Why I Stopped Waiting to Be Chosen (And You Should Too)

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.

Discover why true creative success isn't about numbers or popularity, but planting seeds that grow into unexpected forests of opportunity and connection. Sign up for The Interval for free inspiration in your inbox. https://subscribe.scottmclemore.comIn this episode of Keep the Flow, I explore the complicated relationship we creatives have with success. I share my personal journey through disappointing album releases, unexpected connections that changed my career, and why I've come to see my creative work as planting seeds rather than chasing metrics. If you've ever felt discouraged when your passion project didn't get the reception it deserved, this episode offers a fresh perspective on how creative success unfolds over time in ways we can't always predict. I challenge you to revisit a project that didn't initially succeed and see what new growth might be possible.__________To follow me on Patreon for free: https://patreon.com/scottmclemoreListen to my music: https://scottmclemore.bandcamp.comCheck out my new website: https://scottmclemore.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you're a creative person feeling stuck, these 5 mistakes might be the reason your work isn’t getting the traction it deserves.YouTube version: https://youtu.be/ygvR3B_i_i0Sign up for The Interval for free inspiration in your inbox. https://subscribe.scottmclemore.comIn this episode, I’m talking about five common mistakes that creative people—myself included—tend to make. From hiding our work out of fear to tying our self-worth to the results, these are the habits that can quietly sabotage our growth. I share some personal stories and hard-earned lessons in hopes that they’ll help you stay connected to the creative process and, as always, keep the flow.__________To follow me on Patreon for free: https://patreon.com/scottmclemoreListen to my music: https://scottmclemore.bandcamp.comCheck out my new website: https://scottmclemore.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Discover the four essential habits of disciplined creatives that transformed my daily workflow, including preparation techniques, morning rituals, procrastination management strategies, and deep work practices that consistently unlock creative flow and boost productivity.Sign up for The Interval for free inspiration in your inbox. https://subscribe.scottmclemore.comIn this episode, I explore how discipline is actually the key that unlocks consistent creativity, not its enemy. Drawing inspiration from psychologist Nick Wignall, I share four powerful habits that transformed my creative practice: preparing your creative runway the day before, establishing a consistent warm-up ritual, changing your relationship with procrastination, and quarantining busywork. These simple practices work with your psychology rather than against it, making it easier to do the creative work you want to do.__________To follow me on Patreon for free: https://patreon.com/scottmclemoreListen to my music: https://scottmclemore.bandcamp.comCheck out my new website: https://scottmclemore.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sign up for The Interval for free inspiration in your inbox. https://subscribe.scottmclemore.comTired of staring at a blank page? In this episode, we explore the counterintuitive truth that unlimited freedom might be your creativity's worst enemy. I break down how constraints—whether it's a tight deadline, limited tools, or self-imposed boundaries—actually spark innovation rather than stifle it. From Shakespeare's quarantine masterpieces to Spielberg's broken shark, history shows us that limitations breed brilliance. Learn three practical strategies to harness the power of constraints and transform creative paralysis into focused productivity. Stop waiting for perfect conditions and discover why the frame around your work might be more valuable than the endless canvas you've been dreaming of.__________To follow me on Patreon for free: https://patreon.com/scottmclemoreListen to my music: https://scottmclemore.bandcamp.comTake a gander at my new website: https://scottmclemore.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sign up for The Interval for free inspiration in your inbox. https://subscribe.scottmclemore.comI used to think that quitting social media would destroy my career as a musician and podcaster—but the opposite happened. I didn’t vanish; I started feeling more visible to the people who actually care about my work. In this episode of Keep the Flow, I talk about how you can build a fulfilling and sustainable creative life without chasing followers or feeding the algorithm. I share why I stepped away from traditional social platforms, how I replaced them with more meaningful tools like newsletters, websites, and direct community engagement, and why real connection—online or off—is worth more than a thousand likes. This isn’t about convincing anyone to quit, but if you’re curious… maybe you can.___________https://hostinger.com?REFERRALCODE=KEEPTHEFLOWMood Machine by Liz Pelly: https://amzn.to/3GqA5PP___________To follow me on Patreon for free: https://patreon.com/scottmclemoreListen to my music: https://scottmclemore.bandcamp.comCheck out my new website: https://scottmclemore.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Keep the Flow, I share a recent experience when I felt completely unmotivated on what should have been a productive day. Instead of forcing myself to work through creative blocks, I discovered that taking pressure off by watching a movie unexpectedly led to one of my best drum practice sessions. I explore the science behind why our brains need this balance between focus and relaxation, share strategies I've developed for working with low-energy days, and explain how this connects to the "enjoyment-based productivity" concept from Ali Abdaal's book. Despite increasing my creative output by 700% through systems, fluctuations are normal and sometimes the most productive thing we can do is stop trying to be productive.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.