I’m fascinated by people’s creative rhythms – how they ride the waves of time, energy and attention to get things made.
So when Danielle LaPorte offered to answer anyone’s interview questions to help promote her Fire Starter Sessions, I jumped on the chance to find out more about her creative life.
Danielle is an energetic writer and speaker who blogs at White Hot Truth. She’s a co-author of Style Statement, a workbook filled with inspiring photos and bios that gives you a unique way to understand yourself better. And she’s also the creator of the Fire Starter Sessions, a digital experience for entrepreneurs.
So here’s what Danielle had to say:
Your motor seems to rev at a smoking RPM. Have you always been this supercharged or did you discover a higher gear at some point? What’s your secret to running that hot without burning out? [Yes, I have belaboured that metaphor quite enough now!]
My mother would confirm that I’ve always been a bit, um…”intense.” But I feel the need to say I’m not, like, manic about getting stuff done. Rather, I’m…lazer-like intentional. And, I DO burnout. Happily. I just plan for it.
I think burnout gets a bad wrap and that we need to re-frame it. I don’t think Picasso worried about burnout. I think he went full freaking tilt on Guernica and when he was done, he probably unplugged for a while, caught up on his women, and napping, and wine. Being fried is part of the creative process and we should celebrate and honour that as part of a natural cycle. At least, that’s what works for my artistic grooving. Start/finish/rest. Work hard/play hard. Relish every phase, free of self-judgment, full of pure intention.
What does the rhythm of your creative life look like? How do you spend your days/weeks/months when you’re making things?
Yes, speaking of phases…I work well with immersion and obsession. In time-management speak, I’m a fan of “batching”. I book all of my meetings in one day if possible. I’ll write for 12 hours at a time. I’ll dedicate one day to loose ends and catch up. I’ll spend two days just mapping out and dreaming. This gives me the feeling of both focus and spacious. Yum.
And I really like “projects”. A book. A gig. Create it, launch it, see where it wants to go, like a Dove with a life of her own. And then I can feel free to devote myself to the next thing. And devotion = energy for impeccability.
I also like making plans on big sheets of paper with copious sticky notes and then putting it in a drawer and seeing if reality reflects the sticky notes six months later. Reality is usually better than my plans.
Is there anything you’re still afraid of? What do you tell yourself to marshal your courage?
It would really, really suck if I didn’t reach my full potential this time around.
But I tell myself that everything, everything, everything is progress.
My gratitude to Danielle for taking the time to respond. Thanks to people like her, my eyes are being opened to a way of working that syncs up with the creative impulse, and isn’t afraid of obsession and even *gasp* burn-out.
If you want more of Danielle (and why wouldn’t you?) I suggest a sample chapter from the Fire Starter Sessions on True Strengths + the Metrics of Ease for only $20. She’s also on Twitter @daniellelaporte.
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