How to Replenish Your Creativity Well

Out Of JuiceH O W T O R E P L E N I S H
Y O U R C R E AT I V I T Y W E L L
TERRI TRESPICIO
Copyright © 2017 Terri Trespicio All rights reserved.

HOW MANY OF YOU
HAVE FELT UNINSPIRED
IN THE PAST 6 MONTHS?

One way this manifests:
Employee disengagement

https://www.officevibe.com/blog/disturbing-employee-engagement-infographic

Why does today feel
exactly like yesterday?

SO WHAT THE HECK
MAKES ME AN EXPERT?

I make my living coming up with ideas.

I’m a published writer, media contributor,
and former magazine editor

As a consultant, it’s my job to come up with
ways to engage users, clients, customers, fans.

I also create courses designed to help people tap their
own expertise for ideas for media and the stage.
LIGHTS
CAMERA
EXPERT
TAPPED
to speak

2+ million views
“Stop Searching for Your Passion”

Your creativity is a living, breathing thing.
And it doesn’t act alone.

STOP SEEING CREATIVITY
AS A STATIC TRAIT
Step #1

Creativity isn’t about being “artsy.”

CreativityD E F I N E D
“the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules,
patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create
meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations”

…which implies that some of us have it,
and some don’t.
Wrong.
Trait & Talent
Too many of us think of it in terms of

of creativity or ideas.
Run Out
You won’t

“Creativity does not happen inside people’s
heads, but in the interaction between a person’s
thoughts and a sociocultural context.”
MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYI, CREATIVITY
It’s A System

=> domain (i.e., math, science, fine art) 
=> field (experts in that domain),  
 
=> contributor (the individual)
There Are 3 Parts

Art only happens in connection
with other people and ideas.

“Art is the act of a human being doing generous
work, creating something for the first time,
touching another person.”
SETH GODIN
THE ICARUS DECEPTION

Why does this matter now?

The Connection Economy
Welcome To

“The value we create is directly related to
how much valuable information we can
produce, how much trust we can earn, and
how often we innovate.”
SETH GODIN

We have an Industrial Age hangover.

Industrial Age
Compliance
Eﬃciency
Act like a machine
Initiative
Emotional labor
Act like a human
Connection EconomyVs.

So that means it’s your job to make art.

“Art isn’t made by artists.  
Artists are people who make art.”
SETH GODIN

What is art?

Painting
Sculpture
Music
Poetry
Dance
Fine art
Commercial art
Graphic design
Silk screening
Tattoos
Art Was Only It Became

Creative services
Entrepreneurship
Technology
Leadership
Customer service
“These are the new performing arts.” – Seth Godin
You Know What Else It Is?

Let’s look at the ways you
HAVE ALREADY
created art in your work and life
besides the things you make:

Made a bold suggestion
Advocated for an idea, or a person
Tried a thing even though it could
fail
Did something for the sheer joy of
doing it
Performed a generous act
Made a thoughtful gesture
Took the lead
Committed to a decision
Devised a clever solution
Nurtured a relationship
Delivered a little more than was
required
Really listened
Surprised someone
Surprised yourself

your creative capacity based on the ONE
project or problem you’re stuck on.
Don’t Judge

Burnout
T H E R I S K S
Exhaustion Fatigue
Disengagement
Depression
Distraction
Despair
Irritability
Anxiety
Sleep issues
Overwhelm

CARE FOR THE
CREATIVE VESSEL
(THAT’S YOU)
Step #2

You’re garbage without it.
Sleep

Avoid the stuff that makes
you hate yourself.
Don’t eat crap

How are yours working for you?
Take habits seriously

“The routine is as much a part
of the creative process as the lightning bolt  
of inspiration, maybe more.”
TWYLA THARP
THE CREATIVE HABIT

Start with your morning
Get up (a little) earlier
Be mindful of where your attention goes
Spend those ﬁrst few minutes or hours
on what matters most

Give yourself 10 mins of white space
Download a meditation app (Headspace,
Calm, etc)
Make sitting quietly in a state of calm
part of your regular routine
You’ll improve focus and creativity, be
less distracted/anxious/emotionally
reactive

LOOK YOUR FEAR
IN THE FACE
Step #3

YOU’RE GOING PLACES…
…BUT YOUR FEAR ISN’T.

Steven Pressfield calls it
“THE RESISTANCE”

FORMS OF
RESISTANCE
Procrastination
Distraction
Drugs
Chaos
Netflix
The Internet
Shopping
Sex
Chores
Reason and rationale

“What if I’m terrible?”
“I’ll mess up.”
“I’m not enough.”
“I’ll never be who I wanted to be.”
“I’m a fake.”

Know that fear isn’t going anywhere.

Realize your fears are the least
interesting thing about you.

“I noticed that my fear never changed, never delighted,
never offered a surprise twist or an unexpected ending.
My fear was a song with only one note:
STOP! STOP! STOP!”
ELIZABETH GILBERT
BIG MAGIC

Don’t confuse fear with discomfort.

“Our ability to grow is directly proportional to an
ability to entertain the uncomfortable.”
TWYLA THARP
THE CREATIVE HABIT

Give fear a voice, but not a vote.

Digging, noodling, sniffing around for little ideas,
something to help you start.
Scratching Is…

“Without the little ideas, there are no big ideas.”
TWYLA THARP
THE CREATIVE HABIT

Eavesdropping
Poking around
Sketching
Shopping
Taking notes
Reading
Watching
Wondering
Wandering

Taken at the Bristol Science Centre

Generate fast and loose.
Don’t judge.
Don’t evaluate.

Don’t be too precious.

Use it all
Draw on one area of your expertise to inform another.

Your creative sweet spot
One idea Another idea

Is this about gravity and aging?

PICK A FIGHT
WITH OLD IDEAS
Step #7

Question everything
Ask why. Then, ask why not.

“Creative people are constantly surprised.”
MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYI
CREATIVITY

Try writing a sonnet.
No, seriously. Try it.

What can you ship & when?
Keep it focused, concrete, doable, real.

“If it doesn’t ship, it’s not art.”
SETH GODIN

Incubation period
This is where the magic happens.

“I think it’s very important to be idle…people who keep
themselves busy all of the time are generally not creative.”
FREEMAN DYSON, PHYSICIST

COMMIT TO ONE THING,
INSTEAD OF HALF-ASSING
EVERYTHING
Step #10

Life is more fun  
when you fully commit.

This is what
commitment
looks like.

TEXT
“HOWLIVE”
TO
44222
Want the notes, slides, and resources?
Thank You!
Don’t forget
to conﬁrm
your email!

The real work of the knowledge worker: 
Balancing expectations.
Managing relationships.
Tapping your own creativity.
Risking a new idea.
E M O T I O N A L L A B O R

John Goodenough
created the lithium-ion
battery.
He has just filed a patent
for a new kind of battery
that could eliminate our
dependence on fossil
fuels.

Staring at a blank screen will
suck anyone’s soul dry.
Go analog

How to Replenish Your Creativity Well

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