Every large corporation on our planet was once a startup with an innovative vision. They became so successful, the end result is a big company in the now. Yet, however forward-thinking when they started out, by far their greatest challenge is to keep that innovative spirit alive, now that they've often bceome more conservative. The key to doing so is in the story they tell themselves . Today, we discuss the crucial identity narrative . For business survival. A Tale of Respons

We don’t know. That’s the truth. At the very bottom, the only truth that counts is this: no one knows what artificial intelligence will bring. No one knows what positives and negatives are coming. The real story of AI? We. Just. Don’t. Know. That’s the premise of this article. Anyone who says otherwise right now, is full of horse-dong. Thankfully, we do know one thing. We know a little something about who is building it: ourselves. So, strap yourselves in really tight, and le

You are not going to like this. But it’s the truth. That anxiety you feel? When you’re releasing that art thing or that creative project of yours? It never fades. I know, I know, it’s not what you wanted to hear. But there is a silver lining: that anxiety has a function. Without it, you wouldn’t be an artist actually. Allow me to explain. In our Amsterdam music app group, one of the singers recently told us that she was viciously attacked online after posting a video of her s

Many of us can get disheartened in the storytelling professions. So this is a simple blog to boost your moral. There is always demand for a good story. So hang in there and read this article every time you feel down. Here goes... Gotta Break Through The Clutter Storytelling is a demand-driven market. There is always – and I really mean always – demand for good storytellers. Despite appearances, good stories are in short supply. Just think of this: Hollywood on average produc

One of the key aspects to a successful creative career is owning (up to) what you bring out. I call this creative agency or ownership: a culmination of everything you can and cannot do with your own output. And on each step - big or small - you will always face the same choice: do I keep my agency, or give it away? To anwer that question, I'm going to scare the living bejesus out of you. It is a great game... Flipping the script Just now, I had a really nice lunch with a ver

In its essence, a conspiracy theory is just a story. A pretty bad one actually. Yet under the right circumstances, it becomes so potent, it can cause an insurrection. What makes such a flimsy narrative so strong? From a storytelling perspective, that's a fascinating question. And the kicker? You and I both my dear reader, have already falling for it many times over. Hold on to your knickers, we're diving in the deep end today. And it starts with creativity. Patterns, Pride &

We tend to forget that, however crucial to our lives, at the end of the day money is still very much an imaginary construct. In essence, it's a story. We tell each other that a coin, a certain piece of paper, or a digital number has exchangeable value. A mutual agreement based on trust. Yet this past period is unearthing some incredibly weird stuff about cash. So today we're asking one of the coolest questions out there: Does money still work as a story construct? What is mon

Recently, I had a walk with a good friend, and she told me she's been avoiding all those modern series because they are so addictive. This brought us to the question why Netflix, HBO, Amazon, Hulu or Disney series are so incredibly good (and addictive!) these days. The answer, at least for the most part, is the slow character build up. So today we'll look at slow story and character building, and how it translates to other forms of storytelling and even branding. Okay... mayb

During a small online music and poetry event yesterday, we were asked to reflect on the past year. Funny thing is, despite all the emotional art, writing and creative work I do, I'm actually not the sentimental type. I live quite firmly in the present and don't feel much need to reflect on a past year. Yet, when the question was asked, a very clear image immediately popped into my mind: the moon, two stars and the planet Venus in the night sky over the Amsterdam canals. It op

Your job, your art, your brand, your people, your organization... telling your own story is always harder than telling somebody else's. It's filled with insecurities. And when you feel insecure, your imagination can sometimes tell you you're failing, fueling your anxiety, while in reality, those obstacles, mistakes and challenges are actually what makes your story worth wile in the first place! So, in this blog we'll strengthen your creative base by making your imagination

If I had a penny for every time a businessman or woman asked me why corporate stories need emotion, I'd probably be fishing on my private yacht in the Bahama's right now. Every storytelling lecture I give to the business world, I find myself fighting against the pervasive myth that somehow storytelling for businesses is different than other narrative practices. As if the very laws of biology on Earth - that determine that our species is governed by emotions - somehow magicall

Recently, I visited one of my best friends who had a bit of a fallback in her burnout cycle. Although she's been doing all the right things, she sometimes still doesn't feel it yet. She cried and then finally felt some positive vibes. So in this blog we're skipping the creative and storytelling part today (my 'story' and 'world' readers: plenty of articles in the pipeline!), as I wanted to pay attention to your process in restoring from creative depression, anxiety and burno

After a burnout, a creative depression or in stressful times all together, your body's alarm bells can be a little too sensitive. In other words, they go off too quickly, sparking feelings of anxiety. This can be very, very unpleasant. But however terrible the feeling, it is not something to be too worried about. It is just something that needs to be re-tuned. Today we discuss two ways to do this: exposure and EMDR, so you have a better sense of what to do and which to choose

Art and culture sectors are suffering deeply. That's not only terrible for them, it's devastating for the entire world economy. What so many people fail to realize is that art and culture are the actual beating heart of our entire economic system. They may not produce the lion's share of income, but without art and culture, our system of cash will crash. So today, in eleven anecdotes and stories, I'm going to show the role of art and culture has in making sure we can put brea

Today, I'd like to share with my readers a personal approach of mine in storytelling: being a stoic. Stoicism is a life philosophy made popular by Marcus Aurelius, one of the greatest roman generals and emperors in all of history, that ultimately comes down to the ability to separate logic and emotion in your mind, so you can make virtuous decisions. It's a hard skill to master, but incredibly useful to you as a storyteller when you do. Let's dive in! Stoicism and Storytellin

“Everywhere? No way!” Her eyes big, mouth open in astonishment, while she stared at her grandfather. “It’s true. Cross my heart.” Grandfather leaned back a little and directed a loving smile at his young granddaughter. “You’re making fun again, aren’t you! I don’t believe you!” She punched his arm like she would always do when she had the feeling, he was making things up. But there was no hint of that usual glint in his eyes. The smile on his face held no pleasure. He just ga

Apart from a general lack in energy many burnout victims also suffer from anxiety issues. This happens for a reason: your feelings and your breathing are connected to one another. And anxiety is triggered by shallow breathing. So let’s talk feelings, breathing... and movies. Just Breathe Deeply Think of what happens when you're watching a scary movie. You hold your breath, right? Why is that? It's because even when in real life you are perfectly safe (sitting on your couch or

When we are stuck creatively, becoming more depressed, or even already in a burned out state, we tend to overthink. The trick to getting out of this rut, is not to think, but to feel your way out of a negative mindset. Fortunately, there are many techniques than can help spark this, and reconnect you with your emotional world. Including literally feeling into that underbelly. Let's explore! Overthinking When we are not feeling good, we tend to over analyze all kinds of thin

So, there is no cure for burnout. Why? Because you are not sick, nor broken. You feel terrible yes. But you don't have a disease. You should never think in terms of 'curing' yourself. Because you ain't broken. In the end you are 'just' burned out and very much still alive and healthy. Don’t let anyone ever tell you otherwise. You do however require some treatment. And most of all you need time. Time is Your Friend As by now most of you will know, I always recommend taking a h

Of course, I make a point in the book of saying your recovery should be highly personal. So I don’t know if this will work for you… but I want to tell you about my experiences with all kinds of Martial Arts. For me personally, they worked. And still work brilliantly today to keep stress away and give me creative focus! Be More Like Kung Fu Panda Balancing emotions Any kind of movement is good for you if you are stressed, feeling stuck or burned out. Our first blog post is ev