362: Setting Creative Intentions Instead of Expectations with James McCrae

“Expectations are the enemy to the creative process. Sometimes you have to let go of the known to see the unknown.”

Today I’m speaking with James McCrae, an author, poet, and meme artist based in Austin, Texas. He is the founder of 🌻 Sunflower Club, a global school and community dedicated to conscious creativity.

As a creative strategist, he has worked with top brands and startups. James is the author of Sh#t Your Ego Says and How to Laugh in Ironic Amusement During Your Existential Crisis, and today we’re talking about his new book, The Art of You: The Essential Guidebook for Reclaiming Your Creativity.

🌟 3 Key Takeaways

• Life falling apart is an opportunity to surrender: we all have ideas of where we want to go and where we want to be, but sometimes our higher self has other plans that are better than the ones we can see.

• Set intentions, not expectations: It’s about orienting your consciousness in a certain direction. It’s about knowing your purpose and how you want to show up so that you aren’t just reacting to the external world. Expectations are the enemy to the creative process.

• Look for your golden thread of teachers: Each of your teachers was taught by another teacher that goes back through time.

✅ Try This Next: Find Your Creative Lineage

Excerpted from The Art of You:

1. Think back to the people who were influential on your creative journey. They could be a novelist, a musician, a poet, an artist, a spiritual guide, a teacher, or even a friend.

2. Consider different types of guides. Who first inspired you to be creative? Who taught you the most about style and technique? Who helped to expand your cultural and artistic horizons? Who continues to push you to be better? Make a list of five to ten creative guides.

3. Is there a common thread, either stylistically or philosophically, that ties them together?

4. Now revisit their work with fresh eyes. Read their books. Listen to their music. Search YouTube and watch any talks or interviews available. See what you notice. What do you like? What don't you like?

5. Write down what you learned from each guide in a few sentences each.

🔗 Resources Mentioned

• James on the web, IG, Twitter, LinkedIn

• Website: Know Your Meme

• Video: Interview with Danny Miranda—Creatives are Explorers

📚 Books Mentioned

• The Art of You: The Essential Guidebook for Reclaiming Your Creativity by James McCrae

• Sh#t Your Ego Says

• How to Laugh in Ironic Amusement During Your Existential Crisis

• The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins

• The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin

• Free Time: Lose the Busywork, Love Your Business

• Pivot: The Only Move That Matters Is Your Next One

• Life After College

🎧 Related Episodes

• James’ show: 🌻 Sunflower Club

• Spotify Playlists: Pivot x Career Pathfinder podcast episodes with Adrian Klaphaak

• SPARKED with Jonathan Fields x Jenny Blake

• Pivot: 85: Musician Trevor Hall on Karma, Healing, Soul Maps From the Stars + Fruitful Darkness Song Premiere

• 342: “Whatever Comes Through Me Comes for Me First,” with Nicole Antoinette

• Free Time: 223: The Confidence Trap: Why You Don’t Need It to Do Big Things

• 198: Book Club ✨ OUTRAGEOUS OPENNESS: Letting the Divine Take the Lead

• 003: Liberate Your Life Force with Christine Arylo

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📝 Check out full show notes at http://pivotmethod.com/362