Purpose, Piano and the Goosebump Compass with Steve Goldberg episode artwork

EPISODE · Dec 15, 2025 · 34 MIN

Purpose, Piano and the Goosebump Compass with Steve Goldberg

from Creativity Found: Finding Creativity Later in Life · host Claire Waite Brown

Creativity as a necessity in the age of AI. Steve Goldberg is a passionate advocate for the role of creativity in a rapidly changing world, and in this episode he shares his conviction that finding meaning and purpose beyond professional life will become increasingly vital as artificial intelligence reshapes the future of work. Steve, a former tenured professor and global consultant, shares his philosophy of "following my nose" and staying "awake to possibilities," which has led him down some truly "magical and unexpected paths".In this episode, we explore:The Power of Synchronicity: How a spontaneous bicycle ride led Steve to a Harvard scholarship, and how an overbooked flight resulted in him meeting Nelson Mandela the day after his release from prison.The Late Bloom: Steve’s journey to becoming a composer of "healing piano for a noisy world", despite being convinced for decades that he "did not have a creative bone in my body". He didn't start playing the piano until he was 50 years old.The Goosebump Compass: Steve reveals his unique method of improvisation and composition – working without reading music and instead relying on his "goosebump compass" to guide the emotional impact and structure of his work.Leaving Stability for Opportunity: Why Steve resigned from a tenured college position at age 28 to pursue a consulting job that took him "literally around the world" for four decades.Creativity as a Necessity, Not a Luxury: Steve argues that with artificial intelligence accelerating job changes and disappearances, creative expression and finding purpose outside of professional life will become vital for society.Languishing or Blossoming: Discussing the concept behind Steve’s book, which encourages people to choose a continuous "blossoming" process over a fixed mindset, particularly in the face of life's challenges.Find Steve's music and book here.You Might Also LikeRich Chambers Keeps RockingPiano à Deux: Music, Marriage and Modern technologySuzanne Noble – dirty blues and Dorothy FieldsSupport the showFollow @CreativityFoundPodcast on InstagramWant to be a guest on Creativity Found? Send me a message on PodMatch, herePodcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Dec 15, 2025

Embed this episode

Creativity as a necessity in the age of AI. Steve Goldberg is a passionate advocate for the role of creativity in a rapidly changing world, and in this episode he shares his conviction that finding meaning and purpose beyond professional life will become increasingly vital as artificial intelligence reshapes the future of work. Steve, a former tenured professor and global consultant, shares his philosophy of "following my nose" and staying "awake to possibilities," which has led h...

Distinct summary based on available episode metadata or transcript content.

Ready to play

Purpose, Piano and the Goosebump Compass with Steve Goldberg

0:00 34:19

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Creativity Found: Finding Creativity Later in Life?

This episode is 34 minutes long.

When was this Creativity Found: Finding Creativity Later in Life episode published?

This episode was published on December 15, 2025.

Is there a transcript available for this episode?

Yes, a full transcript is available for this episode. You can read the complete transcript on the episode page.

Can I download this Creativity Found: Finding Creativity Later in Life episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!