Dot to Dot Life Connected™
The Hidden Cost of Success - Jacob Nordby Reveals How Creativity Rescued His Spirit
Episode Summary
In this episode, writer Jacob Nordby shares his journey from a successful but unfulfilling career in entrepreneurship to rediscovering his creativity and redefining his sense of purpose. He opens up about how reconnecting with his creative self transformed his values, priorities, and overall approach to life. Together, we explore how creativity is not just about art - it’s a vital spark of life that can show up in everything from writing to sport, problem-solving, or simply how we move through our day.
Episode Notes
Jacob Nordby joins me to discuss his personal journey from feeling trapped in an outwardly successful entrepreneurial career to finding fulfillment through creativity and self-discovery. He reflects on how stepping back from societal definitions of success allowed him to reconnect with what truly mattered - expressing himself and helping others do the same.
We dive into:
- Creativity as a Life Force: How creativity is not limited to art or traditional “creative” work - it’s about feeling alive and expressing who you are, whether that’s through painting, sports, problem-solving, or how you show up in everyday life.
- Making Room for Creativity: The importance of carving out time for creative activities - even if they’re not your primary job - and how this can bring more energy and joy into every area of your life.
- What Blocks Creativity: Jacob explains the three biggest barriers that often shut down our creativity:
- Reconnecting with Your Creative Self: Why self-discovery, self-acceptance, and self-expression are key to breaking through these blocks - and how creativity often requires us to re-learn how to trust ourselves.
- A Balanced Approach: Jacob talks about integrating both left and right brain thinking - combining structure and logic with freedom and imagination - to nurture creativity in all aspects of life.
Jacob also shares insights from his book, The Creative Cure, which offers practical tools and exercises to help readers reconnect with their inner creative selves and find greater freedom and fulfillment.
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and follow the podcast—it helps others discover the show!
Tips to Take Away:
To apply the concept of "creating in the moment" to your daily life and work:
- Be present and attentive to the current moment. Notice your senses, your thoughts, your feelings. Don't get caught up in the past or future.
- Look for opportunities to create something, even if small - a thoughtful email, a doodle, a new recipe, an engaging conversation. Focus on the process of creating, not just the end result.
- Approach tasks and challenges with a mindset of curiosity and exploration, rather than just trying to check things off a to-do list. See each moment as a chance to bring your creativity to bear.
- Take short breaks to reset and reconnect with your inner sense of aliveness and creativity. Even a few minutes of deep breathing or freewriting can help you tap into that energy.
- Experiment and play. Don't get attached to perfection. Allow your creations to be imperfect and evolving.
The key is to shift from seeing creativity as something you produce to a way of being present and engaged in each moment. This can help you feel more alive and fulfilled in both your work and personal life.
Resources: