Adaptive Books:
Transformative Reads for Creative Pioneers
Every breakthrough starts with a shift in perspective. Welcome to Adaptive Books, a curated collection of transformative reads that have shaped my journey from underground music pioneer to creative entrepreneur.
Here, I share the books that fundamentally changed my approach to creativity, business, and personal growth. Each recommendation comes with my personal insights on how these works can be applied to your creative practice and entrepreneurial path.
Featured this month is "The Power of Your Subconscious Mind" by Dr. Joseph Murphy – the book that opened my eyes to the untapped potential within our minds. Discover how this groundbreaking work provides practical techniques for:
- Unlocking creative blocks
- Building unshakeable confidence
- Materializing your artistic vision
- Creating sustainable success
- Developing mental resilience
Every month, I'll add new recommendations, complete with actionable takeaways and real-world applications from my experiences in music production, business development, and creative mentoring.
Remember: The right book at the right time can change everything. Start your reading journey here.
The Gap and The Gain: by Dr. Benjamin Hardy and Dan Sullivan
The concept of The Gap and The Gain, as explained by Dr. Benjamin Hardy and Dan Sullivan, revolves around a mindset shift in how we measure progress.
- The Gap represents focusing on the distance between where you are and where you want to be, often leading to feelings of frustration, inadequacy, or failure. It highlights what's missing rather than acknowledging progress.
- The Gain, on the other hand, focuses on the progress you've made from your starting point. By measuring backwards, you celebrate achievements and growth, fostering motivation and a positive outlook.
How I've Applied This:
I’ve incorporated the Gap and the Gain into my routine by doing weekly and monthly reviews. Each week, I reflect on the progress I’ve made, and at the end of the month, I review the cumulative growth. This habit keeps me focused on my next steps while remaining motivated. The yearly review is particularly powerful—it reveals just how much I’ve evolved, proving I’m not the same person I was a year ago.
This ties beautifully into the idea of goals. Goals are not just about achieving something tangible; they’re about the journey of becoming the person capable of achieving them. It’s not 100% about the goal itself; it’s about personal transformation—becoming the future self you envision. When I focus on my progress, it motivates me to do even more because I see the strides I’ve already made.
A Key Takeaway:
We spend far too much time fixating on what we lack, what’s missing, or how far we still have to go. This leads to self-defeating narratives like “it’s not working” or “I’m failing.” Remember, what you focus on, you amplify. If you focus on progress, you’ll feel encouraged; if you focus on lack, you’ll feel stuck.
As Hardy and Sullivan explain, focusing on lack attracts more lack, while focusing on progress excites and empowers you to continue growing. This mindset shift has fundamentally changed how I view my journey and achievements.
The Power of Your Subconscious Mind: Joseph Murphy
My Journey of Discovery
Your mind is like a supercomputer with two distinct operating systems. The conscious mind analyzes, questions, and makes decisions, while the subconscious mind is your creative powerhouse - running 24/7, storing every experience, and shaping your reality based on deeply held beliefs. Understanding this transformed my approach to both life and creativity.
Here's how I applied these principles:
- Music Production
- Instead of forcing creativity, I learned to "plant seeds" in my subconscious before sleep. Often, I'd wake up with fully formed musical ideas or solutions to complex arrangements.
- Before studio sessions, I'd visualize the finished track in detail, letting my subconscious guide the creative process naturally.
- Business Development
- When launching Adapt The Canvas, I programmed my subconscious with clear images of success, repeatedly visualizing happy clients and growing sales.
- Used positive affirmations to overcome self-doubt during challenging business phases.
- Creative Problem-Solving
- Learned to trust my intuition (the subconscious speaking) when making key decisions.
- Started presenting problems to my mind before sleep, often finding solutions emerged effortlessly by morning.
- Goal Achievement
- Shifted from just setting targets to emotionally connecting with them, allowing my subconscious to unveil the path forward.
- Used visualization techniques to maintain focus during long-term projects.
- Personal Growth
- Developed a morning routine of positive programming through meditation and affirmations.
- Learned to recognize and reprogram limiting beliefs that were holding me back.
The key insight? Your subconscious mind accepts what you repeatedly tell it as truth. It doesn't argue or analyze - it simply creates conditions matching your dominant thoughts and beliefs. Once I understood this, I changed my approach to goal-setting and creative work entirely.
This isn't about magical thinking. It's about understanding your mind's operating system and using it effectively. Whether you're producing music, building a business, or pursuing any creative endeavor, your subconscious mind is your most powerful ally.
Want to explore how these principles can transform your creative journey? Join our ATC "FREE" Community where we dive deeper into these techniques and their practical applications.