We were lucky to catch up with Spencer Lord recently and have shared our conversation below.
Spencer, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Too often the media represents innovation as something magical that only high-flying tech billionaires and upstarts engage in – but the truth is almost every business owner has to regularly innovate in small and big ways in order for their businesses to survive and thrive. Can you share a story that highlights something innovative you’ve done over the course of your career?
We made the concepts of cognitive behavioral therapy (“CBT”) accessible to everyone. CBT is the most powerful evidence-based form of psychotherapy, and anyone can use its tools to improve their everyday lives. Several of the foundational books about CBT were written by Dr. Aaron Beck, Dr. Albert Ellis, and Dr. David Burns, but these gigantic volumes are often impenetrable to the casual reader.
After reading these and more on the subject, I thought “Wow, the greatest innovation would be distilling these ideas into a short, easy-to-read book.” I wrote my take on the subject, secured an agent, and we sold “The Brain Mechanic” to HCI Books, who originally published “Chicken Soup for the Soul.” The next great innovation is turning the book into a movie! I adapted the screenplay, and the film version is now in development. After the film, we want to release an app.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I was writing comedy and doing standup for years, and was considering grad school to become a psychotherapist like my mom. After reading a few books on cognitive behavioral therapy, my life was so transformed, I forgot about comedy, and became focused on sharing these concepts with the world. We currently offer “The Brain Mechanic,” as a book, and audiobook, as well as seminars and private consulting based on same. Individuals seeking personalized coaching can do a private retreat in the Hollywood Hills, and I design training and education models for companies ranging from law firms, to customer service organizations.
I’m most proud of the response the book has received, both from clinical therapists and academics, to everyday readers and celebrities. The letters I get still amaze me sometimes, and I want everyone to know the book is available as a three-hour audiobook. Consider it a podcast, it plays that easily to the ears. I’m also very proud of the adapted screenplay, now in development. Bringing these concepts to film, and teaching them through a classic Hollywood narrative is the next major project, and a mobile app after that.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most reward I get from creative work is the response from the audience. I never really know how a seminar or coaching session is going to go, but watching clients learn and grow is definitely the best part. I also love the schedule. I’m not bound to a typical work week or boss, so I get a lot of freedom to work on exactly what inspires me.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
Education drives my creative journey. In “84 Charing Cross Road” Helene Hanff wrote “Walton says somewhere or other, ‘but I was there and I saw it.’ That’s for me! I’m a great lover of ‘I was there’ books.” She similarly remarked: “I can never get interested in things that didn’t happen to people who never lived.”
Like Hanff, I’ve always been drawn to non-fiction books, doc film, and biopics. The best lessons delivered in the easiest ways are the most effective forms of both education and entertainment. Most of my favorite books and movies enlighten the audiences they entertain. That’s what drives me, and the book, and the movie, and the future app. I love being entertained while learning new things. Make me laugh, make me cry, just teach me something valuable. That’s my desire, and my goal.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.spencerlord.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spencer_lord
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/spencer.lord
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lordspencer/
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/spencerlord
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SpencerLord1
- Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2673762