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Andy J. Pizza

A Weekly Podcast Companion for Your Creative Journey

Transform your creative potential into reality by making your creativity a practice. A “creative discipline” can feel like an oxymoron. Creativity is about doing something new. Discipline is about doing something consistently. The aim of this podcast is to help you strike that elusive balance. 

Each week, New York Times Bestselling Author Illustrator Andy J. Pizza shares everything he’s learning about building a thriving creative practice. Through solo episodes and interviews with top-tier creatives, Pizza brings you the strategies and stories that you need week in and week out to keep your inner critic at bay, bust through creative blocks and stay creatively pepped to the max!!

Learn more: creativepeptalk.com
Check out the host: andyjpizza.com

Creative Pep Talk

Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com

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Does this sound familiar? You find a new thing. You’re certain this is THE thing. It all makes sense! You get started with tons of energy… but then you hit a wall. It all feels wrong. You bail. Find a new thing and the loop starts all over.

If you can relate. This episode is for you!!!

Stick until the end for a checklist that can help you decide whether to stick to the path or give up the thing you’re currently working on!

SHOW NOTES:

Eustress the Good Stresshttps://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/be-the-sun-not-the-salt/202408/eustress-the-good-stress

Eustress vs Distresshttps://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/eustress-vs-distress

Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyihttps://www.aaspa.org/products/flow-the-psychology-of-optimal-experience

Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.coAudio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.coSoundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com

 

SPONSORS:SQUARESPACEHead to https://www.squarespace.com/PEPTALK to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PEPTALK
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

524 - How to Know Whether to Push On or Give Up

Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com

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This episode contains three small things that made a huge difference in my creative practice!

Tune in if you know you need a creative boost, but you’re not EXACTLY sure what it is you need because this is like THREE mini episodes in ONE.

 

SHOW NOTES:

Strengthsfinder Assessment:https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/254033/strengthsfinder.aspx

Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.coAudio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.coSoundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com

 

SPONSORS:SQUARESPACEHead to https://www.squarespace.com/PEPTALK to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PEPTALK
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

523 - The Power of Finding Your Attention Aperture, Neurotype and School of Thought

Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com

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If you’re a creative type, you probably don’t quite fit into the systems you were born into. This can be VERY DIFFICULT. There’s a lot of pressure for folks like us to beat ourselves up into a shape that fits society.

In this episode, I want to share the number 1 thing that changed my life as a creative person, and resources that can help you adopt this shift too!!

SHOW NOTES:Right Side Out Seriesandyjpizza.com/rso

No Bad Parts by Richard Schwartz, PhDhttps://ifs-institute.com/nobadparts

Good Inside by Dr. Beckyhttps://www.goodinside.com/book/Simulacra and Simulationhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulacra_and_Simulation

Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.coAudio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.coSoundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com

SPONSORS:SQUARESPACEHead to https://www.squarespace.com/PEPTALK to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PEPTALK
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

522 - The Unexpected Thing that Suddenly Unlocked My Creative Brain

Sharing a new podcast from Campside Media called Origin Stories, about the creative process and the craft of writing and reporting. Each episode drills down on a single work. What inspired it? How was it created, and why? What kind of challenges and hurdles cropped up along the way? And above all, what can the rest of us learn from the guest’s creative process? 

In this episode, Matt talks to Dan Taberski about his podcast “Hysterical,” which centers on a strange illness that afflicted a group of girls in the New York town of LeRoy. Dan discusses his reporting and outlining approach and the importance of treating subjects (and their stories) with care and respect. You can listen to more episodes of Origin Stories at https://link.mgln.ai/creativepeptalk
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

CPT Presents: Origin Stories - Dan Taberski on Hysterical

Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com

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Are you so worried about other people’s opinions you don’t make or share anything?

Need a tool for finding the thing you’re so passionate about that you’ll finally have the courage to put yourself out there?

If so, this episode is for you!

We all wish we could quit caring so much about what other’s think, but what if it’s a hopeless cause? In this episode we examine how caring about others might actually unlock the boldness we need to finally put our deepest selves into our work and rise above our imagined critics!

SHOW NOTES:

Angus Fletcher - Primal Intelligencehttps://www.angusfletcher.co

Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.coAudio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.coSoundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com

SPONSORS:SQUARESPACEHead to https://www.squarespace.com/PEPTALK to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PEPTALK
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

521 - How to Quit Worrying About Other’s Opinions & Finally Create What You Want

Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com

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This episode is for you if:

- The chaos of the world is making creative work feel meaningless- Need to remember why making creative work is your passion- You need a dose of art that makes you remember what life is about

SHOW NOTES:Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.coAudio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.coSoundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com

SPONSORS:SQUARESPACEHead to https://www.squarespace.com/PEPTALK to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PEPTALK
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

520 - Does Creating Feel Hollow Right Now? How to Unlock New Fire

This episode is for you if you need:

- To tap into your intuition and imagination in a deeper way than ever before

- A boost of hope for your creative future and the future of human creativity

- To hear two creativity nerds getting EXTREMELY excited about art, story and human potential!!!

Pretty much everyday you are told that AI is coming for your job, but NOT TODAY, because today we talk with Angus Fletcher PhD.

Angus is an expert in story AND neuroscience, and in this episode, we will dive into Fletcher’s research that will show you how to access your “Primal Intelligence” AKA something AI cannot do!!

Angus Fletch has a PhD in Literature from Yale studying Shakespeare and a BS in neuroscience from the University of Michigan. This unique blend of story and science makes him one of the most fascinating people I have ever met and I ABSOLUTELY LOVED this conversation!

I HIGHLY recommend you pick up Angus' new book “Primal Intelligence:https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/740110/primal-intelligence-by-angus-fletcher/

Learn more about Angus Fletcher here: https://www.angusfletcher.co

 

SHOW NOTES:

Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.coAudio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.coSoundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com

SPONSORS:SQUARESPACEHead to https://www.squarespace.com/PEPTALK to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PEPTALK
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

519 - Access Imagination and Intuition that Ai Can’t Touch with Angus Fletcher PhD

Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com

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The chaotic changes we are currently experiencing are truly unreal. Tech. Platforms. Politics. Economy. It’s an upheaval. It’s very easy to slip into a full on panic when looking into your creative future. In this episode I want to share something that helped me find hope in this new ever changing landscape, and more than just hope, real creative career growth too!

SHOW NOTES:

Creative Pep Talk on YouTubeYouTube.com/creativepeptalk

Creative Pep Talk on Substackandyjpizza.substack.com

Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.coAudio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.coSoundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com

SPONSORS:SQUARESPACEHead to https://www.squarespace.com/PEPTALK to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PEPTALK
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

518 - The Hope I Found in This Rapidly Changing Creative Landscape

Check Out the rest of the Ghost Frame series:Ghost Frame on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ghost-frame/id1814128797

Ghost Frame on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/4dpUSAANUNsukVTMbkuEDC?si=1cbe0dba190045c5

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This week we are featuring an episode of the “Ghost Frame” podcast by animator / illustrator / director Sarah Beth Morgan. This 5 part narrative non-fiction series is about the rapid flux in the creative industry and navigating transitions as a creative person.

I think we can all relate and I got so much from the series I wanted to share it with all of you! Hope you love it! Here’s a little more about the series:

“The animation podcast that's… not really about animation. Ghost Frame is a narrative nonfiction podcast exploring the creative industry through storytelling, sound-rich scenes, and personal reflection—all framed by one creator’s career crossroads.”

ALSO Patreon and Substack supporters will have access to a BTS conversation between Sarah Beth and I about the series, so be sure to check that out:andyjpizza.substack.compatreon.com/creativepeptalk

 

SHOW NOTES:

Sarah Beth Morganhttps://www.sarahbethmorgan.com

Ghost Frame on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ghost-frame/id1814128797

Ghost Frame on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/4dpUSAANUNsukVTMbkuEDC?si=1cbe0dba190045c5

SPONSORS:SQUARESPACEHead to https://www.squarespace.com/PEPTALK to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PEPTALK
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

CPT Presents: The Ghost Frame Podcast Episode 1 "The Endless Hallway"

Feeling lost on the creative journey? Download our 7 step Creative Career Path Handbooklet for FREE by signing up to our newsletter: http://andyjpizza.substack.com

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WHOA! Loved this conversation SO MUCH! There’s so much to go at here and I could have spoke with Yowei for twice as long. Hope to have her back sometime.

Yowei Shaw is an “emotional investigative journalist” and the creator of the really really great “Proxy” podcast.

We talk:

1 How owning the success of failure of your creative project can be really energizing

2 How to see the opportunity in the constraints of your obstacle

3 The tricky line between art and therapy

4 SO MUCH MORE! You’re gonna love it!

SHOW NOTES:

Yowei Shawhttps://www.yoweishaw.com

Proxy Podcast https://www.proxypodcast.com

Invisibilia Podcasthttps://www.npr.org/podcasts/510307/invisibilia

Producer / Editor: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.coAudio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.coSoundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com

SPONSORS:SQUARESPACEHead to https://www.squarespace.com/PEPTALK to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PEPTALK
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

517 - How to Turn Business Pressures into a Fun Creative Project with Yowei Shaw

Join our January Virtual Pep Rally by supporting on Substack or Patreon!
andyjpizza.substack.com
https://www.patreon.com/c/creativepeptalk

Things change fast these days. If I started my creative practice in 2025 I would do things very differently than when I started out over 15 years ago. Tune into this episode to hear the 7 sequential steps I would take if I was starting out today.

SHOW NOTES:
Co-Writing / Editing: Sophie Miller http://sophiemiller.co
Audio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones http://pendingbeautiful.co
Soundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? http://whywithaquestionmark.com
 
SPONSORS:
SQUARESPACE
Head to https://www.squarespace.com/PEPTALK to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PEPTALK
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

492 - 7 Steps I'd Take If I Was Starting My Creative Practice From Scratch in 2025

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