Hey Friends! I had a great conversation with Jeff Smith (author of Teachers Unmuted) this week on Substack Live. We talked storytelling, creativity, rest, and why sharing your voice is so damn important.
It was one of those conversations where I surprised even myself with some of the little wisdom drops. But, since you might not have time for the full replay (though you totally should), here are seven things I said that deserve their own spotlight and maybe just a little bit of space in your brain today:
1. "Your job is not to be understood by everybody."
There will always be people who willingly choose to misunderstand you—people who twist your words or simply don't want to get it. It's not your job, and definitely not worth your energy, to futilely attempt to change their minds. Your voice is meant for those who are ready to hear it. Let everyone else do their own thing.
2. "To be creative, sometimes you have to just be really, really boring."
You can't color outside the lines if the lines aren't there in the first place. You create the box so you can think outside the box—because there’s no outside the box if the box doesn't exist. Repetition, structure, and yes—even being bored as hell—lay the groundwork for those brilliant creative breakthroughs later on.
3. "Rest is part of the work."
You’re human. Humans require dormancy periods. Whether you're completely chilling out, taking a nap, or just filling your creative well by doing other things entirely, that downtime isn't just nice—it's essential. Without rest, there’s no growth. Honor your off-season just as much as your peak blooming periods.
4. "You're not going to get better at storytelling by avoiding it."
Don’t wait until your life feels more interesting—your story is worth telling right now. In fact, from a purely practical standpoint, if your life feels mundane, that’s the ideal time to be a beginner. You get to learn how to tell stories in your own unique way without pressure, so when the truly amazing stories come around, you'll already have mastered your craft. Do the beginner work now, reap the storytelling rewards later.
5. "There is no such thing as perfection in creativity. For a million different reasons, it just doesn't exist."
Creativity literally means doing things differently. Perfection, by definition, implies there's an ideal, objective standard—and that simply doesn't exist in a creative system. Creativity and perfection are antithetical. The quicker you ditch perfection, the sooner you can actually start making stuff that feels real and authentic to who you are.
6. "In order to tell really good stories, you have to go out and make really good stories first."
And by "really good stories," I simply mean experiences that matter to you—big, small, whatever. You don't have to go on crazy vacations or extravagant adventures. Being a human who actively participates in the world is all you need. You can't have a creative response to life if you're not out there living it. Your art is your response to the world around you—so go participate in whatever way lights you up.
7. "Television is a very big part of my life. I’m very judgmental about television."
Lean into what you love, unapologetically. If you adore travel, that’s the perfect place to start telling stories. If you're passionate about TV, books, music—or even stories about stories (meta, I know)—start there. Your obsessions and passions directly inform your art. Embrace what excites you, because enthusiasm is your storytelling superpower.
Watch the full interview replay at the top of this post.
Ready to put these ideas into practice? Join me at Find Your Voice Summer Camp. The pre-lesson drops Friday, and we officially kick off Tuesday. Bring your favorite notebook, a pen, and a desire to tell your stories in your own brilliant way.
This conversation with Jeff was such a good reminder that creativity, rest, and storytelling are all deeply connected—and that showing up to tell your story your way is powerful. If you're into this kind of honest, thoughtful convo, definitely go check out Jeff’s newsletter, Teachers Unmuted. His work is sharp, thoughtful, and grounded in real life.
And if something in this post lit a little spark in you—come join me for Summer Camp. We’re just getting started.
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