[Creative Freedom S7E4]

When I was 16, I was over the moon excited about getting my driver’s license. I wanted it SO bad. When I was 9, I helped my brother study for his exam and I held onto his copy of the driver training booklet. Man, I read that thing so many times, I was pretty sure I had it memorized. I knew all the moves to parallel park, all the road signs at a glance, and how to safely pass a commercial vehicle. I knew which vehicle had the right of way at a 4-way stop, what to do when the traffic lights were out, and all the other stuff that little encyclopedia of driving wisdom had to share. 

But I wasn’t prepared when Dad invited me out to drive.

“What? Me? On the road? But Dad, I don’t have my license yet! I don’t have my learner’s permit yet! That would be breaking the law! I don’t think I could DO that! I don’t think I’m ready for that.”

“Okay kid.”

And he never asked me again, even after I got my permit. The next year, he asked my sister, and she jumped at the chance to hop in the car with Dad and tool around town. I was hurt, angry, and didn’t understand why Dad had passed me over like that in favor of my sister. Couldn’t he see I was ready now? Couldn’t he see that I had more experience, more skill at driving than she did? Why was SHE getting the invite, but I wasn’t?

That was one of my earliest experiences with the Passed Over Paradox. Only, I didn’t know it yet. Let me break this down so you can see what was really going on here.

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Podcast Show Notes

Inside this episode, we're talking about:

• What driving with my dad taught me about the Passed Over Paradox
• Why “Shiny Object Syndrome” is so attractive
• The country music “formula” that creates top 10 hits
• Why formulaic = forgettable and originality requires risk
• Why fear “drives the bus” and how to take back the keys
• Courageous action and massive action are not the same thing
• How mind-mapping can help you beat procrastination
• What is courage, really?
• Betting on ‘future you’ is the best move you can make
• Critical thinking vs. Judgment

Links I Mentioned

• What Every Driver Must Know
• Reclaim Your Creative Confidence
• 5 Signs You Need to Pivot
• Sir Mashalot Mashes Up 6 Country Songs
  • Sure Be Cool If You Did
  • Drunk On You
  • Chillin' It
  • Close Your Eyes
  • This is How We Roll
  • Ready Set Roll
• Even Better by Sir Mashalot
• Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen
• Melissa Turkington writes about Samuel Beckett’s famous “fail better” quote
• 10 Rules for Students and Teachers
• Why Critical Thinking Is Not A Creativity Killer
• Season 7 Episode 2

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Theme music: “Big Time” by Ikoliks, Artlist.io