We were lucky to catch up with Mike Brennan recently and have shared our conversation below.

Mike, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I’ve been creating for as long as I can remember. My childhood was filled with cartoons, and comics, and learning to draw my favorite characters. Some of my first and favorite creative memories were of me drawing and making my own greeting cards for family members. I would create these cards, hand them to my family member and see their face light up! It was at that early age that I experienced this exchange happening. I realized I could create something, give it to someone else and make them smile. Then we both felt good.

I knew that I wanted to pursue art. so I studied graphic design at the Fashion Institute of Technology, and The School of Visual Arts, both in NYC. After that, I worked with a range of clients, from major brands including Mobile, Heineken, Chase Bank, to independent agencies serving boutique businesses like Tuscan/Lehigh Valley Dairies and Sportcraft. I spent years in editorial design as an art director/designer for magazines, as well as working in the non-profit/ministry space. All my prior years led me to where I am now, providing creative services through my own business. I also speak, coach, and consult inspiring creators and entrepreneurs to show up consistently on their quest for creativity & innovation, through a daily creative habit.

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?

Although I spent years as a professional creative, my real story began when I hit rock bottom, suffering from depression.

I had taken a ten-year break from my art, and that, along with some life circumstances led me to that dark place. There was a job/career loss, a move, selling a home, leaving a community of friends and family, followed by the death of my father due to cancer. It was during this time of loss and grief, that I felt the call to return to my personal art. But I wondered if this was even possible, and if so, how. I was lost.

But I decided to listen to that internal voice telling me I needed to reengage with my art because at one time it brought me joy. I stumbled upon a path back in, a 365-day project – creating a drawing or painting every day, for an entire year. But, honestly, that was way too ambitious, so I had to break it into small projects and time frames. Day one was an awful pen drawing in my sketchbook of a Starbucks coffee cup. I was completely embarrassed by it and its lack of technical skill, but I also forced myself to quickly embrace it. It was all I could manage on that day. And I committed to showing up the next day and trying again.

Soon enough, I started experimenting and playing. I took creative chances. One week quickly becomes one month, then the entire year. But I knew I wasn’t done. So, I kept going, showing up every day to create something.

What emerged was not only getting back in touch with that place in me that I had lost (the simple act of creating just for the joy of it) but I also found my voice and my style. As I kept going, I discovered a pathway, process, and principles that I believed would not only help me but other creatives who might be struggling as well. To date, I just surpassed eleven years of showing up every day, with a firmly established daily creative habit.

During these years, I created art that became the content of several self-published books (such as Dear Snow: One Man’s Angry Rant Against Winter), had art in exhibits and gallery shows. My pop culture art was spotlighted on AMC’s Talking Dead and featured on Syfy.com. My yoga art appeared in ‘The Art of Healthy Living’ exhibit at the I.D.E.A. Museum, Mesa, Arizona. I have been a featured illustrator for Meowbox, featured in Capsules Pictoria Volume 3, The Best Contemporary Illustrators Worldwide, and longlisted with The Association of Illustrators World Illustration Awards 2020. I’m a member of Illustrators for Hire and have featured art in the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois.

But more than those projects, my creative journey led me into self-discovery to remember who I truly was. This was even bigger than my own personal art, and a passion to help other creatives was birthed.

That’s what led me to creative speaking, coaching, and consulting, and founding Daily Creative Habit. I have created several resources for creatives including a free Facebook community, email newsletter with daily prompts and resources, the Daily Creative Habit journal, and more. I also host the Creative Chats podcast, where I talk with fellow artists, makers, and content creators about creativity, the creative process, and story.

My vision is to see people embracing their creativity, believing in themselves leading to taking action. I believe everyone is a creator, even when they don’t necessarily feel like one. Some people write, others solve problems, some do art, while still others create content. When one looks at the world through the lens of creativity, that is when all the things that we desire start to fall into place/happen such as innovation, productivity, and a path forward that we otherwise would not have seen. I lead people on a journey of discovering their innate creativity through my Daily Creative Habit process where they learn how to intentionally harness the power of creativity and innovation without waiting for inspiration to strike. They walk away with how to use creativity through time management, clarity on goal-driven creativity, and a sustainable way to make innovation and play a part of their daily life and work.

All of this came from my own journey and experiences, starting with that dark night of the soul. I love that I get to redeem my own story, not only for my own purposes but to empower and inspire others in their pursuit of creativity.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

First, I believe everyone is creative, it’s just a matter of how it shows up. I have conversations almost daily where people say things like “I can’t draw a stick figure” or “I can’t sing to save my life.” They automatically put being creative in a box with the performing or visual arts. They compare themselves to someone like me. And then my art becomes a liability, blocking them from their own creativity.

So I challenge them to rethink their definition of creativity. The way you organize, decorate your home, choose your clothing, problem solve… these can all be expressions of our creativity.

The definition of creativity I’ve been using lately is – it’s how you see things, and what you do as result. Vision + Action with our uniqueness applied.

Otherwise, it’s too easy for people to look at someone like me who has been a “professional creative” and think that the process I use isn’t applicable to them. They essentially try to give themselves a pass, because they think it’s not for them. The truth is that when we all lean into our creativity, we all win. Because your creativity gives you a place to play, experiment, and discover. Not just for a “project” but for your life. And these are the places where self-discovery leads us to become the best versions of ourselves and create the life that we long to lead.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I’ve had to unlearn a lot of things along the way, starting with confronting lies I believed. Early on, I thought that because I couldn’t execute proper proportions in my drawing nor render in a photo-realistic style, I wasn’t a “real” artist. Comparison kept me from fully embracing my creativity and blocked me from discovering my voice and style for a long time.

Another thing I had to unlearn was the tension I created within myself trying to balance multiple creative expressions and interests. I used to feel like I was a juggler, and if I spent too much time on one particular area of interest, the others would start to fall. This was an endless shifting focus and feeling guilty about not successfully navigating. But I finally realized that each of these creative expressions (visual art, music, writing, etc) were just tools in my toolbox. I wasn’t merely a “visual artist” or “designer”. I realized that at heart, I’m a communicator, and I employ these various creative expressions depending on what’s appropriate or the season I’m in. This gave me such freedom and allowed me to focus more on the things I wanted to say, without hyper-focusing on my methodology out of the gate.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.MikeBrennan.me
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikebone/
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/Mikebone
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-brennan-ad/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikebone
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mikebone
• Other: www.DailyCreativeHabit.com www.EventSketches.com