Stinky Dead Mouse - Why most portfolios all look the same, and how to stop being everyone else.

You ever clean your entire house and still smell something rotting?This episode is about that. Except the smell is coming from your portfolio.In Episode 10, we’re talking creative decay — that slow, invisible rot that sets in when your work looks good but feels dead. From personal stories (including one involving a bathtub and a topless model reading Vogue) to a breakdown of the 60/40 Rule for survival, this is a brutally honest reflection on boredom, brand, and the danger of playing it safe for too long.We dig into:What happens when your “style” becomes a straitjacketThe illusion of consistency in the age of the algorithmWhy your safest work might be your most forgettableHow to cheat the system and make space for personal, reckless, real creative workA dead rat story. Literally.If you’ve ever looked at your own work and felt… nothing?You’re not broken.You’re just ready to break out.Subscribe to Field NotesThe podcast is the campfire, Field Notes is what you take home. Field Notes is the weekly email companion to this podcast, one part creative letter, one part behind-the-scenes mess, all bullshit-free.→ Sign up hereSpecial featured music in this episode:“Born to Become” by Maya Johnson – licensed via Artist.ioOther theme music also licensed and provided by Artist.io -----------------------Office Hours with PatrickStuck on your website, portfolio, pricing, marketing, or business strategy?Office Hours is a one-on-one, 60-ish minute conversation to help you work through whatever you’re trying to figure out. No agenda. No curriculum. No pitch. Just honest feedback, thoughtful questions, and a fresh perspective.$99Learn more or book your session:https://theterriblecreative.com/office-hours