Potent Systems: The Intuitive Systems of Prolific Creators
What’s their secret? What allows them to be such prolific creators?
This week as part of our series on habits and systems for creators, we’re looking at some of our favorite artists and creators of yore, and what practices and rituals keep them sane and create space for them to do their best work.
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“Systems should not be rigid. Systems ideally reflect the systems we see in nature. They are organic, they’re flexible, they’re intuitive, they’re regenerative. They have zero waste and zero redundancy. They’re kind of sexy.”
“Creativity is a habit, and creation is a habit. And all the best you can do is just to show up.”
“We don’t need to follow a certain routine that other people are following, just because.”
“The ritual is not the stretching, it’s not the weight training. The ritual is the cap. The moment I tell the driver where to go, I have completed the ritual.”
“We give you a second brain template in systems files, but we also teach you how to make your own, which I think is more valuable. It’s more helpful to understand how something works.”
“You need the right nourishment. You need sleep to feel good. You also, afterward, will be tired. It takes a lot of energy to have creative output, whatever your medium.”
“Most of us don’t have the whole day to just make art and curate our schedule, and it’s something that we aspire to. But that’s just something to note that all of these people are in a particular situation for various reasons that’s what they’re doing all day. So don’t feel dismayed.”
“The goal of System Spells is to help you figure out what does work for you so that you can do your sacred work and also have fun and rock out!”
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Anchor, Breaker, Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Pocket Casts, and RadioPublic
Show Notes
Being creative, and the systems that come with creativity
Michelle’s unique definition of Systems
Two of Michelle’s favorite prolific creators: Kendrick Lamar and Joan Rivers
That ritual and magic that keep you going
The execution that separates good artists from great artists
System Spells - Notion for Magical Baddies’ overview
Toni Morrison, American novelist - how she starts her day
Following a specific routine versus doing what works best for you
The big mind versus the little mind
Deep work extended mind theory
The right kind of distracting versus the wrong kind of distracting
Agnes Martin - how important it is for her to be alone
Being around the right people to help you get into action and who inspire you
The ability to change routines
What made David Lynch, a transcendental meditator, not meet a therapist
Finding a way to make a dysfunction functional
Respect for ourselves and for other people
How Shonda Rhimes, an American television producer, store all of her notes
Chori Mera Kaam’s daily routine, including a 10-kilometer run and 1500-meter swim
How to make sure that the other person in your zoom meeting isn’t online shopping or doing something else?
Resources and People Mentioned
10 Bullets by Tom Sachs
O-P-E-N (use code HOLISTICISM) — meditation, music, breathwork, and movement awaken the body and mind
System Spells - Notion for Magical Baddies
Kendrick Lamar @kendricklamar & Joan Rivers
Jackson Pollock, David Hockney - American painters
Toni Morrison, American novelist
Agnes Martin, Canadian-American painter
Anne Rice, American author, wrote Interview with the Vampire
Patti Smith @thisispattismith
Twyla Tharp, American dancer
Shonda Rhimes, American television producer
Georgia Totto O'Keeffe, American artist