CONTEXT

It’s easy to believe that certain people are just “born with” the ability to come up with brilliant businesses or platinum records.

The reality? Coming up with bold ideas is a skill you can learn.

Rick Rubin is a music producer (with an iconic beard) who has worked with artists ranging from LL Cool J to Johnny Cash, Metallica, Adele, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

He published a bestselling book in January 2023. Was it an autobiography of his experiences with these world-class artists? Nope. The Creative Act is so much better than that…

Rick argues that creativity is something everyone is capable of developing. It just takes a formula.

Here are his 5 keys to unlock your million-dollar ideas:

METHOD

1. Be open to new experiences/ideas.

We’re all born with a natural curiosity, but most of us lose that as we get older. The more you expose yourself to new things, the more likely you are to have creative insights.

Action:

• Try 1 new thing every month, even if it seems strange or unfamiliar. Pick up new hobbies, travel to new places, and meet new people that you wouldn’t normally connect with.

They say that “art imitates life,” right? That means your life experiences have to be interesting enough to inspire great art.

2. Commit to a creative practice.

You might be surprised to hear this— but creativity is about discipline.

Action:

• Dedicate specific time each day to work on your creative projects, even if it's just for 20 minutes.

Don’t wait for inspiration to strike before starting. Sit down at the table every day and just start (until inspiration feels invited to join). Highly recommend the book Bird by Bird if you want to go deeper into this practice.

3. Block out distractions.

When you're creating, it's critical to block out any disruptions that might prevent you from getting into a flow state.

Action:

• Turn off your phone, close your email, block off time in your calendar, and find a quiet place to work where you won’t be interrupted.

I’m a big fan of noise-canceling headphones; I always have a “focus playlist” on when I’m doing deep work. My favorite ones from Spotify right now? Lo-Fi Beats and Boom Bap Focus (the instrumentals of the best hip hop / rap songs).

4. Don't avoid failure.

We’re taught as kids that failing is bad, and should be avoided at all costs. But failure is a necessary part of the creative process. If you’re doing something that everyone already knows will work, it will never make you rich. If you try something that no one else knows will work (yet), that’s a million-dollar idea.

Action:

• Force yourself to take 1 bold risk every week. Seriously— set a quota for yourself!

The more you experiment, the more likely you are to have breakthroughs.

Every Friday, I force myself take a “moonshot” (e.g., a bold ask, a direct message to a hero of mine, a new experiment with my writing or branding). Maybe only 1 out of 10 turns into anything. But that 1 could be the thing that changes everything for me.

5. Find balance in your life.

Burnout seems to be more prevalent than ever before. It's important to strike a sustainable balance between your creative pursuits and your personal life.

Action:

• At the beginning of each month, block out time on your calendar to take breaks, spend time with loved ones, and get enough rest. We all know that if it’s not on the calendar, it probably won’t happen.

Btw— here are 6 minimalist habits that will help you avoid burnout. It’s the best advice I’ve given about prioritizing your time and energy.

Until next week,

Jade

P.S. If you’re thinking about growing your personal brand, this is your sign to start. 🙌 Book a 60-min coaching session with me. I’ll teach you the entire system that grew my account from 1-180k LinkedIn followers in 7 months, and 0-70k Instagram followers in 4 months. (And I won’t hold any of the details back).

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