Born To Create

Have you ever wondered what it takes to become a ghostwriter? It’s a mysterious part of the writing industry that, by definition, remains hidden from view much of the time. Fortunately, our guest today helps shed some light on the world of ghostwriting. His name is Nick Pavlidis, and he is a ghostwriter who specializes in creating professionally-written and designed books to help entrepreneurs, speakers, consultants, and professionals expand their influence and enhance their market positioning. Nick also writes under his own name, most recently with the book Confessions of a Terrible Husband: Lessons Learned from a Lumpy Couch. Nick also hosts three podcasts: Confessions of a Terrible Husband Attorney Marketing Institute Five Minutes with Dad (hosted with his two kids) On this episode, you’ll learn how ghostwriting actually works and how a book can help build your career and increase your business. Nick also shares practical tips for being more successful and connecting with influencers. Highlights &

I’m excited about the re-launch of the Born to Create Podcast, and honored that you’re taking some time to read this post and listen to the episode. I call this a “re-launch” because the first version of Born to Create was simply an audio blog. The new version of the show features interviews with artists, authors, thinkers, and leaders who can help make a difference in your life and your art. In the notes below, I’ll share some info about the show so you’ll know what to expect each week. In the show audio, I go into a bit of detail about my background, but if you’re reading this post you can find more detailed information by visiting my About page. What is the show about, and why should you listen? Born to Create is a weekly show where we explore the stories, wisdom, and insights of creative thinkers who can help you make a bigger impact in your art and your life. Each show will average around 45-50 mins. total and will feature an interview, plus practical takeaways and action steps. Here are a few reasons wh

The concept of a sabbatical has nearly been lost in our modern culture. Our technology allows us to stay connected 24/7, and many of us can do our work anywhere there is an internet connection. As a result, we have forgotten how to rest. Sabbaticals are still a reality in some academic settings. Likewise, some lucky pastors also get a sabbatical. But for most everyone else, an extended sabbatical is a dream that will probably never become a reality. That’s why we have to find creative ways to take breaks and refresh ourselves. In this episode, you’ll learn about the importance of taking a break, why I’m taking a short break from blogging and podcasting, and why you should take a break as well. For the post that accompanies this episode, head over to http://kentsanders.net/sabbatical. I definitely appreciate your feedback! When you leave a rating and review on iTunes, it helps other people discover the show, and it also helps me to serve you better. To leave a rating a review for the show, you can do so here:

One of the core principles that guide my life is the value of learning from different disciplines. All the great creative minds in history drew from various areas of study that informed and enhanced their thinking. If you want to develop a great mind as well, one of the best places to start is by expanding your reading to areas outside of creativity and the arts. In this episode, I’ll highlight ten books that have helped me become not only a better leader, but a better artist as well. For the post that accompanies this episode, head over to http://kentsanders.net/leadershipbooks. I definitely appreciate your feedback! If you’d like to leave a rating & review for the Born to Create podcast, you can do so here: http://KentSanders.net/itunes.    Ready to break through your creative barriers, navigate fear & doubt, and get clear on your priorities? That’s why I wrote The Artist’s Suitcase: 26 Essentials for the Creative Journey. Grab your copy here: http://KentSanders.net/suitcase. Join our growing Born t

A number of years ago, I sat down in my son’s bedroom late at night after he fell asleep. I was in my mid-30’s and intensely discouraged. As I began to pour out my thoughts, they took shape as a manifesto. I included this “Artist’s Manifesto” at the end of my book The Artist’s Suitcase because it represents the core of what I believe about artists. In this episode, I’m also sharing it here because it never hurts to get back to the basics. Whether or not you’ve heard it before, I hope it encourages you to stand up and embrace your creative destiny. For the post that accompanies this episode, head over to http://kentsanders.net/manifesto. I definitely appreciate your feedback! If you’d like to leave a rating & review for the Born to Create podcast, you can do so here: http://KentSanders.net/itunes.    Ready to break through your creative barriers, navigate fear & doubt, and get clear on your priorities? That’s why I wrote The Artist’s Suitcase: 26 Essentials for the Creative Journey. Grab your copy here

I’ll be honest: one of my least favorite aspects of blogging is creating images. Graphic design has never been my strong suit, so selecting and manipulating images has always been something I’ve just tolerated. At the same time, images are an important part of the reader experience. We are visual creatures, and a screen full of text with no images is pretty boring to read. For several years, I struggled with figuring out a good way to produce quality images for my blog. But the last year or so, I have been using the Word Swag app, which helps me create high-quality images in just a few minutes. In this episode, you’ll learn why I love this app and how it can help you create images for your blog. I’ll also point you to a video walkthrough of the app to show you exactly how to use it. For the post that accompanies this episode, head over to http://kentsanders.net/blogimages. I definitely appreciate your feedback! When you leave a rating and review on iTunes, it helps other people discover the show, and it also

I’ve always been drawn to Gothic cathedrals. These medieval works of art represent one of the pinnacles of human ingenuity and creativity. The designers, laborers, and craftsmen worked to build something they knew would outlive them—not only by decades, but by centuries. That’s a stark contrast to today’s creative world, where we don’t normally think in centuries or decades, or even years. We think in weeks and days, hours and moments. But is there a way to balance the need for relevance and timeliness with a more long-term perspective on our creative work? The real question is: Will your art outlive you? In this post, we’ll ponder this question as we look at three imperatives that we must consider if we’re going to create art that lasts. For the post that accompanies this episode, head over to http://kentsanders.net/cathedrals. I definitely appreciate your feedback! When you leave a rating and review on iTunes, it helps other people discover the show, and it also helps me to serve you better. To leave a rati

As a creative entrepreneur, you have an endless number of career choices available to you today. These options can be a real blessing or a real curse. They can be a blessing because you can tailor-fit your creative work to fit your passions, gifts, and interests. But they can also be a curse because it’s easy to get paralyzed by all these options. This has increasingly been my experience the last couple of years. I recently sat down and thought through all of the types of work I’m currently doing, or could possibly be doing, to make money. To help give me clarity and direction, I created ten questions that have helped me decide my future direction. Some of these questions are controversial, but in the end, I believe they will help you as much as they have helped me. In this episode, you’ll learn what these ten questions are and why they are important. I’ll also share how to access a free assessment that will help you clearly walk through all of the work you are doing, or could possibly be doing, and how to fi

Do you ever feel like your New Year’s goals are a distant memory by the time summer arrives? Me, too. Guilty as charged. There has been more than one summer when I’ve resigned myself to failure and said, “Eh, it’s too late now. Maybe I’ll tackle that creative project next year.” If you can relate, I have a solution you’ll love: the 2017 Summer Creative Challenge. During the month of June, I’m hosting a 30-day challenge to help you tackle a major creative goal. The purpose of the Summer Creative Challenge is for you to decide on a creative goal and make major progress toward achieving it during the month of June. This can be any goal that helps you achieve success in your creative life. In this episode, you’ll learn three reasons why you should join the challenge, and how it will benefit you. For the post that accompanies this episode, head over to http://kentsanders.net/2017summercreativechallenge. I definitely appreciate your feedback! If you’d like to leave a rating & review for the Born to Create podca

I have been dealing with depression since my late 20’s. I’m now 42, so this has been an ongoing battle with a demon that will be lurking in the shadows until I die. A couple of months ago I went through a wave of depression that lasted for a couple of weeks. In this post, I want to share what happened and what I learned. This is a different post than usual. But if you are struggling with depression, I hope you will come away knowing that you are not alone in your struggle. My main goal is to urge you to do whatever is needed to get healthy. For the post that accompanies this episode, head over to http://kentsanders.net/surviveddepression. I definitely appreciate your feedback! If you’d like to leave a rating & review for the Born to Create podcast, you can do so here: http://KentSanders.net/itunes.    Ready to break through your creative barriers, navigate fear & doubt, and get clear on your priorities? That’s why I wrote The Artist’s Suitcase: 26 Essentials for the Creative Journey. Grab your copy he

Do you ever have trouble staying motivated and productive in your creative life? If so, you’re definitely not alone! My friend Cary recently sent me a question that expressed what many of us feel sometimes. He says: I have plenty of blog, podcast and video ideas floating around in my head. When I actually sit down and write, record, or create a video, I am on top of the world because I am getting it out of me and into the world.  One of the problems I have is staying actively productive. I'll have spurts where I am cranking out good content on a regular basis, then I will get off track and look up and months have gone by without anything being done.  Therefore my question is: How do I keep from being thrown off track so easily and stay on top of putting my content out weekly, like I want to do? Cary has two separate but related issues here: motivation and productivity. Both of these are solved by having a system for producing your content. A system is a repeatable process that you can use to get predictable r

Not too long ago, I was talking with a friend about the success his and his family were having. He had just received a promotion at work and a substantial bump in compensation. His wife had also gotten a new job and was making twice her former salary. Life was going really well for them. But I confess that the more he talked, the worse I felt about myself. My joy morphed into jealousy as I secretly wondered why so many good things weren’t happening for me, too. No one is immune to seductive whispers of jealousy. We must constantly be on the lookout for the “green-eyed monster” that loves to tell seven lies that we’ll expose on this episode. Don’t let your feelings of jealousy hold you back. Face your negative emotions and start doing the work you’re called to do. For the post that accompanies this episode, head over to http://kentsanders.net/jealousylies. I definitely appreciate your feedback! If you’d like to leave a rating & review for the Born to Create podcast, you can do so here: http://KentSanders.n

A few weeks ago I spoke to a friend about a creative opportunity. I thought I had a good shot at being accepted for it, but then my friend called me back. I was not going to be considered for the opportunity. At first, I was hurt and a little angry. I moped around the house for a couple of days, feeling sorry for myself.  But on Saturday morning, I woke up and had a stark realization: I was acting like a child and my attitude sucked. I stood back and took a hard look at myself. What could I learn from this? How could this rejection make me better? In this post, I’ll share nine things I have learned from this experience. I hope these will be useful as you deal with rejection in your own life. For the post that accompanies this episode, head over to http://kentsanders.net/rejected. I definitely appreciate your feedback! If you’d like to leave a rating & review for the Born to Create podcast, you can do so here: http://KentSanders.net/itunes.    Ready to break through your creative barriers, navigate fear &a

Relationships are the glue that holds society together. If we’re going to succeed in our families, work, and creative lives, we must know how to relate well with people. However, sometimes things go south and relationships start to crumble in our work environments. It might be a firing, layoff, controversial leadership decision, or some other event that sets you emotionally on edge. When this happens, it’s easy to fly off the handle and do something you’ll later regret. In this episode, you’ll learn five tips that will help you avoid workplace drama that so often derails careers and ruins relationships. For the post that accompanies this episode, head over to http://kentsanders.net/workplacedrama. I definitely appreciate your feedback! If you’d like to leave a rating & review for the Born to Create podcast, you can do so here: http://KentSanders.net/itunes.    Ready to break through your creative barriers, navigate fear & doubt, and get clear on your priorities? That’s why I wrote The Artist’s Suitcas

One of Aesop’s best-known fables is The Tortoise and the Hare. The hare challenges the tortoise to a race, confident he will win by a long shot. The race begins and the hare gets so far ahead of the tortoise that he takes a nap. When the hare wakes up, he finds that the tortoise kept moving and won the race! You and I can learn a lot from the tortoise. It may take a while to get where we’re going, but if we persist we’ll eventually get there. In this episode, you’ll learn five common reasons why we want to give up, and how to deal with each of them. If you are feeling stuck or discouraged, these practical tips will help get you moving again. For the post that accompanies this episode, head over to http://kentsanders.net/howtokeepgoing. I definitely appreciate your feedback! If you’d like to leave a rating & review for the Born to Create podcast, you can do so here: http://KentSanders.net/itunes.    Ready to break through your creative barriers, navigate fear & doubt, and get clear on your priorities?

On the surface, it may appear like artists and farmers have nothing to with each other. But if we look at the process of farming, there is a lot you can learn about becoming a more effective and influential artist. In this episode, you’ll learn how to apply the three steps of farming to your creative work. They will help you develop a long-term perspective as an artist. They will also help you see that building a body of work and influencing others takes time … but the results are worth it! I definitely appreciate your feedback! If you’d like to leave a rating & review for the Born to Create podcast, you can do so here: http://KentSanders.net/itunes.    Ready to break through your creative barriers, navigate fear & doubt, and get clear on your priorities? That’s why I wrote The Artist’s Suitcase: 26 Essentials for the Creative Journey. Grab your copy here: http://KentSanders.net/suitcase. Join our growing Born to Create Community on Facebook! Check it out here: http://KentSanders.net/facebookgroup. 

I have been teaching guitar for over twenty years. Despite the wide variety of students I’ve taught, they’ve all had one thing in common: they needed to find the right guitar to suit their needs. All guitars are not created equal. When you choose the right guitar, you will become a better player because the instrument is a good fit for you. In this episode, you’ll learn three keys to choosing the right guitar. If you’re considering buying a guitar, these tips will help you make the best choice. But even if you don’t play guitar, you may be helping someone else choose one in the future. I definitely appreciate your feedback! If you’d like to leave a rating & review for the Born to Create podcast, you can do so here: http://KentSanders.net/itunes.    Ready to break through your creative barriers, navigate fear & doubt, and get clear on your priorities? That’s why I wrote The Artist’s Suitcase: 26 Essentials for the Creative Journey. Grab your copy here: http://KentSanders.net/suitcase. Join our growing

How do you stand out as a creative professional? Is it a matter of being cheaper and faster than your competition? Do you need to be a genius or super-talented? The answer is simpler than it seems. In this episode, you’ll learn 3 simple ways to stand out as a creative professional. Anyone can do these. It just takes a little more time and effort. But these practices will instantly set you apart make you a hero to those you serve. I definitely appreciate your feedback! If you’d like to leave a rating & review for the Born to Create podcast, you can do so here: http://KentSanders.net/itunes.    Ready to break through your creative barriers, navigate fear & doubt, and get clear on your priorities? That’s why I wrote The Artist’s Suitcase: 26 Essentials for the Creative Journey. Grab your copy here: http://KentSanders.net/suitcase. Join our growing Born to Create Community on Facebook! Check it out here: http://KentSanders.net/facebookgroup. 

This month, April 2017, marks the end of my thirteenth year as a Professor at St. Louis Christian College in Florissant, Missouri. Over these years, I’ve taught hundreds of students and have spent countless hours teaching and advising them. When I started teaching, I thought I had all the answers. I had no idea that I would learn as much (probably more) from my students as I would teach them. In this episode, I’ll share 7 life lessons I’ve learned from my students. They will also serve you well as you lead and influence others. I definitely appreciate your feedback! If you’d like to leave a rating & review for the Born to Create podcast, you can do so here: http://KentSanders.net/itunes.    Ready to break through your creative barriers, navigate fear & doubt, and get clear on your priorities? That’s why I wrote The Artist’s Suitcase: 26 Essentials for the Creative Journey. Grab your copy here: http://KentSanders.net/suitcase. Join our growing Born to Create Community on Facebook! Check it out here: ht

As parents, what do we truly want for our kids? Beyond being happy and healthy, we also want them to grow into people who can make a positive contribution to society and help solve the complex problems of the new few decades. In this episode, you’ll learn five strategies that will help set up your kids for creative success both now and in the future. Helping our kids be creative thinkers is one of the most important jobs we have as parents. I definitely appreciate your feedback! If you’d like to leave a rating & review for the Born to Create podcast, you can do so here: http://KentSanders.net/itunes.    Ready to break through your creative barriers, navigate fear & doubt, and get clear on your priorities? That’s why I wrote The Artist’s Suitcase: 26 Essentials for the Creative Journey. Grab your copy here: http://KentSanders.net/suitcase. Join our growing Born to Create Community on Facebook! Check it out here: http://KentSanders.net/facebookgroup.