Words and tools are powerful, but are they our only way of making a mark? *Pause for emphasis*
Stephan Moccio doesn’t think so. An artist, composer, and producer, he’s the name behind some of the most well-known songs and soundtracks on the planet. But surprisingly enough, all that success with sound has come through silence. In this podcast, I have the privilege of sitting down with him to discuss how strategic refrain and thought can benefit creative power.
Creativity as a Muscle
Skill can come naturally, but people rarely get to the top through their natural-born talents alone. Even 6’9″ LeBron James wouldn’t be where he is as a basketball player without putting in the unseen hours of success. Whether physical or mental, training effectively determines performance.
“I’ve learned that to get great things and to achieve great things requires a lot of work behind the curtain…”
Creative practice isn’t different from other forms of training in that making a habit out of it is hard. We all have lives outside of our passions, and those passions aren’t always fully funded. Many of us work day jobs while pursuing creative endeavors. Stephan has had to balance paying bills, raising a family, and managing time in the studio in tandem with writing.
Nonetheless, he stresses the importance of showing up, even if it’s just for 30 minutes a day. The commitment is like going to the gym. It’s easy to put off amid life’s chaos and seems hard to do regularly at first. But the hardest part is just getting started. Once you’ve begun, the momentum builds, and it becomes easier to keep going.
So yes, practice is hard. But practice is also renewing and strengthening, and when regularly performed, it can inspire creativity. Stephan underscores the outcome of taking that next step of committing.
The Importance of Showing Up: Overcoming Creative Blocks
It’s worth acknowledging practice isn’t the only piece of the puzzle when it comes to creative success. There’s also that nasty, pervasive thing called writer’s block, which stifles even the most original of people like Stephen. He’s had plenty of experiences where it just felt as if the taps had run dry. That’s never been an excuse to not try, though.
“I don’t believe in writer’s block as much as I just believe in showing up,” he says.
Acknowledging the feeling but rejecting the reality, Stephen emphasizes the importance of just showing up and getting started, even when it feels impossible. Instead of waiting for inspiration to strike, just start creating something. Anything. It may not be your best work, but the act of doing something can often break through the mental block and lead to meaningful results.
Oftentimes, he says, results come more naturally than expected. “If you know you’ve got this God-given talent, this thing that you’ve got to get outside of you, you’re going to do everything in your capabilities to get it out. It’s that simple.”
The Role of Environment in Creative Output
Anyone who’s ever tried to work in a noisy coffee shop knows that the mind thinks better when it’s in a peaceful setting. Ideas can’t be given due justice when people, things, and unwanted sounds interrupt the flow. Stephan is extremely selective of the places he works in for that very reason. Even subtle background noise impacts his creative process.
While his studio in Los Angeles is often a safe refuge from it all, there have been times when even that controlled environment wasn’t enough. He recounts traveling to a farm-based studio in France owned by Brad Pitt.
“I wanted to create that isolation and I knew that the only way to create the isolation was to physically remove myself from where I’m located in Los Angeles.”
A change in environment can provide creative inspiration and protection from the noise. Stephan’s stay at Miraval Studios gave him the opportunity to get outside and brought him back to his roots as a creator. It also made unplugging from external distractions much easier.
“We are busier than ever. We are living in our phones and we are just processing too much information. We’re not built to process this much information… unless you physically remove yourself from that environment, you’re just always going to get caught in that same trap,” he says of the experience.
Solitude and Introspection
To expand on the topic of peace and quiet, solitude is a core element of Stephan’s creative methodology. In order to truly know oneself and have clarity of thought, one must spend time alone. That, and purposeful introspection provide guidance on what drives an individual and what their true talents are.
Stephan emphasizes the importance of recognizing our own strengths and weaknesses. We all have different abilities and it is crucial to acknowledge them in order to achieve success. This self-awareness also helps us understand if we are pursuing our goals for the right reasons.
Epic orchestras, big tracks, and sound advice abound, my conversation with Stephan Moccio was a truly enlightening experience. From the importance of embracing failure to finding peace and solitude in our fast-paced world, his insights into creativity and life as an artist are invaluable. I highly recommend giving his latest passion project, ‘Legends, Myths and Lavender,’ a listen the next time you’ve got your headphones out.
Enjoy!
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