*FIXED SEE SHOW NOTES* 556 - Make This Shift to Reclaim Your Creative Spirit from Your Phone

0:00This is not an ad. It's a gift. I'm going to be at the Icon Illustration Conference this year in July doing a handful of different things. And I asked them if they could give me a discount for the listeners of the show because I would love to see you there and hang out at the after parties and whatnot. And they let me have a$100 discount to share with you, which is just so generous and so awesome. If you're an illustrator, I highly recommend going to Icon. It's been a magical experience. The times that I've gone, even the first time in 2014 that I went, it was a very scary leap. but so worth it.

0:31Go to icon.creativepeptalk.com to learn more. The discount is automatically applied to that link. icon.creativepeptalk.com. Hope to see you there. Is your phone ruining your creativity? I feel like that often. And in the past few years, the most important investments of creativity for me have been things in real life, things that you can hold, things that you can send to people and give people and connect with people over. And in this episode, I want to share how you can escape from seeking to constantly prove yourself as an artist through this device. And at the end of this episode, I'm going to come back with our creative call to adventure.

1:20It's called Spice It Up. How to spice up your work with the stuff that really matters, that really makes a difference, that really connects you to other people and guess what it's not a follower count but for now i have to tell you why getting lost in my phone was a serious problem and how i got out of it let's go on the creative journey it's easy to get lost but don't worry you'll lift off Sometimes you just need a creative pep talk

2:02This episode is sponsored by Squarespace. I freaking love having Squarespace as a sponsor because it's easy to sell it when you love something this much. I'm a big fan. Squarespace is an all-in-one website platform designed to help you succeed online. Here's what I love about Squarespace. They're intuitive and super versatile drag and drop tools. I mean, you can make a custom website without knowledge of code that makes people say, whoa, who made that for you? Looks like you built that from scratch. People have really said stuff like that to me about my site, and I built it myself quite easily with Squarespace.

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3:15If you've been listening to the podcast lately, you know I am a big believer in simplifying your wardrobe so that you have a few really nice pieces that mix and match and elevate your style, but you don't have to spend tons of time thinking about it so you can spend all that decision-making potential on your creative work and not just getting dressed and looking decent. Quince makes that easy. When I go to a talk or go to an event, my Quince shirts are my go-to. In fact, I just snagged the 100 % European linen relaxed short sleeve shirt for my spring summer events that I have coming up. I can wear it on its own or open with a little graphic tee.

3:53Stylish, breathable, dare I say even a little bit snazzy even. Everything is priced 50 to 80 % less than what you'd find at similar brands. Quince works directly with ethical factories and cuts out the middlemen, so you're getting premium materials without the markup. Refresh your everyday with luxury you'd actually use. Head to quince.com slash pep talk for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. That's quince.com slash pep talk for free shipping and 365-day returns. Quince.com slash pep talk. uh raise your hand if you feel like your phone is ruining your creativity is it is it just me uh who's got their hand up in 2007 this stupid phone dropped out of the sky and freaking clocked us unexpectedly and completely threatened our humanity ever since it didn't really come for artists specifically until about 2011 when Instagram really hit.

5:03And that's when follower count meant everything. And all of a sudden I needed something from this phone to prove who I was as an artist. If I wanted to be like, I'm an artist, like, well, let's see how many followers you have. Like people did that and they still kind of do. And it became tempting to give this thing your everything, to give it all you had, to put everything you've got creatively and stuff it into this freaking phone. So when your identity gets completely wrapped up in this phone, the proof of who you are is determined by this thing. It is really easy to be tempted to give it all you've got, to give it everything you have.

5:50And I did that for a long time and I still do often. I find myself constantly pouring myself into this thing when I should be being present with the important stuff that is around me, like my family and my kids. Like recently, I was at a hockey game and I should have been connecting with my family and instead I was looking at this stupid black rectangle at God knows what, I have no idea, have no recollection of what I was looking at and our team scored a goal and I missed it. and luckily at our local hockey team's arena when they score a goal you might miss it but you won't miss the chance to celebrate because they fire a freaking cannon and so you just boom blast get filled with adrenaline and i jumped up threw my hands into the sky before i even remembered that they weren't empty.

6:46They weren't empty. Now let the record show that I did not drop my phone. I launched my phone up into the sky like it had come from that cannon and we watched it go up, up, up, and then down, down, down. And like it was slow-mo. We were like, oh no. And we watched it go smack crack right on top of some guy's head and he was freaking pissed he was sat next to who i assume was his girlfriend and just from his body language i could tell this guy's manhood has come into question and i just felt like whoa it's just like when the phone metaphorically dropped down on all of us back in 2007 and threatened all of our collective humanity isn't it and sophie looked at me and she's like, dude, what the hell are you talking about?

7:44Get down there and get your freaking phone, you moron. Except she said it in British. So it was much nicer than that, but it was urgent. Okay. That exchange didn't happen. I only saw the metaphor in retrospect, but I just jumped out of my freaking seat and ran down there to get my phone and apologize profusely. Now I was really hoping that I'd go down there and he'd be like, no probs, bro. It's totally fine. Who hasn't launch their phone up into the sky and down on some unsuspecting stranger at a hockey game. No worries, man. We're cool. That's not even close to what he said. He said, that hurt.

8:26That freaking hurt. And I did not want to know what the next line was. Now I am ADHD. And so even in just like normal everyday circumstances, I'm trying to think like, what would a normal person do in this interaction so this was that times a million but then i saw it in his hand you know like in a video game where you get to the boss fight and there's just some like one discolored thing on the creature or something that just doesn't quite fit you know like oh i've got to go after that thing that's the weakness it was his hand it was in his hand it was a Bahama mama cocktail in a can. And I thought, boom, that's it.

9:10I thought two things at the same time. The first thing I thought was, maybe this guy is more secure in his masculinity than I realized. Like he's kind of in touch with his feminine side with this Bahama mama cocktail in a can. And I respect that. I think I just, yeah, I just had an idea. And then the second thing I thought was, I'll buy him a drink. that's what a real boy would do right make it for a boilermakers whatever you want sir i said hey man can i buy you a drink and he softened a little bit and he's like yeah give me another one of these so i rushed to concessions and i'm looking for the vendor that sells the bahama mama cocktail in a can and i find it i order it i go to tap to pay because i'm like a fancy modern boy like that and she hits me with something that i have never been hit with at a sporting event as an adult.

10:02No, it wasn't a phone to the head. Although I've heard that's a normal thing that happens all the time. It's cool, man. If someone hits you with the phone at a sporting event, just be nice to him. He's just trying to have some fun with his family. No, it wasn't a phone to the head. She carded me. She asked for my ID. Now, normally getting carded is not a big deal because like any good dad, I've got a good dad wallet phone case where you can stuff your ID in there and your credit card and your debit card and your sandwich shop punch card. You can put everything into this freaking phone. And so normally I am ready at times like this, but normally I don't launch my phone into the sky and watch my cards rain down on a crowd like unusually large pieces of plastic confetti and so i was packed into a corner and i didn't know what to freaking do i thought if i go back to this guy empty-handed he might choose violence and get scary i've got to freaking figure this out right now and then it hit me like a phone to the head okay i'm sorry for another phone to the head joke but honestly i'm just trying to normalize this thing in case it happens again, because I cannot promise that it won't.

11:25But it actually did hit me. I thought, I don't need anything from this phone to prove who I am. I know who I am. I know my story. And I did what makes an artist really an artist. I opened up. I got vulnerable. I spilled my freaking guts. I was like, I was looking at my phone. I brought my in-laws to the game. The score to go in the can, it went off and I threw it in this guy and went up, up, up and it went down, down, down and smacked this guy in the head next to his girlfriend. He was pissed off and he said, that hurt. That really freaking hurt. And I said, oh, I'll get you another Bahama Mama in the can.

12:12I'll go run to get it. I got to you and I tried to pay and And then you've got to hit me with the card thing. And then if I go back to this guy without a drink, I feel like I might just get my ass handed to me. And she paused, smiled, and said, all right, since it's for a good cause. And that is how you do it. That's how you get booze without a license. Just kidding. I don't use epic sob stories to get booze kids. All right, listen up. And honestly, I'm almost 40. I'm going a bit gray. Like that's probably all that she needed. In fact, this dad wallet phone case is probably all the proof that she needed that I was old.

13:00But before you judge me about this thing, let he without sin cast the first phone. Huh? I told you I was a dad. That's a little dad joke for you. But seriously, I, yeah, maybe I do stuff my freaking identity and credit cards and debit cards into this bad baby. But I'm guessing that you stuff even more into it. You stuff your time, your attention, your security, your sanity into this phone. And if I put even just more than four cards into this thing, I can't get them back out again. And I know that I have stuffed so much more into this phone than I will ever possibly get back. And I'm pretty sure that I'm not alone in that.

13:53And this is why at age 40, as new things are just repeatedly dropping out of the sky and smacking me upside the head unexpectedly, like boom, AI, boom, Instagram reels, boom, another thing that's going to drop by the time I drop this episode. that's why I am so much more cautious than I was a decade ago about giving those new things my everything and rushing to prove who I am because that's what they said I needed to do that's why I am less obsessed with proving who I am through a follower count and I am more invested than I ever have been into what really makes me an artist and what really makes you an artist and And that is sharing your story, being brave enough and in touch with yourself enough to give a piece of your heart away through your work, get vulnerable and spill your freaking guts.

14:57Because that is what makes you an artist, not something from your phone, not something that the tech company says you need to do. That is what this is really all about.

15:26I could really use your help. Now, as a rule, I try to give way, way more on this show than I take. But every once in a while, I have an ask. I think it's been about three years since my last big ask when we launched me and Sophie's book, Invisible Things. and now it's companion Mysterious Things is on its way and we could really, really use your help by buying a book and spreading the word. Pre-orders can make or break a book's success. If you can launch a book with momentum, it has a chance to get into people's hands and we really, really wanna get this book into kids' hands because it was written to ignite kids' curiosity, to get them curious about our mysterious universe and I don't know about you, but I am hoping this next generation is curious, open, full of wonder, and engaged and excited about living life on this planet.

16:17If you pre-order from our local bookshop, Birdie Books, you can get a copy that is signed by me and Sophie. There's also a bunch of links to everywhere else. You can get the book at invisiblethings.co. And by the way, I'm doing some talks to virtual groups, schools, companies, and conferences in exchange for what's called a pre-order book buy, aka buying copies for your group or the attendees. So if you've ever wanted to book me to speak, this is the least expensive it'll ever be. Write to me at hi at andyjpizza.com and I can walk you through how that works. If you love my art, this is one of my favorite collections of paintings that I've ever made.

16:55If you loved invisible things, you're gonna love mysterious things. And if you have children, nieces, nephews, students, or friends with kids in your life, ignite their curiosity with mysterious things, pre-order at invisiblethings.co or click the link in the show notes. Thank you so much for your help. We really, really, really appreciate it. Expedia and Visit Scotland invite you to come experience the beauty that awaits in Scotland. The sweep of wild coastlines, quiet locks, and untamed landscapes. Fresh cuisine that feels rooted in the land. Come experience the kind of stillness that stays with you long after you leave.

17:40Plan your Scottish escape today at Expedia.com slash VisitScotland. So here's what I'm trying to say. I'm trying to say own your story front and back as a creative person. And when I say front and back, I mean front meaning in the work, put yourself in it, be vulnerable, spill your guts. And then in the back, the backstory around the work, the PR, the press, the launch, tell your story. One of my favorite creative storytellers is, of course, the musician, folk artist, Sufjan Stevens. I've been a huge fan of his for a long time. And recently, a friend of mine was like, this guy is someone who has just been able to maintain some of that mystique and mystery and still succeed in our modern times.

18:29I think a lot of artists aspire to that, wish that they could do that. I feel like that's kind of the exception to the rule. And it's hard. You can't really plan on being an exception. However, even Sufjan Stevens, we know so much about this guy's personal life, both in the front story, in the music. Like we learned about his faith in that, like deep things about his faith. We learned about his relationships. We learned about his relationship to his mother and his estrangement from her and his stepfather and like so much through the music that the front story. And then we learned things in the backstory, like every once in a while when he releases an album like his most recent release, Javelin, he did an interview and spoke for the first time about having been in a long term same sex relationship with someone who he lost.

19:25and he was really vulnerable about that. He didn't say everything, but he shared his heart and it adds up to a whole person. And I think in this day and age, it's never been more important to make art as a person, to put your story, to spill your guts in your work. I think this is a little bit about what we get at when we're like, how can you separate the art from the artist? Some of us feel more comfortable doing that than others, But I don't know about you, I would rather consume from a monster of a person than from a robot, okay? That's how much the humanity matters to me. But I still, because of that, I still struggle sometimes with separating the art from the artist.

20:14I can't always do it because the humanity matters that much to me. And so I think about albums like St. Cloud by Waxahachie, one of my favorite albums in the past decade. And that in the music, in the front story and in the backstory, in the press around it, there was so much about this is the album of her getting sober. And that gave me something to hold on to. That gave me a piece of humanity that helped me connect to the music. and this happens all the time not just in my favorite little indie artists neither of these people are little by any means but you know not just in arty stuff but also mainstream stuff I think about my daughter is a huge Billie Eilish fan and she was telling me the story of Billie bringing out Justin Bieber and why that was at Coachella and why that was such a huge deal because that's the reason she makes music today and we watch little clips and even I get emotional even though I'm not super invested in this artist, I don't listen to a ton of Billie Eilish music, I could feel the story coming to life.

21:15I could feel the humanity coming to life through the music and through the story. And I think about my son's favorite band, 21 Pilots. He told me about how for years, the lead singer, Tyler, has been trying to get the drummer, Josh, to sing on a track. And for whatever reason, all the fans are aware of this. And then finally, in their recent release, He got Josh to do the bridge, sing the bridge in the song Drum Show, which I assume is all about Josh. And just knowing that story as through the fandom of my son watching this video, by the time Josh starts singing, I get teared up because I'm like, yeah, I'm invested in the story.

22:00And I think it's super essential that you put yourself into the work. And yeah, if that ends up in short form video, if that ends up on the latest platform, if that ends up on YouTube, whatever, it doesn't matter. That's not important. It's not important that you keep up with the times and you prove yourself with this technology. What matters is that no matter what you're doing, whether it's an album, a painting, an interview, that you show up with your heart and vulnerability and you tell your story.

22:46so today your cta is spice it up and i don't mean in the like spicy book sort of way i mean spice it up like the spice girls tell me what you want tell me what you want tell them what you want tell people what you want, both in the front story of your work and the backstory and the stories around your work, because stories are about a character that wants something. And I think that this is, this is sort of paramount in my own personal life philosophy. I heard a philosopher recently, Peter Rollins, say that like philosophies based on hedonism are about just try to fulfill your desires at any cost.

23:35Like that's what's gonna make you happy. And then he said, philosophies that are based on nihilism are just don't have desires because your desires will not fulfill you. And that the philosophies based on absurdism are this idea that says desires won't fulfill you and you can't not desire things. Find your fulfillment in desire. in wanting, in chasing. And I actually think as an ADHD person, that feels so good to me because dopamine, the thing that I'm lacking, the thing that I have to, you know, scour the earth for, it comes from chasing things, wanting things and enjoying the journey of that.

24:19And it's not about getting what you want. It's about wanting great things and being on the journey to get them. That's your story. That's the, that is the wanting. And it also reminds me of this part in the book, Primal Intelligence by Angus Fletcher. He talks about like, this is a bad scenario where your past is frayed. Like it's, you feel like, oh, my, my past is a series of things that don't make any sense. Like a bunch of lines going in a bunch of different directions. and I don't really see how they added up to my present moment. And my future is just one straight line, one possibility. There's only one thing that could happen.

25:01That's what you don't want. That's when you are miserable. But when you are feeling good, engaged in your life, engaged in your story, your past is braided into one strand. We're like, oh, it all came together for me to be here. And then when I look out in the future, the thing that I want today is opening up so many possibilities. And I think the way that you ground yourself in a present like that is to have a sense of what do I want? Not just me and the singular, but me and the plural, the past me, the future me, the current me, the me that wants to eat a huge burrito the side of my head and the person in me that doesn't.

25:39How do I, what do I know that I want that my whole self wants? And you get that by looking into the backstory, the past, looking into and seeing like, what is it that I'm doing now that adds up to what I'm, what is it, what do I want right now that adds up from my past? Like I can see a through line that gives me this singular braid, this line of like, oh, I want to do this because of that thing that happened and that thing that happened, that thing happened. And what do I want today? hey, does that also open up possibilities that I can't imagine in the future? That's the kind of want that you want to tap into.

26:16And so as an example, I'm just going to share the most current version of that in my present moment. And it comes with this book I've been talking about, Mysterious Things. I put my desires into this book and I also have desires for the future of this book. And there are desires that are coming from my own life experience, my story, my past. I see how my past added up for me to be a person that could make this book. And I think that just as a little side note, like sharing what you want is a very vulnerable thing. Even as I go to talk about it in the example of making this book, it is a vulnerable thing.

26:59And I think about the artists that were willing to share things. they wanted that didn't come to pass or things that they were trying to do in the album or the things that they were pursuing as a person and how they put that in their songs and movies and paintings, that that wanting is opening you up to be like, yeah, and I might not get it. It might blow up in my face. I don't even, I might in five years look back and be like, why did I want that? Like that wanting is the spilling of the guts. That is the vulnerability. And so in this book, It shows up in the book, in the front story. So I want kids and people, you know, I try to make these books kind of for all ages.

27:38It's all ages picture book. I want them to embrace the unknown. It's printed huge on the back cover. I want them to follow their curiosity. There's a curiosity character and he shows up as a big part of the book. And then as around the book, the backstory is I wanted to make a book about the knowledge paradox, which sounds like a really heavy thing to make a picture book about, which it is. But I think we successfully made it accessible to all ages, to kids and adults alike. And the idea of the knowledge paradox is that you would think the more we know, the less mysterious our universe would become.

28:21But in fact, the opposite happened. The more we know, the more we realize we don't know. You know, 100 years ago, physicists would be like, we only got about 1 % to figure out left. And now physicists, they're physicists that are like, we don't even know if we scratched 1 % because our world is so bizarre with quantum entanglement and spooky action and multiple worlds theory and string theory. And like, our world is so much stranger. The more we know, the more we realize we don't know. mystery is actually growing as our knowledge grows. And I wanted to make that book for kids and grownups alike to be like, Hey, you might feel like everything's been done.

29:00You might have gone to school and felt like we figured out the world's knowledge. Here it is. And all the books catch up so you can make value for shareholders. But that's not true. We're learning to open up the mysteries. And when I, I didn't get that until I was maybe 17 or 18 and I wish I would have got it so much younger, but that is an example. This is stuff I've been talking about on the podcast this year, because that's what I want. I want people to get this book, hold it. And, uh, and I want them to, I'm hoping that it helps them embrace the unknown and see how mysterious things are in our universe.

29:40And so that's an example of my own creative practice and how I'm trying to live this out. All right, I'll say one other thing I want. I would really love for you to buy a pre-order copy of this that's signed from Birdie Books, our local bookstore that's just across the street from this podcast space. You can go to invisiblethings.co and all the links of where to buy it are there. Really, really appreciate everybody that's already bought a copy. I can't wait to get this into your hands. Sophie and I are just super proud of it. Thanks to Sophie Miller for being an editor and producer on this show.

30:15She helped me work out this story for this episode and added a bunch of good stuff. And thanks to Connor Jones of Pending Beautiful for audio edits, video edits, sound design, and animation. Thanks to Yoni Wolf of the band Y for our theme music and soundtrack. And thanks to all of you for listening. Until we speak again, stay pepped up.