PodWalk with Mike Monday

I've not recorded a PodWalk for four months! Let me explain the (very good) reasons why...And here are links to The Album podcast:The Album Podcast on Spreaker (where you can subscribe on the platform of your choice)The Album Podcast on SpotifyOn The Album podcast, I'm doing something similar to the PodWalk but with a slightly different emphasis. In short, if you love the PodWalk, you'll LOVE this.

This season I'm podwalking about 3 Role Theory. This is a model I've developed to quickly diagnose where a client might have a problem in their creative process.Today I'll introduce you to "The Connector" who's got a bad rap that I don't believe is warranted...And whenever you're ready, here's how else I can help you:1. Click here to make more music you love with the FREE Music Machine template...2. Here's the best offer to get my personal help in the Magic Music Machine program...PLUS, check out my other podcasts:PodWalk with Mike Monday: Come walking with me to discover how to have more fun making better stuff in less time.The Album... An in-depth peek behind the curtain of my creative process as I release my 5th album and make my 6th.Conversations with AIOne human. One AI. One thousand enlightening conversations.

This season I'm podwalking about 3 Role Theory. This is a model I've developed to quickly diagnose where a client might have a problem in their creative process.Today I'll introduce you to "The Constructor"...And whenever you're ready, here's how else I can help you:1. Click here to make more music you love with the FREE Music Machine template...2. Here's the best offer to get my personal help in the Magic Music Machine program...PLUS, check out my other podcasts:PodWalk with Mike Monday: Come walking with me to discover how to have more fun making better stuff in less time.The Album... An in-depth peek behind the curtain of my creative process as I release my 5th album and make my 6th.Conversations with AIOne human. One AI. One thousand enlightening conversations.

This season I'm podwalking about 3 Role Theory. This is a model I've developed to quickly diagnose where a client might have a problem in their creative process.Today I'll introduce you to "The Conjuror. Get your wands out...And whenever you're ready, here's how else I can help you:1. Click here to make more music you love with the FREE Music Machine template...2. Here's the best offer to get my personal help in the Magic Music Machine program...PLUS, check out my other podcasts:PodWalk with Mike Monday: Come walking with me to discover how to have more fun making better stuff in less time.The Album... An in-depth peek behind the curtain of my creative process as I release my 5th album and make my 6th.Conversations with AIOne human. One AI. One thousand enlightening conversations.

This season I'm podwalking about 3 Role Theory which is a model I've developed which allows me to quickly diagnose where a client might have a problem in their creative process.But to understand what the different roles are within this model, we need to understand how we make ideas real and where they come from...And whenever you're ready, here's how else I can help you:1. Click here to make more music you love with the FREE Music Machine template...2. Here's the best offer to get my personal help in the Magic Music Machine program...PLUS, here's all my podcasts:PodWalk with Mike MondayLet's walk and talk about the creative process and creativity.The AlbumAn in-depth peek behind the curtain of my creative process as I make my 6th album and release my 5th.The MakeistI shed light on what the AI explosion could mean for us creators by investigating new AI tools and how they could affect creators, creativity and the creative process.

As I suspected, what was a "brief" hiatus became an extended one. Find out why and what you can expect from my various podcasts moving forward...Here's my new podcast about AI's impact on creators: The MakeistAnd whenever you're ready, here's how else I can help you:1. Click here to make more music you love with the FREE Music Machine template...2. Here's the best offer to get my personal help in the Magic Music Machine program...PLUS, here's all my podcasts:PodWalk with Mike MondayLet's walk and talk about the creative process and creativity.The AlbumAn in-depth peek behind the curtain of my creative process as I make my 6th album and release my 5th.The MakeistI shed light on what the AI explosion could mean for us creators by investigating new AI tools and how they could affect creators, creativity and the creative process.

I'm making a slight change of plan...(Don't worry normal PodWalk service will resume very shortly.)To listen to my "Final Countdown Problems and Insights" series over on The Album podcast...Here's a playlist of all the episodes where I share the avalanche of problems and resulting insights I'm getting slapped with over the final week:⏱️Final Countdown Problems and InsightsPLUS...As I loved the process so much - I'm making ANOTHER album immediately after my 5th that I'm finishing now...AND I'm running another class of "Make An Album With Mike". Making an album with a group of other musicians, producers and composers is mindblowing and why making my 5th ahs been such a wonderful experience!So if you'd like to make an album with me and others?Click here to get all the details...And whenever you're ready, here's how else I can help you:1. Click here to make more music you love with the FREE Music Machine template...2. Here's the best offer to get my personal help in the Magic Music Machine program...PLUS, check out all the other Make Music Your Life podcasts:The Album... An in-depth peek behind the curtain of my creative process as I make my 5th album.Magic Music Machine Insights...Where I answer questions from my Magic Music Machine community.Paths to Better Music... Curated coaching conversations with musicians using the Music Machine.

3 Role Theory is a model which helps you understand yourself within the creative process. As a model it's useful because it's much simpler than reality...PLUS...

Because of album finishing things (

This is the final PodWalk of Season 4 where I've been talking about (supposedly) irrelevant subjects.So let's have a conversation about WHY I call siloing of information and expertise "one of the great evils of the world. Because "evil" is a strong word - but I do use it on purpose...PLUS...

Yesterday I had an experience which changed my entire world. I've been using ChatGPT3 for a while for various (fairly menial) tasks, but decided to try out ChatGPT4 to see how much it had improved...IT BLEW MY MIND.That doesn't mean it's all good news of course. There's a lot that's problematic and downright scary about what AI could mean for creators and our culture.But with the massive improvement of GPT4 - I've already found a couple of creative ways to use it to make a much better business, much better music and a much better creator...And here's The Album podcast where I go much deeper into specifically how ChatGPT4 helped me uncover a big problem with my album: The Album podcast: My Jarvis for Music

Continuing our "Destroy the Silo" season let's talk about how stories permeate everything we do.And how the structure of many stories is a reflection of a fundamental pattern you can notice EVERYWHERE...Here's the specific "The Album" episode I mention:How could a single note MEAN something?And whenever you're ready, here's how I can help you:1. Click here to make more music you love with the FREE Music Machine template...2. Here's the best offer to get my personal help in the Magic Music Machine program...PLUS, check out all the other Make Music Your Life podcasts:The Album... An in-depth peek behind the curtain of my creative process as I make my 5th album.Magic Music Machine Insights...Where I answer questions from my Magic Music Machine community.Paths to Better Music... Curated coaching conversations with musicians using the Music Machine.

Continuing our journey through (supposedly) irrelevant subjects to the creative process we're going to talk about an area which is either ignored or desperately held onto by creators of all kinds.And whenever you're ready, here's how I can help you:1. Click here to make more music you love with the FREE Music Machine template...2. Here's the best offer to get my personal help in the Magic Music Machine program...PLUS, check out all the other Make Music Your Life podcasts:The Album... An in-depth peek behind the curtain of my creative process as I make my 5th album.Magic Music Machine Insights...Where I answer questions from my Magic Music Machine community.Paths to Better Music... Curated coaching conversations with musicians using the Music Machine.

Today we're talking about a book which has changed my perspective on almost everything (probably) more than any other.The change has been startling, and for the better. It's responsible for much of the Music Machine, how Make Music Your Life works, how I make music, how I parent and much more...And whenever you're ready, here's how I can help you:1. Click here to make more music you love with the FREE Music Machine template...2. Here's the best offer to get my personal help in the Magic Music Machine program...PLUS, check out all the other Make Music Your Life podcasts:The Album... An in-depth peek behind the curtain of my creative process as I make my 5th album.Magic Music Machine Insights...Where I answer questions from my Magic Music Machine community.Paths to Better Music... Curated coaching conversations with musicians using the Music Machine.

Even though I'm extremely passionate about the subject of Season 4, I've struggled making these PodWalks. But now I've figured out why and what I'm going to do about it...(In Season 4 I'm PodWalking about supposedly "irrelevant subjects"...because siloing in it's many forms is an anti-creative force.)And whenever you're ready, here's how I can help you:1. Click here to make more music you love with the FREE Music Machine template...2. Here's the best offer to get my personal help in the Magic Music Machine program...PLUS, check out all the other Make Music Your Life podcasts:The Album... An in-depth peek behind the curtain of my creative process as I make my 5th album.Magic Music Machine Insights...Where I answer questions from my Magic Music Machine community.Paths to Better Music... Curated coaching conversations with musicians using the Music Machine.

A very different PodWalk today as I share a story from my past (pretty much my first clear memory) which I believe has shaped my approach to almost everything...And definitely my strong aversion to the siloing of information, learning and knowledge.(In Season 4 I'm PodWalking about supposedly "irrelevant subjects"...because siloing in it's many forms is an anti-creative force.)And whenever you're ready, here's how I can help you:1. Click here to make more music you love with the FREE Music Machine template...2. Here's the best offer to get my personal help in the Magic Music Machine program...PLUS, check out all the other Make Music Your Life podcasts:The Album... An in-depth peek behind the curtain of my creative process as I make my 5th album.Magic Music Machine Insights...Where I answer questions from my Magic Music Machine community.Paths to Better Music... Curated coaching conversations with musicians using the Music Machine.

A very music based PodWalk today, as I'm talking about how I've used the Gestalk Principles of visual perception to help me (and others) make music.(In Season 4 I'm PodWalking about supposedly "irrelevant subjects"...because siloing in it's many forms is an anti-creative force.)And whenever you're ready, here's how I can help you:1. Click here to make more music you love with the FREE Music Machine template...2. Here's the best offer to get my personal help in the Magic Music Machine program...PLUS, check out all the other Make Music Your Life podcasts:The Album... An in-depth peek behind the curtain of my creative process as I make my 5th album.Magic Music Machine Insights...Where I answer questions from my Magic Music Machine community.Paths to Better Music... Curated coaching conversations with musicians using the Music Machine.

In Season 4 I'll be PodWalking about supposedly "irrelevant subjects"...because siloing in it's many forms is an anti-creative force.So let's talk about how the creative process (as commonly practised) ensures we're creating unnecessary frustration. When we take into account how our minds work - we can make making WAY simpler, quicker and less painful...And whenever you're ready, here's how I can help you:1. Click here to make more music you love with the FREE Music Machine template...2. Here's the best offer to get my personal help in the Magic Music Machine program...PLUS, check out all the other Make Music Your Life podcasts:The Album... An in-depth peek behind the curtain of my creative process as I make my 5th album.Magic Music Machine Insights...Where I answer questions from my Magic Music Machine community.Paths to Better Music... Curated coaching conversations with musicians using the Music Machine.

In Season 4 I'll be PodWalking about supposedly "irrelevant subjects"...because I believe that siloing in it's many forms is a terrible waste of human creativity.And in this PodWalk I'll fill you in on an area of learning which has had the most profund effect on my ability to do almost anything. It's the bedrock upon which all other learning has happened...The first book that got me into meditation I mention was "The Relaxation Response" by Herbert Benson.It's not the best book on the subject (I've read many), but it is short, simple and practical.And whenever you're ready, here's how I can help you:1. Click here to make more music you love with the FREE Music Machine template...2. Here's the best offer to get my personal help in the Magic Music Machine program...PLUS, check out all the other Make Music Your Life podcasts:The Album... An in-depth peek behind the curtain of my creative process as I make my 5th album.Magic Music Machine Insights...Where I answer questions from my Magic Music Machine community.Paths to Better Music... Curated coaching conversations with musicians using the Music Machine.

If you're struggling to get started again after a break...listen to this. You'll be just fine. :)You'll also find out what Season 4 PodWalks will be about.And whenever you're ready, here's how I can help you:1. Click here to make more music you love with the FREE Music Machine template...2. Here's the best offer to get my personal help in the Magic Music Machine program...PLUS, check out all the other Make Music Your Life podcasts:The Album... An in-depth peek behind the curtain of my creative process as I make my 5th album.Magic Music Machine Insights...Where I answer questions from my Magic Music Machine community.Paths to Better Music... Curated coaching conversations with musicians using the Music Machine.

This is the final step of "Festive" Season 3, where I'm taking you through a process I use to get focus, motivation and clarity for the coming year. If you've missed the other steps...Here's a Spotify playlist of all Season 3 PodWalks!And whenever you're ready, here's how I can help you:1. Click here to make more music you love with the FREE Music Machine template...2. Here's the best offer to get my personal help in the Magic Music Machine program...PLUS, check out all the other Make Music Your Life podcasts:The Album... An in-depth peek behind the curtain of my creative process as I make my 5th album.Magic Music Machine Insights...Where I answer questions from my Magic Music Machine community.Paths to Better Music... Curated coaching conversations with musicians using the Music Machine.

This is step 4 of "Festive" Season 3, where I'm taking you through a process I use to get focus, motivation and clarity for the coming year. If you've missed the other steps...Here's a Spotify playlist of all Season 3 PodWalks!And whenever you're ready, here's how I can help you:1. Click here to make more music you love with the FREE Music Machine template...2. Get my personal help in the Magic Music Machine program here...PLUS, check out all the other Make Music Your Life podcasts:The Album... An in-depth peek behind the curtain of my creative process as I make my 5th album.Magic Music Machine Insights...Where I answer questions from my Magic Music Machine community.Paths to Better Music... Curated coaching conversations with musicians using the Music Machine.

Step 3 of "Festive" Season 3, and we're onto one of my favourite areas:PROBLEMS! Woohoo!And whenever you're ready, here's how I can help you:Click here to make more music you love with the FREE Music Machine template...Get my help in the Magic Music Machine program here:https://makemusicyourlife.com/podcastofferPLUS, check out all the other Make Music Your Life podcasts:The Album... An in-depth peek behind the curtain of my creative process as I make my 5th album.Magic Music Machine Insights...Where I answer questions from my Magic Music Machine community.Paths to Better Music... Curated coaching conversations with musicians using the Music Machine.

This is the 2nd step of the "prep for the best possible next year" process I'm taking you through in this "Festive" Season 3.You'll find the 1st step of the process in the previous PodWalk here...And whenever you're ready, here's another way I can help you:Click here to make more music you love with the FREE Music Machine template...PLUS check out all the Make Music Your Life podcasts:PodWalk with Mike Monday...Come walking with me to discover how to have more fun making better stuff in less time.The Album... An in depth journey behind the curtain of my creative process as I make my 5th album.Magic Music Machine Insights...Where I answer questions from my Magic Music Machine community.Paths to Better Music... Curated coaching conversations with musicians using the Music Machine.

Let's kick off "Festive" Season 3 - where we'll get clear on what we're doing NEXT YEAR!Starting with The Review...This is the process I'm using with my team, coaches and clients for birds eye view of last year.Click here to make more music you love with the FREE Music Machine template...PLUS check out all the Make Music Your Life podcasts:PodWalk with Mike Monday...Come walking with me to discover how to have more fun making better stuff in less time.The Album... An in depth peek behind the curtain of my creative process as I make my 5th album.Paths to Better Music... Curated coaching conversations with musicians using the Music Machine.Magic Music Machine Insights...Where I answer questions from my Magic Music Machine community.

Let's talk about what is coming in PodWalk "Festive Season 3"...Make more music you love with the free Music Machine template: http://magicmakingmachine.comAnd check out all the Make Music Your Life podcasts:PodWalk: https://makemusicyourlife.com/podwalk Come walking with me to discover how to have more fun making better stuff in less time.Magic Music Machine Insights: https://makemusicyourlife.com/insights Where I answer questions from my Magic Music Machine community.Paths to Better Music: https://makemusicyourlife.com/paths Curated coaching conversations with musicians using the Music Machine.The Album: https://makemusicyourlife.com/album An in depth peek behind the curtain of my creative process as I make my 5th album.

In the last PodWalk of Season 2 let's have the "debate that isn't a debate at all" debate.What is the relationship between quality and quantity?If you've ever said "I'm all about quality not quantity" then this is for YOU!And if you're already familiar with my schtick on this subject - there's even something new for you too! :)Make more you love with the free Making (and Music) Machine template: http://magicmakingmachine.comAnd check out all the Make Music Your Life podcasts:PodWalk: https://makemusicyourlife.com/podwalk Come walking with me to discover how to have more fun making better stuff in less time.Magic Music Machine Insights: https://makemusicyourlife.com/insights Where I answer questions from my Magic Music Machine community.Paths to Better Music: https://makemusicyourlife.com/paths Curated coaching conversations with musicians using the Music Machine.The Album: https://makemusicyourlife.com/album An in depth peek behind the curtain of my creative process as I make my 5th album.

"I know exactly what I want but I just can't get it to come out right" is a problem I've heard repeated 1000s of times over the last decade.(In fact, today on a coaching session with a group of musicians, at least 3 said this was their no. 1 problem.)But there's a problem with the problem itself. It's based upon a set of mistaken assumptions about ideas, the creative process and how the human mind works...Make more you love with the free Making (and Music) Machine template: http://magicmakingmachine.comAnd check out all the Make Music Your Life podcasts:PodWalk: https://makemusicyourlife.com/podwalk Come walking with me to discover how to have more fun making better stuff in less time.Magic Music Machine Insights: https://makemusicyourlife.com/insights Where I answer questions from my Magic Music Machine community.Paths to Better Music: https://makemusicyourlife.com/paths Curated coaching conversations with musicians using the Music Machine.The Album: https://makemusicyourlife.com/album An in depth peek behind the curtain of my creative process as I make my 5th album.

WHY does the Making Machine work? What's behind it?Because any system that works has to be based upon principles... Starting with one of the most insidious, destructive forces I've seen kill many a track, song and even career dead.What's worse is that the tools and technology we use to create suck us into this creative black hole. UNLESS you know what the problem is, why it's so dangerous and what approach to take instead...Make more you love with the free Making (and Music) Machine template: http://magicmakingmachine.comAnd check out all the Make Music Your Life podcasts:PodWalk: https://makemusicyourlife.com/podwalk Come walking with me to discover how to have more fun making better stuff in less time.Magic Music Machine Insights: https://makemusicyourlife.com/insights Where I answer questions from my Magic Music Machine community.Paths to Better Music: https://makemusicyourlife.com/paths Curated coaching conversations with musicians using the Music Machine.The Album: https://makemusicyourlife.com/album An in depth peek behind the curtain of my creative process as I make my 5th album.

I'm launching not 1 but 2 new podcasts! Find out what they are and where you'll find them in this double trailer.Make more you love with the free Making (and Music) Machine template: http://magicmakingmachine.comAnd here's all the Make Music Your Life podcasts:PodWalk: https://makemusicyourlife.com/podwalk Come walking with me to discover how to have more fun making better stuff in less time.Magic Music Machine Insights: https://makemusicyourlife.com/insights Where I answer questions from my Magic Music Machine community.Paths to Better Music: https://makemusicyourlife.com/paths Curated coaching conversations with musicians using the Music Machine.The Album: https://makemusicyourlife.com/album An in depth peek behind the curtain of my creative process as I make my 5th album.

In the 1st 3 PodWalks of Season 2, I've shared how the Making (and Music) Machine fundamentally works. In the final PodWalks I'll share what's the behind the Machine, but first a little background on how it came to be...Get the Making (and Music) Machine Trello template here: http://magicmakingmachine.comAnd check out all the Make Music Your Life podcasts:PodWalk: https://makemusicyourlife.com/podwalk Come walking with me to discover how to have more fun making better stuff in less time.Magic Music Machine Insights: https://makemusicyourlife.com/insights Where I answer questions from my Magic Music Machine community.Paths to Better Music: https://makemusicyourlife.com/paths Curated coaching conversations with musicians using the Music Machine.The Album: https://makemusicyourlife.com/album An in depth peek behind the curtain of my creative process as I make my 5th album.

Beating a piece into submission is the default method of finishing for many makers...But while it works (I did it for years with my music), is it the best way to get quality or quantity?On our PodWalk today we're going to talk about the problems with "brute forcing" your work, and a much more fun, free and effective alternative...Get the Making Machine Trello template here: http://magicmakingmachine.comAnd check out all the Make Music Your Life podcasts:PodWalk: https://makemusicyourlife.com/podwalk Come walking with me to discover how to have more fun making better stuff in less time.Magic Music Machine Insights: https://makemusicyourlife.com/insights Where I answer questions from my Magic Music Machine community.Paths to Better Music: https://makemusicyourlife.com/paths Curated coaching conversations with musicians using the Music Machine.The Album: https://makemusicyourlife.com/album An in depth peek behind the curtain of my creative process as I make my 5th album.

What is a "bad" idea? From my experience of using the Magic Making Machine I've come to realise that a bad idea is a good idea out of context.One of the benefits of using a system like the Machine is you get a birds eye view of what you've been doing. It tracks what you do over many years, so you realise that you're perception of what you've done and what you've been doing is out of whack with reality.If the only perspective of your creative past is in your head, it is going to be distorted.And this is where the Sketchbook comes in. Because in the Machine, you don't delete your "bad" ideas. You come to understand that what you think is bad is a goldmine!So on today's PodWalk we're going to talk about the Sketchbook and the difference between "Ideas" and "Splurges".Get the Magic Making Machine Trello Template here: http://magicmakingmachine.com

How many top artists have you heard say something like:"I can't stand listening to my past music, all I can hear are the mistakes!"I said this too, for many years. But there's a glaring problem with this. What are mistakes? What are problems in the music we have made?And how does hiding from what we don't like about our work hold us back?On our PodWalk today we're going to talk about what we do with our past releases. (HINT: it's NOT hide from them. No matter how bad we now think they are!)Get the Magic Making Machine Trello Template here: http://magicmakingmachine.com

What is your definition of "finished"?After many years saying a piece was "done", then realising it wasn't I had an aha...What was giving me the perspective I needed to know if it was 100% "Done" was the fact I thought it was! This is one of the reasons that in the Making Machine "Done" is separate to "Release" (where we get our stuff ready for release.) So on our PodWalk today I'll get into why and how you make this crucial distinction...To get the Trello template: http://magicmakingmachine.com

There is a fundamental "pivot" point in any creative process. You move from a "divergent" approach (adding, experimenting, brainstorming) to a "convergent" one (removing, moving, improving, editing).In the Making Machine this pivot happens when you get the piece you're working on out of "Discover" and into "Draft". Then, to keep your process flowing (and not gummed up) you want to make sure you're not putting too much pressure on yourself. On our PodWalk today we'll talk about 2 crucial stages of finishing anything: Draft and Done.To get the Trello template: http://magicmakingmachine.com

"Inspiration shows up when you do."Let's talk about the start of the creative process...Get the Trello tracking template for the Making Machine/Music Machine here:http://magicmakingmachine.com

I did a back of the envelope calculation the other day. Through personal and group coaching, writing, making programs and videos I've invested around 20,000 hours helping musicians and producers with their creative process.In PodWalk Season 2 I'm getting deep into what I've learned by sharing the model I've developed to explain it. Because while creativity is chaotic and uncertain, there is a pattern...http://magicmakingmachine.com

This is the final episode of season 1 of the PodWalk!(I decided to make the number of episodes per season roughly the same as an album.)So this final episode will be slightly off the beaten track. As I often use various models, ideas and concepts to make progress which I KNOW aren't "true", because they allow me to get closer to the truth...

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield is a famous (and largely wonderful) book which changed my life for the better...Until it started to create barriers and obstacles. And then I noticed the same in more and more of my clients and students who had read it. (Some of whom had read it on my recommendation!)I know what he means by "The Resistance". I too feel the daily struggle. I can see the creative process as a noble battle against the dark forces facing me. But what are the downsides to taking this metaphor too seriously? And what could an alternative be?

"If I don't act upon this idea NOW - it will be gone forever."This idea is very common amongst creators. But I'm always very careful of any belief which fulfils itself:Believing it creates conditions which seem to verify it. Because you believe it, you don't challenge it. You don't challenge it, so you believe it.This is circular thinking. While this doesn't automatically mean it's false, it is worth challenging ANY belief like this.So let's take a look at this belief. Because it may well be ensuring you consign your very best ideas to the dustbin.

Ever fallen down an information rabbit hole of doom? I'm guessing (if you're a human who has an internet connection) that's a YES! Trouble is with consuming information is all too often IT CONSUMES US!(Or at least it consumes our progress, and ultimately our dreams...)So on our walk today I'm going to give you a way of understanding information and how it relates to knowledge. If you're anything like me, when you take it on board and embed this understanding in your life, it will inoculate you against this terrible info-addiction affliction.

You might think that coaching and teaching are the same. I wouldn't blame you, as until I trained as a coach I didn't know the difference. But they're SOOOOOOO DIFFERENT! Both have their place and fulfil different functions. But I can promise that while there is a LOAD of teaching everywhere all the time...there isn't enough coaching in the world...yet.

This was supposed to be the next PodWalk subject - Teaching vs Coaching, but it ended up as a little autobiography on how coaching saved my life (when I look back on it - literally!) If you're struggling in any way, I hope my story will help you realise - there is ALWAYS a way forward...

The modern world requires that Artists of all kinds are also business people. So if you are to build a business around your Art, it's essential to understand how a "solo artist" business is different from almost any other kind of business...

The human mind simplifies to make sense of the Universe. Thank goodness it does, because the Universe is a bewildering and chaotic place! But often these simplifications seem "real" which is when we get STUCK. Because what is "real" is way more complex...

"I've just got to work on my craft..." is a phrase I've heard a LOT. But for a certain kind of artist, I've always felt it misses the point. Or at least, is only a part of the point, and a part which is in service of another part. This other part is what I'd call "THE ACTUAL POINT"!So what's the difference between Art and Craft? What is "THE ACTUAL POINT"?

If what defines humans is we create something new out of something old, then the creative process is the method we use to do this.But so many people say they're not creative because they don't understand that creativity is how we solve problems.Without problems, our creativity is not required. Without problems, there is nothing new. Without problems, there's no path to walk.Problems are what fuel your creativity. Don't avoid them! Jump into them.To ask me anything or for comments and feedback: mike [at] makemusicyourlife [dot] com

In our culture, creativity is simultaneously edified and debased through magical thinking. Yes, the creative process is mysterious because so few understand it. Yes, it can feel like magic when things are going well. But that does not mean it is magic! Or that we shouldn't touch it lest we kill the magic.Deciphering the mysteries of the creative process is my ongoing life's work. And there more I discover, the more magical the creative process feels.So what is creativity? What is the creative process? And why is it what makes us human?To ask me anything or for comments and feedback: mike [at] makemusicyourlife [dot] com