You ever have one of those moments when the passing of time just hits you right in the stomach? The other day, I was driving home from running an errand, pizza in the trunk, music blasting, a typical northwest summer day. Apart from my sore back, I felt pretty good. Not a care running through my mind as I noticed my surroundings. "Wow, trees really have grown a lot in the past 20 years." I've driven the route before—it avoids the busier roads—but something felt different this time—I felt different. Especially when I started thinking about who I was 20 years ago.
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9:26
“The Circus of Satan” with Jeffrey Konvitz (GWTW832)
How do you keep your imagination and productivity going year after year, decade after decade? By challenging yourself, doing your work to the best of your ability, and taking nothing personally. Today's guest is Jeffrey Konvitz and is no stranger to the world of imagination. He's worked in film as an entertainment attorney, screenwriter, and producer. He's also the author of The Sentinel, The Guardian, Monster: A Tale of Loch Ness, and his latest book, The Circus of Satan: Murder, Revenge, and the Rise of Organized Crime. In our conversation, he talks about his writing process, why it took over 24 years to write the book, the differences between novels and screenplays, and how he tackles heavy issues without making it a slog.
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41:29
Refilling the Tanks (GWTW831)
Refilling the creativity and curiosity tanks is easy when life is going as planned. When balance is maintained, money is in the bank, and work is more feast than famine. But what about the other times? When pain keeps you in bed instead of at the desk, depression fuels boredom (or is it the other way around), the lack of money saps all motivation and means to explore new crafts and potential paths, and loneliness lies and keeps you isolated from community. Terminal velocity, straight to hell. You need to find a way to not only slow down, but shift your direction. And that's what today's episode is all about.
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13:36
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13:36
“Unconvention” with Sri Kaza (GWTW830)
When you are running a business—no matter how small or large—it's easy to forget why you are doing it. You look around at what everyone else is doing and question your own success. You read the latest business book about systems and processes of giant corporations and wonder why they didn't work in your small business. So, what are we to do? Today's guest has some fresh ideas for us to consider. Sri Kaza is a seasoned business leader and small business advocate with a background in corporate strategy and entrepreneurship. He fell in love with small business and the potential they have when focused on purpose, proximity, and positioning. In our conversation, we talk about his underdog principles, the differences between scale and personal economies, apprenticeship, and the evolution of the creative industry. He also shares about his upcoming book, Unconvention: A Small Business Strategy Guide.
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46:19
Influence Your Imagination (GWTW829)
I wasn't sure what today's episode was going to be about until I heard something in an episode of Somebody Feed Phil on Netflix. While visiting Sarma, a Middle Eastern restaurant in Somerville, Massachusetts, Phil and his guest mentioned that the chef travels all over the world, eats delicious food, and brings those flavors back to the menu. That got me thinking: What would be the equivalent of doing this for podcasters, filmmakers, writers, and other types of artists? Sure, we have the Internet at our fingertips and can go anywhere with a tap and swipe, but what are we missing when we only do that? When we don't get away from our workspaces, offices, and task lists? When our analog senses dull from constant connection to a digital realm? We are missing a lot and in today's episode, I'm going to share a few ways to step away and influence your imagination.
Getting Work To Work is a weekly podcast for creative entrepreneurs, storytellers, visionaries, and change-makers who are on a mission of chasing big ideas, telling epic stories, and leaving living legacies. Whether you’re just starting out or have been at this creative and curious life for some time, I hope you’ll not only learn something new in this podcast, but also find yourself challenged and inspired to break through the barriers that hold you back from getting your work to work.
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