Most of our projects have many moving pieces. Trying to organize our ideas so we can bring them to life is almost always a challenge. In this coaching episode of Stumbling Toward Genius, listen in while I coach Antonia on how to bring more organization to her passion project. You’ll hear us:  Look at a simple way to gather ideas Identify what's important about the project Consider possibilities to get feedback over the long term And more.  

Stumbling Toward Genius

Organizing a Big Project: Coaching Session

In this episode of Stumbling Toward Genius, you’ll get to listen in on a coaching session with Erin, a lifelong writer who has lost her enthusiasm for writing.   You’ll hear us:  Dispel the myth of when writing needs to happen Questions to ask yourself to revitalize your writing joy What makes it easier to get back into a writing practice A simple exercise to get to the heart of what you want to write And more. 

Revitalizing A Writing Practice: Live Coaching

 Have you ever wondered what doing a project for 100 days would be like? If you're feeling creatively stuck, a daily challenge could be a great way to revive your creative pulse. In this episode of Stumbling Toward Genius, Cynthia shares her experience with daily projects. Cynthia: shares her spectacular failures and surprising wins suggests ways to design a daily project that suits you invites you to the best writing party of the summer. Listen in and get inspired to do your own daily creative practice.

Creative Practice

Stuck at home, we may feel an urge to do some writing on a project. But it’s hard to focus with so many distractions.    Cynthia shares some suggestions for designing an at-home writing retreat that feels great for you. In this episode of Stumbling Toward Genius, Cynthia:    Busts the time myth: It’s not how long it is, it’s how much you can focus Offers before, during and after guidelines Shares a simple tool for diving into the writing.    Plan your own writing retreat easily to finally focus on your writing. 

Design Your At-Home Writing Retreat

In this episode of Stumbling Toward Genius, you’ll hear why I revived the podcast and changed the format.   You'll get actionable insights into how to focus when focus feels impossible. Including:  What you might need to add to your process A contrarian view on setting expectations A couple of ways I make focus easier now Creative Competency: build up your focus from zero. 

How to focus on your creative projects

In this episode of Stumbling Toward Genius, you’ll hear the story of a book I wrote that changed a persistent narrative I'd been telling myself. You’ll hear about: A lifetime obsession of mine - and how I felt ashamed of this passion The project that reversed this shame The gifts that I got from this project Creative Competency: stay with it to receive the gifts waiting at the finish line. 

Earn the Gifts Waiting at the Finish Line

In this episode of Stumbling Toward Genius, you’ll hear the story of how I went all the way to Seattle for an urban sketching workshop and how bad I sucked. And, how I coped with that.  In this episode:  How a new workshop triggered an old incompetency How my intention saved me and allowed me to enjoy rather than deflate Creative competency: Being willing to suck 

I Went to Seattle to Suck This Badly

In this episode of Stumbling Toward Genius, I share how a critique session completely changed the way I think about writing and creating.  You’ll hear:  What happened when I signed up for late night critique at a writing conference What late night really means Two valuable things I learned from the critique Creative competency: compassionate regard. 

They Called it Late Night Critique

If only the glorious genius of our ideas matched our skills! But the truth is, there’s a lot of repetitive and humbling work that goes into making things.   In this episode of Stumbling Toward Genius, you’ll hear how I faced the reality of my skills. You’ll see how I took feedback that told me an uncomfortable truth about my art.   You’ll get the scoop on:  How being in a creative cocoon can feel great but may not yield great results How to insist on constructive criticism How to not let perfectionism ruin your process Creative competency: Kneel at the altar of your craft 

Kneel at the Altar of Your Craft

In this episode of Stumbling Toward Genius, you’ll hear about a big moment in my creative career and how it challenged me to my limits. You’ll see how I abandoned myself for the sake of others. And what that taught me about our genius. In this episode:  How I chose faith over fear How I coped with a serious system malfunction How fulfilling a creative dream wasn’t what I thought it would be Creative Competency - Stay true to yourself 

We All Just Want to Look Good

Have you ever had an experience early in life that determined your path? Even if that wasn’t your path, a comment or a person directed you away from an essential part of you. In this episode of Stumbling Toward Genius, you’ll hear the story of how I reclaimed my artist and why this was so vital to my well-being.

What an F Did for My Artist

There comes a fork in the road that happens at least once - probably many times - in a creative project. It’s the moment when it seems like a much better idea to just freaking abandon your project. To just ditch it and all the difficulties and start something new. Something fresh. Something EASY. To pop back to the beginning of a creative project where everything is all rosy and fun and exciting!  In this episode of Stumbling Toward Genius, I share a moment where I, like many of us, just wanted to find my place. To find a place for my book and for me. And how that didn’t seem likely to happen.

When It Feels Like There's No Place for You or Your Art

In this episode of Stumbling Toward Genius, you’ll hear how I overcame a massive technological mountain to publish my first book. I will share the story of my very first ebook and how it almost didn’t make it to the world. This is for you if you have given up or are considering giving up on something because you can’t get the pixels to line up.

Every Project Has a Mountain to Climb

In this episode of Stumbling Toward Genius, you’ll hear why it took so dang long to write my novel, Chasing Sylvia Beach. I share the secret tool that kept me going when I wanted to give up.  You’ll get the skinny on:  Why it took so many drafts How I coped with the difficulty of writing a novel What kept me going even when it would have been easier to give up The creative competency: dedicated persistence! Staying with it even when we don’t want to. 

Draft After Draft After Draft...

In this episode of Stumbling Toward Genius, find out how I started my coaching business 20 years ago. It was without a clue, with a dose of brio and with a lot of help from my friends. In this episode:  You’ll hear the strategies I used to get the word out about my coaching The income streams that floated me while I built my coaching client roster How I coped with feeling incompetent at the beginning Tune in to find out how I used the power of bold innocence to leap into my business.

Starting a Business with Bold Innocence

Stumbling Toward Genius is a storytelling podcast for creatives hosted by writing and creativity coach Cynthia Morris. It’s your haven for when it seems like a good idea to give up your creative dreams. Tune in weekly for actionable inspiration to feel less alone and more empowered as you stumble toward your genius.

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Stumbling Toward Genius

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