REWILDING YOUR CREATIVE BEING
What happens when we abandon the artifice and superficial bullshit as artists, writers, and creative business owners? All that remains is the naked, authentic soul in the mirror. The unfiltered source of our best work. I hope this space offers you a safe place to be yourself and unshackle your voice.
I have spent countless hours in post-production houses. From making TV ads to producing podcasts. Creating radio spots to editing a short film. Sinking into a collaborative space is liberating. Invigorating. Anything is possible! Creators coming together to bring a vision to life. That’s my soul food. And that is what I hope to create here on Substack. A community of like-minded creative minds who want to reject the status quo to chart their own course.
It’s a courageous act. Making the conscious choice to unconditionally trust yourself as a creative mind. The book, business, film, whatever, must get done. You have a vision! It’s become an obsession. How to trust your obsessions? No matter, you follow the heat. And inch by inch, you, we, find our way back to the natural habitats where we thrive on every level. You likely know this feeling. The experience of being a truly free creative being.
The nature of “living our best life” is to think we’re writing one book, the story of our lives, when our lives are an anthology of books, each serving its own purpose. The same with how we evolve as creative beings. Our core needs personally, creatively, and the success we crave each serve their own gods. Ideally, synergy exists between the paths we walk, but that is often not the case.
As someone who comes from childhood trauma, my business and creative success were often at odds with my internal experience of the world. I worked damn hard to wear the suit called success, but it never fit. Something was off! I didn’t feel fed. Why? Because despite decades of work, recovery work remained. My personal journey has never kept pace with my creative journey and quest for success, and that’s ok.
I say “that’s ok” as much for myself as for you because there are times when it didn’t feel ok! That’s what it means to be a messy, fantastic, eclectic creative human.
After wrapping up the shoot for my second short film, I was sitting with my epic co-producer and friend to grab a bite. Boom! The tears started to flow. I could finally FEEL my film, versus do my job as a director and co-producer. Such watershed moments always happen for me when the work matters.
In seeing ourselves real, we come to accept and honor each journey as its own sacred pilgrimage. Think about what I just wrote. What might that look like in your life? How might you honor each of the three journeys as sacred pilgrimages all their own? When we adopt a holistic approach to our growth and development, we get back to our true nature. We give ourselves more wiggle room.
A podcast explores the profoundly human journey of being a creative mind. I publish 4-5 short episodes a month that leads to soul-searching, creative rediscovery, finding your voice and way as a creative mind.
Creative entrepreneurs, designers, agency owners, B corps, artists, writers, filmmakers, people-centric business owners, progressive activists, coaches, freelancers, and anyone hungry to unshackle their voice and stretch their wings is welcome. I’m glad you’re here!
As my podcast grows, I will upgrade my gear and bring in an expert to build a bad ass home studio. Once that’s complete, late 2025 I am guessing, I will start interviewing one creator a month. No celebrities. Just creative minds across multiple disciplines. Real people, and real conversations. That’s my jam.
At some point, I would like to explore building a paid community on Substack if it makes sense to do so. Probably a space for our cohort to connect and support one another.
If the vibe and journey I have laid out speaks to you, please hit the subscribe button. It takes a village to unshackle our voices and stretch our wings.
FOUR LIFE LESSONS
In late 2020, I felt moved to write a nonfiction book. Part memoir. Part lessons learned. It became an all-consuming obsession. Two years later, 38,000 words took root. The format blurs the line between spoken word poetry and a fireside chat. The project was an extraordinary expedition of the soul. But something was off. Broken. Not ready to be a proper book.
“This transformative and captivating tapestry of Bobby Ford’s life lessons is unapologetically human. His voice is daringly compassionate, poignantly funny, and feels like a real friend to passionate fighters and peaceful lovers alike. This book is not just for rebels; it is also for followers who resist taking risks.”
Angela Mia
Award Winning & Living Master Sculptor / Angela Mia Studios
“Reading this book is like sitting down for a 5 course meal with the most supportive creative coach you can imagine, somebody who’s on your side and actively trying to create a warm and inviting community for those of us wandering the wilderness of self-discovery.”
Michael Firstenfeld
CEO / Make Every Media, LLC
Actor & Improvisor
"When I read this book, I hear Bob's voice, which brings out my inner rebel. It's like having a ready-made supply of creative rocket fuel in your back pocket. A powerful guide that provokes and challenges you, but all geared towards doing the work you were put on this planet to do.”
Laurence McCahill
Co-Founder / The Happy Startup School
Four Life Lessons represents an edited-down version of the first four chapters, the chapters that spoke to people the most. May you find a few treasures of your own.
With kind regards,
Bobby Ford
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