1 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:09,320 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning. 2 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:16,439 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:22,800 Speaker 1: tip is that inspiration is a discipline. Consistently seek out 4 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:27,520 Speaker 1: thought provoking, inspiring inputs if you want to produce the 5 00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:34,600 Speaker 1: best outputs. Today's tip comes from rapper Lecree by way 6 00:00:34,720 --> 00:00:39,280 Speaker 1: of Jeremy Utley, Stanford Adjunct Professor of AI and Design. 7 00:00:40,479 --> 00:00:43,920 Speaker 1: Utley recounts teaching a class of graduate students with lacray 8 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:49,120 Speaker 1: and La Craye, telling the students that inspiration is a discipline. 9 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:53,920 Speaker 1: Utley expanded on this and said, the most wildly creative 10 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:58,640 Speaker 1: individuals I know are disciplined about cultivating the inputs to 11 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:02,320 Speaker 1: their thinking because they know it affects the outputs of 12 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:06,920 Speaker 1: their thinking. I think he's right. I tend to think 13 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:11,440 Speaker 1: inspiration is a discipline in two ways. We can't just 14 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:16,760 Speaker 1: wait to be inspired. Creative people regularly sit down and 15 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:20,440 Speaker 1: tell themselves they will work for several hours, and they 16 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:24,600 Speaker 1: often get inspired during this time. But I think it's 17 00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:27,560 Speaker 1: also true in the way Utley is discussing, which is 18 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:29,759 Speaker 1: that if you are going to come up with good ideas, 19 00:01:30,319 --> 00:01:34,399 Speaker 1: you need good kindling to light those fires. You need 20 00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:37,720 Speaker 1: to make sure you are seeking out inspiring inputs to 21 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 1: make good outputs. So how do you get those inspiring inputs? 22 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:49,440 Speaker 1: For starters, we can all read widely literature, history, science, politics. 23 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:54,480 Speaker 1: We can see amazing performances. We can visit art museums 24 00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:58,680 Speaker 1: and other museums. The best work that has been created 25 00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 1: now and in the past can inspire new work. Another 26 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:05,440 Speaker 1: way to get inputs is to seek out opinions and tips. 27 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:10,680 Speaker 1: This can be from podcasts, blogs, newsletters, magazines, practical nonfiction books, 28 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 1: or political commentators on TV. See what people have to 29 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 1: say that's relevant to your context. Indirect or indirect ways. 30 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:23,959 Speaker 1: We can also get out into nature. For centuries, nature 31 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:27,800 Speaker 1: has been seen as a source of inspiration, So become 32 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:32,120 Speaker 1: a keen observer. Study any natural features that interest you. 33 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:37,920 Speaker 1: Read writers like Mary Oliver, Annie Dillard, Wordsworth, or Thireaux 34 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:42,960 Speaker 1: who reflected a lot on the natural world. If being 35 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:47,040 Speaker 1: still in nature doesn't move you, then go for what 36 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:50,359 Speaker 1: I like to call an ideal walk. When there is 37 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:54,400 Speaker 1: a tricky problem you need inspiration to solve. Get moving. 38 00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:59,520 Speaker 1: No music, no podcasts, no audio books, just you and nature. 39 00:03:00,639 --> 00:03:04,000 Speaker 1: As you walk, let your mind wander something you see, 40 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:06,919 Speaker 1: or a random thought that crosses your mind may spark 41 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:11,520 Speaker 1: just the insight you need. Paying attention to how things 42 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:14,880 Speaker 1: work is another great source of inspiration. This could mean 43 00:03:14,919 --> 00:03:18,880 Speaker 1: watching glass blowers or iron workers, touring a distillery or 44 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:21,560 Speaker 1: a cheese factory, or even just observing the check in 45 00:03:21,639 --> 00:03:25,400 Speaker 1: process at your dentist's office. Are there processes that have 46 00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:29,839 Speaker 1: analogies to your work? People can definitely be a source 47 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 1: of in perspiration, So spend time with interesting people and 48 00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:38,160 Speaker 1: ask curious questions. Invite people to elaborate on topics that 49 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:41,839 Speaker 1: light them up, even if you haven't thought much about them. 50 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:45,360 Speaker 1: You'll get a window into content that is interesting and 51 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:48,840 Speaker 1: it might spark your own thinking too. There are so 52 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:52,400 Speaker 1: many places to find inspiring inputs. As part of your 53 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:54,920 Speaker 1: weekly planning, it could be wise to reflect on your 54 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:58,600 Speaker 1: inputs from the week before and the insights and outputs 55 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:02,680 Speaker 1: they inspired. Then look ahead to the next week. What 56 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:05,720 Speaker 1: is likely to inspire you over the next seven days? 57 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:11,839 Speaker 1: What can you add if there isn't something already there now? 58 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:14,520 Speaker 1: Obviously there is a balance to be achieved here. We 59 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:18,839 Speaker 1: can't just consume inputs or we will never produce outputs. 60 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 1: We all know people who put off doing their own 61 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:25,720 Speaker 1: creative work by consuming everything under the sun. But it 62 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:28,000 Speaker 1: might be wise to organize your days to have a 63 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:31,520 Speaker 1: little bit of both. I know successful creative people who 64 00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:34,719 Speaker 1: produce in the morning and then when their brains are tired, 65 00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 1: they consume in the afternoon. It's a good way to 66 00:04:39,279 --> 00:04:46,080 Speaker 1: practice the discipline of inspiration in the meantime. This is Laura. 67 00:04:47,040 --> 00:04:51,480 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening, and here's to making the most of 68 00:04:51,520 --> 00:05:01,200 Speaker 1: our time. Thanks for listening to Before Breakfas. If you've 69 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:05,400 Speaker 1: got questions, ideas, or feedback, you can reach me at 70 00:05:05,480 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 1: Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. Before Breakfast is a 71 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:19,280 Speaker 1: production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts from iHeartMedia, please visit 72 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:23,159 Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to 73 00:05:23,160 --> 00:05:24,040 Speaker 1: your favorite shows.