[Video] Creativity with Lists of 30
What is this?
I am testing the publishing of a NotebookLM Video Overview of my original article:
This is completely AI written with slides and audio overlay with NotebookLM. I was pretty impressed, so I decided to share. In my 30 day challenge fashion, I will post the end-to-end process and show how I can automate it into just publishing off of my existing lists of 30 content.
Transcript
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Hey there, let’s talk about creative blocks.
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You know that feeling, right?
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When you’re just stuck, staring at a blank page, waiting for an idea to hit you?
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Well,
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today we are going to crack that code with a technique that is so simple,
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but so powerful,
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it might just change the way you think.
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Ready?
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Let’s get into it.
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Yeah, this.
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This is the look.
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That blinking cursor,
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the empty space,
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it can feel like so much pressure to come up with something,
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anything brilliant.
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It’s a feeling we all know,
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whether your thoughts are just stuck,
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totally scattered,
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or maybe they just decided not to show up today.
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But what if we could flip that?
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What if we could turn all that pressure into, well, play?
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That’s what this is all about.
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We’re gonna explore a framework that turns that scary blank page into a creative playground.
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And it’s all built around one simple, powerful rule.
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Make a list of 30.
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So what is this 30 list challenge?
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Well, it comes from a writer named Clemens Wan.
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And honestly, it’s this fantastic exercise in structured creativity.
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Let’s break down what it is and more importantly, why it works so well.
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Okay, so a list of 30 is pretty much what it sounds like.
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You pick a topic, any topic, and you just generate 30 items about it.
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But here’s the real key.
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The goal is not to have this perfect, polished final document.
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Nope.
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The real value is in what it calls the mental gymnastics.
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The process itself forces you to get past your own inner critic and dig deeper than
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just what you can remember off the top of your head.
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And this quote right here, it just nails the whole philosophy.
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It’s not about the end result.
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It’s about the journey your brain takes to get there.
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It’s the effort, the weird connections your mind starts to make when you push it a little.
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That’s where the good stuff is.
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It’s all about discovery, not performance.
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All right,
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so you’re probably thinking,
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okay,
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this sounds cool,
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I wanna try it,
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but where do I even start?
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The beautiful thing about this whole method is how simple it is.
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So let’s just walk through the first few steps to get those ideas flowing.
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No friction at all.
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First things first, get rid of any barriers.
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Use whatever you like to write with, a pen, your laptop, a giant whiteboard, it doesn’t matter.
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Find a place where you’re comfortable, where your mind can just wander.
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And then, and this is super important, just trust your gut.
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Start writing.
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For your very first list, pick something you know inside and out.
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Favorite movies, things you love about your hometown.
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Make it easy on yourself to just begin.
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Now, this is where it gets really interesting, the rules.
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These aren’t meant to box you in, they’re actually designed to set you free.
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Finishing within a day, that builds momentum.
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Not looking stuff up, that forces you to look inward, so the list is genuinely yours.
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And if you get stuck,
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the good old who,
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what,
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where,
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when,
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why,
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and how questions are your best friend for finding new angles.
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And, you know, as Clemens 1 puts it, getting to 10 should be easy, right?
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This just perfectly captures the vibe of the whole thing.
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That first third of the list is really just the warm-up.
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You’re just getting all the obvious easy stuff out of your head and onto the page.
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Don’t think too hard.
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Just go.
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Okay, so let’s keep going.
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Because after that first easy burst of ideas, almost everybody hits a wall.
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You’ll get to number 15, maybe 20, and just stop.
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But that slump isn’t a sign you’re failing.
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It’s actually a sign that the real creative magic is just about to start.
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So here’s how you get through it.
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So you’ve got two basic scenarios here.
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If you’re just kind of slowing down, take a look at what you already have.
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Can you expand on one of those ideas?
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Do you see any patterns forming?
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But if you are truly epically stuck, you got to jolt your brain.
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Ask the question in a totally new way.
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Step away from it for a couple of hours.
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Or, and this is my personal favorite, just start making ridiculous jokes about the topic.
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Seriously, laughter is an amazing way to break out of rigid thinking.
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So you’ve pushed through that middle part.
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You’re on the home stretch.
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What’s the mindset you need to actually get across the finish line?
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Well, these are the golden rules.
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This is the philosophy that makes the whole thing click.
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This might be the most important thing to remember.
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Those last five items are always the hardest,
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but they are also where the real breakthroughs live.
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You’ve used up all the obvious answers,
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so your brain is forced to make these new wild connections.
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Whatever you do, don’t quit at number 27.
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I promise your most interesting idea is right around the corner.
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Oh, this rule is so freeing.
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You have to let go of perfection.
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The mantra here is written, not perfect.
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This isn’t for a grade.
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It’s for you.
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It’s an exploration.
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So give yourself permission for it to be messy and weird and wonderfully human.
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It’s always about authenticity over polish.
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And seriously, above all else, this is supposed to be enjoyable.
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It’s a creative act of kindness to yourself.
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Think of it like you’re just having a conversation with your own brain.
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You get to be curious and playful and surprised by what you find in there.
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It’s not a chore.
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It’s a treat.
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And here is this awesome little tradition from the source material that I just love.
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Make your final item, number 30, special.
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It can be an inside joke only you get,
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a surprising twist,
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or just a really heartfelt summary of your thoughts.
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It’s like your personal signature on the list, a little reward for finishing the journey.
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Okay, so you’ve got the what, you’ve got the why, and you’ve got the how.
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You get the philosophy behind it.
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There’s really only one thing left to do, right?
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It’s time to go from just watching this to actually doing it.
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Time to become a writer.
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So I’m asking you directly, what’s your first list going to be about?
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It can be something fun,
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like 30 movies I love,
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or something a bit more reflective,
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like 30 Lessons from Corp That Life.
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Honestly, the topic doesn’t matter nearly as much as the act of just starting.
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So what’s the first thing that pops into your head?
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Go with that one.
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And that’s it.
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A simple, powerful secret to unlocking a potentially endless stream of ideas.
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If you want some inspiration,
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you can check out over 260 example lists and read a lot more from Clemens Juan over
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at listsof30.com.
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Thanks for tuning in and happy listing.
Get full access to Life in Lists of 30 at www.listsof30.com/subscribe [https://www.listsof30.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]
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