Author Terri Trespicio wants you to just go for it, already
"I am trying to be, not less careful, but less concerned."
One of Terri Trespicio’s primary throughlines is to help people stop overthinking and worrying about being nice so that you can do your work—and live your life—with ease. Amen.
Terri is the author of the fabulously helpful and hopeful book, Unfollow Your Passion: How to Create a Life That Matters to You, which was named one of the best feel-good reads of the year by The Washington Post.
Her book is based on her TEDx talk, which is called Stop Searching for Your Passion, and that has been viewed over 8 million times. Terri opens that talk recounting the day she got fired from Martha Stewart's Whole Living magazine, which is where I was lucky enough to meet, work with, and become friends with her. Terri went on to host a daily radio show on the Martha Stewart channel at Sirius Radio and became a frequent, special guest star on Martha's TV show where she interviewed Bill Clinton and demonstrated how to use a Neti pot on air, though not at the same time.
Today, Terri is an in-demand speaker, a brand strategist, a writing teacher certified in the Gateless method, a standup comedian, and always a writer whose work can soothe you, crack you up, and crack open possibilities in your mind all at once.
The things we cover include:
The thought process on whether or not you should stop working for yourself and go get a job
How creativity is more like a butterfly than a workhorse
One of the best things you can do to promote creativity (hint: it’s not what you think)
Terri’s morning routine in detail (which includes writing in her robe)
How Terri’s Catholic upbringing contributed to her recurring critical thoughts, and also what it taught her about how to get past them
The surprising thing about doing her work that makes Terri feel embarrassed
In praise of weight lighting, or as Terri says, helping yourself get better at “trembling in the face of resistance”
Why she, as a Gen X women, prefers dating Millennial men
What Terri will and absolutely will not apologize for
A ninja trick for where to place your focus when your inner critic is chiming in
“I feel freer on stage than maybe most people because I feel like I know a secret, which is that you disappear up there into whatever you’re sharing. And if I’m not there, there’s nothing for the inner critic to criticize.”
How she loves poking holes in the silly things we tell ourselves (like her friend who felt like she had to finish every library book she checked out whether she liked it or not)
The two men Terri considers creative mentors
Her friend, a woman, who inspires her on how to live life on her own terms (she’s internet famous–OK, it’s Laura Belgray)
The historical fiction author she’s staying up too late reading and the show she can’t stop watching once she starts
Her love of meat snacks
Which time of year she hates, and why
Where you’re likely to find her on Friday nights
The utensil most of her favorite types of foods require
“If you’re gonna live a life you want, you’re gonna disappoint some people.
You’re gonna tick some people off.”
Lightbulb moments:
There’s a difference between something being easy, and being able to find ease even when you’re doing something ‘hard’
The pep talk on going for it, whatever ‘it’ may be: “If you’re gonna live a life you want, you’re gonna disappoint some people. You’re gonna tick some people off.”
Specific things we discuss:
The Fall of the House of Usher (on Netflix)
Meat snacks, like Duke’s
Listen to Terri’s interview:
Part 1: Terri's recipe for getting creative work done: naps, robes, and thinking about butterflies
And if you’d rather get these interviews in one, ad-free episode, upgrade to paid!
Connect with Terri
Listen to previous episodes:
Leigh Medeiros, part 1: The power of merging your siloes + awesome attention hacks
Leigh Medeiros, part 2: A hilarious—and relateable—story about second-guessing your work
Tracey Lewis-Giggets, part 1: The writing rules she once taught and now ignores
Tracey Lewis-Giggets, part 2: Dealing with inner meanines + acknowledging the gifts of rejection
Tracey Lewis-Giggets, part 3: The bittersweet healing of parenting + learning from Toni Morrison
Sari Botton, part 2: bucket lists, the subconscious desire for permission, and clogs
Sari Botton, part 3: the magic combo of reverence and irreverence