The Creative’s Mind: How Exceptional Artists Think, Make, and Perform

In every creator’s journey, there comes a stage where mental challenges are bigger than artistic ones--and it can be hard to know where to turn.

This insightful book offers a rich source of mental strategies, resilience tips, and practical advice tailored specifically for creatives.

No matter your medium, you know that you can’t wait for inspiration to strike when it comes to honing your skills. This is true not only for your craft, but a crucial and often-overlooked aspect of the creative process: your mindset.

From Jim Afremow, author of The Champion’s Mind, and Phil White, co-author of The Leader’s Mind, this new guide takes you inside the mental game of some of the world’s top directors, photographers, writers, and musicians, and shows how their mindset has become their biggest competitive advantage.

Learn from the mental game and creative process of these top artists:

• Destin Daniel Cretton, director of Spider-Man 4 and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
• Chris Burkard, award-winning photographer and filmmaker
• BT, Grammy-nominated musician, producer, and composer
• Erik Larson, New York Times bestselling author of The Devil in the White City and The Demon of Unrest
• Dom Streater, fashion designer and winner of Project Runway and Project Runway All-Stars
• Tim Allen, animator for two Academy Award-winning films, Pinocchio and Peter and the Wolf
• Keegan Hall, artist and philanthropist
• Suzannah Bianco, Olympic gold medalist and Cirque du Soleil performer
• Stephen Wiltshire, architectural artist
• Graham Thompson, founder of Optimo Hats
• Ashley Stegon, visual artist for The Mandalorian
• David Greusel, architect and cofounder of Convergence Design

Filled with motivating stories and hard-earned advice, The Creative’s Mind will equip you with powerful tools to maximize your potential, persevere through hard times, and leave a lasting legacy.

Dr. Jim Afremow is a dynamic author and sports psychologist celebrated for his expertise in sports and performance psychology, mental health, and leadership. He collaborates with a diverse array of performers, including Olympians, professional athletes, top coaches and teams, creative professionals, and individuals dedicated to ongoing success in their fields. His innovative and top-tier approach involves providing actionable strategies that transcend sports to spark creativity and sustainable success in all aspects of life.

Dr. Jim Afremow’s bestselling books, including The Champion’s Mind, are a goldmine of mental insights, tools, and techniques, inspiring individuals to aim for gold and never settle for anything less than excellence in their performance. Additionally, his work with Arizona State University’s athletic programs and the San Francisco Giants organization further highlights his significant impact in the field of sports and performance psychology.

Phil White is an Emmy-nominated writer, the coauthor of The Leader’s Mind with Jim Afremow, and the cohost of The Basketball Strong Podcast with Tim DiFrancesco. Phil also cowrote Unplugged with Andy Galpin and Brian Mackenzie, Waterman 2.0 with Kelly Starrett, Game Changer with Fergus Connolly, and The 17 Hour Fast with Dr. Frank Merritt. He has written for many leading human performance brands, including Momentous, Onnit, TRX, XPT, TrainingPeaks, TrainHeroic, and FAST by Conor McGregor. Phil lives with his wife and two sons in the mountains of Evergreen, Colorado. Follow him on Instagram @philwhitebooks.