The Creativity Companion

Welcome to our very first episode of The Creativity Companion!  Dan Nestle, creator and host of The Dan Nestle Show, and Andrew Silberman, author of Get a G.R.I.P. on Creativity, are teaming up to talk about all things creation and creativity. Get ready to embark on an enlightening journey as they break down inspiration, innovation, and collaboration!  In this episode, Dan and Andrew are connecting to unpack our understanding of creativity, how they exercise their creative muscle, and the different facets of creativity that foster imagination, problem-solving, leadership, and more. They also offer you some valuable practices to begin discovering or recovering your creative energy, such as meditation and free writing.  “Discovery is finding that inspiration, finding something to get your creativity going in some ways.” – Dan (3:22) Through this podcast, Andrew and Dan want to send you out into your life armed with this understanding of creativity:  “We’re here to say that everybody is creative, and you owe it to yourself and you owe it to your job or your family or whatever to open up that creative vein, to discover that creativity.” – Dan (10:48) We’ll be back next time to talk about gathering creativity, so follow along on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to join us!  In This Episode: (0:58) Andrew discusses discovering creativity in the context of his book (3:35) Dan shares how he accessed his creativity early on in his career (8:15) The different facets of creation (12:08) Writing as a craft  (14:55) Injecting creativity into your daily life  (15:55) How to discover or recover your sense of creativity Resources & Links: Dan Nestle LinkedIn Andrew Silberman LinkedIn Get a G.R.I.P. on Creativity by Andrew Silberman The Dan Nestle Show  The Remote Work Companion   Mentioned: The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

So you’ve discovered your creativity, but what’s the next step in the creative process? How do you keep those creative juices flowing? In this episode of The Creative Companion, Dan and Andrew are taking you to the next step in the process of creativity and breaking down the importance of gathering your resources and energy.  Whether we’re talking about accumulating the physical tools you need to create or just trying to find the time, energy, and brain space to imagine new possibilities, this episode is all about developing the skills that will allow you to gather the resources you need to conduct and funnel your creative energy.  “What are the things we can do to gather? OK, we go out and seek what other people say can help in terms of your resources. One of my favorite lines Tony Robbins gave us a long time ago – I don’t know where he got it from – was, ‘It’s not about the resources; it’s about the resourcefulness.’” – Andrew (8:09) There are a variety of ways to bring intent and resourcefulness to your creative journey, but Andrew and Dan are here to offer just a few tips to gather your resources as you work to maximize and hone all of your creative potential!  Keep an eye out for our next episode where we explore circulating, available wherever you listen to podcasts! In This Episode: (1:38) Why gathering creativity is the next step in the process (4:10) The ritualistic nature of creativity  (9:40) Approaching your creative journey with intention (11:41) How you can gather your creativity and intent Resources & Links: Dan Nestle LinkedIn Andrew Silberman LinkedIn Get a G.R.I.P. on Creativity by Andrew Silberman The Remote Work Companion   The Dan Nestle Show  Mentioned:  The Healing Promise of Qi by Roger Jahnke

Are you experiencing a creative dry spell – a season of writer’s block or just struggling to access your imagination?  In this episode, Dan and Andrew unpack this common occurrence for most creatives and how you can combat it when that dry season is upon you. As they share their thoughts on fostering inspiration to get the ideas and sparks flowing, you’ll learn some valuable tactics to circulate and access that creativity.  “A lot of people tend to sit down and then think about what they want to write. And I say that’s not the way to do it. You want to get out. You want to be walking around or doing other things while you can be thinking, so that then you can sit down, and instead of thinking about what to write, you just write down what you’ve been thinking.” – Andrew (4:12) They also dive into the importance of being in a community and how developing connections with others can offer us new perspectives on creation. We have to keep moving forward in pursuit of new positions, new friendships, new projects, etc. In the words of Woody Allen, “a relationship is like a shark. It has to keep moving forward or it dies.” The same concept applies for creativity!  “So you don’t want your creativity to become a dead shark. And the more I think about it, I think it’s like that. You do need to keep some sort of movement and momentum going. You have to keep replenishing the water running through your gills if you’re the shark. Otherwise what you’ve got on your hands is a dead shark.” – Dan (9:32) And keep an eye out for next week’s episode wherever you listen to podcasts!  In This Episode: (1:25) How does circulating work?  (6:30) The importance of connections for incoming inspiration (8:30) Keep moving forward (11:43) The ways networking can help us learn and grow (14:08) Why curiosity is importance for creatives (16:28) How you can practically circulate  Resources & Links: Dan Nestle LinkedIn Andrew Silberman LinkedIn Get a G.R.I.P. on Creativity by Andrew Silberman The Remote Work Companion   The Dan Nestle Show  Mentioned:  The Healing Promise of Qi by Roger Jahnke

What does it mean to refine and purify that which we create, and how do we even develop our very own purification process?  In this episode of The Creativity Companion, Dan and Andrew are breaking down what it means to “purify” your content, your vision, your thinking, etc. and how the purification process is unique to each creative individual. They also discuss internal and external motivators and the role of commitment and pressure in collaboration and creation.  “For me, I think as I embark on a creative endeavor, if it’s self-generated, I’m more likely to hit those obstacles. If it’s externally generated, then I have other motivations to get the shit done.” – Dan (6:15) Creativity requires practice, and sometimes the most valuable technique is to just begin! Often it just takes sitting down and beginning the creative process, and purification can aid you down the road when you’re ready to refine everything you’ve come up with.   “Let’s imagine it’s a hose, and we’re gonna put water through it… What if it’s got some leaves in there or some dirt. Well, you’re not going to get rid of that until you start pumping water through it. And the water that comes out at first is not going to be clear. It’s not going to be pure. But after enough water has been thrown through it, then it almost naturally gets clearer. That’s how I work.” – Andrew (9:19) Drop by again next week to hear about the next topic in our creativity series – available wherever you listen to podcasts!  In This Episode: (1:11) What is purifying in the creative process? (4:35) What and how you purify is unique to YOU  (9:14) Andrew’s hose analogy for purification (11:45) Why you have to find the courage and discipline to just begin (12:50) Sometimes the imperfections become your best work (14:22) Develop your purification ritual  Resources & Links: Dan Nestle LinkedIn Andrew Silberman LinkedIn Get a G.R.I.P. on Creativity by Andrew Silberman The Remote Work Companion   The Dan Nestle Show

Last week we talked about purification – the refinement phase of the creative process – but it can be difficult to get there if you’re busy, scatterbrained, or have trouble focusing on just one thing.  Directing is your answer.  In this episode, Dan and Andrew discuss what it means to direct your attention and resources to the process of creation. Your energy is one of your greatest assets as a creative, so they’re sitting down today to offer you valuable insight on how you can utilize this and direct that energy toward productivity and commitment.  “When we’re in that mode or we want to get in that mode, it’s time to be nurturing for that creative self. So it’s not the time to punish, discipline… Look, if you’re aiming to get those creative thoughts coming, they come from being open and joyful and happy, usually.” – Andrew (11:03) Creativity requires a certain level of intention but also grace. If you’re struggling to sit down and focus, there are a few things you can try. Whether it’s cultivating stillness to restore balance or creating a routine to foster that intention, always remember that these are tools to simply access your creativity. The resources inside yourself are invaluable.  “Recognize that you… transmit empowering resources. It’s like, ‘I have empowering resources inside myself, and I can transmit them. I’m directing – I can transmit them to specific areas.” – Andrew (17:05) Check back in next time to hear about another facet of creativity.  In This Episode: (1:04) Directing resources and focus (6:22) Your energy is critical to your creativity (9:19) The struggle to focus on one thing (10:06) How to use intent and grace as tools for focus  (12:28) How to balance and manage different creative possibilities  (14:19) Dan reveals the enemy of creativity (14:58) A few exercises to restore focus, balance, and harmony Resources & Links: Dan Nestle LinkedIn Andrew Silberman LinkedIn Get a G.R.I.P. on Creativity by Andrew Silberman The Remote Work Companion   The Dan Nestle Show