Get Unblocked - NDC Oslo 2015

@denisejacobs
@NDC_Conferences #NDCOslo
#getunblocked

Want the slides?
Creativedo.se/ndcoslo-gu

“The entire industry is
broken.”
- Ted Neward, Managers are from Mars, Developers are
from Venus

Office-bound
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stewf/393637161/

Time pressures
http://www.flickr.com/photos/indraw/4857101224/

Demanding clients
http://www.flickr.com/photos/clairity/154640125/

Bureaucracy
http://www.flickr.com/photos/opensourceway/4749431435/

Oppressed
http://www.flickr.com/photos/johannahobbs/2412291551/

Instead of this
http://www.flickr.com/photos/anieto2k/8156999698/

You run into road blocks
http://www.flickr.com/photos/99301367@N00/8497106802/

And you run completely
http://royhoes.deviantart.com/art/Out-of-Inspiration-85588391

http://www.flickr.com/photos/myfear/289257055/
When in the creative flow

We are alchemists
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Faust_image_19thcentury.jpg

It feels like
http://www.flickr.com/photos/torley/2761300969/

“Creativity is magical, but it
is not magic.”
- Dr. Charles Limb, Your Brain on Improvisation TED talk

“Developers are like the
Jedi: we’re all tapped into
The Force.”
- Ted Neward, Managers are from Mars, Developers are
fro...

Instead of using it fully
http://www.flickr.com/photos/h-k-d/3310336516/

We give our power away
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6D-O5ECr5EUow5jrck2A2A

Instead of power, we feel…
https://www.flickr.com/photos/70938871@N05/8230432077

http://www.flickr.com/photos/barretthall/3036598475/ &http://www.flickr.com/photos/carbonnyc/3135103537/
It starts early

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lorenjavier/7324305636/
Three stories

Three stories
http://www.behance.net/gallery/Once-Upon-a-Time/2918365

Photos: Deloria Jacobs
Mother & Sister

Me? More of a graphic artist
Photo: Deloria Jacobs

Compared myself
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kharied/3315558702/

( I have to be like them to
be creative. )

Oldest friend in the world

( “Who do you think you
are?” )

“I should tone it down”
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mcsdwarken/7490078656

I graduated! Yay!

“Do you know how hard it is
to get published?”
- My father

My father was bad-ass

“I have to be superlative”

Always a bit in the closet
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kenzzz_14/7031233649/

I had an epiphany

We ALL hold the power
http://www.flickr.com/photos/assbach/267598910/

For Empowered
http://www.flickr.com/photos/designandtechnologydepartment/4771136128/

Internalized critical voices
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeapalooza/553545517/

Paralyze and imprison us
http://www.flickr.com/photos/b3ni/2990601183/

= Blocks
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_g_travels/860951845/

Destructivity
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevygee/3265941065/

How do we…

Get Unblocked?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rvm_71/5011353192/

“You can’t force yourself to
get into (creative) flow, but
you can set the conditions for
it.”
- Ted Neward, “Managers ar...

Physical evidence of fear
http://www.flickr.com/photos/grumpyfeline/4626401443/

Internalized criticisms + fears
https://www.flickr.com/photos/remoto/5313967682

Evil voices in your head
http://www.flickr.com/photos/epsos/4887528060/

“If your demons are such that
they fill the room the instant
you contemplate creating,
your studio will be too
dangerous a...

You can’t outrun them
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wester/504925076/

Face and ID your Inner Critic
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lambdachialpha/203904103/

Impostor Syndrome Paradox
http://www.flickr.com/photos/x1brett/2279939232/

Comparisons
http://www.flickr.com/photos/automania/126698126/

Perfectionism
http://www.flickr.com/photos/diepuppenstubensammlerin/7648792510/

Focus on the finished product…
https://www.flickr.com/photos/phatcontroller/3667889959/

Instead of the process
http://www.flickr.com/photos/spyndle/474122586/

“The Best” vs “The most”
https://www.flickr.com/photos/villify/10871945326

“Perfectionism is self-abuse
of the highest order.”
― Anne Wilson Schaef

The real problem
http://cuttingthecheese.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/26810560251953842_ede18tng_f.jpg

Procrastination
http://www.flickr.com/photos/irrezolut/2311904560/

Fear of failure
http://www.flickr.com/photos/laughingsquid/2717325940/

F.E.A.R. =
http://cdnpix.com/show/imgs/7a361666e107cd36656d5a66ea2e4e80.jpg

Or, the alternative
https://twitter.com/Phishtitz/status/474661495935365120

“Fear is not real. It is a product
of the thoughts you create.
Do not misunderstand me.
Danger is very real. But fear is
a...

Become a Fear Alchemist
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Joseph_Wright_of_Derby_The_Alchemist.jpg

“The goal is to manage
anxiety so that our energies
are used for the productive
and satisfying art of
creating…

…rather than the
destructive and debilitating
art of self-torture.”
- Clare Warmke, Idea Revolution

Banish the Inner Critic
https://www.flickr.com/photos/31505964@N08/4691019168/

Eliminate Should/Must/Ought/Have to
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mythoto/3822942678/

Comparisons aren’t real
http://www.flickr.com/photos/suvodeb/2559017400/

“You cannot compare your insides
to someone else’s outside.”

“You alone are enough. You have
nothing to prove to anybody.”
― Dr. Maya Angelou

Reframe failure
http://www.flickr.com/photos/laughingsquid/2717326642/

“Failure is only the
opportunity to begin again
more intelligently.”
- Henry Ford

Be bad/make it ugly
https://www.flickr.com/photos/kpwerker/6051104684

Take it a step further
Photo: Denise Jacobs

Change your body, change your mind
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thirteenthnile/4546397775/

“Our bodies change our
minds, our minds change
our behavior, and our
behavior changes our
outcomes.”
- Amy Cuddy, Your Bo...

Laying the foundation

“It’s all preparation. The
magic happens at the
stove.”
- Daniel Steinberg, Crazy and Focused

Train Your Brain
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tiarescott/3211540197/

Left v. Right brain?
http://browse.deviantart.com/?q=left%20brain%20right%20brain&order=9&offset=48#/d10qlpq

Left hemisphere
http://www.flickr.com/photos/smittenkittenoriginals/4451172538/

Right hemisphere
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lorelei-ranveig/2294885580/

A balanced brain

Our brains produce…?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cblue98/7254347346/

5 Easy ways access to Alpha
http://uniteunderfreedom.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Brain-waves.jpg

(1) Breathe to refocus
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eldave/3065425105/

(2) Lay down; be prone
http://www.flickr.com/photos/snazzy54/4581347651/

(3) Daydream/Space out
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fuzzylittlemanpeach/4633972431/

(4) Takes a shower
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevendepolo/3761878381/

(5) Get physical
http://www.flickr.com/photos/miguel77/2728104156/

“When your brain is
supposedly doing nothing,
it’s really doing a
tremendous amount.”
– Marcus Raichle, Neurologist

Exercise Discipline
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bizz0k0/3432638748/

Manage time
http://www.flickr.com/photos/paolocampioni/2168286027/

To DON’T
https://www.flickr.com/photos/superamit/1043379069

Say NO to Distractions
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gideon/6582069/

Instill the Headphones Rule
https://www.flickr.com/photos/thomashawk/9824922293

Tools
RescueTime.com
GetConcentrating.com
HeyFocus.com
Browser Extensions
Firefox:
LeechBlock
Idderall
Google Chrome:
Stri...

Single-task

Pomodoro Technique
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucamascaro/4975166968/

Airplane mode
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pieterouwerkerk/699475144/

Do It With Others
http://www.flickr.com/photos/u-suke/5668302030/

Mo’ people, mo’ ideas
http://www.flickr.com/photos/seretuaccidente/147686396/

Avoid sameness
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dahlstroms/3774973833/

Diverse environments
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shirinwiniger/3680885289/

Share ideas
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nanpalmero/4278466639/

Don’t keep them to yourself

Share mistakes
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neilt/26322670/

Amplify the ideas of others
http://www.flickr.com/photos/roland/54381130/

Improv
http://www.flickr.com/photos/roel1943/5740295789/

Plus it

Make your partner look good

Expands, does not contract

In my own life: learning Improv

Before
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_g_travels/860951845/

After
http://www.flickr.com/photos/visualdoubts/4087935894/

The stage is set for Flow
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sgeithner/5290115839/

•  Clarity about & confidence in you want to
achieve
•  Level of mastery
•  Cleared space; materials on hand
•  Time carve...

(Re)Gain Creative Confidence

“…the confidence that, when
given a difficult problem, we have
a methodology that enables us to
come up with a solution th...

Ideas are on and poppin’!

A transformation happens

Reclaim our power

“Creative minds have always
been known to survive any
kind of bad training.”
- Anna Freud

Value yourself and process
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pocait/2847866615/

Moving forward

“Creativity makes day to day
experiences more vivid, more
enjoyable, more rewarding. When we
live creatively, boredom is b...

It’s how & why I do what I do
Photo: Derek Kearney

“The new scarcity: the time,
energy, and brainpower of
bright, creative people.”
-Mary Poppendieck, “Think For Yourself”

YOU are a precious resource
http://www.flickr.com/photos/siutou_amy/2306794554/

Need to Get Unblocked
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bcymet/3564484236/

Make better things AND

I hope that you
http://www.flickr.com/photos/boojee/2781415869/

The End…?

Get the slides!
Creativedo.se/ndcoslo-gu

My upcoming book!
Banish Your Inner
Critic
DeniseJacobs.com/InnerCritic
26 Effective Techniques for
Unleashing Productive
...

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Creativedo.se/creative-blocks-survey

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Thank you
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wwworks/4759535970/