Gifted Underachievers

As creatives we often rely on others for a great many things. As people with creative adjacent careers, we also rely on others for a great many things.Ergo and therefore, it is all too easy to fall into and be trapped by the dysfunction of others.And while we get good at preventing or short-circuiting dysfunctional processes, there is always a new one. Furthermore, if we depend on that other person (or organization) it can be VERY difficult to simply walk away. We also experience the business concept of the sunk cost fallacy because we don’t want to lose an opportunity or walk away from many hours of work.What to do?Well, the Gifted Underachievers have thoughts. Good ones.Questions for Listeners:* How can you avoid dysfunction in others?* How can do you get out of a dysfunction trap?* Do you miss red flags?For Further Exploration:Buy us a Coffee and Win a BookHere in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No cost, no spam, unsubscribe anytime.Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

It could be worse.Or so thinks James after receiving a relatively thoughtful letter from narrative to let him know he was not a finalist in their short fiction contest.He is an optimist from a family of optimists.However, he and Pat dive in with some solid insights as to whether or not the contest pathway is perhaps a better approach to getting our work out than the dark hole/deep wishing well of blind submissions.Listener Questions:* What is your contest update? Any wins, close calls.* Let us know and we’ll feature you for a listener profile.For Further Exploration:Buy us a Coffee and Win a Guide to World Domination!Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!If you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time.Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

Joe Ponepinto’s current project is a fascinating Substack publication called Beyond Craft. Learn how and why Joe created this world, the challenges, the audience, and the point. Bonus: a special offer to GU Listeners!Check Joe out at: Beyond CraftIf you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time.Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.Buy us a Coffee and Win a BookHere in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

In this special episode of Gifted Underachievers, we are absolutely delighted to welcome Gifted Achiever Amber Petty to the GU Clubhouse. Amber is a writer/Weird Marketing Maven living in Los Angeles. She’s helped hundreds of students get bylines in places like Huffington Post, Business Insider, the Guardian, New York Times, and more. Plus, she’s grown a 6-figure business and 11,000-person newsletter by helping misfits make more money.In her current programs Marketing for Misfits (eminently affordable!) and the Creative Control Club (free!), Amber is helping hundreds of creatives figure out how to grow their audience and market their work. We’re especially delighted by the Compliments Challenge, a truly painless (in fact, rewarding) way to expand your network and create opportunities.Join us as we discover:* How creative people can overcomplicate marketing by coming from a place of “I’m not good at this, and I hate it.”* Why we “bland ourselves out” in our marketing and on social media, and how to stop* What marketing really is at its core, and why creatives have all the skills we need to do it well* The importance of allowing our identities and ourselves to evolve* How to raise our own excitement about marketing, and why that matters* The value of lighting up your creative brain first, THEN turning on your marketing brain* How when we get even OK at marketing, we can build a solid audience that will appreciate ALL our creative work* How having more control over our own marketing (rather than waiting for opportunities to be showcased by someone else) can result in life-changing incomeQuestions for Listeners:* How do you feel about marketing?* Are you finding a previous identity hampers your ability to share your work?* What would actually feel good to you when sharing your creative work?For Further Exploration:Marketing for Misfits: https://www.skool.com/marketing-for-misfits-8832/aboutCompliments Challenge: https://amber-petty.newzenler.com/courses/compliments0926/Creative Control Club: https://amber-petty.newzenler.com/f/creativecontrol/Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! If you know a creative who needs solid, clear advice on marketing their work, Share This Post!If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No cost, no spam, unsubscribe anytime. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

An Underachieving Note: We’ve underachieved again. Summer is waning and\or peaking depending on whether you are going back to school or not. And we are, well, crazy busy with the details of life while fulfilling important family duties. And so, we bring you an incredible interview with the guy whose notebook is described as “off putting with serial killer vibes.” We love him. You love him. Here he is…In this episode, Pat and James have a wide-ranging discussion with Gifted Achiever and author Richard Kelly Kemick. His most recent book—Hello, Horse—is a wonderfully unique collection of short stories that features a coterie of ghosts, nuns on ice, and an above average number of dogs while exploring the mirage of authenticity and the impact of decisions we make—for better or worse.In a word, Richard is brilliant and funny (yes, I know, that was two words). As but a taste of the topics Pat and James explored with him:* Pen or pencil?* His writing and publishing process, which includes his fair share of rejections (something we all have experienced).* The pleasure of working with a fabulous old-school editor.* Moving up the rejection ladder.* Can an arts community become too dependent on grants? And can funding abundance disconnect the artist from their audience?* Our favorite authors and books.* Why the writer/creator must work harder than the reader/viewer/audience.* When applying for a grant, have an idea not an emotion.* Rejection is just another step forward.* Richard’s top five grant pitch tips.* How being creative forces you out of yourself.* There is no better life than the creative life.Segment Questions:* What do you believe the difference is between an idea and an emotion?* What is your favorite book/movie/song/artwork?* What are your five pitch tips?Segment Links:Richard’s Website: https://richardkemick.comWikipedia Page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Kelly_KemickHello, Horse on Amazon: https://a.co/d/7yy9yPm [Gifted Underachiever tip: Download a sample on Kindle, then after you discover Richard’s brilliance, purchase a copy at your local independent bookstore] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

There are lots of accusations of AI use in the arts—especially writing—based on both human detection and AI detection apps. So many creatives are worried that they could get accused of using AI when they are not. And those that publish or promote creative work are afraid that the creators they work with might be using AI.The problem is, that neither or human senses nor the AI detection software being used is accurate. False positives and false negatives happen…a lot.This is something we should all keep in mind when we hear the next high-profile accusation of AI use. There’s just too much room for errors that could permanently taint a creative person’s reputation.Questions for Listeners* Have you been falsely accused of AI use? If so, let us know. We’d love to hear from you!* Is AI a feral baby?Buy us a Coffee and Win a BookHere in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further ExplorationThe most recent case: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/jul/31/crime-novel-deal-collapses-questions-ai-jerry-falade-call-me-ill-hide-the-bodyThanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No cost, no spam, unsubscribe anytime. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

If you sell your creative work or provide creative-adjacent services online, you’ve already made decisions about your market—ranging from the language and images you use for your website to the currency you accept payment in.As a Canadian, Pat’s begun to realize that the country many of her clients and students are based in (the USA) has become politically and economically unstable. This instability has affected every aspect of the book trade, including the ability of individual authors to keep writing when they have to work more to due to the increased cost of living, the burden of creating new work in a regime that’s hostile to the arts, the increasingly risk-averse climate in traditional publishing, and the effect of rising fuel prices on book distribution.She hoped this was a phase that might end with the current president’s term. But realistically, it could last for a decade or more as the country to the south rebuilds and regroups. And that’s only if the systemic changes happening now are reversed.There’s not much we can do about economic instability in another country, but we can diversify our offerings into more stable markets. In this segment, we discuss why and how to do this.Questions for Listeners:* Do you have a particular geographic market for most of your work?* If yes, where is it?* If you were to diversify, what would you do first?Buy us a Coffee and Win a BookHere in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further Exploration:Member states of the Commonwealth of Nationshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Member_states_of_the_Commonwealth_of_NationsThanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No cost, no spam, unsubscribe anytime. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

In this disturbing short segment, the Gifted Underachievers discuss the basement of their Clubhouse, now free of any captured creative folk. Who should we nab next?NOTE: No captives have been held in the GU Clubhouse. We’re just being silly.Buy us a Coffee and Win a BookHere in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further ExplorationThanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No cost, no spam, unsubscribe any time. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

What meaning do you get from your life as a creative?· Who are you now?· What have you done?· Are you heading where you want to go?The Gifted Underachievers discuss a challenging thought experiment to help you gain perspective on these questions.From there, you can tweak, choose, manage, and direct your current and future creative projects for maximum meaning and value to your body of work.Questions for Listeners:* Where would your personal retrospective be held?* Who would come to it?* What would it show?* What clues to meaning are in your work?Buy us a Coffee and Win a Guide to World Domination!Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!A Creative Retrospective, Unfortunately Featuring Me (by Genna McWhinnie):Art & Fear: Source of the quote from McWhinnie’s video (above), “The clues are in the work.”A Creative Retrospective: Your Life’s Work: The Artist’s Retrospective: https://artbizsuccess.com/virtual-retrospective/Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.If you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

Pat’s aggressively white office has way too much paper and other artifacts of her creative work. James does the exact same thing. In fact, he will find himself surrounded by piles of paper, old mail, out-of-date eyeglasses, folders for long dead projects, and more in his office when he decides time for a purge.We all do this.It’s too easy to set something aside thinking we’ll come back to it only to let it become one more atom of a massive pile of crap we don’t need or use.And too often, these items become hard to let go of.Do we allow stuff to hold us prisoner?What should we keep? What should we let go of?Question for Listeners:* Are you a hoarder or wise keeper of your legacy?Buy us a Coffee and Win a Book!Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further Exploration:Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.If you’re not already a member, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No cost, no spam, unsubscribe anytime. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

The Gifted Underachievers are really proud of their listeners and feel that it’s time they share the spotlight with them.If you’d like to get some more attention for your work, specific project, or anything you do as a creative, send us an email at [email protected]. We’ll be in touch.Question for Listeners:* Why not be a GU listener profile?Buy us a Coffee and Win a Book!Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further Exploration:Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.If you’re not already a member, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No cost, no spam, unsubscribe anytime. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

Dobes (Pat Dobie) is one of the most organized gifted underachievers in history. She has a huge whiteboard and a well-stocked supply of dry erase markers.What does she use them for?Well, Pat holds CEO meetings for her creative-adjacent work at least twice a year.The purpose?To recenter, prioritize, and find new capacity in her creative adjacent work.How does she do that?She is great at data capture. In particular, tracking time spent and money earned on her projects to identify which ones do well, and which ones need to be reconsidered.And in the end?Pat sets herself up for greater success for the next six months by prioritizing high-value work and projects over those with a lower return.Questions for Listeners:* How do you track the costs and benefits of your work?* What do you do with that data?Buy us a Coffee and Win a Book!Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further Exploration:Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.If you’re not already a member, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No cost, no spam, unsubscribe anytime. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

The Gifted Underachievers discuss the pros and cons of referring or outsourcing some of their creative-adjacent work to other professionals, especially aspects of the work that are ancillary to our core professional services.In other words, will you do better to stick to your core competency and pass clients to others to shepherd them through the stuff you don’t want to do? Or is it better to offer the ancillary services yourself?James is thinking that he’d like to start handing off more of the post-writing work (pitching, proposals) to trusted colleagues. This sparks questions such as:* How do you add people to your network of vetted suppliers or colleagues?* What will their role be?* How will the relationship work?We also look at how you can see and evaluate a potential supplier or colleague’s work:* How do you approach them with this type of referral?* Do they have the skills and experience to handle it?* Can you send clients to them with trust that the outcome will be positive?The goal is to create or expand your network of people that are good to work with, know what they’re doing, and will do what they say they’re going to do.Questions for Listeners:* Do you refer clients to other service providers in your field?* How does it usually go?* Got any horror stories?Buy us a Coffee and Win a BookHere in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further Exploration:The Art of Collaborationhttps://pwcenter.org/article/the-art-of-collaboration-how-do-you-find-the-right-people/How to Join Forces with a Creative Collaboratorhttps://thecreativeindependent.com/guides/how-to-join-forces-with-a-creative-collaborator/Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No cost, no spam, unsubscribe anytime. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

“A day without cheese is a day without sunshine,” says Dobes.James claims, “It’s the enzymes.”Here in the Gifted Underachievers Clubhouse, we agree that the food group known as cheese goes in many things: tuna melts, fried egg sandwiches, salads... And if you’re a REAL cheesehound, you’ll like it hard, soft, or blue.It’s not just the enzymes, it’s not just the feel-good fats—the bald fact is that cheese makes us happy. And a happy creative is a productive creative.Questions for Listeners:* Ever felt better after you eat cheese?* Exactly.Buy us a Coffee and Win a Book!Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further Exploration:The Truth about Cheese: Can Cheese Make You Happy? Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No cost, no spam, unsubscribe anytime. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

Sure, big breaks are great, but careers and talent are built over time, one project after another.In this segment, the Gifted Underachievers conclude that the proper mindset (or at least, a healthy and realistic mindset) is to consider your career as a steady push toward a tipping point. Plan your work and future by achieving a series of tipping point acts that lead to where you want to go.Question for Listeners:What does your tipping point look like? Have you passed it, or are you still heading toward it?Buy us a Coffee and Win a BookHere in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No spam, unsubscribe anytime. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

Our environments interact with us every minute of every day. Working in a cluttered, dusty, and disorganized space WILL reduce both your clarity and your creative output.What’s one to do? How do you reorganize your space to optimize your hours at work? What visual and sensory elements will harness and support your energy?The Gifted Underachievers discuss this with a view to Pat’s overhaul of her “cloffice” (closet-office—a common solution for work-at-home creatives in urban centers with high housing costs).Listen in as we discuss “life architecture,” images, colours, and resources from creativity architect Donald Rattner and from our very own Gifted Achiever guest, writer and creative consultant Carrie McConkey.Questions for Listeners:* Describe your creative space in basic truths. * How do you feel when you’re in it?* Any plans to spruce it up and make it more functional?* If yes, what will you do?Buy us a Coffee and Win a BookHere in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further Exploration:Gifted Achiever Carrie McConkey (website):Creativity architect Donald Rattner: My Creative Space (website, book, other resources)Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No spam, unsubscribe anytime. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

You knew ticks could give you Lyme disease...but did you know they could actually damage some of your more dangly bits of organs? Have you heard of the phenomenon called “ghost tick injury?” James has experienced it first-hand, and it’s not pretty.PSA #2: As is often the case with your Gifted Underachievers, the useful information is in the “Further Exploration” section of the show notes.Questions for Listeners:* Ever caught a tick attached to your skin?* What did you do?Buy us a Coffee and Win a BookHere in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further Exploration:How to avoid ticks in long grass etc.https://youtube.com/shorts/DqJyxzolF5M?si=QOvLdvAHkR94KcF3The US Centers for Disease Control & Prevention on Tickborne diseases: https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/about/index.htmlThanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No spam, unsubscribe any time. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

All creatives have immersive careers. We live in our own minds for long periods of time. We need to go to our office/home/studio wherever and just be on our own, away from people to think. That is creative work even though a brush isn’t on a canvas, words aren’t being produced, the stage is empty.Explaining this need to people wondering why we are leaving a party…or not showing up…always (often?) feels like we are complaining.Should we only hang out with other creative people?No.Being out in the world with other people fills the creative well. We need it.How do we find balance? How do we tell people what we need in a way that does not feel like complaining?Question for Listeners:* Are you a Spivak?* Do you thrive on socializing?* Or do you wish the world would stay behind the yellow tape you’ve put up?Buy us a Coffee and Win a Guide to World Domination!Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further Exploration:If you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time.Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

Many creative folks work remotely and have video meetings with people from all over the world. Your Gifted Underachievers are two such people—James has many meetings with clients, publishers, and agents, and Pat has students and clients in far-flung places such as Singapore, New Zealand, Central Europe, and the U.K.We’ve both noticed that people located in Eastern Time (North America) can sometimes struggle to respect time zone differences. In this public service announcement, we suggest that awareness and courtesy around scheduling meetings could be a good career move. This free tool is a great way to check time zones before you schedule: worldtimebuddy.com.Question for Listeners:What’s the most difficult time zone scheduling you’ve done?Buy us a Coffee and Win a Guide to World Domination!Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further Exploration:Pat’s go-to time zone calculator for meetings with multiple participants in different locations is World Time Buddy – time zone converter and world clock: worldtimebuddy.com.If you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time.Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

Nietzsche said “Love your fate because your trials are necessary.” This isn’t nihilism—quite the contrary. There can be great meaning in welcoming your challenges rather than seeing them as “bad luck” or “unfair.”In this brief segment, the Gifted Underachievers talk about how loving their fates has increased their own sense of agency and control.Question for Listeners:Do you love your fate?Buy us a Coffee and Win a Guide to World Domination!Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further Exploration:The Daily Stoic on Amor Fati: https://dailystoic.com/amor-fati-love-of-fate/The School of Life discusses Nietzsche’s views on Amor Fati:If you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time.Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

When James pitches for a ghostwriting gig, he needs to quickly present himself as a capable professional to clients for projects often worth $80k or more. Pat faces much the same situation when she meets with prospective clients: they have to believe that she offers professional services that will get them closer to their writing and publishing goals.While they represent two different roles in the publishing world, each shares the same challenge: relate to a potential client in a way that authentically represents them as the experienced professionals they are. This is not easy.But for both, it comes down to one simple rule: be generous.Be generous in your time, knowledge, experience, and with the truth.It isn’t a hard pitch, it’s a soft pitch.Questions for Listeners:* What three pitching strategies do you use?* What is the basis of how you communicate with potential clients?Buy us a Coffee and Win a BookHere in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further Exploration:Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No cost, no spam, unsubscribe anytime. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

The Academy is relentless in their push to sue the Gifted Underachievers for $1B. They have won removal of the case to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. But worse than that: They want the GU Clubhouse.The team are up against the wall; they’re being rolled by a well-funded and motivated adversary.In an act of desperation, they launch the GU Extraction Team.Questions for Listeners:How silly is too silly?Buy us a Coffee and Win a BookHere in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further Exploration:Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.If you haven’t already subscribed, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No cost, no spam, unsubscribe any time. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

After a period of offering two main services, James has focused on ghostwriting without distraction, with the goal of becoming one of the top 20 ghostwriters in the country.Pat has more than one sphere of operation, and she freely tosses around terms like “beachhead” and “flagship” to describe how she successfully manages these separate spheres.Note—In case you’re wondering, the characteristics of a good business beachhead include:* A small, well-defined target customer base with a shared, urgent problem* Buyers who communicate with one another* A strong, distinct value proposition that fits your strengths(source: https://executive.mit.edu/launching-a-successful-start-up-3-the-beachhead-market-MC7FUMDZ6IU5AIPP4WGIPN2PZJI4.html)If you are running a creative-adjacent business in any artistic domain, this episode is for you.Questions for Listeners:* Do you have a ‘beachhead’ service?* What is it, and how did you focus in on it?Buy us a Coffee and Win a BookHere in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further Exploration:MIT on The Beachhead Market: https://executive.mit.edu/launching-a-successful-start-up-3-the-beachhead-market-MC7FUMDZ6IU5AIPP4WGIPN2PZJI4.htmlExcellent book by Charlie Gilkey: The Small Business Life Cycle: The No-Fluff Guide to Navigating the Five Stages of Small Business GrowthThanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No cost, no spam, unsubscribe any time. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

The Gifted Underachievers talk about how to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of a creative worker’s art. Are there guard rails that will help you deliver a needed truth in a way that feels supportive while getting taken seriously by the artist?What are the tenets of constructive critiquing? We share our experiences in workshop environments and MFA programs and share real-world examples of how to critique productively and how to receive and respond to critiques that land.Questions for Listeners:1. Have you ever had a critique that killed your soul, even if temporarily?2. What’s the best critique you ever got?3. Do you have principles for giving or receiving critiques?For Further Exploration:Buy us a Coffee and Win a Guide to World Domination!Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!If you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time.Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

If you were to write a tagline for your internal narrative as a creative, what would it be? Pat and James talk about how they view their internal creative narrative. Unsurprisingly, Pat is the underdog fighting forward. James is the outsider doing his best to find a way inside.While these may be true self-assessments, what do they mean? How can we use our internal narratives to help our creative minds? Or are these narrative taglines more about staying motivated by always having something to push against.Question for Listeners:* What’s your narrative as a creative?For Further Exploration:Buy us a Coffee and Win a Guide to World Domination!Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!If you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time.Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

The Gifted Achievers have stepped in it now. The GU newsroom is reporting that the Academy is suing the Gifted Underachievers for $1B. This comes just weeks after Pat and James (mostly Pat) fired the GU legal team.The lawsuit is shutting down the GU Below the Line Crew Bee Oscars.More to come in future updates.Question for Listeners:* How much sillier can this get?[Answer: a lot]For Further Exploration:Buy us a Coffee and Win a Guide to World Domination!Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!If you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time.Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

The vast majority of schools are structured to recognize, validate and reward people who thrive with a certain way of learning. As most gifted underachievers have discovered, being good at school does not mean you will ace life and career. Conversely, not being good at school doesn’t mean you will fail.Many of us get more from experiences outside that structure. Although we might not do well initially, we can thrive when given the space to do our best work.Question for Listeners:Does our definition of Gifted Underachievers describe or resonate with you?Buy us a Coffee and Win a BookHere in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further Exploration:Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No cost, no spam, unsubscribe anytime. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

If you’re like us, you’re doing more than your own creative work to keep the lights on at home. Here in the Gifted Underachiever Clubhouse, we provide services to other creative folk who seek professional help in making their work the best it can be.Experience has taught us that a few skills come in very handy in building sustainable creative-adjacent careers across artistic disciplines. What are they? Have a listen and find out.Questions for Listeners:* Do you provide any services to other creative folk?* If yes, what are some of the core skills you’ve found useful?Buy us a Coffee and Win a BookHere in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further Exploration:A cogent case for three key skills: organization & time management, client acquisition, and perseverenceThanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No cost, no spam, unsubscribe anytime. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

It’s our 100th Episode, and to celebrate this momentous achievement we are letting go of someone very dear to our hearts: novelist John Irving.Join us live as we release John back into the wild at an undisclosed location in the dead of night. And set your alerts for news of his reappearance in his very own adopted home town of Toronto, Canada!Question for Listeners:Do you think John will make it home?Buy us a Coffee and Win a BookHere in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further Exploration:Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No cost, no spam, unsubscribe anytime. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

James is stuck. Pat has an idea: Try setting some constraints in your process or actual creative work to release creative flow. The key areas to place constraints, Pat explains, are time, form, and materials. Beyond that, the Gifted Underachievers discuss how to force decision making while diving deeper into a creative flow.Questions for Listeners:* What constraints might work for you?Buy us a Coffee and Win a Guide to World Domination!Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further Exploration:If you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time.Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

It takes a village to make a movie, even a bad movie. But not everyone in that village gets the recognition they deserve. These are the people who comprise what is known as the Below the Line crew. IN this segment, the Gifted Underachievers pick up the Academy Awards’ slack.Questions for Listeners:* Aren’t we all as gifted underachievers below the line crew?Buy us a Coffee and Win a Guide to World Domination!Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further Exploration:If you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time.Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

Further to last week’s difficulties with finding the clock, the Gifted Underachievers are puzzled about what British folk mean when they invite you for a meal at “7 for 7:30.”Spoiler: It means about what you’d expect.Questions for Listeners:* What do you think about sitting down to dinner half an hour after you arrive at someone’s house?* If the invitation said “7 for 8,” would you still go?Buy us a Coffee and Win a Guide to World Domination!Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!Other aspects of British social etiquette: wait your turn, say please and thank you, don’t rush the tube until everyone’s off, wait until all the guests are there before you start eating, and don’t clear the plates until everyone’s done.If you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time.Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

Throughout his life, James has driven past the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference campus in Ripton, Vermont, hundreds of times if not a thousand. Often, he speeds by as the writers’ conference is happening knowing he’d been rejected once more.That he has this connection to the campus is galling. But there are lessons to be learned from each failure and a discussion of why Bread Loaf and similar creative conferences and/or residencies matter.Question for Listeners:How do you get over a gutting rejection?Buy us a Coffee and Win a BookHere in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further Exploration:James salutes Bread Loaf:https://www.middlebury.edu/writers-conferences/writers-conferenceThanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No cost, no spam, unsubscribe anytime. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

The clock (aka the timer) is handy for a couple of loquacious idiots like the Gifted Underachievers. But where is the damn thing?!Questions for Listeners:No questions today, we’re too busy looking for the other thing.Buy us a Coffee and Win a BookHere in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further Exploration: Apparently, there are four types of Gifted Underachievers:https://giftedchallenges.blogspot.com/2016/02/who-is-gifted-underachiever-four-types.htmlThanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No cost, no spam, unsubscribe anytime. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

In this segment, the Gifted Underachievers talk about one of the great benefits of being an artist in any field: making art forces you to pay attention, and attention to the real world gives you experiences you won’t have if you’re doomscrolling in the coffee shop.We talk about essayist and humorist David Sedaris, street photographer and poet Rodney DeCroo, and how to strengthen your “noticing” muscle into a useful part of your artistic process.Questions for Listeners:Do you know the name of that app for meeting people at bus stops?Buy us a Coffee and Win a BookHere in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further Exploration:Night Moves: The Photography of Rodney DeCroohttps://www.anvilpress.com/books/night-moves-the-photography-of-rodney-decrooTheory of Mind: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_mindDavid Sedaris interview: Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No cost, no spam, unsubscribe anytime. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

In every creative field there are “top-tier” workers, aka A-listers, whose achievements are undeniable and well-earned. This milieu can seem like a closed system, but the Gifted Underachievers agree that the elite corner of the creative ecosystem survives only by seeking out and admitting new talent.Questions for Listeners:* Are you a member of the so-called creative elite?* If yes, can we interview you for this podcast?For Further Exploration:Buy us a Coffee and Win a Guide to World Domination!Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!If you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time.Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

Last year, the board of a prestigious Canadian arts grant recommended Pat for a grant, but then they ran out of money before her name came up on the approved list. This year? Ame thing, exactly. WTF! Is this a victory, validation that Pat’s work and proposal are worthy? Or is this a more painful form of shunning?Plus! An important US NEH grant update: The worm turns!Questions for Listeners:* Have you received a grant?* What do you think set your proposal apart?For Further Exploration:Buy us a Coffee and Win a Guide to World Domination!Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!If you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time.Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

Two years ago, James made a pearl. And he’s back at it, trying to bend the will of nature and time to his ‘creative’ whims.Questions for Listeners:* Any pearls in your past?For Further Exploration:Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!If you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time.Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

In this segment, Pat brings up the issue of resetting our creative physiology via the five senses when we feel frazzled or just need to give the brain and body a break. This isn’t about some complex, time-consuming set of to-dos to add to your list. Instead, it’s about taking five or maybe ten minutes and doing something simple that either refocuses the mind or stretches the body.Questions for Listeners:* What’s in your reset jar?For Further Exploration:Living in Game Mode: Activate Your Final Form By Gaming Life by Don B. DrewBuy us a Coffee and Win a Guide to World Domination!Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!If you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time.Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

In this segment, Gifted Underachiever Dobes is just in from the opera house, where she did a high-profile speaking engagement and had them rolling in the aisles.Kidding!But Dobes has, in fact, spoken in front of an audience, occasionally for money. James has also spoken in front of an audience—for example, his legendary talk on creativity for the organization called Creative Mornings.We talk about how to enjoy your speaking engagements and how you can use them to bolster your other marketing tools.Questions for Listeners:* Have you given talks on your creative or creative-adjacent work?* Ever had one go sideways in the most terrible way?* If yes, DO TELL!Treat us to a Coffee and Win a BookHere in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further Exploration:James Buchanan on Creative Mornings: Harvest Better Ideashttps://creativemornings.com/talks/james-buchananGD Green on The MothThanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to see you in the GU Clubhouse! No cost, no spam, unsubscribe any time. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

Here in the Gifted Underachievers clubhouse, we’ve been talking about travel lately. Spanish cities James would like to visit include Barcelona and Madrid. When Pat shares her experience of wonderful Barcelona, James realizes there’s been some weird episodes in his GU cohost’s life.Questions for Listeners:* Have you ever been to Barcelona?* What’s your favorite sport?Buy us a Coffee and Win a BookHere in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further Exploration:Back issues of Sumo World! https://www.ebay.com/itm/315719280610Barcelona Turisme! https://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/en/Sumo Primetime with Hiro Morita – the Haru Basho:Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to see you in the GU Clubhouse. No spam, no cost, unsubscribe anytime. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

What “career” pathways exist for creative writers, visual artists, and actors? Is there anything analogous to the training grounds of the minor leagues in sports?We examine some options and come to the inevitable question for many people: how do I get into the minor leagues, period? What are the obstacles for your average creative worker, and how can we overcome those obstacles?The answers we found? Drive, ambition, talent, support, resources, access to larger centers, and belief in yourself.Questions for Listeners:* What’s the minor league for YOUR art?For Further Exploration:Pathways to Arts, Media, and Entertainment CareersWebinars on creative pathways in the arts (scroll down for the videos)Working in the Arts: Ditch the Elevator Pitch with Betty XieBuy us a Coffee and Win a Guide to World Domination!Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!If you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time.Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

The median income for all employed artists in all domains according to the NEA in 2023 was $70,170. Meanwhile, the value that all of that creativity delivers to the economy in the US (sorry Canada and Europe…more data to come) is $1.2 trillion.Does that feel like a disparity?It does to the Gifted Underachievers.Is it going to get worse now that Trump cut nearly all arts funding?You betcha.What can we take away from this?Organize! Organize! Organize!PS: You will find out how bad at math the Gifted Underachievers are.Links to the report below.Questions for Listeners:* Would you like to see more deep dives into financial and other data for creatives?* If so, what do you think would have the most impact for you?For Further Exploration:The Report: THE U.S. ARTS ECONOMY IN 2023Sharon Louden (THE Organizer of Organizers!!!)Income Streams UpdateVirtuous Feedback Financing LoopBuy us a Coffee and Win a Guide to World Domination!Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!If you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time.Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

After 100 episodes the gifted underachievers have decided it is time to release John Irving from controlled captivity in the Gifted Underachievers’ clubhouse.*This is it. As of June 18, 2006, John Irving will be free.Shockingly, Irving has still managed to be unbelievably productive.Questions for Listeners:* We’ve enjoyed ‘hosting’ the big man…have you had some fun, too?For Further Exploration:The John Irving DelusionGas Masks in the Basement with John IrvingThe Captive Downstairs: John Irving SillinessBuy us a Coffee and Win a Guide to World Domination!Here in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!If you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time.Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

James and Pat ask questions, discuss options, and debate financial and productivity growth plans for creatives.The debate: Pat must convince James that it’s possible to have a growth plan for purely creative work.The plans: Pat and James run through their respective growth plans for BOTH their creative-adjacent and purely creative work.For both: How to find more capacity to do more and better work, then help it find its audience and grow income.Hint: James says ‘raise my rates’ then discusses increasing the perceived and real value of his work as a ghostwriter.Questions for Listeners:* Can purely creative work have a financial growth plan?* What ideas from this segment resonated with you?Buy us a Coffee and Win a BookHere in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further Exploration:Isaac Hirotsu WoofterBeing Strategic with Limited BurnersCreatives & Money: Ways to View DebtIf you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No spam, no cost, unsubscribe any time.Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

The gifted underachievers have lots of ideas. We’re not saying they’re good ideas, but sometimes you don’t know how a creative project’s going to work out until you do it. If you get partway into the project and discover you no longer care, is it time to ditch it? Or are there other things you can do?How about when you have two equally interesting ideas at the same time—which one do you work on first?Have a listen and find out.Questions for Listeners:* Have you ever ditched a creative project partway through?* If yes, why?* If you’ve put an idea on hold while you work on something else, how did that work out?Buy us a Coffee and Win a BookHere in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further Exploration:Berms and swales 101: Sunk Cost Fallacy: Not Knowing When It’s Time to StopThanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No spam, no cost, unsubscribe any time. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

The Gifted Underachievers’ corporate HR Rep has installed a livestream device in the content creation clubhouse, pissing off the two biggest GUs in the whole org chart. Listen to Pat and James discuss their options in this battle royale with HR.Questions for Listeners:Do you think podcasters should have complete creative control of their content? YES or NO.Why?Buy HR a Coffee and Win a BookHR is forcing us to buy them a coffee. Please help us out. The first coffee angel will get a free guide to creative productivity!For Further Exploration:Bayerisches Restaurant (Monty Python) — warning, EXTREMELY sillyThanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No spam, no cost, unsubscribe anytime. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

After a very busy and at times emotionally challenging past year, the Gifted Underachievers discuss what it felt like to be a kid looking forward to summer vacation and how even during the busy end of school, that thought provided a mental break.But at this time of life—adulthood generally—there isn’t a summer long vacation spanning out ahead of us. Instead, we are busy with work and all of our responsibilities and feeling like our minds need a break. Seriously. A real break.But we have to push through.So, what can we do? How can we carve out time for ourselves when there isn’t enough time for everything and everyone else? How do we manage a heavy mental load?Ideas include:* Cut out of work early one day a week.* Milestone challenge where if you reward yourself with time off.* An artist date where you take yourself out to do something to fill the well.* Slow down between tasks.Questions for Listeners:* Is your mental load too much right now?* How do you give yourself a mental break?Buy us a Coffee and Win a BookHere in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further Exploration:Creativity and Mental HealthYou Hate Your Job…Now What?If you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time.Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

Two experiments are running in the GU Clubhouse, each with the goal of developing an extra income stream and getting some new lines on our creative CVs. Our grant experiment started in September 2024 and we began entering writing contests in October 2025. Both are ongoing.Both have had “mixed” results (aka no money earned, but many lessons learned).In this segment, we discuss the key takeaways in terms of work required, return on this investment, and the importance of understanding your “audience”--grant boards, contest judges, and ultimately, the readership they serve.Finally, we announce the launch of our third experiment, which we delusionally hope will have better results.Questions for Listeners:* How’s YOUR grant and contest history? Made any money? Seen other benefits?* What have you learned from applying for grants and entering contests?* Or if you’ve never applied or entered, can you say why not?Buy us a Coffee and Win a BookHere in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further Exploration:Written Reports on The Grant Experiment: https://giftedunderachievers.substack.com/p/written-reports-on-the-grant-experimentPrevious podcast segments on grant and contest experiments:03-Apr-2603-Apr-2612-Mar-2612-Feb-2605-Feb-2608-Jan-2608-Jan-2618-Dec-2512-Nov-2529-Oct-2517-Sep-2504-Sep-2524-Jul-2506-Jun-2506-Jun-2522-May-2515-May-2507-May-2517-Apr-2502-Apr-2505-Mar-2520-Feb-2517-Jan-2523-Dec-2419-Dec-2412-Dec-2429-Sep-2429-Sep-2408-Sep-24If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. Free, no spam, unsubscribe any time.Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

Pat is lecturing James on the difference between a sweater, a Jumper, and Kurdistan when her throat seizes sending the Gifted Underachievers down yet another rabbit hole.Questions for Listeners:* What’s your favorite throat clearing technique?* Tea?* Warm lemon water with honey?Buy us a Coffee and Win a BookHere in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further Exploration:Monty Python – Theory on Brontosauruses by Anne ElkIf you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No cost, no spam, unsubscribe any time.Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.Want to Show Your Support for the Gifted Underachievers?Visit the Gifted Underachiever Merch ShopWe have T-shirts, notebooks, hats, fridge magnets, mugs, and more. (Note: We’re working on getting free or low shipping in all countries!) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com