Two years after my last episode, I'm back with some final thoughts and a big announcement. I will tell you the one thing that is guaranteed to not only shut your monkey once and for all but also to transform your life and leave a lasting mark on the world.  What is your mission? And how can you make it your destiny? Lets discuss it. If you'd like to continue this discussion, let's do it! My new Sketchbook Skool podcast art for all is available and I'd love to have you join me as I discuss the monkey, but also many other aspects of living a productive and satisfying creative life.  New episodes each week with guests, ideas, essays, jokes, and lots of free giveaways. Subscribe on iTunes and the art for all homepage. This podcast is brought to you by Sketchbook Skool, online art klasses that inspire you how to be creative—no matter what your monkey tries to tell you. See what it’s like to take a klass, and use the promo code MONKEY to save 20 percent off your first kourse. Take that, monkey…

Shut Your Monkey

12-The Final Shutdown

This week we’ll discuss how the monkey uses alcohol, drugs, overeating and other destructive habits to interfere with our creativity. This week's guest is Victor Yocco, the  author and psychologist. Click here to find out more about Victor's new book, Design for the Mind - Seven Psychological Principles of Persuasive Design.  Use the discount code: yoccomupad to get 39% off the book if you order through the publisher.   Monkey of the Week: the Enabler. It’s that voice that says: Have a drink, you deserve it. Get high, it’ll make you more creative. Act like a prima donna if you want anyone to take you seriously. What’s your experience with your monkey? How has it affected you, and how have you overcome it? Record your Monkey Tale at dannygregory.com/monkey. This podcast is brought to you by Sketchbook Skool, online art klasses that inspire you how to be creative—no matter what your monkey tries to tell you. See what it’s like to take a klass, and use the promo code MONKEY to save 20 percent off your first kourse. Take that, monkey…

11Intoxicated - Victor Yocco

Last week, I felt a little harried and overwhelmed and the podcast was rushed and missing some good bits so I hope to make up for it this week with lots of interesting stuff. Our main topic will be how the monkey tries to define our lives in completely unrealistic ways.  This week's guest is Jennifer Louden, the bestselling author and personal growth pioneer. If you like the conversation, I urge to to download a free copy of her great new book. Click here for your free copy of How to Follow Through on Your Creative Desire by Jennifer Louden  Monkey of the Week: The Utopian. It’s that voice that says: "Your life could be so perfect, so much better than this if only you would listen to me. Instead, it sucks and so do you." The Utopian is wrong and we'll discuss how to make things a lot more rosy. Monkey Tale: Susanna is related to her monkey and she's been family for far too long.  What’s your experience with your monkey? How has it affected you, and how have you overcome it? Record your Monkey Tale at dannygregory.com/monkey. This podcast is brought to you by Sketchbook Skool, online art klasses that inspire you how to be creative—no matter what your monkey tries to tell you. See what it’s like to take a klass, and use the promo code MONKEY to save 20 percent off your first kourse. Take that, monkey…

10Impossible — Jennifer Louden

This week we’ll discuss how unreliable the monkey’s advice can be and why you should ignore much of what it says. And then we’ll get some much more reliable and useful advice. We’ll talk to Ilise Benun, the author, speaker and founder of Marketing-Mentor.com, who has been helping creative people improve their game for thirty years.  What’s your experience with your monkey? How has it affected you, and how have you overcome it? Record your Monkey Tale at dannygregory.com/monkey. This podcast is brought to you by Sketchbook Skool, online art klasses that inspire you how to be creative—no matter what your monkey tries to tell you. See what it’s like to take a klass, and use the promo code MONKEY to save 20 percent off your first kourse. Take that, monkey…

09Unreliable — Ilise Benun

In this week’s podcast, Shut Your Monkey author and host Danny Gregory talks with the author Karen Salmansohn. Karen has sold over a million copies of her wonderful and hilarious self-help books, books like How to Be Happy Dammit, The Prince Harming Syndrome, Instant Happy and The Bounce Back Book.  She’s a contributor to Oprah, Psychology Today, The Huffington Post, Lifetime TV, a relationship expert for match.com, and a radio host on Sirius. We had a sprawling, wonderful chat that was eye-opening and monkey-scaring.   Monkey of the Week: The Fuggedabout-it. It’s that voice that says: "Tomorrrow's another day. So's next Thursday." What can we say in response? What’s your experience with your monkey? How has it affected you, and how have you overcome it? Record your Monkey Tale at dannygregory.com/monkey. This podcast is brought to you by Sketchbook Skool, online art klasses that inspire you how to be creative—no matter what your monkey tries to tell you. See what it’s like to take a klass, and use the promo code MONKEY to save 20 percent off your first kourse. Take that, monkey…

08Change - Karen Salmansohn

In this week’s podcast, Shut Your Monkey author and host Danny Gregory talks with the novelist Jonathan Carroll. The conversation is freewheeling — from how to start a novel, to day-jobs to the benefits of self-criticism, how to make your creative self your friend to the pleasures of handwritten manuscripts.  Here's an example of a second draft of his manuscript for Bathing the Lion. He also pointed me to this great video of Francis Ford Coppola showing the manuscript for The Godfather. Monkey Tale: Liz introduces us to her purple monkey What’s your experience with your monkey? How has it affected you, and how have you overcome it? Record your Monkey Tale at dannygregory.com/monkey. This podcast is brought to you by Sketchbook Skool, online art klasses that inspire you how to be creative—no matter what your monkey tries to tell you. See what it’s like to take a klass, and use the promo code MONKEY to save 20 percent off your first kourse. Take that, monkey…

07Distractions - Jonathan Carroll

In this week’s podcast, Shut Your Monkey author and host Danny Gregory talks with Todd Colby, the poet, artist and former member of Drunken Boat. They'll discuss the creative process and the role of discipline and preparation in keeping the monkey at bay.  Monkey of the Week: the Paranoid. It’s that voice that says: "They’re laughing and sneering, because no one likes you. Or trusts you. Or admires you. And they can’t wait to see you screw up." What can we say in response? Monkey Tale: Lenore has a revelation in the shower about who her monkey really is. What’s your experience with your monkey? How has it affected you, and how have you overcome it? Record your Monkey Tale at dannygregory.com/monkey. This podcast is brought to you by Sketchbook Skool, online art klasses that inspire you how to be creative—no matter what your monkey tries to tell you. See what it’s like to take a klass, and use the promo code MONKEY to save 20 percent off your first kourse. Take that, monkey…

06Meddling - Todd Colby

In this week’s podcast, Shut Your Monkey author and host Danny Gregory talks with Patti Digh, the bestselling author, teacher and storyteller. They'll discuss trauma and how the harsh voices of our childhood can continue to play tired old tapes in our heads — long past their expiration date. Monkey of the Week: the Fake. It’s that voice that says: "You are a fraud and an imposter. Everyone knows you can’t do this. They’re all laughing behind your naive back." What can we say in response?  Monkey Tale: A few careless critiques can derail one's young career. Steve tells us how he was sabotaged by his first boss and how he has fought back after years of hiding his talent. What’s your experience with your monkey? How has it affected you, and how have you overcome it? Record your Monkey Tale at dannygregory.com/monkey. This podcast is brought to you by Sketchbook Skool, online art klasses that inspire you how to be creative—no matter what your monkey tries to tell you. See what it’s like to take a klass, and use the promo code MONKEY to save 20 percent off your first kourse. Take that, monkey…

05Ghosts - Patti Digh

Why does the monkey hate when you make create something new? This episode will dig into it. First, I talk about creativity and how the monkey loves to hate it, meddling with your creative process and throwing up blocks. Then I am joined by this week’s guest, the rock-star of graphic design, Stefan Sagmeister.  I’ve known Stefan for about fifteen years and every time we chat I come up away excited, impressed and inspired.  He first became famous for a poster he designed in which he carved all the type into his chest with a razor blade. That shocking experiment was typical of an artist who breaks boundaries left and right. His work for clients like Levis, the Guggenheim, Red Bull, Jay Z, the Olympics, the Rolling Stones, have won every design award and  two Grammies. He has published several gorgeous and mind-bending books (and his sketchbooks are included in my book, An Illustrated Life), and he is a legend to designers everywhere. Every seven years, Stefan closes his studio for a year to recharge his batteries. Most recently, he used his sabbatical to explore the science of happiness. which led to the most visited design exhibit ever. He has just finished directing his first motion picture, The Happy Film. We talk about the process of making it, the obstacles inherent in trying something so brand new, the important of honesty and self-exploration in making good work, the power of communication to improve lives, and so many topics that matter to us both. The conversation was quite a long one but I have decided to share it all in one episode because I think Stefan is one of the most important creative minds of our time and every minute spent with him is never wasted. What’s your experience with your monkey? How has it affected you, and how have you overcome it? Record your Monkey Tale at dannygregory.com/monkey. The Shut Your Monkey podcast is brought to you by Sketchbook Skool, online art klasses that teach you how to be creative—no matter what the monkey says. See what it’s like to take a klass at Sketchbookskool.com. Use the promo code MONKEY and save 20% off your first kourse. Take that, monkey…

04Creative Targets - Stefan Sagmeister

Why do most of us have an inner critic, a negative inner voice that keeps us from being creative and trying new things? In this week’s podcast, Shut Your Monkey author and host Danny Gregory talks with psychologist Dr. Robyn Cooper to uncover Whthe psychological sources of our negative inner voices, shedding light on their origins and exposing them as historical, but not necessarily honest. Dr. Cooper also shares a simple set of questions that will help you make positive and lasting change.  Monkey Tale: Monkeys are excellent mimics—just ask Rosie, who wanted to be an artist, but whose monkey echoes the voices of her parents telling her she wasn’t good enough and to get a “real” job. Hear how she used a watercolor brush as a weapon against her monkey. What’s your experience with your monkey? How has it affected you, and how have you overcome it? Record your Monkey Tale at dannygregory.com/monkey. This podcast is brought to you by Sketchbook Skool, online art klasses that inspire you how to be creative—no matter what your monkey tries to tell you. See what it’s like to take a klass, and use the promo code MONKEY to save 20 percent off your first kourse. Take that, monkey…

03Origins: Dr. Robyn Cooper

What does your monkey—your inner critic—look and sound like? In this podcast, Shut Your Monkey author and host Danny Gregory helps you identify the monkey and shows you why it is not you. Then, Danny talks to artist, therapist, and creativity coach Susanna Suchak about how the monkey can affect all areas of your life, the scientifically proven therapeutic value of journaling, and how to quiet your chimp’s damaging chatter. Monkey of the Week: The Blunderer, the monkey that tries to stop you with doubt. If that fails, it tells you that whatever you’ll doing will burn the house down. Monkey Tale: Debra’s monkeys really don’t want her to write. Find out why and what she did. What’s your experience with your monkey? How has it affected you, and how have you overcome it? Record your Monkey Tale at dannygregory.com/monkey. This podcast is brought to you by Sketchbook Skool, online art klasses that inspire you to be creative—no matter what the monkey says. See what it’s like to take a klass at Sketchbookskool.com. Use the promo code MONKEY, and you’ll save 20 percent off your first kourse. Take that, monkey…

02Meet Your Monkey - Susanna Suchak

 The monkey is your inner critic. It’s the voice inside us that says, “This [whatever creative thing you want to do] is a mistake!” Dare to draw and the monkey will hurl insults at your work; try to write and it’ll screech. The monkey’s job is to keep you from being creative, and it can sabotage all areas of your life. Join Danny Gregory, artist and best-selling author of Shut Your Monkey and the artists, authors, therapists and creatives he interviews. Together we'll learn how to shut our monkeys. In this premiere episode, Danny tells you how to identify the monkey’s voice before it mugs your creative endeavors. This week's Monkey Tale: Christie tells the story of her monkey’s chatter—that she’s too old to make art, doesn’t have enough time or money, and that everything she does is ugly. Hear how she wrassled that chimp to the ground to pursue her creative dreams. What’s your experience with your monkey? How has it affected you, and how have you overcome it? Record your Monkey Tale at dannygregory.com/monkey. The Shut Your Monkey podcast is brought to you by Sketchbook Skool, online art klasses that teach you how to be creative—no matter what the monkey says. See what it’s like to take a klass at Sketchbookskool.com. Use the promo code MONKEY and save 20 percent off your first kourse. Take that, monkey…

01Welcome to Shut Your Monkey

Hear that voice in your head? The one that nitpicks all your new ideas? That's your monkey. And we're gonna shut it down! SHUT YOUR MONKEY: The Podcast is going to give you a weekly dose of moral support and practical advice. With intelligence, wit, and compassion, best-selling author Danny Gregory and his weekly guests will delve deep into your head and pull that monkey out. We'll explore creative blocks, missed deadlines, tantrums, procrastination, perfectionism, and all the old monkey tricks. And we'll leave you super-charged, inspired and ready to start making your best work. Based on the new, life-changing book — available everywhere.

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Shut Your Monkey

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