As a creativity coach, Dr. Maisel talks about the lineage of our creativity. There is a point in our lives when we fall in love with something — a book, a painting, a piece of music, a film — and we long to be part of the lineage of that creation. This longing emboldens us to enter the path of our own creative spirit. However in the hubbub of post-modern life it is not easy to organize our day around our creative expressions.

Maisel has some advice for us, “I think for a lot of artists it’s imperative that they carve out an extra hour before their real day starts to get their creative work done. That they then not scorn small increments of time during the day, if 20 minutes arises here or 20 minutes arises there, to make use of that.”

He also talks about establishing a ceremonial bridge for our creative projects and advises us to notice the things that invoke an experience of meaning in our lives and also to know these activities will change as we age. He shares ideas about how to keep creativity flowing every day and to pull it from every part of ourselves, including our limitations. Further, he says that the messes and mistakes are an integral part of the process that cannot be skipped. He maintains that manifesting our creative potential requires a healthy ego structure and the humility to know that we can’t ask for great work. Rather, we have to “show up and make ourselves available to it.” (hosted by Roger Housden)