Podcast

Have you ever noticed that the reasons we do or don’t do things have different qualities? We feel some of our reasons in our gut. Other reasons flutter around our heart. For example:

You may want to write your book, but your reasons or excuses look something like this:

I don’t have time right now.

I’m unsure that my book idea is a good one.

I don’t know where to start; I have so many ideas I can’t figure out a path to get going.

If you are on the sidelines of a project now, take a second to jot down the reasons you aren’t actively engaged in it. Go ahead, I’ll wait.

Now, look over your reasons. See which ones feel ‘true’. Taking the first one, you could say, yes, I truly don’t have time now. I am a caregiver for my parents, my child just moved back home, and I am holding down a full-time job. (Your circumstances don’t have to look anything like these to be true.)

Notice the second reason. Uncertainty about the validity of our projects is absolutely part of the creative process. But it doesn’t have to be a show-stopper.

I try to ‘get real’ about why I’m not doing the things I say matter to me. I believe that when we don’t honor our creative impulses, our gifts and ideas weigh heavy on us. Carrying all those possibilities around is like being Santa, holding a giant bag of gifts but never giving them away. I know I feel the impact of living my unexpressed dreams. Honestly, this is the main reason I coach creatives – to help us all live and give the gifts we’ve been given.

I get real and honest in this new episode of Stumbling Toward Genius. I want you to know that we can survive the honest assessments of why we avoid our creative work. And that taking an honest look only makes you stronger.

In this episode of Stumbling Toward Genius, you’ll hear

• the real reason I stopped recording podcast episodes
• the fake reasons I stopped the podcast
• what made me bring it back
• and more.

Most of our projects have many moving pieces. Trying to organize our ideas so we can bring them to life is almost always a challenge.

In this coaching episode of Stumbling Toward Genius, listen in while I coach Antonia Ruppert on how to bring more organization to her passion project.

You’ll hear us: 

• • • • Look at a simple way to gather ideas
      • Identify what’s important about the project
      • Consider possibilities to get feedback over the long term
      • And more. 

Antonia’s passion project – find out more and become part of it.

To book your life-changing coaching, click here. It’s easy to pay and schedule, and get the support you need to move your creative projects forward. 

If you’re like most of us, your writing or creative practice ebbs and flows. How to get back into it?

In this live coaching episode of Stumbling Toward Genius, you get to listen in while I coach Erin on how to bring back the joy and dedication back to her writing.

You’ll hear us: 

• • Dispel the myth of when writing needs to happen
  • Questions to ask yourself to revitalize your writing joy
  • What makes it easier to get back into a writing practice
  • A simple exercise to get to the heart of what you want to write
  • And more. 

Mentioned in this episode: 

To book your life-changing coaching, click here. It’s easy to pay and schedule, and get the support you need to move your creative projects forward. 

For a written copy of the exercise mentioned in this episode, check out my book Create Your Writer’s Life. 

• shares her spectacular failures and surprising wins
• suggests ways to design a daily project that suits you
• invites you to the best writing party of the summer.

Listen in and get inspired to do your own daily creative practice.

• Busts the time myth: It’s not how long it is, it’s how much you can focus
• Offers before, during and after guidelines
• Shares a simple tool for diving into the writing.

Plan your own writing retreat easily.

In this episode of Stumbling Toward Genius podcast, I try a new format. If you struggle with focus even in the best of times, this will help you garner some focus even when the world seems crazy.

In this episode of Stumbling Toward Genius, you’ll hear why I revived the podcast and changed the format.

You’ll get actionable insights into how to focus when focus feels impossible. Including:

• What you might need to add to your process
• A contrarian view on setting expectations
• A couple of ways I make focus easier now
• Creative Competency: build up your focus from zero.

Mentioned in this episode:

Omm Writer, a software that shuts down internet access so you can focus.

The Busy Woman’s Guide to Writing a World-Changing Book

Stumbling Toward Genius is written and produced by Cynthia Morris and Original Impulse. Engineering by Cynthia Morris. Show music by Evan MacDonald.

I’d be so grateful for your help with a review of the podcast Stumbling Toward Genius on iTunes.

In this episode of Stumbling Toward Genius, you’ll hear the story of how I went all the way to Seattle for an urban sketching workshop and how badly I sucked. And, how I coped with that.

In this episode:

• How a new workshop triggered an old incompetency

  

• How my intention saved me and allowed me to enjoy rather than deflate

Leave a comment below to share your experience with the assignment, or any other thoughts you have about this episode.

Download this week’s assignment and keep building your creative competencies.

Email me with your experience with this week’s assignment.

Links to things and people mentioned in the show

The Art of Urban Sketching

Urban Sketchers movement

Gabriel Campanario

Dr Sketchy’s Anti-Art School

The Busy Woman’s Guide to Writing a World-Changing Book

Original Impulse Atelier

Stumbling Toward Genius is written and produced by Cynthia Morris and Original Impulse. Engineering by Jason Camps of Just Launch Media. Show music by Evan MacDonald.

I’d be so grateful for your help with a review of the podcast Stumbling Toward Genius on iTunes.

In this episode of Stumbling Toward Genius, I share how a critique session completely changed the way I think about writing and creating.

In this episode:

• What happened when I signed up for late night critique at a writing conference
• What late night really means
• Two valuable things I learned from the critique
• Creative competency: compassionate regard

Leave a comment below to share your experience with the assignment, or any other thoughts you have about this episode.

Download this week’s assignment and keep building your creative competencies.

Email me with your experience with this week’s assignment.

Links to things and people mentioned in the show

Chasing Sylvia Beach

Stumbling Toward Genius is written and produced by Cynthia Morris and Original Impulse. Engineering by Jason Camps of Just Launch Media. Show music by Evan MacDonald.

I’d be so grateful for your help with a review of the podcast Stumbling Toward Genius on iTunes.

If only the glorious genius of our ideas matched our skills! But the truth is, there’s a lot of repetitive and humbling work that goes into making things.

In this episode of Stumbling Toward Genius, you’ll hear how I faced the reality of my skills. You’ll see how I took feedback that told me an uncomfortable truth about my art.

You’ll get the scoop on:

• How being in a creative cocoon can feel great but may not yield great results
• How to insist on constructive criticism
• How to not let perfectionism ruin your process

Leave a comment below to share your experience with the assignment, or any other thoughts you have about this episode.

Download this week’s assignment and keep building your creative competencies.

Email me with your experience with this week’s assignment.

Links to things and people mentioned in the show

Atelier

Hoffman Process

Lamy Pens

Stumbling Toward Genius is written and produced by Cynthia Morris and Original Impulse. Engineering by Jason Camps of Just Launch Media. Show music by Evan MacDonald.

I’d be so grateful for your help with a review of the podcast Stumbling Toward Genius on iTunes.

In this episode of Stumbling Toward Genius, you’ll hear about a big moment in my creative career and how it challenged me to my limits. You’ll see how I abandoned myself for the sake of others. And what that taught me about our genius.

In this episode:

• How I chose faith over fear
• How I coped with a serious system malfunction
• How fulfilling a creative dream wasn’t what I thought it would be
• Creative Competency – Stay true to yourself

  

Leave a comment below to share your experience with the assignment, or any other thoughts you have about this episode.

Download this week’s assignment and keep building your creative competencies.

Email me with your experience with this week’s assignment.

Links to things and people mentioned in the show

ICON conference

Atelier

Tania Katan’s Creative Trespassing

Stumbling Toward Genius is written and produced by Cynthia Morris and Original Impulse. Engineering by Jason Camps of Just Launch Media. Show music by Evan MacDonald.

I’d be so grateful for your help with a review of the podcast Stumbling Toward Genius on iTunes.

Stumbling Toward Genius is written and produced by Cynthia Morris and Original Impulse. Engineering by Jason Camps of Just Launch Media. Show music by Evan MacDonald.

Have you ever had an experience early in life that determined your path? Even if that wasn’t your path, a comment or a person directed you away from an essential part of you. In this episode of Stumbling Toward Genius, you’ll hear the story of how I reclaimed my artist and why this was so vital to my well-being.

In this episode:

• Why I kept a vital part of me locked away for decades
• How I gave myself permission to let my artist out
• Creative Competency – Being a beginner

Leave a comment below to share your experience with the assignment, or any other thoughts you have about this episode.

Download this week’s assignment and keep building your creative competencies.

Email me with your experience with this week’s assignment.

Links to things and people mentioned in the show

Atelier

Ira Glass talk in a visual format on Zen Pencils

The Artist’s Way

Art of Possibility

Stumbling Toward Genius is written and produced by Cynthia Morris and Original Impulse. Engineering by Jason Camps of Just Launch Media. Show music by Evan MacDonald.

I’d be so grateful for your help with a review of the podcast Stumbling Toward Genius on iTunes.

There comes a fork in the road that happens at least once – probably many times – in a creative project. It’s the moment when it seems like a much better idea to just freaking abandon your project. To just ditch it and all the difficulties and start something new. Something fresh. Something EASY.

To pop back to the beginning of a creative project where everything is all rosy and fun and exciting! To abandon the part where you’re humbled. Where you’re faced with the limitations of your skills, talents and publishability.

In this episode of Stumbling Toward Genius, I share a moment where I, like many of us, just wanted to find my place. To find a place for my book and for me. And how that didn’t seem likely to happen.

You’ll hear:

• How I coped with rejection after rejection.
• What helps to choose ourselves.
• Creative Competency: Commitment Points – being able to recommit again and again.

Leave a comment below to share your experience with the assignment, or any other thoughts you have about this episode.

Download this week’s assignment and keep building your creative competencies.

Email me with your experience with this week’s assignment.

Links to things and people mentioned in the show

Atelier

Chasing Sylvia Beach

Calling the Shots in Your Medical Care by Beth Gainer

Stumbling Toward Genius is written and produced by Cynthia Morris and Original Impulse. Engineering by Jason Camps of Just Launch Media. Show music by Evan MacDonald.

I’d be so grateful for your help with a review of the podcast Stumbling Toward Genius on iTunes.

Having genius ideas is the easy part of creating, right? It’s in the making where we stumble. If you’re like me, almost right away you bump up against the hows: how do I produce that podcast? How do I design a book? How do I find the right x y or z to bring my bright idea into form?

In this episode of Stumbling Toward Genius, you’ll hear how I overcame a massive technological mountain to publish my first book. I will share the story of my very first ebook and how it almost didn’t make it to the world. This is for you if you have given up or are considering giving up on something because you can’t get the pixels to line up.

You’ll get the scoop on:

• The perspective shift I had to make to believe I could write a book.
• The crazy hurdles I faced when publishing an ebook in 2003.
• The biggest shift I had to make to make my book real.
• Today’s creative competency: get help!

Download this week’s assignment and keep building your creative competencies.

Leave a comment below to share your experience with the assignment, or any other thoughts you have about this episode.

Email me with your experience with this week’s assignment.

Links to things and people mentioned in the show

Create Your Writer’s Life: A Guide to Writing with Joy and Ease by Cynthia Morris

Denise Dambrackas designed my first web site, business cards and the cover for Create Your Writer’s Life.

Stumbling Toward Genius is written and produced by Cynthia Morris and Original Impulse. Engineering by Jason Camps of Just Launch Media. Show music by Evan MacDonald.

I’d be so grateful for your help with a review of the podcast Stumbling Toward Genius on iTunes.

It’s humbling to commit to a project over the long term. Most projects take more time and effort than we think when we’re going into them. In this episode, I tell the tale of my novel, Chasing Sylvia Beach. You’ll hear why it took 12 years to write and what I used to overcome all the fears and insecurities that plagued me along the way.

In this episode of Stumbling Toward Genius, you’ll hear why it took so dang long to write my novel, Chasing Sylvia Beach. I share the secret tool that kept me going when I wanted to give up.

You’ll get the skinny on:

• • Why it took so many drafts
  • How I coped with how hard it was to write a novel.
  • What kept me going even when it would have been easier to give up
  • The creative competency: dedicated persistence! Staying with it even when we don’t want to.

Leave a comment below to share your experience with the assignment, or any other thoughts you have about this episode.

Download this week’s assignment and keep building your creative competencies.

Email me with your experience with this week’s assignment.

The five books Cynthia wrote while writing her novel:

Create Your Writer’s Life
Creative Toolkit for Travelers (currently not available)
Leading Tours for Fun and Profit
Cross the Finish Line
The Graceful Return

David Hicks, author, professor and editor
Shakespeare and Company bookshop in Paris

Stumbling Toward Genius is written and produced by Cynthia Morris and Original Impulse. Engineering by Jason Camps of Just Launch Media. Show music by Evan MacDonald.