment of stillness where an idea first appears.I like to think of this as Level 5—the sacred space.For me, it often happens while I’m on a flight, going for a walk, or in the early hours of the morning when my mind is clear. It’s that deep, personal moment where something clicks, and I think, ‘Hmm, there’s something here.’Now, most ideas never make it past this stage. And that’s okay! Not every idea needs to be shared. But the ones that do? They start their journey here, below the choppy waves of daily distractions.”Level 4: Testing the Waters – Conversations in Safe Spaces“Once an idea has sat with me for a while, I take it to Level 4—the inner circle.This is where I share it with just one or two people I trust—maybe my partner, a close friend, or a mentor. It’s a safe space where I can explore the idea without judgment, refine my thinking, and start shaping it into something more tangible.For example, a few months ago, I had this spark of an idea around exnovation vs. innovation—the idea that sometimes, the best way to innovate is to actively stop doing certain things. It was just a passing thought at first, but I mentioned it to my wife, and we talked about it over coffee. She asked me some great questions, which helped me see angles I hadn’t considered before.”Level 3: Social Testing – The Dinner Party Effect“Once an idea has been refined in private conversations, it’s ready for Level 3—the social test.This is where I bring it up in a casual setting, like a dinner party, a mastermind group, or a conversation with fellow speakers and creatives. It’s a way of testing the waters with a slightly broader audience.A few weeks after first thinking about exnovation, I mentioned it over dinner with friends. Some of them immediately latched onto it, adding their own thoughts and stories, while others weren’t as convinced. And that’s exactly what I wanted! Their reactions helped me sharpen the concept, making it clearer and more compelling.”Level 2: Public Experimentation – Videos, Posts, and Short-Form Content“By this stage, the idea has been shaped and refined through different conversations, and I’m ready to take it to Level 2—the public experiment.This is where I test the idea in a more structured way—maybe in a short video, a blog post, or a social media post.In this case, I filmed a quick video about exnovation while I was on the road. Nothing fancy, just a way to put the idea out there and see how it resonated. And sure enough, the comments and feedback helped me refine it even further.”Level 1: The Big Stage – Ready for the World“Finally, an idea reaches Level 1—the stage.By now, the idea has been stress-tested, refined, and packaged into something strong enough to stand on its own. This is where it becomes a full keynote story, a published article, or part of a book.Last week, I was speaking in Manila, Philip

DeepSeek AI And Why Too Much Freedom Kills Creativity #347 In this solo episode of the SuperCreativity Podcast, James Taylor explores a counterintuitive truth: creativity thrives on constraints. While we often associate innovation with limitless freedom, history, psychology, and business show that well-defined limitations often lead to the most groundbreaking ideas.From Haiku poetry and jazz improvisation to AI advancements and low-cost prosthetics, James dives into how scarcity fuels innovation. He also shares practical ways to introduce constraints into your work to boost creativity, improve focus, and overcome choice paralysis.🎙️ Soundbites from This Episode“Constraints don’t limit creativity—they ignite it. The best ideas come when we have to think smarter, not bigger.”“Haiku poetry, jazz improvisation, and AI innovation all prove one thing—creativity thrives within boundaries.”“When you remove options, you unlock solutions. Constraints force focus, drive innovation, and fuel creativity.”“Too much freedom leads to paralysis. The secret to breakthrough ideas? Set limits and watch creativity soar!”“Want to spark innovation? Don’t ask what you can add—ask what you can remove. Less is more in creativity.” Apple Podcast Spotify Podcast Takeaways ✔ Constraints Fuel Creativity – Having too many choices can stifle innovation, while limitations force focus and problem-solving. ✔ Real-World Examples – From Haiku poetry to MIT’s low-cost prosthetics and DeepSeek AI’s efficiency breakthroughs. ✔ Choice Paralysis Is Real – Too much freedom can lead to overthinking; constraints help you move forward. ✔ Practical Creative Constraints – The One Take Rule, Limiting Your Tools, Setting Hard Deadlines, and Reducing Resources to supercharge creativity. ✔ Less Is More – Instead of asking what can I add?, ask what can I remove? In his upcoming book, James Taylor delves into the transformative concept of SuperCreativity™—the art of amplifying your creative potential through collaboration with both humans and machines. Drawing from his experiences speaking in over 30 countries, James combines compelling stories, case studies, and practical strategies to help readers unlock innovation and harness the power of AI-driven tools. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to elevate their creativity and thrive in the modern age of human-machine collaboration. James Taylor is a highly sought-after keynote speaker, often booked months or even years in advance due to his exceptional expertise. Given his limited availability, it’s crucial to contact him early if you’re interested in securing a date or learning how he can enhance your event. Reach out to James Taylor now for an opportunity to bring his unique insights to your conference or team. Enquire Now The Creativity Blueprint Free 3-Part Video Training Series On How To Unlock Your Creative Potential, Break Down Creative Blocks, and Unleash Your Creative GeniusFREE training video shows you how to unlock your creative potential in 5 simple steps. The world’s top creative individuals and organizations use these exact strategies.   The 7-Figure Speaker Blueprint FREE training video shows you the ten ways to make $1,000,000 from your speaking. The world’s top professional speakers use these exact strategies.In this first FREE video series, award-winning keynote speaker James Taylor reveals how to become a 7-figure speaker. CHAPTERS ⏱ 00:00 – Why constraints drive creativity⏱ 02:15 – Haiku, jazz, and literature: How artists use constraints⏱ 06:40 – Business & tech: AI innovation and low-cost prosthetics⏱ 11:00 – Psychology: Why the brain works better with limitations⏱ 14:20 – Four ways to apply creative constraints in your work⏱ 19:00 – Why removing options makes you more creative TRANSCRIPT DeepSeek AI, Japanese Haiku and The Power of Creative ConstraintsHello, and welcome to this week’s solo episode of the SuperCreativity Podcast. Today, we’re exploring something that might sound counterintuitive but is backed by history, psychology, and even artificial intelligence: how constraints can actually fuel innovation and propel us to greater creative breakthroughs.Now, you might be thinking, “James, isn’t creativity about freedom? The ability to explore new ideas without limits?” Well, yes and no. While having complete freedom can be exciting, the reality is that too many choices can actually stifle creativity. In contrast, well-defined constraints—whether in art, literature, technology, or business—often lead to the most innovative solutions.Creativity Thrives in ConstraintsLet’s start with something simple: Haiku poetry. If you’ve ever written one, you know that Haiku follows a strict 5-7-5 syllable pattern. You can’t just write anything; you’re forced to be concise, precise, and meaningful within those limits. This constraint doesn’t hinder creativity—it enhances it. It pushes poets to be more deliberate with their words, leading to some of the most profound and beautiful pieces of writing.This isn’t just true in poetry. In literature, the Oulipo movement was founded on the idea that strict rules—like writing an entire novel without using a particular letter—could drive greater creativity. And in music, jazz musicians impose structures on themselves—such as chord progressions or time signatures—that allow for greater improvisation within a defined space.Artificial Constraints in Business and TechnologyNow, let’s take this idea and apply it to the world of business and innovation. Some of the biggest technological breakthroughs have come not in spite of constraints but because of them.Take DeepSeek AI—China’s answer to Western AI models like GPT-4. Because of restrictions on the types of chips they could access and the energy they could consume, they had to think differently. Instead of following the same path as OpenAI or Google DeepMind, they optimized their AI models for efficiency, making them more lightweight and less power-hungry. As a result, they managed to leapfrog some Western competitors by designing an AI model that is not just powerful but also highly efficient.This principle applies across industries. Consider MIT’s work on low-cost prosthetics for people in developing countries. Instead of using expensive materials and complex designs, they had to create something functional, durable, and affordable. The constraint forced them to innovate smarter, not bigger. The result? A groundbreaking prosthetic limb that costs a fraction of traditional models.Psychology: Why Constraints WorkSo why do constraints work so well for creativity? The answer lies in how our brains operate.Constraints force focus. If you’re given a completely open-ended problem, your mind can get overwhelmed with possibilities. But if you introduce limitations—such as a deadline, a budget, or a word count—you’re forced to make decisions faster and more effectively.They encourage problem-solving. When we’re restricted, our brains naturally search for workarounds. It’s why people come up with their most creative solutions when they have limited time or resources.They prevent “choice paralysis.” Have you ever stared at a blank page, unsure of where to start? Sometimes, too much freedom can be crippling. But when you set a few rules—such as writing in bullet points or using a specific framework—it becomes easier to get started.Applying Constraints to Your Own CreativitySo how can you use creative constraints to fuel your own work?Try the “One-Take” Rule. If you’re writing, speaking, or recording content, challenge yourself to do it in one take. No edits, no re-dos. You’ll be amazed at how much clarity and energy this creates.Limit Your Tools. Designers often do their best work when they restrict themselves to a single color palette. Writers sometimes force themselves to use only short sentences. What’s one small constraint you can introduce to challenge yourself?Set a Hard Deadline. Some of the best ideas come at the last minute—not because they’re rushed, but because constraints force you to focus.Reduce Your Resources. Give yourself fewer tools, fewer options, and watch how your brain adapts.Final ThoughtsThe next time you feel stuck, don’t ask yourself, “What can I add?” Instead, ask, “What can I remove?” Constraints don’