Hi! Welcome to the 4 CreativeWheels newsletter — your weekly dose of insights on creativity and fuel for your creative journey.

Week #33, here we go! That number has a nice ring to it. We’re still rolling and loving the journey. I have an important announcement to make.

The last two weeks have been quite challenging in a good way. I finally published a project I had been working on for a long time. Yay! I’m proud of the result. You’ll see the project in the Inspiring Wheels section. But for now, let’s dive in.

In this week’s issue, we will explore a source of inspiration we encounter and can encounter every day.

Without further ado…

Let’s start the ride!

Main Wheel

What is one thing that is simple, mostly free, and can be tremendously satisfying? The answer might not be obvious. Yet, it is one of the things we all love. Yes, we all love it, except for a minuscule minority. The answer is a good conversation.

There are few things that can be as satisfying as a good conversation with another human being. It's timeless. It will never grow out of style. The next grand technological development won't be able to push it away. Humans will always cherish it. The aspects that make a good conversation can differ from one person to another. Still, the experience remains the same. It feels great, wonderful.

Good conversations fulfill our human needs for connection. They can be short or long. They can be deep or light-hearted. They come in different forms and formats. Nonetheless, it's certain that you'll appreciate the time you invested in the conversation.

Even though to know the pleasure of good conversation is nothing new, we often overlook the great process we partake in when we are in a good conversation. In a good conversation, we exchange thoughts, concepts, and ideas that we love, appreciate, or consider important. You and I, in a good conversation, share what we value and receive what the other party values as well. It's a constant trade of gifts.

This creates a pattern and produces bridges to crystals of inspiration. A bit of science in here. When crystals form, atoms, ions, or molecules arrange themselves in an ordered structure as a substance transitions from a dissolved or molten state to a solid. This process begins with nucleation, where small clusters of particles form a seed for the crystal. The crystal then grows as more particles attach to the seed in a repeating, organized pattern.

Similarly, a conversation begins with an initial spark of connection or shared understanding, much like nucleation. As the conversation progresses, ideas build upon each other. Each person's input adds layers to the exchange, similar to how particles attach to a growing crystal. Over time, the conversation can evolve into something more structured and meaningful. Both individuals contribute to its depth and complexity, just as a crystal takes shape and solidifies.

Good conversations create a repeating pattern where the parties generate a bond. It's no longer about one person's thoughts. It's about the thoughts, ideas, and concepts that multiple people have. They leave from being isolated in one's mind and start binding together. In return, this pattern breeds potential new thoughts, ideas, and concepts. And that's what happens when we collaborate with others. That's the beauty of collaboration.

We did leave from a good conversation to a collaboration because a good conversation is simply a collaboration. It's a collaboration with the purpose of understanding and exploration. Amazing things occur during that time.

All the thoughts and ideas that get exchanged and shared in a collaboration are crystals, creative crystals. They were once solitary. Through the conversation, they are in solidarity. And the bridges and spaces between the connected thoughts and ideas are the locations to pick up the best crystals.

You will find the ideas you never thought of before and even during the good conversation. They are the kinds of inspirations you realize after the conversation. Such inspirations are rich and interesting. Why? The reason is they are bred from different minds.

The great news is that crystals are there to be taken, even by solo creatives. You might not have a teammate or colleague. You create on your own from ideation to execution. Hence, there isn't often the option of collaboration. Plus, you might not have many opportunities for a good conversation. However, in this situation, there is still a chance to pick up crystals.

In the same way we get crystals when we collaborate with others, we can acquire crystals when we interact with others. The simple and common interactions we encounter every day. Sometimes they are good, and sometimes not so good. The crystals here are much rarer and challenging to pick up.

Yet, they are some of the most magical ones. The magic lies in how unexpected the crystals can be. You could be talking about how the bus driver went Lewis Hamilton mode. Moments later, you go and pick up a crystal from that bond and find an idea for your next painting about frogs.

I know it works because this article was born out of a crystal from a simple interaction with a close friend. Wherever and whenever there is a bond that forms between 2 human beings, there are crystals that are created. We ought to be attentive, recognize them, and use them whenever possible. That is our task as creatives.

It is one of the best ways to find inspiration. It doesn't require much. The seeking is a good experience in the moment and even after. It's not always easy, but it is simple. It reminds us how creativity lives in daily life. And the sublime thing is, it's one of the best parts of being human.

Inspiring Wheels

Here are two (or more) creative works that you’ll not regret checking out:

• "The Importance of Coordination as a creative" - Richard the Mutts | Tada! Here is the project in question. Yup, this is a video by yours truly. I hope it’s not the last. I 110% recommend watching it. (I might be slightly biased.) And I hope you enjoy it.

• "Conan O'Brien Isn't Laughing" - Dodford | An ode to one of the greats in humor. And another masterpiece from the legend, Dodford.

• "The things that actually make Pixar movies so different" - Lancelloti | A creative and reflective analysis of inanimate objects in Pixar's movies and how they influence the movies.

Want to share this issue of 4CW with a friend, colleague,… any human being? Just copy and paste this link: https://4creativewheels.beehiiv.com/p/march-27-2025 😉 😃

Thank you so much for reading! 

As always, feel free to reply to this email & share your thoughts, stories, and any experience related to this topic. I’d love to hear them!  

C ya next Week! 

Embracing Creativity™,

Richard M.

Want to work with me? Contact me here