We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Mike Brown a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Mike, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

I have been taking risk all my life. Last year was probably my biggest risk at this stage in my journey of really having to trust myself. I was a full time elementary school educator, but I didn’t feel passionate about it anymore. I have always been one foot in and one foot out as an artist. Relying on a job as a “back up” plan but something in me would never let me find comfort in a job. I quit last year and it has been a deep dive into the unknown. But, I couldn’t imagine my life any other way right now. I started my own after school program teaching kids podcasting, I started my own virtual podcasting academy to help others share their journeys, and have really created opportunities for myself that I don’t think the comfort of having a job would have pushed me to find. It is hard to shift out of employee mindset. Going from a check every two weeks to the unknown of where the next one will come from can be scary. There is something that is always looking out for me at every step of the journey so I allow myself to land every time I jump.

Mike, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I have been a creative my entire life. Starting as early as 3rd grade recording myself. So to be doing the same professionally today makes me feel like I am following my life’s path. I got into podcasting because therapy was too expensive for me at the time. I used the space to share my journey and to welcome people on my healing journey.

With my podcasting course I want to help others share their journeys. We all have a story to tell and I feel like podcasting is the perfect medium for it. Unlike music or painting, where you have to have some type of skill to be considered “good”. Podcasting is so new that it is a blank canvas for the creators to navigate the way in which they want to do it. I share my tools with my students. All of them. From the basics of podcasting to being confident and consistent on the microphone. Teaching this to kids as young as 7 years old I feel that I can simplify podcasting for anyone to be able to learn.

We do hands on practicing during my course. I help my students figure out their why to guide them on their journeys and by the time the course is finished they will have the confidence to get that first episode recorded. Alot of times that is the only thing that stops us from accomplishing what we would like to. Confidence!

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I think something non-creatives will struggle to understand is that they are creatives as well. There is not a single person walking this planet who isn’t creative. As long as you have an idea you can choose how to express it. Art is a form of communication. We should treat it as such. I am not great at every medium I choose to create in but at the same tie I dont let it stop me from creating. Practice and consistency make us better.

The advice I would give anyone is to not judge what you create. Don’t compare yourself to the greats because you dont know the journey that it took for them to get there. If we all continue to work at our crafts one day someone will look at us and aim to be at our levels. But, while in it we just have to stay tapped into the journey of it all and know that our paths are unique to us. So enjoy the ride.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

With everything I create I want to express myself most freely and inspire others. I feel repetitive sharing this but I want people to be inspired by me in any way that is beneficial to them. I know how the music I listened to inspired me to make music. I would listen and say I want to do that or I think I can do better. I want people to feel that when they listen to my podcast, listen to my music, take my classes. I want them to walk away inspired to accomplish or overcome whatever challenge it is they are faced with.     

Contact Info:

• Website: www.theartoflettinggopodcast.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/theartoflettinggopodcast
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theartoflettinggopodcast
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/justmikebrown
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCELubbtKRk2S59p7ZpsLk9Q

Image Credits
Sara Corona (@nyxcorona) West (@western__studio)