The art of being a creative person (with Georgia Shreve)
Spencer Greenberg speaks with multi-passioned artist Georgia Shreve about positive psychology, multidisciplinary creative practice, and education. They explore fostering creativity, improving relationships, and the importance of lifelong learning, also touching on societal issues like ageism.
Deep Dive Analysis
18 Topic Outline
Introduction to Multi-Passioned Creative Work
Combining Words, Music, and Visual Arts
Understanding Positive Psychology and the PERMA Model
Personal Impact of Positive Psychology and Generous Acts
Creativity in Music vs. Writing: Mastery and Skill
Practical Strategies for Developing Creativity
Appreciating Art as a Practitioner and Avoiding Judgment
The Importance of Role Models and Exemplary Behavior
Optimism: Its Benefits and Potential Drawbacks
Simplifying the Creative Environment for Focus
Diverse Sources of Human Pleasure and Sensory Responses
The Concept of a Polymath and Interconnected Fields
Addressing Ageism in Society and the Workplace
Reflections on the Me Too Movement and Societal Change
Key Elements for Healthy Relationships and Avoiding Pitfalls
The Value and Purpose of Extended Education
Long-Term Societal Progress vs. Current Challenges
Defining Wisdom Beyond Facts and Information
5 Key Concepts
Positive Psychology
A field of psychology introduced by Martin Seligman that focuses on helping individuals move from a neutral state to flourishing. It aims to enhance well-being and cultivate a great life, rather than solely addressing negative psychological states.
PERMA Model
Martin Seligman's framework for well-being, which stands for Positive Emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment. These five elements are considered fundamental for a fulfilling and flourishing life.
Positive Creativity
An approach to creative work that emphasizes the joy and positive feelings derived from the creative process itself, rather than focusing on the struggle or difficulty of generating ideas. It encourages a mindset that views creativity as a joyous endeavor.
Intrinsic Values
Fundamental values that individuals cherish for their own sake, independent of any other effects or outcomes they might produce. These are core motivations that deeply influence a person's behavior and life goals.
Wisdom
A concept that extends beyond mere facts or knowledge, involving the application of accumulated experience and learning to improve one's behavior, interactions with others, and overall management of existence. It represents a deeper understanding and practical application of life's lessons.
7 Questions Answered
Positive psychology is a field focused on helping individuals move from a neutral state to flourishing, emphasizing well-being and how to live a great life, rather than just addressing negative states.
Creativity in music, especially classical, often requires a high degree of technical mastery and time investment on an instrument before significant creative expression, whereas writing can be engaged with at a much earlier stage without such mastery.
While positive psychology generally favors an optimistic outlook, inappropriate optimism can lead to disappointment and mistakes if one acts on the assumption that good things will happen without a basis.
According to John Gottman, these are criticism (attacking a person's character), defensiveness (responding to complaints with counter-attacks), contempt (looking down on a partner), and stonewalling (withdrawing from conversation).
Extended education provides an environment with other learners and good teachers, forcing engagement with diverse work, and offers structured learning that might not occur through self-teaching.
The Me Too movement has brought to light the widespread abuse women have faced for centuries, shifting incentives so that powerful men are less protected and women are more empowered to report harassment and assault without being blamed.
Consciousness of ageism has come too late and is still not widely recognized, particularly in areas like dating, Hollywood roles, and hiring in business and tech, where older individuals, especially women, face significant discrimination.
25 Actionable Insights
1. Cultivate PERMA for Well-being
Actively cultivate PERMA (Positive Emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, Accomplishment) in your life, as these five elements are crucial for overall well-being and can be negatively impacted by factors like unemployment.
2. Avoid Relationship “Four Horsemen”
To foster healthier relationships, actively avoid the “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse”: criticism (focus on behavior, not character), defensiveness, contempt (looking down on your partner), and stonewalling (withdrawing from conversation).
3. Strive for Wisdom
Move beyond merely accumulating facts and knowledge to cultivate wisdom, which involves using all your experience and learning to improve your behavior, how you treat others, and how you manage your existence.
4. Practice Positive Creativity
Approach creativity with a positive mindset, focusing on the joy of the process and the potential to help others, rather than dwelling on the difficulty of generating ideas.
5. Simplify Creative Environment
Simplify your creative environment by decluttering your workspace and minimizing visual distractions, as this can improve focus and enhance the flow of ideas.
6. Organize Projects for Motivation
Organize your creative projects by keeping each one separate and visible, allowing you to see the volume of your work, which can boost morale, remind you to continue, and reinforce past achievements.
7. Take Short Daily Breaks
Incorporate short (5-7 minute) breaks into your daily routine, using this time for activities you love, such as meditating or taking a walk, to refresh your mind and boost productivity.
8. Immerse in Creative Field
To foster creativity, deeply immerse yourself in your chosen field by reading extensively, studying different styles, and exposing yourself to a wide range of works (e.g., 100 poems for a poet).
9. Master Technical Skills (Music)
For aspiring musicians, prioritize developing technical mastery through consistent study, lessons, and practice, as this foundation is crucial before creativity can be fully explored.
10. Role Model Desired Behavior
Lead by example by authentically embodying the behaviors and qualities you wish to see in your team or children, as role modeling is an incredibly important and effective way to influence others.
11. Commit to Lifelong Learning
Embrace a mindset of continuous, lifelong learning, as ongoing education, whether formal or self-directed, is a source of joy, knowledge, and personal development.
12. Engage in Everyday Generosity
Practice everyday acts of generosity, such as smiling at strangers or being kind to service staff, and leverage your connections or bravery on behalf of others to bring them joy or opportunities.
13. Be Braver for Others
If you find it difficult to advocate for yourself, try to be brave on behalf of others, as the genuine desire to help someone else can provide the courage needed to act.
14. Balance Optimism with Nuance
Adopt a nuanced perspective on societal progress: appreciate the long-term improvements while acknowledging current problems and temporary setbacks, to maintain motivation for continued action and improvement.
15. Use Discouragement as Challenge
When faced with discouragement or negative feedback, use it as a challenge to propel yourself to improve and achieve your goals, rather than giving up.
16. Use Neutral Music for Breaks
During breaks, listen to neutral, instrument-free music with noise-canceling headphones to allow your mind to fully relax and disengage from analytical thought, especially if your work involves music.
17. Combine Creative Media
Explore combining multiple creative media (e.g., words, music, visuals) in your projects, as different forms can inspire and propel each other, leading to powerful and beautiful results.
18. Words as Creative Propulsion
If you struggle with musical composition, try using words (poetry, libretto) as a primary source of inspiration and propulsion, as strong feelings about words can practically generate the music.
19. Seek Great Teachers/Mentors
Actively seek out great teachers and identify wonderful mentors who can provide valuable guidance and positive encouragement for your creative development.
20. Encourage Early Diverse Passions
Encourage children to explore diverse creative fields early in life, as developing these loves can lead to a multi-passioned and fulfilling creative journey.
21. Provide Positive Feedback to Children
When encouraging children in creative pursuits, provide specific and positive feedback on their work, as this encouragement can be profoundly impactful and foster a lasting love for the activity.
22. Cultivate Aesthetic Sensitivity
Pay attention to and cultivate your aesthetic sensitivity, as responding deeply to visual beauty in art, nature, or even everyday colors can bring immense joy and intellectual stimulation.
23. Appreciate Diverse Art Forms
Seek out and appreciate art forms or creative endeavors that you do not personally practice, as this allows for pure enjoyment and intellectual engagement without the analytical or critical lens of your own craft.
24. Seek Intellectual Pleasures
Prioritize and engage in intellectual pleasures, such as exploring new ideas and understanding how the world works, as this can be a deep and consistent source of personal satisfaction and growth.
25. Avoid Negative Self-Talk
Practice “No Negative Self-Talk” in relationships by avoiding self-deprecating comments, as putting yourself down can be unhelpful and impact the dynamic with your partner.
7 Key Quotes
Creativity and music requires mastery. Anybody can write four words when they're three years old, as long as they can learn to write. But instruments take a high degree of time investment to reach mastery.
Georgia Shreve
I think it's really interesting how sometimes we can be braver on other people's behalf than our own.
Spencer Greenberg
When you get a standing ovation, I have to say, it's as close to heaven as I've ever been.
Georgia Shreve
I think hope is usually good. But optimism, like suppose I go around saying, I know the stock market will go up 20% this year. I mean, and then I act on the basis of that. I could do very badly.
Spencer Greenberg
I think music is more transcendent than the other arts.
Georgia Shreve
I really am a huge believer that almost anyone can learn almost anything.
Spencer Greenberg
Wisdom is using experience and every aspect of your learning to improve the way you behave in the world, treat people in the world, and manage your existence.
Georgia Shreve
1 Protocols
Enhancing Creativity
Georgia Shreve- Immerse yourself deeply in the creative field you wish to pursue.
- Find great teachers and identify a wonderful mentor.
- Read an immense amount of material in your field (e.g., books and poetry for writing).
- Take two 5 to 7 minute breaks every day, doing something you love or relaxing your mind away from work.
- Simplify your creative environment, keeping your workspace decluttered and free of distractions.
- Seek positive encouragement and feedback, especially from valid teachers and mentors.
- Practice regularly, viewing creativity as a skill or muscle that improves with use.