The Creative Advice I'd Give My Younger Self (35 Years Later)

I spent years as a musician, designer, and writer making the same mistakes over and over—here's what I'd tell my younger self to save years of suffering.📬 If this resonated with you, you'll love my newsletter. I send one email a week with ideas like this: https://ktfpod.com/#newsletter I don't feel like an expert, but when I look back at 35 years of creative work as a musician, graphic designer, and writer, I realize I've learned some hard lessons that my younger self desperately needed to hear. In this episode, I'm sharing five lessons that would have saved me years of self-doubt, scattered energy, and creative frustration. These aren't just nice ideas – they're the practical shifts that made me happier, more authentic, and actually productive. Whether you're just starting out or decades into your creative journey, I think these lessons will resonate with you too.🤟 Come join my creative community: https://patreon.com/scottmclemore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I can improvise jazz without fear, so why does unscripted speaking terrify me?📬 If this resonated with you, you'll love my newsletter—I send one email a week with ideas like this: https://ktfpod.com/#newsletter I've been making this podcast with fully scripted episodes for a year and a half because I was terrified of not knowing what comes next. But here's the paradox: I'm a jazz drummer. I improvise music all the time without fear. So why is speaking so different? In this episode, I'm finally going off script (well, mostly - I have notes) to show you how the same principles that let jazz musicians improvise freely can help anyone become a better, more confident communicator. I share three practical exercises based on improv comedy, working memory research, and my own experience performing.Fair warning: this took me four attempts to record, my phone died halfway through, and I'm still uncomfortable doing this. But that vulnerability? That's where real connection happens. If you struggle with public speaking, lose your train of thought in meetings, or just want to think more clearly on your feet, this one's for you.🎧 Check out my music: https://scottmclemore.bandcamp.com/🤟 Join the Patreon community: https://patreon.com/scottmclemoreBTW, the background music in this episode is stuff I wrote and recorded in my home studio. I'm thinking about making an actual album out of it. Let me know if you'd be interested in that. https://ktfpod.comDr. Charles Limb - Ted Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BomNG5N_E_0Alan Alda - 3 Things: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrOnk0JnXW4#unscripted #workingmemory #creativecareer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when you lose sight of why you're creating—and how do you find your way back?📬 If this resonated with you, you'll love my newsletter—I send one email a week with ideas like this: https://ktfpod.com/#newsletter This week I'm feeling lost and questioning what really motivates my creativity. In this episode, I explore three ideas that help when you don't know why you're creating: relaxing into the process, giving yourself permission not to have all the answers, and reframing the ego question by focusing on service rather than achievement. If you've ever wondered whether your creative work is driven by genuine purpose or just ego, or if you've lost sight of why you even create, this conversation is for us.🎧 Check out my music: https://scottmclemore.bandcamp.com/🤟 Join the Patreon community: https://patreon.com/scottmclemore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The secret to creative success isn't talent or inspiration—it's something much simpler (and harder) than you think.I used to think creative success was about making something great every time I sat down to work. But after years of composing, teaching, and yes—trying to learn those impossible drum patterns—I've realized something counterintuitive: the specific thing you're working on matters less than the fact that you're working at all. In this episode, I break down the psychological paradox that keeps us creating, why "doing the reps" is everything, and how to trick yourself into caring about the work without getting crushed when it doesn't pan out. 📬 If this resonated with you, you'll love my newsletter—I send one email a week with ideas like this: https://ktfpod.com/#newsletterCheck out my music: https://scottmclemore.bandcamp.com/Join the Patreon community: https://patreon.com/scottmclemore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a special, short episode about how creative people process loss and can move on without ignoring or pushing feelings of sorrow away.Bittersweet by Susan Cain: https://amzn.to/3WwMmarInspired by the loss of my mother, I felt compelled to make this episode as a way to allow those feelings to come into my work and guide me forward.I forgot to mention that there are many kinds of loss beyond losing a loved one. The loss of a pet, the end of a relationship, the loss of a job — any of these experiences require grieving and can upend your creative practice.Already I can see I will need to make a follow up to this episode. It was much too short anyway, but it was all I could handle right now.Join me on Patreon:https://patreon.com/scottmclemore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if the creative work that "doesn't matter" is actually the key to unlocking your most important breakthroughs?Grab a FREE copy of my ebook: https://payhip.com/b/RIqQxAfter 35 years as a professional musician, some of my biggest creative breakthroughs came from projects I almost threw away. In this episode, I'm sharing why thinking smaller—not bigger—might be the secret to unlocking your best work. I'll reveal the psychological tricks that make starting effortless, why side quests often become more valuable than your main work, and how tiny constraints can actually sharpen your creativity. If you've ever felt paralyzed by the pressure to create something important, this one's for you.The waitlist is open for my upcoming course Creative Resilience:https://ktfpod.com/creative-resilience/crwaitlist.htmlI'm so glad you tuned in to Keep the Flow my (hopefully) weekly podcast that looks under the hood of the creative process. The podcast finally has its own website — with merch even!https://ktfpod.comCheck out my music: https://scottmclemore.bandcamp.com/Follow for free on Patreon: https://patreon.com/scottmclemore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if the only permission you’ve ever needed for your creative work was your own?The waitlist is open for my upcoming course Creative Resilience:https://ktfpod.com/creative-resilience/crwaitlist.htmlGrab a FREE copy of my ebook: https://payhip.com/b/RIqQxI spent years waiting to be “picked” — for bands, auditions, and even summer gigs. In this episode, I share my own story of setbacks, the shift that helped me move forward, and how you can stop waiting for permission and start creating on your own terms.I'm so glad you tuned in to Keep the Flow my (hopefully) weekly podcast that looks under the hood of the creative process. The podcast finally has its own website — with merch even!https://ktfpod.comCheck out my music: https://scottmclemore.bandcamp.com/Follow for free on Patreon: https://patreon.com/scottmclemore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grab a FREE copy of the Wayfinder PDF: https://payhip.com/b/01AdwI thought I was leaving music behind when I moved from NYC to Iceland to start a design firm—but life had other plans. Here's the 4-part framework I developed to navigate back to your creative path when everything feels derailed. Keep the Flow with Scott McLemore is a weekly podcast that looks under the hood of the creative process. https://ktfpod.comFollow me for free on Patreon: https://patreon.com/scottmclemoreHere's my music: https://scottmclemore.bandcamp.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If your creative life feels like you’re driving in circles, this is the episode that shows you exactly how to find the exit.Follow me for free on Patreon: https://patreon.com/scottmclemoreIn this follow-up to my most popular episode, I dig into how to actually break free from the “creative roundabout.” I share my own turning points, the discomfort of saying no, and three practical steps to close the gap between knowing and doing—so you can get unstuck and move toward your next creative level.Sign up for The Interval, my free newsletter for inspiration in your inbox: https://subscribe.scottmclemore.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Discover how building your own attention map can help you stay focused, unlock flow, and navigate creative distractions with clarity.Sign up for The Interval, my free newsletter for inspiration in your inbox: https://subscribe.scottmclemore.comIn this episode, I explore how the concept of "attention maps" — inspired by self-driving cars and advice my dad gave me when I first learned to drive — can help us navigate the creative process. Just like learning to rely on peripheral vision while driving, creative flow requires us to manage distractions while staying focused on what really matters. I talk about how we build our personal attention maps over time, how they shape our style, and how to keep momentum when doubts and detours arise.__________Follow me on Patreon for free: https://patreon.com/scottmclemoreMusic: https://scottmclemore.bandcamp.comhttps://scottmclemore.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.