Risk gives you choice, and it gives you opportunity to explore and challenge yourself. Risk is a choice, and you have to learn how to negotiate acceptable and unacceptable risks in our lives. Play is a very safe space to learn how to do that.
~ Caitlin Pontrella
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Risk gives you choice, and it gives you opportunity to explore and challenge yourself. Risk is a choice, and you have to learn how to negotiate acceptable and unacceptable risks in our lives. Play is a very safe space to learn how to do that.
~ Caitlin Pontrella
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I keep trying to rearrange my efforts so I can spend more time re-experiencing the hundreds of terrific conversations I’ve experienced. Every single time I manage to find time to go back in, I find something wonderful. That quote is from episode 4 of the Movers Mindset podcast—it wasn’t even called that back then. It was a wonderful, chaotic, ramble of a conversation long before I realized the magic of conversation.
I keep thinking: Have great conversations and get them recorded. Get those conversations recorded so they can be heard by others is the most important part. I have a million other ideas about how to extract meaning, share the best parts, find threads and themes that run across large scales of people and times and …
My hope is that if I simply keep having great conversations, everything else will take care of itself.
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What are the connections between writing, creativity, and podcasting as explored through the art of conversation?
The discussion highlights the parallels between storytelling in writing and crafting engaging podcasts.
Some people have a terrible time getting started because when you’re about to start writing you could write about anything. And when you can write about anything, you could write about everything. If you can write about everything, then what do you choose?
~ Julie Duffy (4:11)
The conversation centers on the interplay between writing, podcasting, and creative expression. It begins by discussing the challenges of starting a creative project, with an emphasis on how endless possibilities can be paralyzing. This leads to a broader exploration of overcoming creative blocks, the importance of completing projects, and how understanding the end goal can shape the process.
It also goes into the technical and emotional aspects of storytelling, highlighting parallels between crafting a podcast episode and writing a narrative. Topics include structuring stories, preparing mentally for creative tasks, and the unexpected skills that cross over between disciplines. Finally, the discussion emphasizes the value of listening and allowing space in conversations, which reflects a commitment to meaningful dialogue.
Takeaways
Creativity and process — Developing a structured approach can overcome disorganization and enable creativity.
Challenges in storytelling — Beginning, middle, and end each present unique hurdles that require specific strategies.
Parallels between writing and podcasting — Skills like storytelling and audience engagement translate well across mediums.
Listening in conversations — Effective communication requires a balance between speaking and genuinely listening.
Importance of mindset — Preparing mentally for creative tasks can significantly influence the outcome.
Use of technology — Live platforms like Anchor can help creators practice and improve their confidence.
Flexibility in approach — Writing and podcasting benefit from adaptability to keep creativity flowing.
Resources
StoryADay.org — A platform that offers writing challenges to help writers develop their craft.
Anchor — A platform Julie initially used for live podcasting to overcome editing perfectionism.
Seth Godin’s concept of “shipping” — Encourages creators to prioritize publishing their work over perfectionism.
The Hero’s Journey — A storytelling structure discussed in the context of writing and creativity.
Aldous Huxley’s essays — Referenced for inspiration on precise and impactful language use.
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
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How does movement, in its various forms, influence personal growth, perspective, and community connection?
Parkour fosters a perspective shift that forever changes how individuals experience their surroundings.
I think it’s just about perspective. Everything in life is, and if you can take a fresh perspective that is beneficial to your overall long-term growth, then that’s perfect.
~ Trevor de Groot (10:03)
The conversation examines the multifaceted role of movement in personal and professional life. Topics include the transformative perspective Parkour offers, such as changing how practitioners view and interact with their environment. Trevor discusses the importance of maintaining diverse movement practices, including Parkour, climbing, and martial arts, to foster creativity and growth. He also reflects on the sense of community and collaboration that these activities provide.
The discussion explores balancing personal passions with professional responsibilities, especially in the context of managing a gym and navigating challenges like lockdowns. Trevor shares his insights on re-prioritizing activities to allocate time for personal fulfillment and development. Social media’s influence on sports communities and individual training approaches is also addressed, emphasizing the importance of finding intrinsic motivation.
Takeaways
The transformative nature of Parkour — It changes how practitioners see and interact with their environments.
Importance of movement diversity — Exploring multiple types of movement fosters creativity and resilience.
Balancing personal and professional priorities — A deliberate approach to time management can improve overall satisfaction.
The role of social media — It has both positive and negative effects on training and community interaction.
The value of collaboration in training — Shared experiences and challenges enhance both learning and bonding.
The necessity of perspective shifts — Viewing challenges as opportunities for growth helps in long-term development.
Resources
Play Project — Trevor’s Parkour gym offering training and community events.
Mountain Project — A resource for finding climbing routes.
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
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Life in itself is neither good nor evil; it is the scene of good or evil as you make it. And, if you have lived a day, you have seen all: one day is equal and like to all other days. There is no other light, no other shade; this very sun, this moon, these very stars, this very order and disposition of things, is the same your ancestors enjoyed, and that shall also entertain your posterity.
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Thus the germ theory, long before it led to medical treatments, drove down mortality rates by revolutionizing sanitation and hygiene.
~ Jason Crawford from, Draining the swamp
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No, literally draining the swamp. There are a few reasons to click through on that. The most amazing is simply to scroll through the long article and glance at all the graphs; Graphs of magnificent drops in mortality rates by the 1950s. The 50s and 60s were demonstrably amazing simply for the fact that by then, most people weren’t dying of the same infectious things that have been killing people for millennia.
But the little gem quoted above was something that made me pause. Yes, it’s always fun to chuckle from the privileged perspective of the third millennia of the Common Era: The germ theory. *giggles* “Theory.” That’s so cute. What made me pause though was the thought about sanitation. I’d always thought of how the germ theory *giggles* affected medical treatments—washing hands by physicians and surgeons and penicillin and all that good stuff. But the idea that, “hey tiny stuff we can’t see can hurt us… maybe we should, ya know, filter and treat the drinking water?” …it hadn’t occurred to me that that too became a thing we actually started doing because of the germ theory.
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What are the challenges and opportunities in creating and sharing meaningful content in podcasting and publishing?
Podcasting shares its challenges of discovery and audience building with the world of book publishing.
If I tell you about a good podcast, that requires you to sit down, focus your attention, go to a site, put on headphones or your earbuds, and actually listen. That’s hard.
~ David Wilk (15:50)
The conversation explores the intersections between podcasting and publishing, focusing on their shared challenges in audience building and discoverability. It emphasizes how the low barrier to entry in both fields has led to an overwhelming abundance of content, creating a highly competitive environment. The discussion highlights how the “long tail” has evolved into an environment with a top-heavy market where only a few creators dominate.
Another key topic is the personal nature of consuming books and podcasts, which presents unique challenges for sharing and marketing. Podcasts are described as private experiences that lack the social visibility of books. The conversation also reflects on cultural changes, noting how digital experiences have reduced opportunities for shared moments, adding friction to the process of recommending and sharing podcasts.
Takeaways
The abundance of content – Challenges arise from an oversupply of podcasts and books, making audience building difficult.
Audience segmentation – Both industries face issues with dividing large audiences into meaningful segments.
Loss of the midlist – The “midlist” in publishing has disappeared, leaving only top earners and smaller outputs.
Personal nature of media – Podcasts, like books, are inherently personal and harder to share socially.
Curation necessity – Aggregating and curating podcasts is essential for discoverability but remains difficult to market.
Antisocial consumption – Personal consumption habits reduce opportunities for shared cultural experiences.
Marketing disparities – Marketing tools for books are more developed than for podcasts, yet both remain challenging.
Resources
Live Writers – A project curating book-related podcasts into three categories: readers, writers, and publishers.
PRX – Mentioned as a significant player in podcasting, likely referring to Public Radio Exchange.
BBC – Recognized for its role in podcasting and media production.
Field of Dreams – Cited metaphorically for its “build it, and they will come” narrative.
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
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The story that you tell people is the story that they’ll believe. And that’s the story that you become. And so for Parkour, we have a bunch of disparate stories that are being told right now, where you have people that are doing their own things… I just think that it’s important that the people who are doing so are taking responsibility for their impact that they have on the global community and the way that Parkour is being viewed.
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The story that you tell people is the story that they’ll believe. And that’s the story that you become. And so for Parkour, we have a bunch of disparate stories that are being told right now, where you have people that are doing their own things… I just think that it’s important that the people who are doing so are taking responsibility for their impact that they have on the global community and the way that Parkour is being viewed.
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Really! I wasn’t kidding the other day when I mentioned episode 4 This one is from episode 5.
Recently I published episode 129 of Movers Mindset. And there are 95 episodes of conversations with podcasters for the Podcaster Community’s show. And 38 episodes that I did for Art of Retreat’s SPARKs podcast. Okay, I’m panicking a little now. There are so many amazing things that people have shared!
Know anyone who wants to help me by working as an “archivist” or “research fellow” or something like that? …please forward!
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Don’t think that the arts and verbal professions are the only respectable occupations, (a common mindset of grandchildren of workers.) The elites sneer at commerce as tawdry, but it’s what gives people what they want and need, and pays for everything else, including the luxury of art.
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