In the spring of 1984 a 16-year old aspiring Hip Hop artist named James Todd Smith strode up the steps of Weinstein Hall toward room 712 on the campus of New York University. Having seen the logo for “Def Jam Records” with room 712 on multiple album covers of the new underground Hip Hop movement in Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx, NY, James Todd Smith, or “LL Cool J” as many called him, knew room 712 was the place to be for recording his first album.
As he knocked on the door of room 712, the door opened and in it were two desks pushed together with recording equipment, a Roland 808 drum machine, and two large bass speakers on each side. The room was dark, and the co-founder of Def Jam Records wore dark sunglasses as he answered the door.
As he entered the room, LL Cool J said “I am looking for Rick Rubin”
And with those words the process of recording his first of many albums began.
Rick Rubin may be the best recording producer of all-time. Since his early days in room 712 of Weinstein Hall at NYU working with young artists like, LL Cool J, and another up-and-coming group called, “The Beastie Boys”, Rubin has worked with thousands of artists and many of the greatest artists of all time.
He’s worked with artists and bands like Mick Jagger, Tom Petty, Jay-Z, Linkin Park, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Eminem, Johnny Cash, Metallica, Neil Diamond, Weezer, Adele, Kanye West, Ed Sheeran, among many others
He holds nine Grammy Awards. Winning his first as producer in 1997 for Best Country Album while working with Johnny Cash.
In 2011, Rubin purchased the historic Shangri-La studio in Malibu and has spent the last 12 years hosting artists, recording and producing their albums in the same studio that Elvis Presley once made music. On the property of Shangri-La, multiple recording studios are delicately crafted for artists to access the creative expression within them.
After an artist leaves, the furniture is removed, the walls, and floors are re-painted and the environment is prepared for the next artist to enter and engage with the creative process.
Rick Rubin hasn’t just “pressed record” all these years. He is doing something special in helping artists access their best. From the creation of the studio, to the subtle encouragement and coaching points - he is helping artists get out of their own way and into what is available to them.
After decades producing some of the best musical hits of the last fifty years - here are Eight Principles and Three Practices from Rick Rubin to access more creativity.
But before we jump into some of the tried and tested principles & practices, let’s discuss why we need creativity in the first place.
If you’re a leader reading this, it’s possible you may feel you don’t have time or capacity for “creativity.” The idea of sitting down, idle - with no long list of tasks and objectives and to-do list items in the way sounds far-fetched.
Maybe you don’t feel musical, artistic, or creative in any way? What’s the point of learning to be more creative when you don’t feel that creativity is in any way an important part of leading or living.
The truth is, we all need more creativity.
“Creativity is the motion of making change happen.” - Rick Rubin
If you are a leader, you are making change happen.
This isn’t about painting or making music on your recorder like you did in the 3rd grade. It’s about engaging in the process of accessing more creativity to provide the essential motion to enact change.
The same process used to create something is the same process used to problem solve, connect with others, connect with God, and walk out your purposeful path in life.
It’s about putting your life in the best position to be of service to others - through leadership and through the creative process.
Here are the 8 principles and 3 practices from Rick Rubin
Principle #1 You don’t need anyone’s permission to do something great
Rick Rubin started one of the most successful record labels in the world from his dorm room as a college student. What “qualifications” do you think you need to do something? Title, status - the only thing that legitimizes you - is you. No one is coming to “knight you”, no one is going to declare you’re ready before you say you’re ready. You don’t need permission, you need to train more.
Principle #2 The audience comes last
“I’m not making it for them. The only goal is to make something I like, and I’ve got endless time to do that.” - Rick Rubin
We have to get off the outcome mindset. Nothing destroys marginal gains quite like staring at the distant finish line. Almost every symptom of stress and unrest I’ve felt with important projects in my life came from 2 utterly useless questions
1.) What will “they” think?
2.) How fast can I expedite the timeline?
All feelings of angst, stress, and worry are typically traced back to needing others approval and needing the outcome to come quicker.
When we give way to the temptation to concern ourselves with - What “they” will think, and how fast we can acquire the outcome what we’re really doing is defining a definition of success, and each time we subconsciously give way to these desires it’s as if we’re running a bright highlighter over it - confirming again and again - this is what I deem as “success.”
Imagine a way of being that was completely detached from others’ opinions and from a hurried, frantic pace in life. I would imagine it would produce the best creative solutions to many of the problems we encounter in life and leadership.
Principle #3 Create an environment that allows people to grow into the best version of themselves
Have you ever been in an environment where you felt completely at ease? Like you could take a deep breath for the first time in a long time. Close your eyes for a moment and think of that environment. Maybe it’s a bonfire with close friends and family. Maybe it’s a relaxing evening with your young children asleep in bed. Maybe it’s the quiet of an early morning before the hustle and bustle of the day.
There’s a reason why these environments “felt good.” It’s not just because they were cozy, or were “responsibility-free” atmospheres. They felt this way - because of the state we’re in when we’re in them.
Since the beginning of time, safe environments have impacted our internal state. We go from on edge, fear respondent to safe, open-minded, curious, and engaged in the present moment.
The chief task of the leader is not to hit quarterly revenue goals. It’s not to motivate unmotivated people. It’s not to win games. It’s not to produce a platinum album or a hit single.
The chief task of the leader is to create an environment that allows people to grow into the best version of themselves.
The best version of your team produces the best work your team is capable of accomplishing.
Principle #4 Negativity is the enemy of creativity
Everything contributes to our creative output. Concentrating on all the frustrating, negative components of life will ultimately compound and influence our way of being. Through negativity we willingly give up our agency to change and respond to what is going on around us.
Negativity is one of the most silent, sneaky, debilitating, habitual responses that plagues our life and leadership.
“This won’t work.”
“No one wants this..”
“Nothing seems to be working out today..”
All subtle thoughts and reactions that generate physical emotions and responses that stifle our creative process.
Negativity takes us from creative seeking & solution finding to passive wallowing and chronic drifting.
Principle #5 Less is more
Leadership is honestly simple when you think about it. You’ve got to move people toward action in the context of the good work you’re doing together. Much is written on the subject. Books, conferences, podcasts - they’re all great. Whichever one is your favorite, I’m sure it’s great.
However, at some point we have to pause and ask ourselves - Do I need more information or do I need to do more with the information I’ve got?
Chances are you’ve read a ton of strategies. You’ve explored all the leadership greats. You don’t need another new spin on the great challenge of leadership.
Here is our simple - less is more approach to leadership.
You have the best chance of being the best leader you can be if you are personally flourishing.
You flourish as you grow in four dimensions
Physical - You need to be physically rested
Mental - You need to be mentally present
Emotional - You need to be emotionally agile
Spiritual - You need to be spiritually rooted
Chances are the solutions to the leadership and life problems you are facing have less to do with the hack you have yet to find, and more to do with your level of well-being in one or more of those four dimensions above.
Principle #6 “Let’s just see what happens”
I’m longing for the day when leaders relax. I get it, as a leader you’ve got a lot of pressure. There’s expectations, there’s numbers to hit, outcomes to achieve, and successes to be accumulated.
Have you ever realized that a couple hundred years ago the role you’re in probably didn’t even exist? People chopped wood, worked the land, had families, and went fishing. Things worked out just fine.
I can’t help but think so much of the modern day stress we feel related to careers, business, and leadership is often self-imposed to make us feel more important. Why are we frantically running around doing all the things we’re doing?
How different would life be if you began to release some of the control? What would be so catastrophic about living and leading in a posture that says:
“I’m going to do the best I can where I’m at with what I have - and then we’ll just see what happens.”
You think the chronic stress around your output is serving you. In reality it’s the very thing blocking you from accessing the solutions you need.
It’s not about living in a way that controls every outcome. It’s about living in a posture that can respond to whatever is thrown your way.
End more meetings with “Let’s just see what happens.”
End more of your days with “Let’s just see what happens.”
Principle #7 “My reason to exist is to be in service of the artists”
Living as an On Purpose leader hinges on clarity. When we’re unclear about what we’re even doing it’s going to be very difficult to flourish in the service of others.
Rick Rubin has a clear directive in his work. Help the artists. For some artists that may be about the music. Increase the bass here. Record that loop and use it at the beginning of the song. Enhance the lyrics in the harmony. Technical to the craft and training. His purpose is clear.
For other artists it’s less about music coaching and more about life coaching. Helping artists let go. Helping artists access the creative process that is blocked by unnecessary worrying, and outcome focusing. For some artists he doesn’t talk about a higher key or different notes. A good portion of the time, the value he brings has absolutely nothing to do with music.
This is the case for all transformational leaders.
Great athletic coaches are proficient with the techniques and strategies related to their sport - but they are even better as they LEVERAGE their sport for the opportunity to help their athletes grow into better men and women.
When you are truly in service of others, you learn to develop and use your entire tool belt. What’s jamming that team member up? Does it have to do with the functions of their job, or does it have to do with the functions of how they are relating to life?
You’re not just the (Head Coach, Athletic Director, Regional Supervisor, Principal, Pastor, Assistant to the Regional Manager)
You need to be a coach for life.
You don’t just need to be proficient in all the key things needed to win in your chosen arena.
You need to be proficient in all the key things needed to flourish and live a life on purpose.
If you’re truly going to be in service of your people they need both from you.
Principle #8 Feel it don’t think it
Most of what we help leaders with has to do with helping people fight drift. Drift is to move aimlessly at the mercy of external forces.
Too many leaders (and even high performers) are drifting. They’re not in touch with what is going on on the inside.
You are less effective in every meaningful role in life if you are drifting.
How do we stop drifting and learn to flourish? It starts with deep inner work. In the early mornings with a cup of coffee, or the late nights with a notebook in hand.
You have to be paying attention. If not, you might miss what is really going on on the inside. Successful in every metric that doesn’t matter. Failing in the metrics that mean the most in life.
There are no hacks. It can’t be done with a four hour work week. You can’t mail it in from afar. You can’t outsource or delegate it. There is no autopilot for living with clear intentions. It’s not a mental exercise. It’s not a checklist of agreements in beliefs.
It’s lived.
It is felt more than it is thought.
Every leader we’ve helped in this process has the same sentiment.
“I can’t really describe it, things just feel different. I feel like I'm in a better spot.”
We call that flourishing.
It’s the process of getting out of our own way. Something Rick Rubin has helped so many artists do. And just like a champion boxer trains in the gym, we can train to do this as well.
We can train to create space for this kind of creative approach to life and leadership.
It’s not as complex as we make it - start with these three practices from Rick Rubin.
The art of getting out of the way: Practices to create space
Practice #1 Get up and move your body in the first part of the day.
Rick Rubin starts everyday with an hour walk on the beach. A beach would be great, but the walking trail near your house can get you started. Keep it simple. Go for a walk, a light jog. We don’t need any heroes. You’re not training for the Olympics. The process of moving allows us to start the day on our toes instead of on our heels.
Practice #2 Get sunlight - Be outside
If the sun is the source of energy for all of creation, why would we expect it to not be a necessary source of energy for us? It’s a daily requirement. Get more vitamin D and watch how better prepared you are to lead and serve compared to being contained in dark or artificially crafted spaces.
Practice #3 Eliminate Hurry
Meditation/Mindfulness/Prayer - Calm your mind/body down - Put yourself in a position to receive.
Sometime in his 20s Rick Rubin really got into Transcendental Meditation. If that’s not your thing, perhaps it’s a mindfulness exercise. If you are a person of faith, maybe it’s the practice of prayer/meditation on scripture.
The point is - We have to create the space to slow down. We have to calm our mind and body down. We have to put ourselves in a position to receive.
All three of the above practices support the creative process. The more stress attached to your reality, the more these three need to go from nice suggestions to a way of life.
They are the start of learning the art of getting out of our own way.