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SuperCreativity Podcast with James Taylor | Creativity, Innovation and Inspiring Ideas

SuperCreativity Podcast with James Taylor | Creativity, Innovation and Inspiring Ideas

By: James Taylor
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 In the SuperCreativity™ podcast, creativity expert and innovation keynote speaker James Taylor interviews leading thinkers, innovators and performers and has them reveal their strategies and techniques to help you unlock your own creative potential. If you enjoy listening to conversations with creative thinkers, innovators, entrepreneurs, artists, authors, educators, and performers then you've come to the right place. Each week we discuss their ideas, life, work, successes, failures, creative process and much more. As a leading creativity and innovation keynote speaker James teaches and interviews creative leaders including Seth Godin, David Allen, Jonathan Fields, Amy Edmondson, Amanda Palmer, Chris Guillebeau, Tommy Emmanuel, Eric Ries and Donald Miller on subjects including; how creativity works, the creative process, what is creativity, how to generate ideas, creativity exercises, creativity research, creative block, creative personality types, theories of creativity, creative thinking, educational creativity, divergent thinking, organizational creativity, creative cultures, and innovation. His work builds on other leading creativity experts including Julia Cameron, Sir Ken Robinson, Michael J Gelb, Eric Maisel, Scott Barry Kaufman, Twyla Tharp, Todd Henry, Jeff Goins, Richard Florida, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Steven Pressfield, Tina Seelig, Josh Linkner and many others. James Taylor shows us how we can all learn to be more creative.James Taylor Economics Management Management & Leadership Personal Development Personal Success
Episodes
  • Creativity in Large-Scale Contexts: How Environments Shape Innovation with Professor Jonathan Feinstein #364

    Creativity in Large-Scale Contexts: How Environments Shape Innovation with Professor Jonathan Feinstein #364
    Dec 9 2025
    Episode Description In this episode of the SuperCreativity Podcast, James Taylor speaks with Professor Jonathan S. Feinstein, the John G. Searle Professor of Economics and Management at Yale School of Management, and one of the world's foremost thinkers on the science of creativity. His acclaimed new book, Creativity in Large-Scale Context, explores how creative ideas don't emerge in isolation—they evolve within complex networks of people, places, experiences, and guiding principles. Feinstein shares why pure inspiration is rarely enough in today's interconnected world, and how individuals and organizations can navigate vast creative systems by using "guiding conceptions" and "guiding principles." From Virginia Woolf's literary maps to Indigenous Australian painter Clifford Possum's dreamings and Steve Jobs's design insights, this conversation reframes creativity as a dynamic process that connects the individual imagination with its wider context. Whether you're leading innovation, designing strategy, or nurturing creative talent, you'll learn a framework for creativity that is structured, scientific—and profoundly human. Key Takeaways Creativity happens in context — Every idea is shaped by our networks of experience, people, and place. Guiding conceptions provide vision — They define what's worth exploring before the specific idea arrives. Guiding principles provide structure — They help us recognize and refine the key missing piece that completes a project. Artists and scientists share the same process — From Virginia Woolf to Albert Einstein, the most creative minds balance openness with rigor. Context builds confidence — Mapping your influences helps you understand where new connections can emerge. Notable Quotes "We create in context. Every creative act is shaped by the world we've built around ourselves." – Professor Jonathan Feinstein "A guiding conception is your creative compass—it points to what's exciting, even before you know what form it will take." – Professor Jonathan Feinstein "You can't connect everything; there are infinite possibilities. Guidance helps you find the fruitful paths." – Professor Jonathan Feinstein "Artists are far more conceptual than we give them credit for—they're constantly modeling ideas in their minds." – Professor Jonathan Feinstein "Each of us follows our own unique path of creativity, but within a common human framework." – Professor Jonathan Feinstein Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction to Professor Jonathan Feinstein and his work at Yale 01:19 – Why context—not just inspiration—drives creativity 02:33 – How network models explain creative development 04:23 – Economics meets creativity: viewing ideas as systems of value 06:25 – From The Nature of Creative Development to Creativity in Large-Scale Context 08:01 – Defining "context" in the creative process 10:48 – Virginia Woolf and mapping the creative mind 14:42 – Place as context: Indigenous artist Clifford Possum and the art of mapping dreamings 18:19 – The need for guidance in large-scale creative systems 21:01 – Guiding conceptions: vision before ideas 24:16 – Guiding principles: Steve Jobs, Einstein, and the "missing piece" 26:54 – Teaching creativity at Yale: why artists and engineers think alike 28:54 – Creative pairs and his mathematician brother's influence 31:25 – The Kandinsky cover: visualizing the network of creativity 32:18 – His upcoming third book and the trilogy's big vision 33:42 – Where to find Creativity in Large-Scale Context and connect with Jonathan Resources and Links Book: Creativity in Large-Scale Context – Stanford Business Books Previous Book: The Nature of Creative Development Website: jonathanfeinstein.com Yale School of Management Faculty Profile: som.yale.edu/faculty/jonathan-feinstein
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    35 mins
  • The World of Creativity: Lessons from 75 Countries with Fredrik Haren #363

    The World of Creativity: Lessons from 75 Countries with Fredrik Haren #363
    Oct 21 2025
    The World of Creativity: Lessons from 75 Countries with Fredrik Haren Episode Description In this episode of the SuperCreativity Podcast, James Taylor welcomes back Fredrik Haren, the globally renowned Creativity Explorer and author of The World of Creativity: A Journey Across 37 Countries to Discover the Secrets of Creative Minds. Over the past 25 years, Fredrik has travelled to more than 75 countries, meeting everyone from artists in Afghan villages to innovation leaders in global corporations — all to answer one question: What is creativity? In this fascinating and deeply human conversation, Fredrik shares the most powerful lessons he's learned from creative people across cultures — from Thailand's idea naps and Finland's love of questions, to Japan's Kaizen and America's "move fast and break things." Together, they explore how curiosity fuels creativity, why we must fall in love with the process (not the outcome), and how to un-alienate people to bold new ideas. Whether you're a leader, artist, or lifelong learner, this episode will help you see creativity not as a skill reserved for the few, but as a global language of exploration, humility, and connection. Key Takeaways Creativity loves process, not product — The most creative people fall in love with the how, not just the what. Curiosity is the fuel of creativity — In languages like Finnish and Bulgarian, the word for "curious" literally means "love of asking questions." Developing vs. developed mindsets — Declaring yourself "developed" kills innovation; true progress means staying open and unfinished. Un-alienate new ideas — To introduce radical change, make the unfamiliar feel familiar through gradual storytelling and empathy. Balance exploration and reflection — Fredrik's creative rhythm alternates between global travel (inspiration) and quiet solitude on his private island (reflection). Notable Quotes "You can't master what you don't understand — and most people don't understand the creative process." – Fredrik Haren "If you want to be more creative, become more curious." – Fredrik Haren "Don't be a developed person; be a developing one. Stay soft, stay adaptable." – Fredrik Haren "Sometimes the smartest way to innovate is to make the alien familiar." – Fredrik Haren "Creativity isn't about speed or slowness — it's about knowing when to go fast and when to be patient." – Fredrik Haren Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction to Fredrik Haren and The World of Creativity 01:31 – What it means to be a "Creativity Explorer" 02:55 – Why so few people actively develop their creativity 04:22 – Loving the process: the German brewer's lesson 06:18 – Creativity as practice, not performance 07:56 – The student mindset and the power of curiosity 09:52 – Cultural biases in creativity and the danger of "developed" thinking 11:50 – Why progress stalls in the most advanced countries 13:43 – The psychology of complacency and lack of imagination 17:04 – "Un-alienating" ideas: how to make the new less scary 19:45 – Lessons from Thai "idea naps" and Sabai Sabai philosophy 22:35 – The neuroscience of rest and creativity 24:20 – Fredrik's creative process: selective seclusion and exploration 26:10 – Globalization and why sameness kills creativity 29:46 – Cultural fusion vs. cultural flattening 31:32 – Kaizen vs. "move fast and break things" — two creative speeds 32:33 – Profound patience: creativity lessons from Afghanistan 36:12 – AI, safety, and the speed of innovation 37:04 – How to explore creativity without leaving your city 39:30 – Storytelling, curiosity, and human connection 40:29 – Inspiration vs. respiration: why ideas need to be acted on 41:51 – Fredrik's current book recommendation: Breath by James Nestor 43:05 – Where to find Fredrik and pre-order The World of Creativity Resources and Links Book: The World of Creativity: A Journey Across 37 Countries to Discover the Secrets of Creative Minds Website: fredrikharen.com Recommended Read: Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor Connect with Fredrik: Search "The Creativity Explorer" on Google or LinkedIn
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    44 mins
  • How the Mind Creates Identity - with Professor Masud Husain #362

    How the Mind Creates Identity - with Professor Masud Husain #362
    Oct 14 2025
    Our Brains, Our Selves: How the Mind Creates Identity with Professor Masud Husain Episode Description

    In this episode of the SuperCreativity Podcast, James Taylor speaks with Professor Masud Husain, neurologist, neuroscientist, essayist, and author of Our Brains, Ourselves: What a Neurologist's Patients Tell Him About the Brain. A leading researcher at the University of Oxford, Husain explores how the brain constructs our sense of self—and what happens when that system breaks down.

    Through remarkable patient stories—from a man who loses his motivation after a stroke to a woman whose hand acts with a mind of its own—Husain shows how identity, motivation, and consciousness emerge from the fragile architecture of the brain. Together, they discuss the neuroscience of apathy and addiction, the role of dopamine in behavior, the intersection of AI and neurobiology, and what it truly means to be human.

    If you've ever wondered how much of "you" is shaped by your brain—and how much you can change—this conversation offers profound insights into the science of the self.

    Key Takeaways

    • The brain builds identity — Selfhood arises from multiple interacting functions: memory, motivation, attention, and perception.

    • Apathy and addiction share the same circuitry — Dopamine links motivational cues to action; too little or too much disrupts balance.

    • Motivation can be restored — Dopaminergic treatments show promise for patients whose "will to act" has vanished after brain injury.

    • Attention is selective and limited — The brain filters vast sensory input, sustaining focus through the right hemisphere's networks.

    • We remain flexible — Even in adulthood, the brain's plasticity allows for self-directed change in habits, motivation, and mindset.

    Notable Quotes

    "Our brains create our identities—ourselves. And when a part of that function fails, so does a piece of who we are." – Prof. Masud Husain

    "Motivation is not just psychological—it's biological. It lives in deep circuits that connect desire to action." – Prof. Masud Husain

    "Apathy and addiction are two sides of the same coin—they both involve the brain's motivation system gone wrong." – Prof. Masud Husain

    "We can still learn and reshape who we are. Even in adulthood, the brain remains astonishingly flexible." – Prof. Masud Husain

    Timestamps

    • 00:00 – Introduction to Professor Masud Husain and Our Brains, Ourselves

    • 01:24 – How neurological patients reveal the building blocks of identity

    • 03:18 – Why the self is a neuro function, not a philosophical abstraction

    • 05:24 – The brain as a "controlled hallucination" machine

    • 06:57 – Case study: David, apathy, and the basal ganglia

    • 09:54 – Dopamine, motivation, and recovery through treatment

    • 14:35 – Oxford study on apathy and brain activation differences

    • 16:23 – Apathy vs. addiction: the same motivation circuitry at work

    • 19:02 – Dopamine as the "wanting" transmitter, not the pleasure chemical

    • 21:52 – Attention, distraction, and why focus is so difficult to sustain

    • 24:50 – How Marvin Minsky's "society of mind" shaped modern neuroscience

    • 27:55 – The illusion of self: from Descartes to Buddhist philosophy

    • 30:12 – Case study: Anna's "alien hand" and body representation in the brain

    • 33:38 – Phantom limbs, body maps, and how tools become part of us

    • 36:01 – When machines become extensions of the self

    • 37:41 – How adults can retrain motivation and change behavior

    • 39:26 – Why the brain's plasticity offers lifelong potential for growth

    • 40:05 – Book recommendation: Principles of Neuroscience by Eric Kandel

    • 40:46 – Where to learn more: masudhusain.org

    Resources and Links

    • Book: Our Brains, Ourselves

    • Website: masudhusain.org

    • Recommended Read: Principles of Neuroscience by Eric Kandel and James Schwartz
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    42 mins
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