Rick Rubin: How to Access Your Creativity

Accessing Creativity and the Role of the Body

• Creativity can be thought of as a dream 
  • Dreams don’t always make sense, but can evoke feelings and curiosity
  • Art-​​making process follows a similar pattern
• Language may be insufficient to describe the creative process 
  • Creativity is closer to magic than science
• Children may have better access to creativity than adults 
  • They are open, have no baggage, and no belief system
  • They see things as they are, without preconceived notions
• Creativity can be a combination of existing ideas presented in a new way 
  • Interesting ideas have familiar elements joined together in a unique manner
• The body can be a source of information for creativity 
  • Signals from the body can be generic, but can also be interpreted in various ways
  • Creativity can be felt as a surge of energy in the body
• Translating creativity into a conversation with an artist 
  • Engage with the creative process in the moment, rather than relying on language
  • Experiment and try things together to see where it leads

The Creative Process and Decision Making

• Creativity is about making choices and experimenting 
  • Example: Tasting two dishes and deciding which one is better
  • Adjusting based on personal preference, not external factors
• Importance of being in tune with oneself and owning one’s feelings 
  • Disconnect between following rules in school and breaking them in art
  • Rules can be helpful or limiting, depending on the situation
• Limiting choices can lead to better problem-​​solving and creativity 
  • Example: Deciding to only use green and red in a painting
  • Infinite choices don’t necessarily lead to better compositions or works

Developing Taste and Authenticity in Art

• Knowing and owning one’s feelings is crucial for artists 
  • Not about knowing what’s right for others, but knowing what’s right for oneself
  • Demonstrating personal perspective and taste without compromising for commercial reasons
• Perfectionism can hinder the development of taste 
  • Relying on feedback from others can limit creativity and authenticity
  • Successful artists have a compulsion to do things their way and believe in their work

The Power of Broadening or Narrowing Focus

• Changing the aperture from the standard can lead to new creative ideas 
  • Recognizing something obvious that others haven’t seen or pointed out
  • Similar to the process of scientific discovery
• Accepting that we don’t know everything can open up new possibilities 
  • Limiting beliefs can restrict our understanding and creativity
  • Throwing away current scientific beliefs could lead to entirely new discoveries

The Accuracy of Medical Textbooks and Training

• Question posed to neurosurgeon Eddie Chang: What percentage of information in medical textbooks is accurate? 
  • Answer: Maybe half
  • Consequence of inaccurate information: Incalculable
  • Emphasizes the idea that we don’t know everything in science and should remain open to new possibilities
    Discoveries and Creativity
• Discoveries often result from chance or hard work
• Breakthroughs happen when people spend a lot of time in the lab
• New discoveries are built on top of existing beliefs and assumptions

The Creative Process

• Creativity can be fueled by a compulsion to create something unique
• The “source” is the organizing principle of everything, including art and discoveries
• The imagination is unconstrained, while the physical world is constrained by laws of physics
• The work of art sits between the imagination and the physical world

Finishing a Project

• Getting to the point of signing off on a project is a good feeling
• Using other projects as motivation to finish the current one
• The artist’s role is to connect to the “source” and serve as a vehicle for its expression

Nature’s Infinite Options

• Nature provides near-​​infinite options for colors, shades, and tones
• There’s beauty in the different scales of nature, from a drop of oil to the Earth and the galaxy

The Brain and Abstraction

• Everything the brain does is an abstraction, creating representations of the world around us
• Our daily perception is filtered through these abstractions
• The brain’s ability to recognize and interpret abstract representations is crucial for understanding the world

Richard Axel and Neuroscience

• Richard Axel, a Nobel-​​winning neuroscientist, has an abstract perspective on the brain’s functions
• Axel’s work focuses on the perception of odors and tastes
• He believes that everything the brain does is an abstraction, creating representations of the world around us
  The Essence of Science, Art, and Perception
• Science and art converge when something fundamental is revealed 
  • Example: Rothco’s paintings remove white and high contrast, altering color space
  • Rothco tapped into something fundamental about color perception without knowing the neuroscience behind it
• Novelty and perspective play a role in our perception of the world 
  • Example: Hubble telescope images and microscopic images of oil drops are impressive due to their novelty
  • Our everyday experiences can be just as impressive, but we become numb to them
• Experiment: Painting a model from memory after observing them in another room 
  • Changes the relationship with the subject and focuses on the most interesting aspects
  • Picasso’s paintings inspired by African art provide more information than a photograph
• Moments of wonder and mystery in the world 
  • Example: Seeing a whale or a dramatic sunset evokes feelings of awe and delight
  • These experiences break us out of our trance and remind us of the vastness of the world
• The delight in seeing something unexpected or experiencing a contrast 
  • Example: Comedy often relies on the shock or surprise of revealing something different
  • Joe Rogan’s comedy routine led the audience to anticipate the punchline, creating a sense of community and shared experience
• The power of music during our teenage years 
  • Music from ages 14 to 25 becomes deeply ingrained in our nervous system
  • This period of life is often marked by identity crises and defining personality
  • The emotional impact of music from this time may be due to heightened emotional sensitivity
• The potential limitations of seeking specific emotional experiences in music 
  • Focusing on the feelings evoked by certain music can cause us to miss out on other experiences
  • Embracing a wide range of genres and artists can enrich our lives and expand our appreciation for music “The Impact of Music on Identity and Emotions
• Music plays a significant role in defining who we are and how we see ourselves 
  • At a young age, we start choosing the music we listen to, making it a part of our identity
  • Music can evoke various emotions, such as anger, joy, sadness, or love

The Importance of Disengaging from Projects

• Fully dedicate yourself to a project during the time you’re working on it 
  • Total focus and no outside distractions
• When not working on the project, disengage completely 
  • Don’t bring materials with you or think about the project when you’re away from it
  • Engage in other projects or activities to keep your mind occupied

The Role of the Subconscious in the Creative Process

• The subconscious may continue to work on a project even when you’re not actively thinking about it 
  • Holding problems lightly and not stewing over them can help solve them more effectively

Anxiety as a Form of Readiness

• Anxiety can be seen as a form of readiness, mobilizing us to move forward toward a goal 
  • Can be experienced in high states of anxiety while moving forward
  • Anxiety is least comfortable when we force ourselves to stand still

The Energetic Nature of Emotions

• Emotions can be seen as different forms of energy, such as anger, joy, sadness, or love 
  • Different emotions can drive us to take action in various ways
  • Maturing into the idea that joy, delight, and love are the ultimate reservoirs of energy

The Role of Collaboration in the Creative Process

• Collaboration can involve working with others or with the universe itself 
  • Working with artists can bring new perspectives and ideas to a project
  • Collaboration can lead to growth and development in both personal and professional aspects”
    Creativity and the Brain
• Scientists are often seen as boring, but they are actually complex individuals 
  • They understand and play by the rules of academia
• Creative artists and musicians often have internal chaos 
  • Their lives may not be as structured as scientists
• The brain has a tendency to create stories and explanations for events 
  • This is called pareidolia, where we see patterns and familiar shapes in random objects
  • The brain has specific areas for recognizing faces and objects
• People confabulate from birth until death, creating stories to make sense of their experiences

Working with Artists

• Artists may not always show their chaotic side to others 
  • They are often more serious and focused on their craft than it may seem
• When working with artists, it’s important not to break their flow when they are in the creative process 
  • Engineers and other team members can often sense when something good is happening

Memory and Storytelling

• People with memory deficits, such as Alzheimer’s or Korsakov syndrome, often create stories to explain their actions 
  • This is a way for them to make sense of their experiences and maintain a sense of control
• Our entire lives are spent reacting to events, creating stories to explain them, and living as if those stories are true 
  • This is a natural part of the human experience and helps us navigate the world
    Incredible Stories and Repressed Memories
• People can come up with incredible stories that have no bearing on reality
• Controversy around repressed memories, especially from young people 
  • Courtrooms now cautious about this notion
• Two people can have very different accounts of the same experiences

Perception and Symbolic Representation

• Humans have limited perceptual filters 
  • Mantis shrimp sees 67 shades of red for every one that humans see
• Brain likes to work in symbols 
  • Tendency to match symbols with perceptions (e.g., person with messy shoes must be homeless)
• Memories are confabulated based on deficient symbol and perceptual representation

Considering the Opposite

• Emerging fields of psychology, like Byron Katie’s work, encourage considering the opposite of a statement
• In science, researchers raise hypotheses and test their truth or falsity
• Considering the inverse can lead to new insights and understanding

Nervous System and Habituation

• Nervous system habituates to constant stimuli (e.g., pressure on the back of thighs while sitting)
• Neurons still fire, but we become blind and deaf to the stimuli
• Attention and awareness are important themes in understanding perception

Wrestling and Perception

• Wrestling can be seen as a metaphor for reality 
  • We know it’s made up and a performance, but it’s still real to us
• Wrestling can teach us about the importance of considering the opposite and questioning our perceptions

Puberty and Changing Rule Sets

• Puberty is a fundamental landmark of development 
  • Most rapid period of aging
  • Rule sets and understanding of the world change during this time
• Understanding of sex and reproduction changes the rulebook of perception
  The Creative Process and Wrestling
• Age 11–13: unique transition point where reality and fiction blur 
  • Example: Stand by Me movie scene discussing Superman vs. Mighty Mouse
• Wrestling as a way to access energy state and mode of thinking where reality is blurry 
  • Archetypes in wrestling similar to Greek myths or the Bible
  • Maintains playfulness and the feeling of “anything is possible”
  • More like a ballet than a sporting event, with everyone working together for the best show
• Wrestling as a source of relaxation and enjoyment 
  • Honest in what it is, in a world where nothing seems honest
  • Real life sometimes works its way into the story, blurring the line between reality and fiction
  • Starts with the idea that it’s fixed, unlike other sports where scandals can occur

Dopamine Schedules and the Creative Process

• Dopamine: universal currency of delight, pleasure, motivation seeking 
  • Released in the context of watching sports or comedy
  • Example: basketball game, anticipation and dopamine release when a team scores
• Wrestling as a source of dopamine surges or drips 
  • Availability of dopamine surge is unpredictable, but arrives often enough to keep viewers engaged
  • Creative process is similar, with nuggets of gold and loose threads found through the journey
  • Trusting the process and the energy it creates in the observer

Boundary Breaking and Creativity

• Celebrities making statements that break with the norm, such as Lady Gaga’s meat dress 
  • Associated with creativity, unless it crosses a line and becomes theater for the sake of theater
• Wrestling as a realm where theater is the goal, and everyone knows it 
  • Audience suspends outside reality and agrees to participate in the wrestling reality
  • Booing for bad guys and cheering for good guys, knowing they might be friends backstage
  • Example: Lars Frederickson, rhythm guitar player for Rancid, vocalizes his love for professional wrestling
    Wrestling and Personal Perspectives
• Wrestling as a unique sport with a focus on style and performance 
  • Charisma of the performers, storytelling, and physical ability
• Wrestling as a real-​​time iteration with unexpected events 
  • Injuries and changes in storylines
• Personal connections to wrestling, punk rock, and Aquaria 
  • Nonlinearity and unpredictability as a source of relaxation and reset
• The changing nature of cities and landscapes 
  • Acceptance of natural changes versus resistance to urban changes
  • Nostalgia and attachment to the past

Rick Rubin’s Perspective on the Past

• Not attached to the past or nostalgic 
  • Focuses on the present and future
• Wrestling as a palate neutralizer and source of relaxation 
  • Good night’s sleep after watching wrestling
  • Enjoying the low stakes and excitement of the sport Notes:

Watching Wrestling and Clearing the Mind

• Watching wrestling as a form of entertainment and relaxation 
  • Helps clear the mind before sleep
• Importance of having an activity to create peace before sleep 
  • Yoga nidra, pro wrestling, avoiding violent content

Morning Routine and Structuring Thoughts

• Slow process of waking up, enjoying the gradual clearing of thoughts 
  • Listening to lectures or podcasts to avoid getting caught in own thoughts
• Spending time in the sun, going for a walk on the beach 
  • Usually alone, listening to lectures, podcasts, or audiobooks
• Writing down ideas or thoughts that come to mind during the walk 
  • Using phone notes or audio recordings

Phases of Work and Deadlines

• Different phases of work can be treated differently 
  • Seed collecting phase: ongoing, no deadlines, wide open
  • Experimentation phase: setting the stage for something to happen, not dictating the action
  • Crafting phase: working with the material, trimming or combining with other elements
  • Completion/​​finishing phase: final edit, getting to the version to share with the world
• Deadlines can be helpful in the completion phase, not detrimental to the project

Constantly Collecting Seeds and Experimenting

• Always in phase one, collecting seeds and ideas
• Moving back and forth between phases, not a clear linear progression
• Experimenting with ideas and seeing what they can turn into
• Crafting phase involves using knowledge and skills to shape the idea or project
  The Crafting Phase and Deadlines
• Crafting phase: seeing the end of a project and setting an internal deadline 
  • Allows flexibility for new discoveries and improvements
  • Set rules but be willing to break them if it benefits the project
• Author’s experience: reverse engineering successful experiences to find principles for good decision-making

Self-​​Doubt and Creativity

• Self-​​doubt exists in everyone and can serve a purpose 
  • Can be a check on oneself, preventing arrogance and complacency
  • Can lead to questioning and pushing for better work
• Self-​​doubt can drive people to constantly perform and improve
• Balancing self-​​doubt and confidence is key to success

The Role of Unpredictability in the Creative Process

• Engaging with unpredictable elements (e.g., ocean, music) can inspire creativity
• Jazz mentality: creating real moments that are unique and exciting 
  • Requires active listening and collaboration
  • Can lead to thrilling discoveries and compelling work

The Grateful Dead and Live Performances

• Example of a band with a stronger live presence than recorded albums 
  • Unpredictability and exploration in live shows create excitement
  • Fans followed the band due to the unique experience of each concert
• Capturing real moments in the studio can create a sense of excitement for listeners

The Conveyor Belt Analogy

• Creative process as a conveyor belt of experiences and discoveries 
  • Requires flexibility and willingness to explore new directions
  • Deciding whether to pursue new ideas or stick to the original plan
  • Emphasizes the importance of being open to unexpected inspiration
    Big Decisions and Attachment to the Past
• Attachment to the past can hinder good decision-making
• Be aware of the assumption that the way you work is the best way simply because it’s the way you’ve done it before
• Advice from others is based on their experiences, not yours
• Be open to different ways and methods that may work better

Brain Plasticity and Misconceptions

• Previously believed that brain plasticity ends at age 25
• This belief was proven wrong, and plasticity exists throughout the lifespan
• Misconceptions can waste years of potential progress and understanding

Alternative Health and Open-mindedness

• Acupuncture, hypnosis, and other alternative health practices gaining scientific support
• Division of the National Institutes of Health called Complementary and Alternative Health
• Importance of being open to trying new things and not dismissing ideas based on preconceived notions

Nutrition and Online Debates

• Nutrition is a controversial topic with various opinions and approaches
• Consider different perspectives and try what works for you
• Be open to trying new and unconventional ideas

Empiricism and Trying New Things

• Be open to trying new things, even if they seem unrealistic or fringe
• Focus on what works for you and be willing to experiment
• Non-​​pharmaceutical approaches can be just as effective and interesting
  Exploring Creativity and the Importance of Paying Attention
• Behavioral do’s and don’ts are fun to explore 
  • More room for iteration than with pharmacology
• Creativity in music, comedy, and film production 
  • Requires accessing the world and paying attention to clues
  • Strummer’s Law: “No input, no output”
• Staying open to clues and paying attention 
  • Clues are everywhere if we pay attention
  • Coincidences may not be coincidences
  • The universe supports creativity
• Gut microbiota and the opposite principle 
  • Justin Sonneberg’s idea that we may be vehicles for gut microbiota
  • Gut microbiota may be trying to optimize their survival
• Belief effects and the power of belief 
  • Our beliefs can shape our physiological outcomes
  • Harnessing belief on our behalf is healthy
• Elements for creation are out there 
  • We can pick and choose from the conveyor belt of gifts
  • Everything we create is based on something we see or hear
• Importance of staying present in the work 
  • How we feel may not be as relevant as staying undistracted
  • Transmutation of emotions can be adaptive
• Meditation and its various forms 
  • Mantra meditation, focused on breath, and awareness meditation
  • Different practices to override self-​​talk and focus on sense perceptions
• Starting meditation at a young age 
  • Learned at 14, started with Transcendental Meditation ™
  • Stopped during university, started again later and realized its profound impact
    Meditation and Creativity
• Meditation can be a form of practice or relaxation 
  • Can be done during various times of the day, such as morning or before dinner
  • Helps in losing track of time and provides a sense of calmness
• Rick Rubin’s meditation practice 
  • Influenced others to adopt his meditation techniques
  • Willing to share suggestions and resources for listeners
• Surgical series from the Monroe Institute 
  • Used during surgery to promote faster healing and reduce trauma
  • Listening to certain recordings can have powerful effects on the body and mind

Rick Rubin’s Creative Process

• Appreciation for Rick Rubin’s music and creative process 
  • Continues to create music and share his thought process
  • Wrote a book on creativity, “The Creative Act: A Way of Being”
• The book is filled with gems and valuable insights 
  • Assembled in a digestible way for readers to extract meaningful parts
  • Provides a different perspective on creativity