General Blog

[Bugle blast] Folks…we’ve got a podcast!

“In praise of the podcast.” Better models for creative thinking: slow vs. fast, diffuse vs. focused, growth mindset, and more.

Slow and Fast thinking, represented metaphorically. Film from a moody PNW forest. Oregon hike circa 2014 (indigenous Multnomah lands I believe).

Estimated read time: 4 minutes.

ber-ber-buh-DERRRRR! (bugle blast)

Big day, in a way.

It’s funny… a few years ago, I thought podcasts were for people who were full of themselves, who loved the sound of their own voice.

A blog? A podcast? Eye roll, get over yourself. (“Dogs not blogs” was an especially un-clever, sarcastic thing I remember putting in some social media bio.)

And here we are. With a blog, and no dog.

And a podcast on top.

I’ll tell this story some other time, but in a nutshell - I’ve come (back?) to myself as a writer in the last few years, listened to those stirrings within. And I’ve found myself with an opposite orientation:

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I think I want to say things. I think I have things to say. I think the things I want to say, would be good for me to share. I think people would want to hear them. It's almost becoming a sense of duty that motivates me.

A personal slogan is now: “in praise of the podcast.” Podcasts are long-form media, often screen-free. They allow for much-needed deep-dives in a time of increasingly shortened information which simply cannot capture what a spacious conversation (or monologue) can.

And so, I present: "Thinking about thinking… for creativity."

NOTE: On a phone? Click “Listen in Browser” if you don’t have a SoundCloud account.

First-ever podcast ep! Better models for creative thinking: slow vs. fast, diffuse vs. focused, growth mindset, and more.

Here’s a written transcription too (in PDF form).

I'm really pretty stoked about this episode! It’s a mix of memoir, psychological science, and strategy. I draw on years of experiences and recent conversations.

Nothing fancy - just me and the phone.

If any of the topics below interest you, feel free to jump in wherever you like:

introduction. til 7:40 min
slow vs. fast thinking + a few strategies. from 7:40 - 29:25
diffuse vs. focused attention + a few strategies. from 29:25-46:50
how both of these frameworks can be useful in promoting a growth mindset for ourselves. from 46:50-49:47

I recorded it a few weeks ago, then I had to problem-solve some access issues before I could share it publicly. And I had to pay for a transcription service. Aye aye aye.

Feedback has been super encouraging from those who have listened. THANK YOU to those who have checked it out, and THANK YOU for those who will check it out.

If you fancy, here’s an excerpt I think you’ll enjoy (starting at 46:30):

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"We have processes that are mysterious to us and that a lot can be going on when we think that not a lot is going on, and that both of these frameworks can be useful in promoting a growth mindset for ourselves. A Growth Mindset being the opposite of a Fixed Mindset, where we say, 'Hey, this is just how I am, or these are the things I'm just good at, and these are the things I'm bad at.'

We know that our minds have, our brains have neuroplasticity. We can grow, we can change. If we fail to put ourselves in situations that require slow thinking, slow thoughtful thinking, a lot of times we can stay stuck in our default, and it can keep us from growing in ways that we want. So even though it might be unpleasant, even though it might require effort, might be emotionally challenging, we are capable of change. And slow thinking that's well-supported, oftentimes with other people, can be a real, powerful, tangible investment in ourselves. Similarly, for diffused versus focused attention with growth mindset, we might...get frustrated, say, 'Hey, I'm not figuring this out right now.' That does not mean that we won't figure something out later. Putting ourselves in environments where we can get different pieces of information, get inspired, oftentimes very disparate or different or unexpected bits of information can be connected for us to problem-solve in these moments when our mind is actively off of a problem. And that can be really, I think, inspiring because we can grow in these ways that are a little safer, maybe a little more pleasant, a little less forced and pressured."

Cheers, and stay tuned for more,

Caroline

P.S. I’d love if you shared this with someone today!

P.P.S. If you want to support Crystal Mind Coaching, consider upgrading to a paid subscription anywhere on the site. (I have $3 and $5 monthly pricing tiers now, with yearly discounts available. Wow!)

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