Get Unblocked - 33rd Degree Conference

@denisejacobs

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Blocked?

“The entire industry is broken.” - Ted Neward, Managers are from Mars, Developers are from Venus

Managers

Office-bound

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stewf/393637161/

Time pressures

http://www.flickr.com/photos/indraw/4857101224/

Demanding clients

http://www.flickr.com/photos/clairity/154640125/

Bureaucracy

http://www.flickr.com/photos/opensourceway/4749431435/

Oppressed

http://www.flickr.com/photos/johannahobbs/2412291551/

Instead of this http://www.flickr.com/photos/anieto2k/8156999698/

You run into road blocks

http://www.flickr.com/photos/99301367@N00/8497106802/

And you run completely

http://royhoes.deviantart.com/art/Out-of-Inspiration-85588391

http://www.flickr.com/photos/myfear/289257055/

When in the creative flow

We are alchemists http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Faust_image_19thcentury.jpg

It feels like

http://www.flickr.com/photos/torley/2761300969/

“Creativity is magical, but it is not magic.” - Dr. Charles Limb, Your Brain on Improvisation TED talk

We’re powerful creators

“Developers are like the Jedi: we’re all tapped into The Force.” - Ted Neward, Managers are from Mars, Developers are from Venus

Instead of using it fully http://www.flickr.com/photos/h-k-d/3310336516/

We give our power away

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6D-O5ECr5EUow5jrck2A2A

Instead of power, we feel…

https://www.flickr.com/photos/70938871@N05/8230432077

Building Blocks

http://www.flickr.com/photos/barretthall/3036598475/ &http://www.flickr.com/photos/carbonnyc/3135103537/

It starts early

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lorenjavier/7324305636/

Three stories

Age 6

Father

Photo: Deloria Jacobs

Photos: Deloria Jacobs

Mother & Sister

Me? More of a graphic artist


Compared myself http://www.flickr.com/photos/kharied/3315558702/

( I have to be like them to be creative. )

Age 10


Oldest friend in the world

( “Who do you think you are?” )

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mcsdwarken/7490078656

“I should tone it down”

Age 24

I graduated! Yay!


Maybe be a writer?

“Do you know how hard it is to get published?” - My father

My father was bad-ass


“I have to be superlative”

I binge-created for years

But never felt deserving

Always a bit in the closet

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kenzzz_14/7031233649/

After writing this…

I had an epiphany


We ALL hold the power

http://www.flickr.com/photos/assbach/267598910/

For Empowered http://www.flickr.com/photos/designandtechnologydepartment/4771136128/

Internalized critical voices

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeapalooza/553545517/

Paralyze and imprison us http://www.flickr.com/photos/b3ni/2990601183/

We give so much away

= Blocks

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_g_travels/860951845/

Lies that we tell ourselves

Adds up; Shuts us down

Instead of creativity

Destructivity

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevygee/3265941065/

How do we…


Get Unblocked?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rvm_71/5011353192/

“You can’t force yourself to get into (creative) flow, but you can set the conditions for it.” - Ted Neward, “Managers are from Mars, Developers are from Venus”

The Process

Recognize & Banish

Physical evidence of fear

http://www.flickr.com/photos/grumpyfeline/4626401443/

Internalized criticisms + fears

https://www.flickr.com/photos/remoto/5313967682

Evil voices in your head

http://www.flickr.com/photos/epsos/4887528060/

“If your demons are such that they fill the room the instant you contemplate creating, your studio will be too dangerous a place to enter.” - Eric Maisel, author of Fearless Creating

You can’t outrun them

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wester/504925076/

Face and ID your Inner Critic http://www.flickr.com/photos/lambdachialpha/203904103/

Impostor Syndrome

Impostor Syndrome Paradox

http://www.flickr.com/photos/x1brett/2279939232/

Comparisons

http://www.flickr.com/photos/automania/126698126/

Perfectionism

http://www.flickr.com/photos/diepuppenstubensammlerin/7648792510/

“Perfectionism is self-abuse of the highest order.” ― Anne Wilson Schaef

Focus on the finished product… https://www.flickr.com/photos/phatcontroller/3667889959/

Instead of the process http://www.flickr.com/photos/spyndle/474122586/

The real problem http://cuttingthecheese.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/26810560251953842_ede18tng_f.jpg

“The Best” vs “The most”

https://www.flickr.com/photos/villify/10871945326

Procrastination

http://www.flickr.com/photos/irrezolut/2311904560/

Feed each other

Fear of failure

http://www.flickr.com/photos/laughingsquid/2717325940/

F.E.A.R. =

http://cdnpix.com/show/imgs/7a361666e107cd36656d5a66ea2e4e80.jpg

Or, the alternative

“Fear is not real. It is a product of the thoughts you create. Do not misunderstand me. Danger is very real. But fear is a choice.” - character of Cypher Raige (played by Will Smith), After Earth

Become a Fear Alchemist

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Joseph_Wright_of_Derby_The_Alchemist.jpg

“The goal is to manage anxiety so that our energies are used for the productive and satisfying art of creating…

…rather than the destructive and debilitating art of self-torture.” - Clare Warmke, Idea Revolution

Banish the Inner Critic

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mythoto/3822942678/

Comparisons aren’t real

http://www.flickr.com/photos/suvodeb/2559017400/

“You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody.”

― Dr. Maya Angelou

Reframe failure

http://www.flickr.com/photos/laughingsquid/2717326642/

And mistakes

https://www.flickr.com/photos/stevendepolo/4498817330/

“Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.” - Henry Ford

Be bad/make it ugly https://www.flickr.com/photos/kpwerker/6051104684

“If you want a creative life, do what you can’t and experience the beauty of the mistakes that you make.” - Marcel Wanders, Designer and “Professional Amateur” (marcelwanders.com)

Take it a step further

Photo: Denise Jacobs

Change your body, change your mind http://www.flickr.com/photos/thirteenthnile/4546397775/

“Our bodies change our minds, our minds change our behavior, and our behavior changes our outcomes.” - Amy Cuddy, Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are TED talk

Cop a Power Pose

Adjust & Replace

“It’s all preparation. The magic happens at the stove.” - Daniel Steinberg, Crazy and Focused

Laying the foundation Photo: Denise Jacobs

Train Your Brain

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tiarescott/3211540197/

Left v. Right brain?

http://browse.deviantart.com/?q=left%20brain%20right%20brain&order=9&offset=48#/d10qlpq

Left hemisphere

http://www.flickr.com/photos/smittenkittenoriginals/4451172538/

Right hemisphere

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lorelei-ranveig/2294885580/

A balanced brain


Our brains produce…?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cblue98/7254347346/

Know your Brainwaves

Get your Alpha on

5 Easy ways access to Alpha

http://uniteunderfreedom.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Brain-waves.jpg

(1) Breathe to refocus

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eldave/3065425105/

(2) Lay down; be prone

http://www.flickr.com/photos/snazzy54/4581347651/

(3) Daydream/Space out

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fuzzylittlemanpeach/4633972431/

(4) Takes a shower

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevendepolo/3761878381/

(5) Get physical

http://www.flickr.com/photos/miguel77/2728104156/

“When your brain is supposedly doing nothing, it’s really doing a tremendous amount.” – Marcus Raichle, Neurologist

Manage time

http://www.flickr.com/photos/paolocampioni/2168286027/

To DON’T

https://www.flickr.com/photos/superamit/1043379069

Say NO to Distractions

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gideon/6582069/

Instill the Headphones Rule https://www.flickr.com/photos/thomashawk/9824922293

RescueTime.com

HeyFocus.com

Added bonus

Tools RescueTime.com GetConcentrating.com HeyFocus.com

Browser Extensions Firefox: LeechBlock Idderall Google Chrome: Strict Workflow StayFocusd

Aids for digital blocking

Single-task


Pomodoro Technique

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucamascaro/4975166968/

Airplane mode

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pieterouwerkerk/699475144/

Connect & Play

Do It With Others

http://www.flickr.com/photos/u-suke/5668302030/

Mo’ people, mo’ ideas

http://www.flickr.com/photos/seretuaccidente/147686396/

Avoid sameness

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dahlstroms/3774973833/

Diverse environments

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shirinwiniger/3680885289/

Share ideas

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nanpalmero/4278466639/

Don’t keep them to yourself

http://www.flickr.com/photos/anieto2k/8127201319/

Share mistakes

http://www.flickr.com/photos/neilt/26322670/

Amplify the ideas of others

http://www.flickr.com/photos/roland/54381130/

Improv

http://www.flickr.com/photos/roel1943/5740295789/

Plus it


The structure

Make your partner look good


Expands, does not contract


Power-Push Writing

Photo: Anna B. Scott

Free & Clear

Before

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_g_travels/860951845/

After

http://www.flickr.com/photos/visualdoubts/4087935894/

The stage is set for Flow

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sgeithner/5290115839/

Find

•  Clarity about & confidence in you want to achieve

•  Level of mastery •  Cleared space; materials on hand •  Time carved out; distractions

eliminated •  Practice in place

The previous steps lead you here:

(Re)Gain Creative Confidence


“…the confidence that, when given a difficult problem, we have a methodology that enables us to come up with a solution that nobody has before.” - David Kelley, Founder of Ideo

Ideas are on and poppin’!


A transformation happens


Reclaim our power

http://www.flickr.com/photos/anieto2k/8216666102/

By realizing

Nudge your comfort zone

“Creative minds have always been known to survive any kind of bad training.” - Anna Freud

Value yourself and process

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pocait/2847866615/

Moving forward


“Creativity makes day to day experiences more vivid, more enjoyable, more rewarding. When we live creatively, boredom is banished and every moment holds the promise of a fresh discovery.” - Mihali Csikszentmihalyi, Creativity

It’s how & why I do what I do

Photo: Derek Kearney

“The new scarcity: the time, energy, and brainpower of bright, creative people.” - Mary Poppendieck, “Think For Yourself”

You’re a precious resource

http://www.flickr.com/photos/siutou_amy/2306794554/

In order for you to create

Need to Get Unblocked

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bcymet/3564484236/

You are my starfish

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bestrated1/3323936783

Make better things AND


I hope that you

http://www.flickr.com/photos/boojee/2781415869/

The End…?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/imuttoo/232100469/

Thank you

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wwworks/4759535970/

Four Secrets to Enhancing Creative Productivity www.creativebloq.com/inspiration/four-secrets-enhancing-creative-productivity-9126098

Banishing Your Inner Critic alistapart.com/articles/banishing-your-inner-critic/

Reigniting Your Creative Spark alistapart.com/articles/reigniting-your-creative-spark/

Breaking the Perfectionism-Procrastination Infinite Loop webstandardssherpa.com/reviews/breaking-the-perfectionism-procrastination-infinite-loop/

My articles for further reading

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Photo used with permission: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aarronwalter/4629078087/

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Get Unblocked - 33rd Degree Conference